How to Set Up IPTV on an Android TV Box

Android TV boxes are some of the most capable IPTV players you can buy. They come in every price range, many have Ethernet ports and plenty of storage, and they run the full range of Android IPTV apps, including TiviMate, IPTV Smarters Pro and OTT Navigator. This guide covers setup on both official Android TV / Google TV devices and generic Android boxes, using an IPTV LEX subscription or free trial.

Before you start

• Your box: any Android TV, Google TV or generic Android box. For FHD and 4K channels, look for at least 2 GB of RAM; 4 GB is better for large channel lists.
• Connection: about 10 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K. Plug in an Ethernet cable if the box has a port.
• Your IPTV LEX login: Xtream Codes server URL, username and password, plus the M3U URL, all in your activation email. No login yet? Start the free trial.
• A Google account signed in on the box if you want to install from the Play Store.

Step 1: Install a player app

You have two routes, depending on whether the app is in your box's Play Store.

Route A: Google Play Store

1. Open the Play Store from the home screen.
2. Search for TiviMate or IPTV Smarters Pro.
3. Select Install and wait for it to finish.

Route B: Downloader app

If the app is not listed, or your box uses a store without it, install it with the Downloader app:

1. Install Downloader from the Play Store.
2. Go to Settings > Device Preferences > Security & restrictions > Unknown sources and allow Downloader. On some boxes this is under Settings > Apps > Special app access > Install unknown apps.
3. Open Downloader and enter the official download address for the player app, as published on the app developer's website.
4. When the file downloads, select Install, then Done. Delete the installer file afterwards to free up space.

Not sure which app to pick? TiviMate is our first choice for live TV on a box because of its cable-style grid guide. IPTV Smarters Pro has a nicer movie and series layout. Our best IPTV players comparison goes through each option.

Step 2: Add your IPTV LEX login

In TiviMate

1. Open TiviMate and choose Add playlist.
2. Select Xtream Codes.
3. Enter the server address exactly as in your email, including http:// and the port, then select Next.
4. Enter your username and password (both case-sensitive) and select Next.
5. TiviMate checks the login and shows the number of channels, movies and series. Select Next, name the playlist 'IPTV LEX' and choose Done.

In IPTV Smarters Pro

1. Open the app, accept the terms and choose Login with Xtream Codes API.
2. Fill in any name, your username, password and the server URL.
3. Select Add User and wait for channels, VOD and the EPG to download.

The detailed walkthrough is in our IPTV Smarters Pro guide. If an app only accepts M3U, use the playlist URL from your email instead; the M3U vs Xtream Codes article explains the trade-offs.

Step 3: Get the TV guide working

With Xtream Codes, both TiviMate and Smarters pull the EPG automatically. Give it a few minutes on first load. If it stays empty:

• In TiviMate, go to Settings > EPG and select Update EPG.
• In Smarters, open Settings > EPG or use Install EPG on the home screen.
• If times are off by whole hours, set the EPG time shift in the same menu.

Step 4: Settings for smooth playback

If a channel shows a black screen or no sound with hardware decoding, try the software decoder for that one channel. Some cheaper boxes handle certain audio formats better in software.

Step 5: Tidy up for daily use

• Favourites: long-press any channel and add it to favourites so your regular channels are at the top.
• Start on Live TV: in TiviMate, set the app to open straight on the last channel or the guide.
• Launch on boot: many boxes let you set TiviMate as the app that opens at start-up, so the box behaves like a cable receiver.
• Catch-up: channels with a clock or rewind icon support catch-up. Open the guide, scroll back, and play a programme that already aired.

Several boxes in one house

You can install the same login on every Android box and phone in the house. A standard plan streams on one device at a time, though, so if the living room and bedroom watch together you need a multi-device plan. Plans cover 2 to 5 simultaneous connections; a 2-device plan for 6 months is $89.99. For a full explanation of how connections are counted, see the guide to IPTV multi-connections.

Troubleshooting Android boxes

• Login rejected: recheck http://, the port and the case of the username and password. Make sure the subscription or trial is still active.
• Buffering on Wi-Fi only: use Ethernet or the 5 GHz band, and increase the buffer size one step.
• Box slows down over time: go to Settings > Apps, open the player app and clear its cache. Restart the box once a week.
• Storage almost full: uninstall unused apps and delete old installer files from Downloader.
• Some channels freeze, others are fine: try the FHD instead of 4K version and report the channel name and time to support.

More fixes are in the IPTV buffering guide. IPTV LEX support is available 24/7 on WhatsApp and at support@iptvlex.com if you get stuck, and the supported devices list shows the setup options for other hardware in your home.

You are set up

Once the app is installed, the login added and the decoder set to hardware, an Android box is about as close to a cable receiver as IPTV gets, with far more channels and a full movie and series library on top. Test it through a busy evening, then choose a plan length on the pricing page.