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installation guide

Set up Ishtirak IPTV in every room, step by step

Fire TV Stick, Samsung or LG Smart TV, Android TV, Apple, computer: the exact menu paths, connecting with Xtream Codes, the TV guide, and the settings that guarantee stable IPTV with no buffering, for the news bulletin in the kitchen as much as for the family movie in the living room.

Choose a plan Installation help

Before you start

Gather these four things; after that, connecting takes only a few minutes.

Your login detailsServer URL, username, password and M3U link, sent on WhatsApp or by email as soon as payment is confirmed.
compatible deviceSamsung or LG Smart TV, Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV Stick, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Windows or Mac.
A sufficient internet connection15 Mbps per HD screen, and 25 Mbps per 4K screen. An Ethernet cable or 5 GHz Wi-Fi is preferable.
The right appThe app that suits your device. Our IPTV app comparison helps you choose it.

Installing IPTV on each device

Each device has its own method. Find your device below, follow the steps in order, and keep your login details to hand: server URL, Username, Password and M3U link. They reach you on WhatsApp or by email as soon as payment is confirmed. Menu names may vary slightly depending on the system version. Haven't chosen an app yet? See our IPTV app comparison.

Fire TV Stick (Amazon) with Downloader

Check this first: The Fire TV Stick 4K Select runs Vega OS, Amazon's new operating system. It does not accept apps from outside the Appstore, so the Downloader method described below does not work on it. To find out which system your device runs, open Settings > My Fire TV > About. If this is your model, use an IPTV app available in the Amazon Appstore if there is one, or go for an Android TV or Google TV box. All other Fire TV Sticks (Lite, HD, 4K and 4K Max on Fire OS) follow the usual method.

From the home screen, open Search (the magnifying-glass icon), type Downloader then install the app with the orange icon.
Enable developer mode: Settings > My Fire TV > About, then press the device name (or "Fire TV Stick") seven times in a row. The message "You are now a developer" appears.
Go back to Settings > My Fire TV > Developer options > Install unknown apps and allow Downloader.
Open Downloader, accept file access, then enter in the address bar the official download link for the app you chose (IPTV Smarters Pro, TiviMate or XCIPTV). Don't have the link? Ask for it on WhatsApp and we'll send it to you.
Once the download is complete, choose Install, then Done. Downloader then offers to delete the installation file: accept, it frees up space.
Open the app and choose the connection method Xtream Codes (explained below).

Tip: long-press the Home button on the remote, then Apps, to put your IPTV app at the front of your app list.

Android TV, Google TV and Android boxes

This is the easiest scenario: the main IPTV apps are available directly on Google Play.

Open Google Play (on Google TV: the Appstab, then search).
Search for TiviMate, IPTV Smarters Pro or XCIPTV and install the app.
Open it. In TiviMate: Add playlist > Xtream Codes. In IPTV Smarters Pro: Add user > Login with Xtream Codes API.
Enter the server URL, username and password, then confirm. Let the app load the channels and the TV guide all the way through without leaving it.

If an app doesn't show up in Google Play on your device, install it via Downloader as on Fire TV. On Google TV, developer mode is enabled from Settings > System > About by pressing seven times on Android TV OS build. Permission is then granted from Settings > Apps > Security & restrictions > Unknown sources.

Samsung and LG Smart TVs with IBO Player

Samsung (Tizen) and LG (webOS) Smart TVs don't accept any external file. So IBO Player is installed from the TV's store and set up from a browser on your phone or computer.

Samsung: Home button, Apps, the magnifying glass, type IBO Player, then Install. LG: Home button, LG Content Store (or Apps on recent models), search for IBO Player, then Install.
Open IBO Player. Two codes appear on the screen:MAC address and Device Key. Write them down or take a photo of them.
From your phone or computer, go to the official website of the IBO Player developer, in the playlist management section, and sign in with the MAC address and Device Key.
Create a playlist: give it a name (for example "Ishtirak IPTV") and paste M3U link, or enter your Xtream Codes details if the form allows it. Save.
Back on the TV, close IBO Player completely, then reopen it. The playlist appears: select it and let it load all the way through.

