If you are operating your IPTV service on a smart tv, enigma 2 box, PC, tablet or even a smartphone, almost positively you have installed the service using a streaming line. This type of extensions is the most adaptable and extensively used amongst users.
Nearly all IPTV Softwares which are the tool utilized by providers building, managing and supporting their service, have Streaming Line section to create accounts. Due to the versatility it has, most of the IPTV programmers deeply invest in it and use streaming line scripts for importing the service into their programs/apps.
In this article, we`ll first define the various video formats of streaming lines and then 8 of the most popular scripts which providers can provide their clients with. This article accommodates you to understand the meanings of each script and how they operate.
3 generally used formats
HLS:
It stands for HTTP Live Streaming. In this structure, the broadcasting server divides the stream into separate 10 seconds sections of mp4. This is great when the broadcaster requires to stream multiple streaming qualities so that the spectator could use the fitting bitrate of the video considering the network bandwidth.
HLS was formerly invented and used by Apple on their devices. The only downside is that HLS has 10 to 30 seconds of lag so if live streaming does really matter, it is not suggested.
MPEG-TS:
This one has two parts which are MPEG and TS. MPEG stands for Moving Picture Experts Group which was a company founded in 1988 specialized in video streaming stuff and later joined with Adobe. TS, on the other hand, stands for Transport Stream.
This format can provide audio, video, and metadata like subtitle, epg or a different form of data to lock the stream. Mpeg has an error correction feature to keep the integrity of the video whenever the signal is low.
RTMP:
Back in the mid-2000s, Macromedia company developed RTMP, which stands for Real Time Messaging Protocol, and now we know it as Flash. It is now one of the techniques being used by local IPTV streaming sources, those who obtain the feed directly from the primary broadcaster, to stream the media to their online server and from that point stream it to their clients using HLS or MPEGTS.
Most used streaming scripts
M3U:
It`s a traditional text file which has the title and the link of each stream/channel being provided by your IPTV provider. It can be installed on multiple devices from Smart TV to handheld devices. Almost all Android-based IPTV devices can or need this extension to run.
M3U with options:
It`s the identical script like the above extension but with some more features. If your provider has the possibility, you can get channels into grouped folders, EPG and Picons. What is M3U?
Web TV List:
On some devices like Openbox, you need this form of plain text file. It has no features.
Enigma 2 OE 1.6:
It`s a full bouquet file holding all streams which are being assigned to your account which can be placed in /etc/enigma2 folder of your Enigma 2 receiver box using FTP clients like Dream Box Control Center. This works on virtually all boxes.
Enigma 2 OE 2.0:
This one is known as the one explained above but it is recommended to be used only for the Dreambox type of boxes.
Enigma 2 OE 1.6 Autoscript:
The auto script allows you to install the bouquet without placing the bouquet file manually. You need to just connect to your box through SSH Terminal and then perform the command which is provided.
Enigma 2 OE 2.0 Autoscript:
Only fitting for Dreambox setup boxes.
Conclusion
Make certain your device has sufficient memory and a strong CPU as IPTV is essentially about encoding and decoding video formats. Some devices can run IPTV using various extensions explained above but you need to make sure which one is the most fitting.
For example, IPTV can be installed on a Zgemma box using Enigma 2 OE 2.0 scripts but you might see quality problems and lags. So it does matter which extension with which format you use on your device or App.
