How to Set Up TiviMate: Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

For many viewers, TiviMate is the nicest way to watch IPTV on a big screen. It looks and feels like a normal set-top box: a tidy channel list, a TV guide you scroll from left to right, and quick zapping with the remote. But TiviMate does not come with any channels. You have to connect it to an IPTV subscription, and that is where most beginners get stuck.

This guide walks you through everything: which device you need, how to install TiviMate, how to add your subscription using Xtream Codes or an M3U link, and how to get the TV guide (EPG) right. By the end you will have a setup that feels just as smooth as your old cable box.

What exactly is TiviMate?

TiviMate is an IPTV player for Android TV. Think of it as a media player: it plays whatever you load into it, but it contains no content itself. The channels, films and series come from your IPTV provider. TiviMate handles the playback, the TV guide and the controls.

That is why you always need two things:

• The TiviMate app on an Android device connected to your TV.
• An IPTV subscription with login details. Usually that is a server URL, a username and a password (Xtream Codes), or an M3U playlist link.

What you need

First check that your device is compatible. TiviMate runs on Android TV and Google TV, so it works on:

• Smart TVs with Google TV or Android TV (Philips, Sony, TCL and Hisense, among others)
• Streaming sticks and boxes such as Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield and Xiaomi Mi Box
• Amazon Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Cube (with a small workaround, see step 1)
• Android TV–based IPTV boxes such as Formuler

Do you have a Samsung or LG TV without Android? Then TiviMate will not run on the TV itself. You can plug an Android stick into an HDMI port, or use an app that does run on your TV, such as IBO Player or Smart IPTV.

You will also need:

• A stable internet connection. Plan on at least 15 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K. An Ethernet cable is always more stable than Wi-Fi.
• Your login details from your IPTV provider. With Genova TV you receive them on WhatsApp right after your order or free test.

Step 1: Install TiviMate

On Android TV and Google TV

1. Open the Google Play Store on your TV or box.
2. Search for TiviMate. The official app is called TiviMate IPTV Player.
3. Select Install and wait for the download to finish.
4. Open the app. You will see the screen for adding a playlist.

On Amazon Fire TV

TiviMate is not in the Amazon Appstore, so on a Fire TV Stick you have to install it manually (sideload it):

1. Go to Settings → My Fire TV → Developer options and enable Apps from unknown sources for the app you will install with (for example Downloader).
2. Install Downloader from the Amazon Appstore.
3. Download TiviMate only from the developer's official download link. Modified or "cracked" versions from other sites regularly contain malware and often stop working after an update.
4. Install the file and open TiviMate.

Can't see Developer options? Go to Settings → My Fire TV → About and click the device name seven times. The menu will appear.

Step 2: Add your IPTV subscription

On first launch, TiviMate asks for a playlist. There are two options. Use the one your provider gave you details for.

Option A: Xtream Codes (recommended)

With Xtream Codes, TiviMate automatically loads the channels, the TV guide and the films and series. It is the easiest and most complete method.

1. Choose Add playlist → Xtream Codes.
2. Enter the server URL exactly as you received it, including `http://` and any port number (for example `:8080`).
3. Enter your username and password. Capital letters matter.
4. Click Next. TiviMate checks your details and shows how many channels and films it found.
5. Give the playlist a name, for example Genova TV, and click Done.

Option B: M3U link

Only received an M3U link? Choose Add playlist → Enter playlist URL and paste the full link. Typing a long URL with a remote is error-prone. It is easier to copy the link on your phone and send it to the TV with an app like Send Files to TV, or to use voice input.

With an M3U link you usually need to add the TV guide yourself (see step 3).

Step 3: Set up the TV guide (EPG)

The TV guide is what makes TiviMate so pleasant to use. You can see what is on every channel now and later.

• With Xtream Codes, the EPG usually loads automatically. Give TiviMate a few minutes after the first setup: with thousands of channels the download takes a moment.
• With M3U, go to Settings → EPG → Add EPG source and enter your provider's EPG link (it often ends in `xmltv.php`).

Is the guide an hour off? Go to Settings → EPG → EPG time shift and adjust it. This sometimes happens around the switch between summer and winter time.

Also set an automatic update under Settings → EPG, for example every 12 hours, so the guide stays current without you having to do anything.

Step 4: Smart settings for everyday use

TiviMate works out of the box, but a few tweaks make watching a lot nicer:

1. Hide groups you never use. With 45,000+ channels the list is long. Long-press a group and choose Hide, for example for countries you don't watch.
2. Build a favourites list. Long-press a channel and choose Add to favourites, so your regular channels are always at the top.
3. Start on boot. Enable Settings → General → Auto start on boot if your box is only used for watching TV.
4. Resume the last channel. Under Settings → Appearance you can have TiviMate open on the channel you were watching.
5. Adjust the buffer. Does the picture stutter during live sport? Raise the buffer size one step under Settings → Playback.

TiviMate free or Premium?

The free version of TiviMate is fine for testing, but it lacks features you will quickly want for daily use. TiviMate Premium adds, among other things:

• Several playlists at the same time
• Favourites lists and custom channel sorting
• Catch-up on channels that support it
• Recording to a USB stick or internal storage
• Watching several channels at once (multi-view)

You don't buy Premium inside TiviMate itself but through the TiviMate Companion app on your Android phone. You then sign in to TiviMate with the same account. Current prices and the trial period are shown in the Companion app.

Common setup mistakes

Not working right away? These are the causes we see most often with customers:

• "Can't connect to server": usually a typo in the server URL. Check `http://` versus `https://` and don't forget the port number.
• "Wrong username or password": watch out for capital letters and trailing spaces. Copy and paste prevents most errors.
• Empty channel list: your subscription may not be activated yet, or you are already using the maximum number of devices at the same time.
• No TV guide: wait a few minutes and choose Settings → EPG → Update EPG. If that doesn't help, check that the EPG link is correct.
• Picture stutters: try an Ethernet cable or the 5 GHz Wi-Fi network, and raise the buffer size.

Frequently asked questions

Is TiviMate free?

The basic version is free. For features such as multiple playlists, favourites, catch-up and recording you need TiviMate Premium. Remember that TiviMate provides no channels: you always need an IPTV subscription for that.

Does TiviMate work on a Samsung or LG TV?

Not directly, because those TVs don't run Android. Connect an Android TV stick or Fire TV Stick, or use an app that runs on Tizen or webOS, such as IBO Player or Smart IPTV.

Can I use TiviMate on several TVs?

Yes. Install TiviMate on each device and add the same login details there. Keep in mind that your subscription has a maximum number of simultaneous connections.

Is TiviMate legal?

The app itself is a legal media player, just like VLC. Whether what you watch is legal depends on the provider of your subscription. Choose a provider that is transparent about its service and actually helps you when something goes wrong.

Ready to watch

With TiviMate and a good IPTV provider you can have a system running in ten minutes that is faster and clearer than most set-top boxes. No subscription yet? Genova TV gives you more than 45,000 channels and a large library of films and series from €7 per month. Your login details work straight away in TiviMate, and you can test it free for 24 hours first. Stuck during setup? Our team will help you on WhatsApp.