What is IPTV and How Do I Get It

This article post answers questions regarding what IPTV is and how to get it, including other important questions, so you can determine whether or not this method is right for you. Many newcomers pay for an IPTV subscription first without knowing what is IPTV. As a tester of many IPTV services who has written many reviews, and created video reviews/video tutorials, you’ll learn plenty more than what you came for. And will also discover the recommended IPTV service to get a trial or subscription.

IPTV services are not for everyone. They will require some Internet know-how, such as how to manage, send, and receive emails, download/install apps, and make payments online. If you are lacking in any of these areas, I suggest you find someone who’s more knowledgeable and can help you. But you need to learn and not become dependent on another person who may not always be around to help. It’s really not that difficult.

What is IPTV?

Firstly, this is not the same thing as FiOS, cable, or satellite TV. IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television. The streaming device, which can be a smart TV, receives and delivers Streaming TV/VOD content from the web to the user’s IP address. A user must download and install an IPTV app on a streaming device with a high-speed Internet connection.

This setup permits users to watch television programming via a web connection which makes it a bit more flexible and convenient than conventional broadcast methods.

What Are the Requirements?

• Compatible Streaming Device: IPTV services generally support iOS devices, Android devices, computers, smart TVs, Firestick/Fire TV, NVIDIA Sheild, and other devices. Not all IPTV services allow the same compatible devices so it’s important to find out what devices are compatible
• IPTV App(s): An IPTV app must be downloaded and installed on a compatible device for the use of the referred-to IPTV services. Some examples of TV Player apps are Tivimate IPTV Player, IPTV Smarters Pro, IBO Player, etc. Many IPTV providers use multiple apps that provide more device compatibility
• IPTV Provider: To be clear, no TV Player app whether free or paid comes with live TV channels and VODs. To watch Streaming TV/VOD content using the TV Player, you need to have an IPTV subscription or trial. You will then receive the activation/login credentials to activate and use the player. The IPTV service is the one that delivers all the streaming content and provides support
• High-Speed Internet: A fast Internet connection is needed for everything to function properly, whether through an Ethernet cable (wire) connection or WiFi connection. A 100 Mbps or higher/faster Internet connection (download) speed is usually recommended for streaming IPTV channels/VOD content. Here’s why:

1. High-Quality Streaming Video (HD & 4K)

• Connecting Multiple Streaming Devices: If you intend to connect more than one streaming device (Firestick, TV, Smartphone, etc.) to the IPTV service servers, more bandwidth will be needed. This lowers the risk of getting poor streaming performance such as picture quality degradation and IPTV buffering
• HD Streaming: When it comes to streaming high-definition (HD) content, it typically requires 5-8 Mbps and that’s per device. Some IPTV services will tell you the minimum required is 30 Mbps but you do math. To connect four devices simultaneously to the same IPTV service, you’ll need a minimum bandwidth of 20-32 Mbps. Connect 5 devices and that’s 25-40 Mbps. Already the 30 Mbps minimum is pretty much eaten up. But `1-3 devices connection should work well enough
• 4K Streaming: UHD content requires a bandwidth of 25 Mbps or more per stream, which is also known as ultra-high-definition content.
• Multiple Internet Streamers & ISP: When there’s a significant increase of Internet streamers or users from other households using the same ISP (Internet Service Provider), the available bandwidth can very well be affected. This can potentially slow down one’s Internet connection speed in his/her household. Shared Bandwidth (Contention Ratio), Network Congestion, and the relationship between Upload and Download Speeds can impact this. This generally happens on weekends, holidays, in the evenings after work (peak hours), special events on television, etc.

The only way to prevent poor streaming performance is to upgrade your Internet service plan if you don’t already have 100 Mbps or more download connection speed.

2. Video On Demand (VOD)

• To access and stream VOD content of the highest quality without interruptions or delays, you need 100 Mbps or more.
• IPTV VOD services require a large amount of bandwidth when delivering large video files in real time. The higher the video quality, such as HDR or 4K, the larger the file size and the more bandwidth it consumes.

3. Simultaneous Streams

• If the Internet connection speed of the TV viewer is subpar, streams may experience lag, pixelation, or buffering.
• Generally, IPTV service providers allow users to stream TV/VOD content via multiple devices (2 or more) simultaneously. Therefore, each additional streaming content connected will need extra bandwidth.

4. Network Overhead

• The data sent between the user’s device and the IPTV server (network & Internet protocols) can also consume some portion of the bandwidth. So to stream video in high quality, the user needs a buffer higher than the required speeds

5. Steady, Buffer-Free Streaming

• When a user’s Internet connection speed is around 50-70 Mbps, infrequent drops in bandwidth can cause interruptions or buffering. Having a stable web connection is paramount to having smooth streaming
• A more consistent TV viewing experience with no interruptions is ensured by numbers like 100 Mbps or more. This provides more ‘headroom’ as fluctuations in Internet speed occur.

