IPTV refers to Internet Protocol television, where the Internet is used to deliver television and video programs that are either live or on demand.
IPTV is a system where a digital TV service is delivered to a subscriber via Internet technology via broadband or an internet connection.
It differs slightly from digital video that is accessed by millions of users on sites or applications such as YouTube or Netflix, but it shares very little of the same nature that is spread everywhere. Also unlike a satellite connection, in multiple iptv servers a single subscription can be used inside the home.
IPTV broadcasts give viewers an added advantage and the convenience of being able to choose the program you want to watch at any time with just a click of a button.
To understand how IPTV is different from conventional TV, let’s compare the traditional way to watch TV with IPTV: –
Both the cable and the satellites both work by enabling users to “listen” to specific channels within that signal and the main difference is that the cable is over a wired connection while the satellites are wireless (until they reach your home, anyway). A prominent example of cable television is Time Warner Cable that is connected via a coaxial cable connection and an example of satellite TV from providers such as Directv that are sent and delivered to viewers over radio waves.
IPTV uses the Internet Protocol (IP) based network to deliver TV channels to the user’s receiver. Internet networks differ from cables and satellites by providing content through the same client-server model that makes email, websites, and other internet-based services.
The Internet Protocol is the language used to transfer data packets between computers connected to the Internet.
Consumer requests and receiving television programs and video content are delivered to the viewer via Internet Protocol (IP) based networks instead of cable or satellite. Unlike cable or satellite where the content is broadcast in real time, on transmission and forget the model, IPTV has the ability to store programming on servers at the end of transmission, allowing users to request content over the Internet at any time.
Several sites and apps exist which allow you to access illegal content for free. However, there’s also a large market for paid illegal services.
Perhaps most notable is the IPTV sector. A quick search on Reddit reveals dozens of illegal IPTV providers. Each of these provides access to thousands of live TV channels from all over the globe.
Typically, prices for such services are between about $5 and $15 per month, with extra costs for those who want to watch on multiple devices at the same time. And, just like many legal services, several providers offer impressive discounts if you sign up for a multi-month package.
Signing up for long periods puts you at risk of financial loss. Because of their illegality, the providers are not regulated, meaning they could stop offering their product and vanish on a whim. Again, Reddit provides countless examples of this happening.
Obviously, there’s also a significant risk that authorities could pursue a provider through the courts, which again means the service potentially ceasing without warning, thus leaving you out of pocket.
We think most of our readers—intentionally or otherwise—have probably stumbled onto a site offering illegal free live TV at some point in their lives.
If you have been on such a site, you’ll know that developers load the sites with very aggressive ads. Remember, these aren’t ads from Google Ads or another similarly reputable ad network. Many of the ads are providing links to some form of malware.
Worse still, the ads are deliberately highly deceiving. Downloadable items are disguised as Play buttons and close window icons, windows move around the page, and ads are layered on top of each other. And if you turn on an ad blocker the sites will not let you access the content.
Often, you need to close several ads before you can get close to watching a video. One wrong click, and you could inadvertently let malware access your device.
The problem isn’t only limited to websites. Countless services have followed in PopcornTime’s footsteps, offering on-the-fly streaming of P2P content. Many such services have apps for platforms like Android TV and Fire TV. Because they’re not on official stores, the apps aren’t going through any rigorous security checks.
