TiviMate Setup Guide: Playlists, EPG and Premium

TiviMate is one of the most popular IPTV players for TV devices, largely because its guide looks and works like a traditional TV box. It doesn't provide any channels itself: you add your own IPTV subscription and TiviMate organises it. This guide goes beyond the basic login and covers installation, the guide, Premium and the settings that make the biggest difference.

What TiviMate Is

TiviMate is an IPTV player app for Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV devices. It plays the channels from your IPTV subscription using Xtream Codes or an M3U playlist and shows them in a TV-style programme guide. There's a free version and a paid Premium upgrade that unlocks extra features; the developer lists what each includes.

Which Devices Run TiviMate

TiviMate is designed for TV devices: Firestick and Fire TV, Android TV boxes, Google TV devices, and TVs running Android TV or Google TV. It's designed for Android-based TV devices, so it isn't an option on Samsung (Tizen), LG (webOS), Apple TV or Roku, which run different operating systems. On those devices, see our IBO Player Pro guide or IPTV on Apple TV.

Installing TiviMate

• Android TV and Google TV: install TiviMate from Google Play on the TV device
• Firestick and Fire TV: check the Amazon Appstore first; if TiviMate isn't listed, it's commonly installed with the Downloader app from the developer's official source — see how to install IPTV on Firestick for enabling installs from Downloader
• Only download TiviMate from Google Play or the developer's official download link; modified 'free Premium' versions can contain malware

Adding Your Playlist

When you open TiviMate for the first time, choose the option to add a playlist, pick Xtream Codes, then enter the server URL (with http:// and the port), your username and password. If you only have an M3U link, choose the URL option instead. TiviMate usually offers to use the guide supplied with the playlist; accept it. Detailed screens for both methods are in how to add Xtream Codes.

Loading the Programme Guide

With Xtream Codes, TiviMate usually loads the guide automatically. If channels show 'No information', open the EPG section of TiviMate's settings, check the guide source is present, and update the EPG. You can also set how often the guide refreshes. For deeper fixes, see IPTV EPG not working.

TiviMate Free vs Premium

The free version lets you watch live TV from a playlist with the guide. Premium is a paid upgrade that unlocks additional features; recording, catch-up and managing more than one playlist are among those commonly associated with it. The price, licence options, device allowance and exact feature list are set by the developer and can change, so check the developer's official information before buying.

Settings Worth Changing

• In the playback settings, enable automatic frame-rate matching (AFR) if available, so UK channels play without judder
• In the playback settings, if a channel won't play or plays audio only, change the video decoder between hardware and software
• In the EPG settings, set the guide to update daily
• Channel groups: hide groups you never use to make the guide faster to browse
• Parental control: set a PIN for groups you want to restrict — see IPTV parental controls

Fixing Common TiviMate Problems

• 'Playlist error' or login failed: re-check the server URL and credentials — see IPTV login errors
• Guide missing for some channels: update the EPG, then check the channel's guide assignment in its settings
• Buffering: try adjusting the buffer size in the playback settings, and use Ethernet where possible
• Lip sync is off: see IPTV audio out of sync