6. Other Network Usage

• When there are more device connections in the same household where others are visiting websites online, playing games, and doing other web things, this also consumes bandwidth. With an Internet connection speed of 100 Mbps or more, you can secure IPTV streaming of channels and VODs will not be heavily affected by other web activities.

How IPTV Works

The installation setup requires the following:

Compatible Streaming Device + TV Player App + High-Speed Internet Connection + IPTV Subscription or Trial

IPTV functions by connecting and positioning all four components. Users can then watch their favorites online. You should do the following in this order, as suggested…

1. Download/Install the TV Player app before entering into a trial or subscription. See if the app installs without an issue. Again, I am referring to different IPTV services that use 3rd-party IPTV apps
2. Register for the trial to test the Streaming TV/VOD and TV Player app installed on your device first. You won’t have much time for the trial if you register and go through the downloading and installation process.
3. If everything is satisfactory, register for one of the subscription packages that meets your needs

The IPTV service delivers all the live TV channels from many popular networks all kinds of shows, news, kids’ shows, and all kinds of sporting events, including VOD movies and TV series. All of this and more as well as live channels/VODs from other countries outside the US.

Your broadband connection transmits tons of channels and tons of on-demand content over the Internet, unlike satellite or radio waves. Your streaming device receives and plays Streaming TV/VOD content in real-time over the web when it’s delivered to your IP address.

Benefits of Using IPTV

• Cost-Savings: IPTV services cost far less than cable, satellite, and FiOS TV services which makes them more affordable, especially for those living on tight budgets or low-income
• Flexible Viewing: When using an IPTV, the user can watch his/her favorites on multiple streaming devices which include smart TVs, Firestick/Fire TV, computers, Android and iOS devices, and so on. More than likely the user already has the compatible device ready to connect and use
• Live Channels/VODs: Access to 1000s of live channels with major TV networks (movies, shows, news, sports, US locals, global, etc). Get access to 1000s of VOD movies and TV series with newly added, seasons and episodes
• EPG (Electronic Program Guide): Has multiple live channel categories. Choose a channel category to load the TV guide and from there select a channel to watch from the TV guide
• High-Quality Streaming: HD, and UHD (4K) live channels and VODs when working with a high-speed Internet connection of 100 Mbps or more

IPTV Scam and How to Avoid

Unfortunately, there are some bad IPTV services out there. Therefore, you need to be on your P’s and Q’s to do your due diligence to research further. Here’s a list of things you should look for:

• Check for Scams/Complaints: Google the IPTV service brand name to see if there are any scam reports or complaints about them. If no complaints or scams reports, great. But if there’s a lot of negativity, you might want to move on from them
• Legal Documents: When finding an IPTV service website, thoroughly review that site. They should have legal documents posted such as TOS, Cookie Compliance, Private Policy, etc.
• Refund Policy: IPTV should provide a written money-back guarantee with clearly posted conditions on its website.
• Customer Service: Contact customer service with presale questions to check their response time and see how they communicate with you. A 1-4 hour email response time is good. Any more time than that will depend on your tolerance. Of course, you need to factor in after-hours, holidays, and weekends. Really good IPTV service should have you covered pretty much
• Support Contact: There should be at least two ways to contact support as a paid customer. Give the service a plus if they have a chatbox with a live agent but take into consideration that a live agent may not be available 24/7 every day
• Trial for Testing: A good IPTV service will have either a free trial or a low-cost trial to test the TV Player connected to the Streaming TV/VOD service/servers, If no trial, you might want to move on
• One-Month Subscription: Do Not pay for a subscription with multiple months right away. After the trial ends, enter into the one-month subscription to test further. You are not locked into any one subscription package; instead, you have the freedom to choose. You can choose a different one later

How to Get IPTV

There are two types of IPTV services where one has no restrictions when it comes to IP address flexibility. See both below:

• IP Lock IPTV: The ISP (modem/router) assigns a fixed IP address to the compatible device once the IPTV player app is installed on it. This means the user cannot take his/her portable device such as a laptop to another household or place with Internet service that has a different IP address to watch TV online. The app installed on the device locks in the IPTV address. A VPN service cannot be used to change or hide one’s IP address; this applies to only one smartphone when connecting to any WiFi area while traveling
• No IP Lock IPTV: This does the opposite of an IP Lock IPTV system whereas there is no IP address restriction. The user can go to any other household, place, near or far, even worldwide, with a different Internet service and IP address. When streaming live TV channels and VODs, you can use a VPN service incognito. No one including any company or ISP can track where you go online. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have been known to throttle one’s Internet connection when streaming from unknown sources online

