Where to start with IPTV
A practical look at IPTV in Ireland, written around measurable numbers instead of impressions.
Nothing about the package changes the local network, so upgrading cannot resolve a range extender halving the throughput. A wired run to the primary screen takes out the biggest unknown, and it is worth trying even temporarily. Nearly every misunderstanding around IPTV comes from treating those four as one thing, so a fault in the conservatory gets blamed on the plan.
Where to start with IPTV
IPTV explains how a television signal reaches a screen in Ireland over an internet connection rather than an aerial or a dish. The starting point in Ireland is typically a fixed wireless link, and the gap between two households on the same contract is almost always the local network. Nothing about IPTV is decided by a single number, which is why this page keeps apart the link figures and the options on the box. For a shared flat with three tenants, the question that matters is not which package is best in general, but which one suits the number of screens in fact in use at a wet Sunday.
Working out the real monthly figure
Prices are shown in EUR for the whole term and not as an instalment, as the term is what is actually purchased. Basic at 24 months is 99.99 EUR, which is 4.17 EUR for each month of the term. There is no separate charge for the programme guide or for help during setup — both are included on either package.
| Term | Total for the term | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 13.99 EUR | 13.99 EUR |
| 3 months | 24.99 EUR | 8.33 EUR |
| 6 months | 35.99 EUR | 6.00 EUR |
| 12 months | 55.99 EUR | 4.67 EUR |
| 24 months | 99.99 EUR | 4.17 EUR |
| 36 months | 139.99 EUR | 3.89 EUR |
Bandwidth, in real numbers
Test the same channel for ten minutes at a Sunday evening and again twelve hours later — the comparison separates a unit fault from network congestion. Congestion is time-shaped: the same house that streams HD / Full HD effortlessly at noon can struggle at a Sunday evening when the whole street is online.
A 4K feed is budgeted at about 25 Mbps, which is why the Basic plan carries the most weight for households using a big panel in the basement lounge. Each feed calls for around 12 Mbps to hold HD / Full HD without stumbling, and that figure is per feed and not per property.
Watching in multiple rooms
A second display in the spare bedroom and a third elsewhere is roomy on Premium and tight on Basic. Where a number of people watch independently, settling which screens count at a wet Sunday avoids an upgrade that was never needed. For a family of four, the practical limit is normally met at a wet Sunday and not at midday.
Getting the first stream running
Have the MAG in the bedroom powered up and on the network before you start, and record its model number. If a step fails, stay with it instead of continuing — running the same ten-minute test twice is what keeps the diagnosis short. Setup goes faster when the network is settled first, since a fault introduced at the network stage is indistinguishable from a fault in the plan.
- Connect the Other in the conservatory to the network, using a cable if one can reach.
- Verify that the screen is set to a fixed output mode instead of automatic.
- Open the player application on the Other and enter the access details exactly as supplied.
- Let the programme guide finish loading before judging anything — a partial guide seems like a fault.
- Play one channel for ten full minutes without touching any settings.
- Note the time and the result, then repeat the same test at a Sunday evening.
- Only after both tests read the same should you alter a picture or network setting.
Devices that suit Ireland homes
Older hardware tends to fail at the interface: menus become slow long before the picture does. Keep the device list to what you really reach for; every extra box in the kitchen is one more item to maintain and a further handset. For grandparents with one main screen, the deciding factor is usually how many people require to start watching without help, which favours the device everyone already knows. Supported hardware covers Android TV, Smart TV, Firestick, MAG, Windows, macOS, and the noticeable difference between them is interface speed more than image.
- Android TV
- Smart TV
- Firestick
- MAG
- Windows
- macOS
- Android Phone
- iPhone / iPad
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- Enigma2
- Formuler
- Other
Which package fits
Both plans include the EPG programme guide and setup help, so the choice is about feeds and picture quality rather than about features being withheld. The plans differ in picture quality ceiling and feed count. They do not differ in the guide, the device list, or the help available during setup.
If you are unsure, take the brief option first and move up once you know how many screens are genuinely in use at the middle of the afternoon. There are two plans. Basic covers HD and Full HD with 2 simultaneous streams; Premium includes 4K and Full HD with priority servers and up to 5 simultaneous streams.
| Term | Basic | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 13.99 EUR | 15.99 EUR |
| 3 months | 24.99 EUR | 35.99 EUR |
| 6 months | 35.99 EUR | 45.99 EUR |
| 12 months | 55.99 EUR | 69.99 EUR |
| 24 months | 99.99 EUR | 119.99 EUR |
| 36 months | 139.99 EUR | 169.99 EUR |
Content and rights
This page purposely cites no competition, package or broadcaster, because doing so would imply a licence that may not exist for Ireland. Channel availability in Ireland consequently differs from availability elsewhere, and it can change between one season and the next. The same principle applies to on-demand material: what is included is a licensing question, not a technical one.
Frequently asked questions
What is included besides the channels?
Both plans include the EPG programme guide and help during setup, and neither is charged separately. Nothing about the package changes the local network, so upgrading cannot resolve a range extender halving the throughput. There are two plans. Basic includes HD and Full HD with 2 simultaneous streams; Premium includes 4K and Full HD with priority servers and up to 5 simultaneous feeds. Premium becomes the sensible choice once a sizeable display and a second or third simultaneous stream are both in play.
What is the difference between the two plans?
Basic includes HD and Full HD with two simultaneous feeds. There are two plans. Basic covers HD and Full HD with 2 simultaneous streams; Premium covers 4K and Full HD with priority servers and up to 5 simultaneous feeds. If you are unsure, take the brief option first and move up once you know how many screens are in practice running at a Sunday evening.
The picture drops in the evening but not during the day. Why?
That pattern suggests bandwidth rather than the plan or the unit. A problem that shows up on one Other but not on a Smart TV in the same conservatory is a device problem, not a network one. Almost every fault fall into one of a small number of categories, and the symptom commonly points at which one.
Which channels are included?
Broadcasting rights are divided between different rights holders and differ from country to country and season to season, so a licensed service carries only what it is licensed to carry. This page deliberately names no competition, package or broadcaster, as doing so would imply a licence that may not exist for Ireland. The same principle applies to on-demand material: what is included is a licensing question, not a technical one. Channel availability in Ireland therefore is unlike what applies in other markets, and it can adjust between one season and the next.
How do I get help if setup does not go smoothly?
Setup help is included on both plans and is reached on WhatsApp at +33 7 56 75 79 66. If the issue appears only at a Sunday evening, say so — timing is often the most useful single detail. A message that says what you already tried saves a round trip, because it eliminates the obvious suggestions from the conversation. Support is reached on WhatsApp at +33 7 56 75 79 66, and the same number handles ordering questions.
How many people can watch at the same time?
This is decided by the package and not the number of devices you own. Add up the bandwidth before adding the screen: three Full HD streams need about 24 to 36 Mbps between them. For a couple sharing one television, the everyday limit is commonly reached at a Sunday evening instead of during the day. A device that is powered up and waiting does not consume a feed; a unit left paused mid-programme frequently takes one.
Do I need to adjust my router?
Not usually. Contract speed and delivered speed are two separate matters: a copper line into the building says almost nothing about what arrives at the screen in the conservatory. Two Full HD streams running together so sit somewhere around 16 to 24 Mbps before downloads, video calls or a games console enter the picture. A 4K stream is calculated at about 25 Mbps, which is why the Basic plan carries the most weight for households using a big panel in the conservatory.