TiviMate Setup Guide: Playlist, EPG, Recording and Premium

TiviMate is an IPTV player app for Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV. This TiviMate setup guide walks through adding a source, loading a TV guide, tidying channels and deciding whether Premium is worth it. Like every player, TiviMate comes empty: it has no channels of its own, so you need a source from a legitimate provider that you are entitled to use.

IPTV Commons does not recommend or discuss services, so this guide describes the app's fields only. Every address below uses example.com and placeholders such as your-username.

Quick answer: Install TiviMate, choose to add a playlist, pick M3U playlist or Xtream login (whichever your provider gave you), enter the details, then let the app load the channels and guide. Premium is a separate paid upgrade bought through the TiviMate Companion app.

Menu names change between TiviMate releases, so use the steps below as a map rather than word-for-word instructions. If a label differs on your screen, look for the closest match.

Which devices does TiviMate run on?

TiviMate is built for Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV devices, plus Android phones and tablets. One catch: Amazon's newer Vega OS sticks (such as the Fire TV Stick 4K Select) don't run Android apps at all, so check your model first — our sideloading guide lists which can and can't. It is not available for iOS, Apple TV or Windows. If you are choosing hardware, read the Fire TV Stick setup guide or the Android TV box buying guide. For a wider comparison with other players, see IPTV player apps compared.

How do I install TiviMate?

1. On Android TV or Google TV, open the Google Play Store on the device and search for TiviMate.
2. On Fire TV, use the Amazon Appstore listing if it is available for your model. If you need to install from outside the store, follow the cautions in sideloading apps on Fire TV, and only download from the developer's official source.
3. Open the app. The first time it runs, it asks you to add a playlist.

Beware of "modified" or "premium unlocked" versions. They are unofficial files and a malware risk.

How do I add a playlist in TiviMate?

Choose Add playlist on first launch (or from the settings later). TiviMate offers several source types. The two you are most likely to use are below.

Option 1: M3U playlist

An M3U playlist is a text file that lists channels and their stream addresses (see M3U playlists explained).

1. Choose M3U playlist.
2. Enter the playlist address in the field provided. The shape is https://example.com/your-playlist.m3u, and your own provider's address will be different. Do not share it publicly; it can be tied to your account.
3. Confirm. TiviMate downloads the list and shows how many channels it found.
4. Give the playlist a name you will recognise.

Option 2: Xtream login

Some providers give you three values rather than a file link: a server address, a username and a password. This is often called an Xtream-style or Xtream Codes API login.

1. Choose the Xtream Codes login type.
2. Enter the server address (shape: https://example.com:8080), then your-username and your-password.
3. Confirm and wait for the channels to load.

One advantage of this method is that the app can usually fetch the guide data from the same source automatically, but that depends on the provider.

How do I add an EPG to TiviMate?

The EPG (electronic programme guide) is the grid of what is on now and next. If your provider supplies guide data with the playlist, TiviMate may load it automatically. Otherwise you can add an XMLTV source.

1. Open the playlist's settings in TiviMate and look for the EPG or TV guide option.
2. Add the guide address. The shape is https://example.com/guide.xml (a .xml.gz compressed file is also common).
3. Let the app update the guide, then check that programmes line up with channels.
4. If channels show no guide, match them manually in the EPG or channel settings.

If the times are wrong by one or more hours, see EPG showing the wrong time. For how guides are matched to channels, read the EPG and XMLTV guide.

How do I organise channel groups and favourites?

Your list may contain thousands of entries, so tidying it makes the app much nicer to use.

1. Open the channel groups option and hide groups you never watch.
2. Reorder the groups you do use so that they appear first.
3. Mark favourite channels. Favourites are a Premium feature in TiviMate, as far as third-party sources report, so confirm on your version.
4. Rename or reorder channels if the app allows it.

What TV guide settings should I check?

Look through the settings for options covering the guide's update interval, how much of the guide is shown, and whether the guide opens first when you start the app. The wording differs between versions. Leave defaults alone unless you have a reason to change them, since frequent guide updates can slow a modest device.

What does TiviMate Premium add?

The free version covers basic live viewing. Premium is a paid upgrade that unlocks extras. Based on third-party reviews and the developer's description, these include:

• Multiple playlists
• Favourites and custom groups
• Recording (scheduled and one-off)
• Catch-up and timeshift where your source supports it
• Multi-view (watching several channels at once)
• Backup and restore of settings
• Customisation and parental controls

Not every feature has been confirmed against the current app by us. Check the Premium screen for the definitive list.

How it is bought: you install the separate TiviMate Companion app on an Android phone, create a TiviMate account, choose a yearly or lifetime plan, and pay through Google Play. You then sign in with that account on your TV device, in the app's unlock Premium screen. One purchase is reported to cover up to five devices. The Companion app does not run on Fire TV, so buy it on an Android phone. The developer does not publish a price list on a web page, so rely on the price shown in your country's store.

How do recording and catch-up work in TiviMate?

Recording stores a programme on the device's storage or an external drive. Catch-up replays recent programmes from the source's archive. Catch-up only works if your source provides archive streams, so it is something the provider controls, not the app. Our catch-up, timeshift and recording guide explains the differences. On a Fire Stick with small storage, plan recording carefully, since space fills quickly.

How do I back up and restore TiviMate?

Backing up saves your playlists, groups and favourites so that a reset or new box does not mean starting again.

1. Open the app's settings and find the backup option (a Premium feature, per third-party sources).
2. Choose where to save the backup file. A USB drive or cloud location is safer than the device itself.
3. On a new device, install TiviMate, then use the restore option and select the file.

Do this before a factory reset, a firmware update or swapping boxes. Keep the backup private, since it may contain your login details.

Where can I get help?

If something does not work, post in the Players forum with your device model and the TiviMate version. Remove any URL, username or password first, and never name your provider.