IPTV stands for Internet Protocol TeleVision and thus means watching TV via the Internet.IPTV differs from streaming, which is also called OTT, because the entire online network at IPTV is in the hands of a TV provider.The TV signals do not go over the regular internet, but over a network managed by your TV provider.There are several major IPTV providers in the Netherlands:There are also free IPTV providers.These are not always legal.Would you like to know more about how IPTV works exactly?Then read on quickly.We even give a free legal IPTV option.IPTV is a confusing concept.On various websites you will find conflicting information about what exactly IPTV is.For example, some sources say that you only get IPTV with the help of special providers.Others say that your TV provider's app is also a form of IPTV.And what about streaming, does that include it?In this article we dive deeper into the world of watching television online.This way you know what IPTV is and how you can use it legally.IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television.So it is a system in which a television signal is sent via the internet instead of via cable or satellite.Video on Demand and interactive TV are a good example of this.Streaming via Netflix or another streaming service is done via the public internet.This does not fall under the heading of IPTV, but is called OTT (over-the-top), because you stream over the internet without the intervention of TV providers.Let's take watching Dutch TV from NPO as an example.In the past, the channel was sent analogously to the TV of Dutch households.Today we no longer have analog television.Now you watch the NPO digitally via your TV provider.If you use the app of your TV provider (or a special IPTV provider) for this, then you use IPTV to watch NPO.If, on the other hand, you use NPO Start, you are doing OTT streaming.You may think 'but I can also watch Netflix through the box of my TV provider?'.This is possible through the use of so-called hybrid models.This combines the possibility of OTT and digital TV (or IPTV) in one piece of hardware.Another example of such a hybrid model is the option that Ziggo gives you to take out a subscription to Viaplay.In this case, Ziggo has made a deal with Viaplay to offer the two services as a package.Such collaboration can be done in several ways:Broadcasting television over IP networks is basically the same way other streaming services work.The components involved are:What makes IPTV different from other forms of online video streaming is that all of these components are controlled and maintained by one TV provider.More technical information about how IPTV works and how it differs from regular video streaming can be found in the scientific article by Thomas Kernen and Jeff Goldberg from 2007:Since IPTV signals come through your router, some routers have a specific IPTV or IPTV/VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) feature.The advantage of this IPTV/VLAN feature is that it can safely route audio and video to your smart TV.Since your smart TV doesn't need to have the same permissions and internet access as your computer, it's a good idea to put your smart TV on a separate LAN network.IPTV/VLAN helps with this.With this you set that IPTV traffic runs via a different network than your regular LAN network.If you want to know more about VLANs and how to set them up, we would like to refer you to our article on Virtual LAN.Using IPTV to watch TV is legal in the Netherlands.However, this is not the case for many free IPTV providers.If you do not have to pay for the IPTV subscription, there is a very good chance that the provider will not pay for copyright and intellectual property rights.However, copyright evasion falls under piracy and, like downloading copyrighted films, is prohibited in the Netherlands.Fortunately, an IPTV subscription is often relatively cheap.With NLZIET you can watch Dutch and Flemish television for less than ten euros a month.You can also watch IPTV content with the free open-source software Kodi.Kodi is perfectly legal, as are the Kodi add-ons that you can download within the software.However, there are also illegal Kodi add-ons that allow you to view copyrighted content in an illegal way.We have already talked about the Dutch IPTV provider NLZIET.However, there are more major providers of online television via IPTV.The best-known online TV subscription is perhaps Canal Digitaal.This is slightly more expensive than NLZIET, but also offers more channels.You can also watch international channels, such as MTV, or sports channels such as ESPN.In addition, the more well-known TV providers offer IPTV subscriptions and services.KPN, for example, has the separate KPN Digitenne package, where you can even watch the BBC from the Netherlands.The KPN interactive TV app also works via IPTV.If you have a subscription to Ziggo, it is almost impossible to ignore IPTV.All new customers receive a Mediabox Next mini that only works via the internet.In addition, Ziggo has the Ziggo GO app for online television.On GitHub you will find a list of free IPTV channels from around the world.This open source list is completely free to use and contains legal streams from all over the world.All you need is a video player that supports live streaming.We tried it out with VLC Mediaplayer.This is how it works:You will see that certain channels are geo-blocked.These are free TV channels that are only available in certain countries, such as SportItalia where you can watch live NASCAR races.To watch this sports channel anyway, you need an Italian IP address.A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you with this.A VPN redirects your internet traffic, giving you access to foreign content.In addition, a VPN has many other advantages.A good all-round VPN is NordVPN.You can try the service for free with NordVPN's money-back guarantee, but you can also learn more about the provider first by reading our NordVPN review.Do you want to get started right away?Then click on the orange button in the box below.Disclaimer: Although it is perfectly legal to use a VPN in the Netherlands, this is not the case in every country.Also, certain streaming services have included in their terms of service that you are not allowed to use a VPN.This also applies to unblocking streams while watching IPTV streams.So always make sure that you can use the VPN to watch a channel.An overview of all channels in the free list can also be found on GitHub.For anyone who finds it interesting, let's walk through the workings of traditional television.Traditionally, you have two types of television: analog TV and digital TV.Analog TV means that a signal is sent to your TV that is analog to the source.If a scene is being filmed at a certain moment, the signal is not converted to a digital signal, but remains analogous to the actual image.The TV signal consists of information about brightness, colors and sound.These are the amplitude, phase and frequency of the signal.On your TV you have several buttons with which you can adjust all these factors.Analog signals can be sent over cables and via satellite.Nowadays we no longer use analog TV in the Netherlands, but we work with digital TV.This means that the filmed scene is first converted into a sequence of ones and zeros (bits).This digital TV signal can be sent live via satellite, (coax) cable and even fiber optic.You can also record digital signals and broadcast them at a later time.In some cases, different types of DVB (digital video broadcasting) are also mentioned:With DVB-ipi we come to TV over the internet, or IPTV.So IPTV is simply watching TV over the internet via a TV provider.So maybe you are already using IPTV without knowing it.Besides IPTV, there are of course also more than enough OTT services.Do you now want to watch even more movies and series than can be seen on Netflix, for example?Then take a look at our streaming file.Here you will not only find how to watch series from the American Netflix;You can also read how to access other foreign streaming services, such as Hulu.Would you like a short answer to your question about IPTV?Then check the FAQ to see if your question is listed or ask it in the comments.IPTV is Internet Protocol TeleVision.It is a way of watching TV over the internet, similar to streaming.The big difference is that the entire network, from video storage to distribution, is in the hands of one TV provider.Do you want to know exactly which components play a role in IPTV?Read our article about watching TV via the internet.You don't always need a VPN for IPTV.It is true that IPTV providers also do not have broadcasting rights worldwide.For example, you do need a VPN to use NLZIET outside of Europe.No, IPTV in itself is not illegal and therefore not punishable.However, it is important to use a legal IPTV provider.Many free IPTV providers that do not take copyright into account are punishable by law.Examples of legal IPTV providers are:To use IPTV you need an IPTV provider and software that allows you to stream live videos or an IPTV receiver.Examples of Dutch IPTV providers are:In 'What is IPTV' we also give you an example of a free way to watch IPTV legally.How much data IPTV consumes depends on several factors, including:For example, one hour of streaming in 1080p (HD stream) costs 1.5 GB of data.Are you watching in 720p?Then it costs 0.9 GB per hour.