For the best web TV experience and if traveling a lot, choosing a No IP Lock IPTV would be ideal. That’s where CracklePop TV comes into play. Read below…

CracklePop TV: All-in-One Streaming TV/VOD Service

The CracklePop TV service connects you to the Streaming TV/VOD service with entertaining content the entire family will love. It supports many compatible streaming devices that customers can choose from and probably already have on hand. The many TV Player apps allow installing one or more on a compatible device.

When having the best TV Player app and Streaming TV/VOD combo, one can obtain the best web TV experience. Users are never out of entertainment with the large number of live channels and the even larger number of on-demand movies and TV series at their disposal.

CracklePop TV offers a world of TV that translates to over 40-50 countries including the US, UK, CA, and so on. There is a low-cost trial for testing and 7 basic subscription packages. When drilling down, the customer can select the number of months and devices. This IPTV service provides optionality which includes the Bouquets feature that lets you pick and choose which countries, channels, and VOD to omit or add to the playlist when added to the IPTV Player app.

The basic subscription packages include preselected countries that appeal more to different individuals worldwide. With the Bouquets included, the streaming content delivered can be tailor-made to suit the user’s needs. Visit the CracklePop TV home page and get a trial or subscription.

How Much is IPTV Per Month?

CracklePop TV fits all budgets with 1, 3, 6, and 12-month subscription packages which include 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 device connections. There are many subscription packages at different price sets for any combo of months and device connections previously mentioned.

Customers can choose Manual Payment (one-time) or Automatic Payment when registering for a subscription package. Customer service/support is outstanding so you won’t have a problem making contact and getting timely support. The prices are comparable to other IPTV services and what the IPTV market bears. Starting from $16.00 per month, you can be on your way to watching many of your favorites online.

Things to Consider

• IPTVs are not created equal for all. What may work well for one individual may not work well for another. The best thing to do is test, test, test which is why the trial is so important. Some IPTVs are simply better than others. And you will need to decide if you want to accept the gray areas and use a VPN service
• During registration, use a working email address that doesn’t have a high rate of blocking emails from unknown sources. As far as free Gmail.com, Yahoo.com, and other email providers, some can be troublesome. The customer’s email service directly routes CracklePop TV emails to the Spam or Junk mail folder
• After registration, always check your Spam or Junk mail folder for important emails. If you don’t see any emails from the IPTV provider, check your Spam/Junk folder. If no emails are found anywhere, you will need to whitelist the IPTV service support email
• Always remember the IPTV service brand name, bookmark the website, and create an email folder to put all their emails in. Just make sure you know where you put that folder when needed
• Make note of the money-back guarantee (Refund Policy) and how that works. Understand the conditions

Best IPTV Service Reddit

Reddit is certainly no stranger here. We use them from time to time for information and to help Reddit users regarding IPTVs. But we decided to stay away from using ‘Best IPTV’. It’s unrealistic and a bit overused as there is no perfect IPTV service. We know an IPTV service doesn’t work for everyone so how can it be the ‘best’ of the rest? And besides, no IPTV service is perfect.

At CracklePop TV, we don’t claim to be the best. Instead, we strive to become better. So if this resonates with you, then give CracklePop TV a try. There’s a 7-day money-back guarantee which starts from the time the payment is made.

Summary

The question now becomes whether this IPTV method of watching TV online is right for you. Whether you are new to these Streaming TV/VOD services or someone who has dipped into this method before does include some downsides. What you want is a service where the upsides outweigh the downsides, and that’s where entering into a trial is the best thing to do. After the trial ends, you weigh the pros and cons to determine if this can be a long-term thing.

The following questions were covered and answered that should help individuals decide whether or not to take the next step:

• What is IPTV?
• How do I get it
• How does it work
• How much is IPTV per month
• And much more

Beyond that comes looking under the hood to see what’s there. This is where a service like CracklePop TV comes into play. You should know by now that no TV Player app has streaming content straight out of the box. An IPTV subscription or trial is required which delivers all the live channels and VOD movies/TV series. But more than that, this is where you get the activation/login credentials that CracklePop TV sends via email.

We have explored the best IPTV service Reddit information. CracklePop TV is mentioned there but not nearly enough. One reason is that we don’t preach being the ‘best’. The goal is striving to be better, meaning there are more improvements on the horizon.

You can register now to get the CracklePop TV Trial or Subscription Here.