IBO Player offers a trial period set by the developer, then requires a paid activation on its website. That amount goes to the developer, not to Ishtirak IPTV. Stuck on a step? Send us the MAC address and Device Key on WhatsApp: our support will guide you screen by screen.

iPhone, iPad and Apple TV

With Apple, everything goes through the App Store. Two tried-and-tested options: IBO Player, or the Smarters developer's app available on the App Store (its exact name may change with updates).

OpenApp Store (on Apple TV: the App Store on the home screen) and search for IBO Player or Smarters.
Install the app, then open it.
With the Smarters app: choose Xtream Codes, enter a profile name, the server URL, username and password. With IBO Player: apply the MAC + Device Key method described for Smart TVs.
On iPhone and iPad, playback continues in picture-in-picture mode if the app supports it, handy for following a series in bed while replying to a message. On Apple TV, an Ethernet cable is preferable: the 4K model has one on the versions with a network port.

Windows and Mac

Two methods, depending on whether you use it in the home office or in the kitchen.

IPTV Smarters (desktop version): Download the installer from the developer's official website, install it, open it, then choose Login with Xtream Codes API and enter your three login details. You'll find live TV, VOD, series and the TV guide.
VLC: Download VLC from the VideoLAN website. On Windows: Media > Open Network Stream (Ctrl + N). On Mac: File > Open Network (Cmd + N). Paste the M3U link, then click Play. Open the playlist (Ctrl + L) to change channel.

VLC is ideal for checking in thirty seconds that the link works. For everyday use, the Smarters app is far more comfortable.

Connecting with Xtream Codes or an M3U link

You receive two ways to connect. Both give access to the same content, but they do not work the same way.

Xtream Codes: the preferred method

Three elements:server URL (with the port if there is one, for example http://server-address:8080), and Username and Password. The app talks to the server and automatically sorts live TV, movies and series into separate lists. The TV guide usually loads with no action on your part.

Copy the link exactly as it is, with no space before or after it, keeping the http:// at the start.
Match the upper- and lower-case letters in the username and password exactly.
Do not add a trailing slash if there was none in the message you received.

M3U link: the format that works everywhere

A single address that contains your login details and the full list. Ideal for VLC, IBO Player or a receiver that only supports this format. On the other hand, loading takes longer because everything arrives at once, and the TV guide sometimes needs a separate EPG link (in XMLTV format). If your app asks for one, contact us: we will send it to you.

MAG or Enigma receivers: a setup via M3U or via the portal can be prepared on request. Message support with the exact model.

Setting up the TV guide (EPG) and catch-up

The TV guide (EPG) shows the current and upcoming program on every channel that supports it. Setting it up comes down to three points.

Loading: In IPTV Smarters Pro, from the home screen, choose Install EPG or the guide refresh icon. In TiviMate, Settings > EPG, then Update EPG. Allow one to a few minutes for the first load.
Frequency: Turn on the daily automatic update. A guide that is never refreshed ends up showing nothing but "No information".
Time offset: If the programs shown are an hour early or late, adjust the EPG offset in the app settings (usually EPG offset or Time zone) and make sure the device is set to Riyadh time.

Catch-up works the same way on the channels that support it: a clock icon or a Catch-up list appears in the app.

Settings for live TV with no buffering

In the vast majority of cases, buffering comes from the home connection or the device. The settings below are purely technical and apply whatever your internet provider.

