IPTV FAQ The basics
What is IPTV, and what does it mean?
What does IPTV stand for?
IPTV stands for Internet Protocol television. The "Internet Protocol" part is the addressing system that moves every web page, email and video call around the internet. With IPTV, a TV channel is cut into small packets of data, sent to your home over that same system, and put back together by an app on your screen. The page on how IPTV actually works follows one channel from the server to your couch.
The idea is older than most people think. Telephone companies in Canada and elsewhere have sold their own TV packages over IP lines since the mid-2000s (the two kinds of IPTV providers in Canada are compared in our explainer), and the Wikipedia entry on IPTV traces the term back to the 1990s. What changed in the last ten years is that home internet became fast enough for anyone to subscribe to an IPTV service directly, with no technician and no rented receiver.
What is IPTV used for?
IPTV is used for four things: watching live channels, playing movies and series on demand, catching up on a program that aired earlier, and following TV from another country or language. One IPTV subscription normally covers all four, which is why many Canadian homes use it in place of a cable package.
| Use | What it means | Example at home |
|---|---|---|
| Live TV | Channels playing in real time, listed in a guide (EPG) | Saturday night hockey in English or French |
| Video on demand | A library of films and box sets you start when you want | 250,000+ titles with IPTV Jacom |
| Catch-up TV | Replaying a show from the last few days on supported channels | The 6 p.m. news you missed |
| International TV | Channels from other countries in their own language | Punjabi, Arabic or Tagalog news for family at home |
What is an IPTV system made of?
An IPTV system has five parts: the provider's servers, your internet connection, a device, a player app and your login. None of them is exotic. The device can be the Smart TV you already own, a Fire TV Stick, an Android box, an Apple TV, a phone or a laptop.
- Servers: the provider’s computers that hold each channel stream and send it the moment your app asks.
- Internet: any Canadian home plan of about 25 Mbps or more is enough for one Full HD television.
- Device: anything with a screen and an app store, or a dedicated MAG or Formuler box.
- Player app: IPTV Smarters Pro, TiviMate or the app built into your box. It draws the guide and plays the stream.
- Login: a username, password and server address (Xtream Codes), an M3U playlist link, or the MAC address of a box.
How is IPTV different from cable and satellite?
The difference is the road the signal takes. Cable pushes every channel down a coaxial wire at once, satellite beams them from orbit to a dish, and IPTV sends only the channel you are watching, over the internet, when you ask for it. That one change removes the rented box, the installer visit and the long contract.
| Point | Cable or satellite | IPTV |
|---|---|---|
| Signal path | Coax wire or a dish on the wall | Your existing internet line |
| Equipment | A rented receiver for each TV | The device you already own |
| Contract | Often one or two years | None with IPTV Jacom; you pay once per term |
| Cost | Often $80 a month or more before equipment fees | $80 CAD for 12 months on one screen |
| Away from home | Tied to the house | Any Wi-Fi, on a phone or laptop |
What do you need to start watching IPTV in Canada?
You need three things: home internet, a device with an app, and a subscription. IPTV Jacom plans start at $20 CAD for one month, are paid by Interac e-Transfer, and are activated within 10 to 30 minutes during support hours. Before you pay, the free 24-hour trial lets you test the full channel list on your own TV.
If all of this is new to you, start with how to get IPTV at home, then follow the Fire TV Stick setup guide or the guide for your device. IPTV Jacom serves TV viewers across the country from Halifax to Victoria, with Live Chat support in English and French every day, 9 a.m. until midnight ET.
Related questions people type
Is IPTV the same as Netflix or other streaming apps?
No. Netflix-style apps are video on demand only: you pick a title from a library. IPTV adds live channels with a TV guide, so you can watch the news at 6 p.m. or a game as it happens, and it usually bundles an on-demand library as well. IPTV does not include a Netflix account; those stay separate services with their own fees. Our guide to IPTV and streaming services in Canada compares them side by side.
Do you need a special TV for IPTV?
No. Any television with an HDMI port works. A Smart TV from Samsung, LG or Hisense can run a player app on its own. An older TV only needs a small streaming device, such as a Fire TV Stick or an Android box, plugged into the back. Phones, tablets and computers also play IPTV with no extra hardware at all.
Does IPTV use a lot of internet data?
About as much as any video streaming. A Full HD channel uses roughly 2 to 4 GB per hour and a 4K channel about 7 GB per hour. Unlimited home internet plans, which most Canadian cable and fibre providers now sell, handle that without trouble. Capped satellite or fixed-wireless plans can run out quickly, so check your monthly cap before you rely on IPTV.
Is IPTV only for sports fans?
No. Sports fans like it because one subscription covers Canadian, American and European sports channels in English and French, but the same plan carries news, kids’ channels, documentaries, movies and series in dozens of languages. Families with roots outside Canada often choose IPTV mainly for the international channels and keep the sports as a bonus.
Try it where you actually watch
Put IPTV Jacom on your own TV for 24 hours at no cost, then pick a plan from $20 CAD if it suits your home.