IPTV Glossary

An APK (Android Package) is the file format used to install apps on Android devices. If an app is not available in the Google Play Store on your TV or stick, you can install it by downloading the official APK and running it — a process called sideloading.

Buffering is the short pause while the player loads a few seconds of video ahead of playback so the stream can continue smoothly if your connection dips. Constant buffering usually points to a network or source issue, not the player itself.

Catch-up TV is a feature that lets you watch recently aired programs on demand for a limited window after they broadcast, usually a few days. Availability depends entirely on your service — the player can only show catch-up content the source supplies.

A codec is the software that compresses and decompresses video and audio so it can be streamed efficiently. Common codecs include H.264 and HEVC (H.265). Your device must support the codec a stream uses for playback to work.

Simultaneous connections are the number of devices that can stream from the same service account at the same time. A plan with 2 connections lets two people watch on two devices at once; a fourth device would be blocked until one is free.

DNS (Domain Name System) is the service that translates website names into the IP addresses computers use to connect. Some networks or carriers block IPTV traffic at the DNS level, and switching to a public DNS can restore access to a blocked server.

EPG (Electronic Program Guide) is the on-screen TV guide that shows what is on now and what is coming next for each channel. Televizo displays EPG data when your playlist includes it, but the guide information itself comes from your service — the player cannot create it.

H.264 (also called AVC) is a widely used video codec that balances good quality with modest bandwidth needs. Almost every Android TV and Firestick decodes H.264 in hardware, so it plays smoothly even on older devices.

HEVC (H.265) is a newer video codec that delivers the same quality as H.264 at roughly half the bitrate, which saves bandwidth. Not every device supports HEVC in hardware, so a stream encoded in H.265 may stutter on older hardware.

An IPTV player is the software application that loads, organizes and plays compatible playlist data. The player is the interface; the channels and streams come from the service you connect. Televizo Player is an IPTV player — installing it does not provide channels.

Live TV is real-time television broadcast as it airs, as opposed to on-demand movies or series. In a playlist player, live channels are usually grouped under a Live category and can include an EPG showing the current and upcoming programs.

M3U is a playlist format delivered as a single URL or file that contains your full channel list. You paste the URL into a compatible player once, and the player loads and organizes the channels. Televizo supports M3U alongside Xtream Codes.

A MAG device is a set-top box built specifically for IPTV, made by Infomir. MAG boxes run their own software rather than Android, so they do not support Android apps like Televizo. They are a separate hardware category from Android TV and Firestick.

A playlist is a structured list of stream references that a compatible player reads to build your channel guide. It is not the content itself — it points the player to where each channel, movie or series can be found. Change the playlist and the interface changes.

Sideloading is installing an app from outside the official app store, typically by downloading an APK file. On Firestick, where Televizo is not in the Amazon Appstore, you sideload it using the free Downloader app — a standard, safe process when you use the official APK.

A stream URL is the address a player connects to for a single channel or piece of content. In an M3U playlist, each channel has its own stream URL; with Xtream Codes, the server hands the player the correct URL when you select a channel.

VOD (Video on Demand) is content you can watch at any time, such as movies and series, as opposed to live broadcasts. In a playlist player, VOD content is usually grouped under Movies and Series categories separate from the Live TV guide.

Xtream Codes is a server-based playlist method that uses three values — a server URL, a username and a password — instead of one long M3U link. The player authenticates with the server and requests Live, Movies and Series categories on demand.