IPTV: everything you need to know [Guia Completo]

During quarantine, IPTV has been one of the main searches for those looking for more options when it comes to leisure. After all, open TV is deficient in options and the catalog of apps for watching movies and series does not always have something that catches our attention.

Unlike what we saw in streaming services, IPTV brings something that we only get on television: the surprise of finding a movie or series that we like and stopping to watch it. Especially when we talk about works that are not available in these services.

Now, see below everything you need to know about this type of platform. What it is, how it works, how much it costs and even what's cool and what's not when we talk about IPTV.

Check out our complete guide below!

What is IPTV?

The meaning of IPTV could not be simpler: internet protocol television. That is, internet television. There is no mystery, since the meaning is the same: you access television channels through your internet connection.

This means that you can use this platform to watch television on your computer, mobile phone and even on smart TV. If you choose to adopt IPTV as the only television platform, you can easily abolish television cables and antennas, especially if you have a smart TV.

For older televisions, it is possible to get around this problem with a TV Box device. These devices allow a conventional TV to access the internet. Considering this detail, almost any television set with a USB port can access these IPTV lists.

How does an IPTV work?

There is not much mystery when it comes to how an IPTV works. Using the internet signal, you capture the digital signal emitted by the broadcasters. Typically, these signals are available through IPTV lists.

These lists are available through web addresses, which you will insert into applications like Kodi. The program will pick up the list of channels for that service and display them for you. After this initial setup, just choose which channel you want to watch!

How much does an IPTV cost?

It is worth mentioning that you will rarely find free IPTVs that run away from the open channels themselves, already available on television. Even illegal services usually charge a fee to make closed channels available to you. Of course, for a much lower price, but we'll talk about this later in the article.

As we said, only IPTV lists with open channels will be free. Legalized lists are often available from the operators and channels themselves. Some of them, such as Telecine, already offer access to channels in the standard subscription both by television signal and the internet.

When looking for services of this type, it is interesting to contact the operators and see what they have to offer in relation to the distribution of the lists to watch online channels.

How many megs do you spend?

It is worth mentioning that it is not interesting to use this type of service in mobile data plans. As with services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, transmitting images often consumes a lot of bandwidth.

It is impossible to specify how many megs an IPTV spends. Like most services, it depends on how much time you spend using it. However, if you are on a fixed cable connection or even using a Wi-Fi connection, you should not have any problems with spending megs when watching TV over the internet.

What is the ideal connection speed?

When it comes to using the connection to watch television online, speed is more important than spending megs. Again, image transmission is a considerable factor when it comes to connection usage.

So it is important to be aware of the speed of your fixed connection before subscribing to a list. If your connection speed is below 1MB, for example, it is impossible to watch IPTV, unless it is in poor image quality.

To watch TV online in conventional quality (480p), your connection must be between 1MB and 5MB. HD quality (720p) requires speed between 5MB and 10MB. Above 10MB it is perfectly possible to watch IPTV in FullHD (1080p), the maximum quality of most channels today.

To watch the few channels that offer 4K resolution (2160p), it is necessary to have at least 35MB of exclusive connection to watch TV. That is, no watching TV and connecting a multiplayer game for PC, for example.

Before defining what quality you want to watch TV online, it is worth considering what the maximum resolution that your TV or monitor is capable of reproducing. There is no point in investing in a better connection to watch 4K channels if your TV can only play FullHD images. If you do, the channel will be at the maximum possible resolution of your television.

What are the risks of IPTV?

There is no risk in using legal IPTV. Because they are registered and accountable services, you can subscribe and use them without any problems.

The risk lies in the use of illegal lists, which constitute piracy. As we are talking about services that work outside the law, you have no guarantee that the machine you will use to access it will be safe. What happens in some of these services is the display of advertisements, which take you to pages created to steal data, information or even access to your device.

Another risk you take when subscribing to this type of service is the abrupt interruption that can happen. Even if you sign a plan that lasts 6 months, for example, the provider cannot guarantee this. Should police operations find you, the service will be stopped overnight.

Since there are no guarantees because you are hiring an illegal service, you cannot claim access if a blockade occurs.

Is it a crime to sell the service?

The answer to that question is: it depends. IPTV lists are not illegal in themselves. That is why the operators and closed channels themselves offer the service, essential for those who do not have an antenna, but want to watch series to run a marathon or regularly follow their favorite series.

The problem is the lists that operate by stealing signals from these operators. Of course, in doing so, they offer a cheaper service than if you were to close with the operator legally.

Because of the operation using the third party signal, yes, it is a crime to use IPTV lists that cannot prove that they are legalized and authorized to operate by institutions such as Anatel or the operators themselves.

How to subscribe to a legal service?

The first thing you must do to be able to subscribe to legalized IPTV is to negotiate directly with the operators themselves. As they usually sell direct access to the consumer, there is no need for intermediaries.

That is, do not be looking for IPTV sites. Check the operators' own page and see what they have to offer in the online transmission section.

It is worth mentioning that, because its focus is on selling traditional television service, it may not be so easy to find. In these situations, it is interesting to call the support or telesales area to find out what IPTV options they have to offer.

Which IPTV is legal?

As mentioned earlier, any IPTV provided directly by the operator is legal. To watch television online for free, you can search for listings that contain only the signal from open TVs.

If the list contains the closed TV signal, be wary, as it may be a fake service, causing you to take the risks we mentioned earlier. There is no shortage of IPTV options that are legal, so it is easy to find alternatives that work for you and your wallet.

I don't have smart TV. How to get a receiver?

Currently it is not difficult to be able to use IPTV, even without a modern smart TV. There are several devices called TV Box that transform a television without a connection into a smart TV with internet access.

You can connect them via a USB cable and it is usually enough to make your TV access the internet, simply by setting up Wi-Fi access in your home. Once installed, you can use the TV Box to access the streaming services that we have already mentioned, in addition to platforms like YouTube.

The devices come in different formats and prices, differentiating themselves by the storage capacity – many of them allow you to watch movies that you have downloaded on your computer – or by the available applications.

The cheapest TV models cost around R $ 250, while more advanced devices tend to be above R $ 1,300. It is worth knowing how much you have available to invest in a device and what are the essential functions for you when choosing.

Are you considering watching TV over the internet?

What did you think of our complete IPTV guide? Were you looking for alternatives to watch television using the internet signal and save on antennas or installing cables in your home?

What are your main doubts about this transmission method to follow your favorite channels? On which devices do you usually watch television programs.

Tell us in our comments section and be sure to also check out some of the best streaming video services to watch what you want, where you want!