Internet Protocol television (IPTV) delivers television programming over an internet connection using various methods, including simultaneous broadcasting via cable, satellite, and over the air. IPTV offers delayed webcasts and simulcasts, allowing viewers to watch programming on portable devices. Websites provide classic and new programs, and equipment connects computers to standard TVs. IPTV is a cost-effective alternative to cable and satellite services.
Also referred to as IPTV, Internet Protocol television is a process in which television programming is delivered over an Internet connection. This type of Internet television encompasses many different strategies, including some proprietary methods that involve simultaneous broadcasting of programs online, via cable and satellite, and over the air. Other times, Internet Protocol television provides the means by which individual stations receive feeds from larger networks and, in turn, make that programming available to viewers in various forms.
Internet Protocol television uses online features to provide viewers with both the audio and visual components of programming. In some cases, the ability to view television programming online is only possible after that programming has been broadcast through more traditional means. For example, a television program may be broadcast over the air and first broadcast to cable and satellite subscribers, then made available via the Internet. With this approach, viewers can access the program later that evening, the next day, or as long as online access to that program is maintained. The delivery of programming in various formats, including delayed webcast, is often referred to as multicast.
A second approach involves streaming media over the Internet at the same time that programming is delivered over the air, on cable, or through a satellite service. This method is known as simulcast, as programming is delivered in multiple formats at the same time. As the concept of web television has gained popularity, a number of television stations have been using this approach, allowing people to enjoy at least some of their favorite shows via portable devices or laptops while others are watching the same programming using more traditional means.
Today, a number of websites provide Internet Protocol television which includes a combination of classic television programs along with new programs that are shown live or with a short delay. Some of these online sites make use of public domain archives, allowing viewers to enjoy episodes of television programs that are now in the public domain. Thanks to the development of equipment that connects a computer with an active Internet connection to a standard television, viewers who are dissatisfied with cable or satellite services can now supplement local over-the-air programming with Internet Protocol television rates. This makes it possible to access a wide range of program selections and is relatively inexpensive compared to other methods.
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