IPTV vs. OTT – Which One is Better & Why?
Nowadays, you can find everything online, and many online activities are available. One of the activities that almost everyone practices is watching videos or even TV online. Now, access to entertainment is more accessible than ever on your TV, phone, tablet, etc. It is no surprise that internet TV is becoming more and more popular. There are 2 options when it comes to Internet TV, and those are IPTV and OTT. Keep reading to find what is the difference between them.
What is IPTV? | IPTV OTT
IPTV means internet-based protocol television. It works based on delivering TV or video over a private network. It is very much controlled, and you can watch either live TV or on-demand videos over the Internet. You can watch IPTV through LAN or WAN connection. As the connection used for IPTV is dedicated to watching videos, it is guaranteed that it is of excellent quality and has better security.
Watching IPTV is pretty much web browsing. So, the service provider you chose is storing recordings of the TV broadcasting on different servers, and then you can access the copy at any time. The connection established with the servers with the stored copy is made using an Internet connection. It also uses the multicast method so many people can watch simultaneously on different devices.
You can use different IPTV services that are standalone options or part of an ISP subscription. When it comes to stand-alone options, some people wonder if IPTV is breaking some laws and questioning the legality of an IPTV service. This is because you are not actually paying, and ISP or TV provider, is the TV channels even receiving part of what you paid?
Using IPTV might require installing some additional software or/and hardware. You will probably need a router, a connected device that is also used as a decoder. It is not something hard to do, and usually, each service provider will give you instructions on how to do the setup. This is limiting the power of IPTV because it can be watched only on TV devices.
What is OTT?
OTT stands for over-the-top and, as the name suggests, is something that goes over the top. It gives you the possibility to watch live TV or on-demand videos on any device you want. Again, it uses an Internet connection but is primarily a mobile internet or broadband.
The streaming services we all know, like YouTube or Netflix, are OTT services. They use the one-to-one transmission method. This would mean that one account can watch only on one device at a time.
OTT services have nothing to do with your ISP or TV provider, and they are something you should subscribe to additionally. Those streaming services just use the infrastructure you already have, like an internet connection and a TV. So, you don’t need any additional hardware or software to access the OTT service.
Each of the services has its pros and cons. OTT is a bit less reliable than IPTV when it comes to content delivery. It uses your general network through your internet connection but not a dedicated bandwidth with a better speed and quality like the IPTV. But IPTV is harder to set up because of the need for additional hardware setup.
If we compare the pricing, IPTV is more expensive, especially if it is part of a bundle subscription provided by your ISP. OTT services are offered at different prices depending on the package you choose. The quality of content can also determine the plan’s cost. Keep in mind that even if you get a plan with the highest possible quality, it will depend on your internet connection if you can take advantage of it.
Conclusion
Entertainment is so easy now when you can watch almost any type of content from any device at any time. IPTV and OTT are both excellent choices of Internet TV. Depending on your preference what you would like to watch and how you can choose the one more suitable for you. If you want to be more flexible, go for OTT, but choose IPTV for better quality. Check the available providers, get your subscription, and enjoy watching.
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