One of the reasons why IPTVs are popular is not because people are looking to hire this type of television, but because it is possible to access many TV channels without needing an operator through so-called “IPTV lists”. But do you know that most of these lists are illegal and you could get into trouble if you use them? We’ll tell you.
Until recently, the main telephone operators used IPTV technology for their pay TV broadcasts. The problem is that it is also being used fraudulently through so-called IPTV or m3u lists. We tell you what it is and why it is not advisable to use IPTV lists.
What is IPTV?
IPTV stands for Internet Protocol TV or Internet Protocol Television, in Spanish. It is a technology that is used to distribute video signal over broadband connections over the IP protocol.
How does it work?
IPTV creates a private and direct network between the operator that offers the channels and the user, which allows you to receive these channels without connecting to the Internet just by having the router and a decoder turned on.
The channels are transmitted on demand, and the operator reserves a bandwidth to provide television services, which guarantees quality in the transmission.
There are two types of IPTV
- The official IPTV. They are those offered by operators such as Movistar in Spain, where a decoder is used to watch the channels.
- IPTV lists. These are connections to internet television through platforms where some users share lists with links to connect (either for free or paying a small fee). These IPTV lists are stored in a text file that usually has the extension m3u, m3u8, w3u, etc.
IPTV versus OTT services: differences
Among the best-known applications for playing IPTV are Kodi and Smart IPTV, or VLC Media Player.
What are the differences between IPTV and other streaming services, the so-called OTT (Over The Top) services, such as Netflix, Amazon or Prime Video)? What are the advantages and disadvantages of IPTV with respect to them?
- Reserved bandwidth. As part of the bandwidth is reserved only for IPTV, you will always receive the image with the highest quality, regardless of whether at home there are connected mobiles, computers, consoles, etc., while in OTT services, without reserved bandwidth, the video data is mixed with the rest of the data that circulates through the network, And the image quality will depend on the saturation of the network and the bandwidth of each user. On the other hand, if you watch little TV, you will be wasting that bandwidth most of the time.
- Additional functions. In addition, IPTV set-top boxes often offer extra features not available in OTT services, such as recording several days of programming or rewinding a program when you are receiving it live because it is a personalized broadcast.
- With IPTV you can buy content like movies before it hits streaming services.
- IPTV requires more infrastructure than streaming, both by the operator and the user. The operator has to create a high-speed network and the user has to install a set-top box in addition to the router.
Is it legal to use IPTV lists?
There are lists with free (or paid but legal) IPTV channels, which allow you to watch IPTV TV streaming on your mobile without using a set-top box, but most IPTV lists broadcast illegally because they share “pirated” content from payment platforms through P2P technology and charge money for it.
The dangers of using them
The main risk is that users may face legal problems such as misuse of their personal data, blackmail or police access to their data.
The service of these lists is not like a legal one. In addition, there are also technical risks such as slowing down or compromising your security because it contains malware that is installed on your computer, etc.
Don’t take chances with “pirate” IPTV
Users should be aware of the risks they run when using pirated IPTV services and from OCU we insist on it, but we also call attention to the relevant authorities: consumers should never fall on the burden of guilt and responsibility of having to find out when a content is legal or not, especially if the service is paid.
