▾In recent years, broadcasting TV programs via the internet, known as IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), has significantly expanded. This broadcasting is primarily provided by telecommunications operators through their phone lines. What should you know before you start watching TV over the internet?
How does it work?
Connection is typically provided through high-speed internet connections or fiber optic connections. The undeniable advantages of IPTV include a wide range of TV programs and additional TV services, such as the electronic program guide EPG (Electronic Programming Guide), PPV (Pay Per View) paid program offerings, video on demand - VoD (Video on Demand), and other information services. The scope of these services always depends on the specific offerings of individual companies.
Where and how is IPTV available?
The availability of IPTV primarily depends on the availability of high-speed internet connections through which IPTV is transmitted. For instance, if you are interested in IPTV from a company that uses ADSL2+ for its transmission, then ADSL2+ must be available in your residential area. You can always check with the specific company offering IPTV about the availability of the technology. To watch IPTV, you will need a set-top box and, in the case of IPTV transmission via an ADSL connection, also an ADSL modem. Set-top boxes used for receiving IPTV are usually hybrid. This means that they also support terrestrial (DVB-T), satellite (DVB-S), and cable digital broadcasting (DVB-C).
What about simultaneous viewing and browsing?
You don't need to worry about any complications. Thanks to the separation of the bandwidth for phone calls and data transmission, along with setting priority for live TV broadcasting, you can simultaneously watch IPTV, make phone calls, download data, and surf the internet using a single fixed phone line or fiber connection.
Additional advantages of IPTV
- The watched program can be recorded for repeated viewing
- With the use of special equipment (e.g., DIGI2GO), you can pause, rewind, and watch the program from the desired spot at any time.
- One of the options to watch in real-time on TV or PC or another device is streaming through a classic media player. Players like VLC Player or BS Player, commonly used for watching movies from a disk, can also be used for watching TV.
- Another variant is streaming directly on the TV station's websites (Czech Television broadcasting also has this option).
Video servers instead of IPTV
Don't want to get IPTV and prefer individual programs? If you visit any of the TV station's video servers, you can easily watch programs online virtually anywhere and anytime (sometimes restricted abroad by broadcast license validity). To watch, simply select the desired program, click on play, and you can watch it directly from the provider's server. This seems to be an ideal solution for watching original shows, movies, and series from the TV station's production.
However, for real-time watching and streaming, expect that you will need a really high-quality, reliable, and fast connection for an uninterrupted experience. That way, you can choose high-definition quality, which will undoubtedly enhance the overall impression.
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