Ask people who’ve used IPTV for a while which app they like best, and a lot of them will say TiviMate. The reason is simple: it looks like the cable guide you grew up with. A grid, channels down the side, times across the top. Nothing to learn.
- TimeAbout 10 minutes
- DifficultyEasy
- Works onAndroid TV, Google TV, Fire TV Stick
First, check that your device can run it
TiviMate is built for TVs that run Android. That means Android TV, Google TV and the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Not for Apple devicesTiviMate isn’t really meant for phones, and there’s no version for iPhone, iPad or Apple TV. If that’s what you have, head to our Application page for other options.
You’ll also want your StbEmu welcome email open. It has your server address, username and password. If you haven’t got a plan yet, the pricing page is the place to start.
Step 1: Install TiviMate
On Android TV or Google TV, this is a normal install. Open the Google Play Store, search TiviMate, press Install. Google’s own help page shows how to install apps on Google TV if you need it.
On a Fire TV Stick it takes one extra step, because you install it through the Downloader app. Our Firestick guide shows you how to set that up. It’s a one-time thing.
Step 2: Add your StbEmu playlist
The first time you open TiviMate, it asks for a playlist. That’s just its word for your subscription.
- Select Add playlist.
- Choose Xtream Codes.
- Type the server address from your email. Every character matters, so take your time with the remote.
- Add your username and password.
- Press Next and let it load.
- Name the playlist. StbEmu works. Then press Done.
Xtream Codes or M3U?You’ll see an M3U playlist option too, and the link in your welcome email will work there. We’d still go with Xtream Codes. It brings in the TV guide and the movie library without any extra setup, and M3U doesn’t.
Step 3: Give the guide a few minutes
Right after setup, the guide is often blank. That’s normal. TiviMate is downloading several days of listings for every channel, and it does that in the background.
Make a coffee. If it’s still empty when you get back, go to Settings, then EPG, and choose Update EPG.
Do you need TiviMate Premium?
Short answer: no.
The free version plays every channel in your StbEmu plan. Premium is an upgrade you buy from the people who make TiviMate, not from us, and it adds things like favourites, more than one playlist and recording. Plenty of our customers end up buying it because they like the app. Plenty don’t. Try the free version for a week before you decide.
Small tweaks, big difference
- Hide the groups you don’t watch. If you never open a category, turn it off. The guide gets shorter and a lot quicker to scroll.
- Fix the clock. Shows listed at the wrong time almost always means the time zone needs setting.
- Raise the buffer size in the playback settings if your connection is a bit up and down. It adds a second or two when you change channels, but the picture holds steadier.
If something goes wrong
The playlist won’t load
It’s almost always the address. Check that it starts with http:// or https:// exactly as it does in your email, and look for a stray space at the end. Then check the username and password the same way. If all three are right, make sure your plan hasn’t expired.
Channels work, guide doesn’t
Run Update EPG from the settings and leave it alone for five minutes. It fills in gradually, so some channels show listings before others.
The picture freezes
Restart the router and the TV box, then check your speed at Fast.com. You want 25 Mbps or more for HD. If you’re on Wi-Fi, switch to the 5 GHz network or, better, plug in a cable. Most freezing we see comes from the home network, not the app.
We can help
Tried all that and it still isn’t right? Tell us your device and where you got stuck. We’re around 24/7, and most TiviMate questions take us one reply to sort out.
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