IPTV Glossary

A

• Android TV / Google TV Google's TV system on boxes and TVs — the platform richest in IPTV apps.
• Anti-freeze Server-side techniques aimed at limiting live stream interruptions.
• APK The install file format of Android apps, including outside the Play Store.
• Apple TV 4K Apple's tvOS box: IPTV via App Store apps or AirPlay.

B

• Bitrate The amount of data per second in a stream — it determines picture quality.
• Buffering The stream's loading delay: when it overflows, the picture freezes.

C

• Catch-up TV The replay feature: rewatch programs aired in recent days.
• Chromecast / Google TV Google's dongle for casting phone video to TV — or built-in Google TV.

D

• DNS The system translating domain names into IP addresses — changeable to unblock some access.
• Duplex Play / Duplex IPTV A TV app with a streaming-platform look (posters, sections).

E

• EPG (Electronic Program Guide) The electronic TV guide: broadcast times and show titles inside your app.

F

• Fire TV Stick Amazon's HDMI stick, the most popular and cheapest IPTV device.
• Formuler Dedicated Android IPTV boxes with the MyTVOnline app built in.

H

• H.264 codec (AVC) The most widespread video compression codec in IPTV streaming.
• H.265 codec (HEVC) The next-gen codec: H.264 quality at roughly half the bandwidth.
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) An extended dynamic range: more contrast and colors on compatible screens.
• HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) Apple's streaming protocol that slices video into small segments.

I

• IBO Player The most complete IPTV app on Samsung and LG Smart TVs (paid activation).
• IPTV playlist The channel list loaded by your app via M3U link or Xtream.
• IPTV Smarters Pro The simplest multi-platform IPTV app for getting started.
• ISP throttling When your ISP deliberately slows certain traffic, especially streaming.

K

• Kodi The open-source media center playing IPTV through its PVR add-ons.

L

• Latency (ping) The network's response time — high latency creates picture delay.

M

• M3U A playlist link or file referencing your channels and video streams.
• MAC address activation The activation method of Smart TV apps and MAG boxes via the device's MAC address.
• MAG box A dedicated IPTV set-top box, driven by a Stalker portal and MAC address.
• Multi-screen (simultaneous connections) The number of streams playable at once on a single account.
• MyTVOnline (Formuler) The built-in app of Formuler boxes, with recording and timeshift.

N

• Net IPTV A lightweight Smart TV app focused on live TV and multi-playlists.

O

• OTT Navigator A highly configurable Android player aimed at power users.

P

• Parental controls PIN-locking of channels and categories, available in most apps.
• Portal (Stalker/Ministra) The connection URL entered in MAG boxes and STB emulators.
• PVR (recording) Recording TV streams to local storage, on compatible apps.

S

• SET IPTV A stable Smart TV app (Tizen/webOS), activated via MAC address.
• Sideloading Installing an app via its APK instead of the official store — essential on Firestick.
• Smart IPTV (SIPTV) A long-standing Smart TV app for loading M3U playlists (per-device activation).
• Smart TV (Samsung Tizen / LG webOS) Samsung (Tizen) and LG (webOS) connected TVs hosting IPTV apps directly.
• STB Emulator An Android app simulating a MAG box (portal + MAC address).
• Stream quality (SD/HD/FHD/UHD) The stream's resolution: SD < HD (720p) < FHD (1080p) < UHD (4K).

T

• Televizo A lightweight Android app suited to modest devices.
• Timeshift Pausing live TV or rewinding on a channel.
• TiviMate The reference IPTV player on Android TV: advanced EPG, premium interface.

V

• VOD (video on demand) Movies and series available on demand, alongside live channels.
• VPN An encrypted tunnel useful against ISP throttling — rarely mandatory for IPTV.

X

• XCIPTV An option-rich Android app: multi-profiles, selectable players, parental controls.
• XMLTV (EPG format) The standard XML file format for TV guide (EPG) data.
• Xtream Codes API login method (URL, username, password) used by the majority of IPTV apps.

Z

• Zapping Switching channels quickly — zapping speed measures an app's responsiveness.