Getting connected
M3U
A plain text file listing channels and the address of each one. Originally a music playlist format, now the most common way to hand a channel list to a player. See what an M3U URL is.
M3U URL
A web address that returns your M3U file rather than a file you download. Because it is fetched fresh each time, the list can be updated without you doing anything.
M3U8
The same format saved as UTF-8, which allows accented and non-Latin characters in channel names. Functionally an M3U for your purposes.
Xtream Codes
A login made of a server address, username and password, instead of one long URL. Players that support it can request the channel list, the guide and on-demand content separately, which usually gives a better experience. Compared side by side in Xtream Codes vs M3U.
Portal
The approach used by MAG-style set-top boxes. Rather than you entering credentials, the box is identified by its own MAC address and loads its channel list automatically. See IPTV on MAG and set-top boxes.
MAC address
A unique identifier belonging to a piece of hardware, written as six pairs of characters separated by colons. Used to identify portal boxes, and by some Smart TV apps for activation.
Devices and installation
Sideloading
Installing an app on a device from a file rather than from its official store. Common on Fire TV devices, where the store does not carry every player. Steps for the most common case are on our Firestick page.
APK
The file format an Android app ships in. Sideloading generally means installing an APK.
Downloader
A small utility app, available in the Amazon store, used to fetch an APK by typing in a web address. It is the usual first install on a Firestick.
STB emulator
An app that makes a normal Android device behave like a portal set-top box. It works, but adds a layer that would not otherwise be there. See IPTV on MAG and set-top boxes.
HDMI-CEC
A feature letting devices connected by HDMI control one another, so a single remote can switch inputs and power. Manufacturers each brand it differently — Anynet+, SimpLink, Bravia Sync.
The channel list
Bouquet
A group of channels bundled together — sports, news, a country. You will see the word in some players where others say "group" or "category".
Group title
The label attached to each channel in the playlist that tells the player which group it belongs in. When groups look wrong, this is usually why.
Line-up
The full set of channels available on a service. Line-ups change as broadcasters come and go.
SD, HD and 4K
Standard definition, high definition and ultra high definition. Decided by whoever produces the feed, not by your player or your connection — which is why some channels look softer than others however fast your internet is. Explained in why your IPTV picture looks soft.
The programme guide
EPG
Electronic Programme Guide — the on-screen schedule showing what is on now and next. See what an EPG is.
XMLTV
The file format guide data is usually supplied in. Your player downloads an XMLTV file and matches its contents to your channels.
tvg-id
The identifier that links a channel in your playlist to its listings in the XMLTV file. When a channel shows another channel's programmes, a mismatched tvg-id is the usual cause.
Catch-up
Going back in the guide to play something already broadcast. Provided per channel, so available on some and not others.
Video and audio
Codec
The method used to compress video. H.264 is near-universal; H.265, also called HEVC, is more efficient but needs newer hardware. Compared in H.264 vs H.265.
Bitrate
How much data per second a stream uses, usually in Mbps. Higher generally means more detail retained. Bitrate matters as much as resolution — a low-bitrate 1080p stream can look worse than a well-encoded 720p one.
Transcoding
Converting a stream from one format to another in transit, for example so an older device can play it. It costs processing power and usually a little quality.
Hardware decoding
Letting the device's dedicated video chip decode the stream rather than the main processor. Almost always the right setting, particularly on sticks and older boxes.
Passthrough
Sending an audio track onward untouched to a soundbar or receiver to decode. Useful when the equipment supports the format and silent when it does not.
The connection
Buffer
A short reserve of video held ahead of what you are watching, so a brief interruption does not stop playback. Live streams keep small buffers by design, which is why they are less forgiving than on-demand.
Buffering
What you see when the buffer empties. Diagnosed in the buffering guide.
Latency
Delay between something happening and it reaching you. Distinct from bandwidth: a fast connection can still have poor latency.
Jitter
Variation in latency. Steady delay is manageable; delay that fluctuates is what makes live streams stutter, and it is the reason a wired connection helps. See Ethernet vs Wi-Fi.
Throughput
How much data actually gets through, as opposed to the speed you are sold. Our guide to internet speed for IPTV covers what is genuinely needed.
CDN
A content delivery network — servers distributed geographically so data comes from somewhere near you.
Concurrent streams
How many things can play at once on one subscription. Separate from how many devices you may install on. See IPTV on multiple devices.
Your account and the service
Line
Informal shorthand for one subscription's set of credentials. "One line" means one login, which may permit one or more simultaneous streams depending on the plan.
Concurrent streams
How many things can play at the same time on one subscription — distinct from how many devices you may install on. Explained in IPTV on multiple devices.
Token
A short string embedded in some stream addresses that authorises access for a limited period. When one expires the address stops working even though nothing has moved.
Panel
The administrative system a provider uses to create and manage subscriptions. You will not normally see one; the word appears in support conversations.
Reseller
Someone who sells access provided by another operator rather than running the infrastructure themselves. Common in this industry and not inherently a problem, though it does affect who can actually fix things when something breaks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between M3U and Xtream Codes?
An M3U is one long URL returning a channel list. Xtream Codes is a server address with a username and password, which lets a player fetch channels, guide and on-demand separately. Xtream Codes is usually the better experience where a player supports it.
What does EPG stand for?
Electronic Programme Guide — the on-screen schedule of what is on now and next. The data usually arrives as an XMLTV file that your player matches to your channels.
What is a tvg-id?
The identifier linking a channel in your playlist to its listings in the guide data. When a channel displays the wrong programmes, a mismatched tvg-id is normally the reason.
Is bitrate the same as resolution?
No. Resolution is the number of pixels; bitrate is how much data per second is used to describe them. A 1080p stream at a low bitrate can look worse than a well-encoded 720p one.