Internet speed: Allow 15 Mbps per HD screen and 25 Mbps per 4K screen, on top of everything already connected in your home. Run the speed test from the device in question, not from your phone.
Ethernet cable: This is the most stable option. An Ethernet adapter for the Fire TV Stick is very cheap and often solves the problem. Otherwise, a Powerline adapter connects the device to the router even from the bedroom upstairs.
5 GHz Wi-Fi: Connect the device to the router's 5 GHz network, which is faster and less congested than the 2.4 GHz one. Avoid hiding the router behind the TV or inside a closed cabinet.
Video player: In IPTV Smarters Pro, Settings > Player Settings, switch to another player (built-in, ExoPlayer or VLC). In TiviMate, Settings > Playback, try hardware decoding, then software decoding.
Buffer: If the app lets you adjust the buffer size, raise it one notch. The picture starts one second later, but it stutters far less.
Lightweight device: Close the apps running in the background, keep at least 1 GB of free space, clear the IPTV app's cache (Settings > Apps > [the app] > Clear cache) and restart the device once a week.
One screen at a time: The 1-screen plan allows only one stream at a time. Starting a second one cuts off the first. To watch in several rooms at the same time, choose a multi-screen plan.

Troubleshooting: symptoms and fixes

The problems we see most often, with what fixes them in the vast majority of cases.

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
"Invalid login details" or connection refused	Typo, extra space, link without http:// or without the port	Copy the link and login details exactly as they appear in the message, capital letters included.
The channel list stays empty	Loading stalled or app incompatible with the format	Let the loading finish, then try Xtream Codes instead of M3U (or the other way round).
The picture stutters or freezes	Weak Wi-Fi, shared bandwidth, overloaded device	Switch to Ethernet or 5 GHz Wi-Fi, change the player in the app, clear the cache, and restart.
Audio out of sync or missing	Audio codec not supported by the player	Change the player (ExoPlayer or VLC), or switch from hardware to software decoding.
The TV guide stays empty or out of sync	EPG not loaded or wrong time zone set	Force an EPG update, then adjust the EPG offset and the time zone set on the device.
The channel cuts out as soon as a second TV starts	1-screen plan used on two devices at the same time	1-screen plan = one stream at a time. For the living room and the bedroom together, choose a multi-screen plan.
Downloader refuses to install the app on Fire TV	"Install unknown apps" still turned off, or Fire TV Stick 4K Select on Vega OS	Allow Downloader in the developer options. With Vega OS, use the Amazon Appstore or another device in the home.
IBO Player stays empty, no playlist	The app was not reopened after adding the playlist, or the playlist is registered to another MAC address	Close the app completely, reopen it, then check the MAC address and Device Key on the developer's website.

Your questions about setup

How long does setup take?

On Android TV or with the Smarters app, once the app is installed it takes just a few minutes to get live TV, movies and series on the living-room screen. On Fire TV Stick, the first setup takes a little longer because of developer mode. On a Smart TV with IBO Player, keep your phone handy to open the developer's website.

Can I set up IPTV in several rooms of the house?

Yes, you can save the login details on the living-room TV, the tablet in the kids' room and your phone. With the 1-screen plan, only one device streams at a time. The multi-screen plans allow 2, 3 or 4 streams at the same time, one in each room if you like.

My Fire TV Stick blocks Downloader, what should I do?

First check the system version in Settings > My Fire TV > About. If it is a Fire TV Stick 4K Select on Vega OS, only Amazon Appstore apps can be installed. In that case choose an IPTV app available in the Appstore, or equip that room with an Android TV or Google TV device.

How do I set up IPTV Smarters?

Open the app, choose Login with Xtream Codes API, name the profile (for example "Living room" or "Bedroom"), then enter the server URL, username and password you received. Confirm: live TV, movies, series and the TV guide appear automatically.

Do you help with setup?

Yes, it is included with your plan. Message us on WhatsApp with your device model and the step where you got stuck. A screenshot saves us a lot of time. Support replies 7 days a week, in English and Arabic.

Ready to switch on the TV in your first room?

Choose your plan, receive your login details as soon as payment is confirmed, and follow this guide step by step. If you get stuck on a step, we are here.

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