TiviMate
Setup Guide
TiviMate is the smoothest IPTV player for Android TV and Firestick. Its TV guide looks like a real cable box, and the paid version adds recording, catch-up and multi-screen. Here is how to set it up properly.
Free vs TiviMate Premium
TiviMate is a player, not a subscription. It has a free tier that covers everything most people need — channel lists, the TV guide and favourites. Premium unlocks recording, catch-up playback, multiple playlists and picture-in-picture, and it is sold as a yearly or lifetime licence inside the app.
If you only watch live TV and VOD, the free version is genuinely enough. Upgrade only when you want to schedule recordings or run several playlists side by side.
TiviMate runs on Android TV, Fire TV, Firestick and Android TV boxes. It does not run on iOS or Samsung/LG smart TVs — for those, use IPTV Smarters Pro instead.
Install & Add Your Playlist
Four steps from a fresh device to a working TV guide.
Install TiviMate
On Firestick, enable apps from unknown sources and sideload via Downloader, or install from the Amazon Appstore where listed. On Android TV, search the Play Store for TiviMate.
Add Playlist
Open Settings → Playlists → Add playlist. Choose "Xtream Codes" and enter the server URL, username and password we send you, or paste an M3U link.
Load the EPG
Assign the XMLTV guide URL to the playlist and set it to update every 12 hours. TiviMate then shows now-and-next on every channel.
Tune the Playback
Set the decoder to hardware, choose a larger buffer, and enable "Aspect ratio: auto" so 4K channels fill the screen correctly.
Getting the EPG Right
The EPG is what makes TiviMate feel like a cable box. If your guide is blank or shows the wrong programme, the fix is almost always one of three things: the XMLTV URL is missing, the update interval is too long, or the time zone offset is wrong.
Open Settings → EPG, confirm the guide URL matches the one in your welcome email, set the update interval to 12 hours, and correct the time zone offset if shows appear an hour or two out. Then force a manual refresh and give it a minute to rebuild.
If the guide still fails to load, your provider may be serving a different EPG region. Our IPTV not working checklist covers this case, and you can always message us on WhatsApp for the correct guide URL.
Recording, Catch-Up & Multi-Screen
With a Premium licence you can schedule recordings the same way you would on a traditional DVR. Recordings are saved to the device's internal storage or a USB drive, so check free space before scheduling a full match or a film marathon.
Catch-up works when the channel you are watching supports archive playback. Not every channel offers it — the ones that do show a rewind icon in the guide. Multi-screen splits the display so you can watch two or four streams at once, which is ideal for a sports afternoon.
Both catch-up and multi-screen depend on your subscription having enough connections. If you plan to record one channel while watching another, choose at least a 2-connection plan from our packages page.
TiviMate FAQ
Is TiviMate free?
Yes, the free tier covers live TV, the guide and favourites. Premium, which adds recording and multi-screen, is a paid licence inside the app.
Does TiviMate work on iPhone or Smart TV?
No. TiviMate is Android TV and Fire TV only. Use IPTV Smarters Pro on iOS, Samsung and LG instead.
Why is my TiviMate guide blank?
The XMLTV URL is missing or the update interval is too long. Re-enter the guide URL, set updates to every 12 hours and force a refresh.
Can I record with a single-connection plan?
Recording uses a stream. To record one channel while watching another you need at least two connections.
Five Mistakes That Ruin Setup
1. Pasting the whole server URL into the host box. If TiviMate gives you separate host and port fields, split the value. A port left inside the hostname produces a timeout that looks exactly like a dead server.
2. Leaving the EPG refresh at the default. A large guide takes time to download. Set it to every 12 hours, and set the time zone to your own rather than the server's, or every programme will appear shifted.
3. Using more than one connection without checking the plan. Recording on TiviMate Premium can use a second connection if the channel is not on the same transport stream. If you record and watch at once on a one-connection plan, one of them will stop.
4. Storing recordings on internal memory. Firesticks have very little free space. Point the recording folder at a USB drive or network storage before scheduling a season pass.
And the fifth: expecting a free tier to record. Recording is a Premium feature and there is no workaround. If recording is the reason you chose TiviMate, budget for the licence before you start - or use a player that includes DVR in its free build. More comparisons are in the Smarters vs TiviMate guide.