[Sticky] Glossary of Common Terms

Hey folks,

New to IPTV and confused by all the jargon? No worries—here’s a quick breakdown of common terms you’ll see around:

🔹 Basic Terms

• IPTV: Internet TV. Instead of cable/satellite, you stream channels over the internet.
• M3U: A file/link that holds your channel list. Load it into apps like TiviMate or IPTV Smarters.
• EPG (Electronic Program Guide): The TV guide showing what’s on and when. If it’s missing, you’ll see just channel names.

🔹 Content Types

• VOD (Video on Demand): Movies and shows you can watch anytime (like Netflix).
• Live TV: Regular TV channels streaming in real-time (news, sports, etc.).
• Catch-Up: Missed a show? Some services let you watch past broadcasts.

🔹 Tech Stuff

• Buffer(ing): When your stream freezes or lags. Usually from slow internet or a bad server.
• FPS (Frames Per Second): Higher FPS = smoother motion (important for sports!).
• Bitrate: Video quality. High bitrate = better picture but needs faster internet.

🔹 Hardware/Apps

• Mag Box: A popular IPTV device. Needs a "portal URL" to work (ask your provider).
• APK: Android app file (like TiviMate or IPTV Smarters). You sideload these if they’re not on the Play Store.
• VPN: Hides your internet traffic. Useful if your ISP blocks IPTV or for privacy.

🔹 Troubleshooting

• "No Stream Available": Channel’s down, or your M3U link expired. Check with your provider.
• "Authentication Failed": Wrong username/password or subscription expired.

Example:
"My EPG isn’t loading!" → Try updating it in your app settings or ask your provider for a new EPG link.

Got more terms you’ve seen and don’t get? Drop them below!

(P.S. If I missed anything obvious, yell at me—I’ll add it.)