IPTV services reach your TV through different protocols. TiviGlass speaks all three natively. The right one is whichever your provider actually offers — you cannot convert between them inside the app. This article explains what each label means so the setup screen makes sense.
Xtream Codes API
Xtream (sometimes called Xtream Codes or XC API) is the most common format for reseller panels. Your
provider gives you a portal URL such as https://example.tv:8080, a username and a password. TiviGlass
calls the provider's JSON API to download live channels, movies, series and often a short EPG feed per channel.
Xtream supports multiple backup server addresses. If your panel lists several hostnames, add them in Optional details during setup — TiviGlass tries the primary first and falls back when a host is down. Xtream also exposes catch-up and timeshift on many panels, which TiviGlass uses when the server advertises them.
Stalker / Ministra portal
Stalker portals power a different family of middleware — common on MAG-style subscriptions adapted for apps. Login is usually a portal URL plus MAC address or account credentials, depending on what the provider issued. Catalogues can be large; TiviGlass streams the channel list rather than loading everything into memory at once.
Stalker EPG may arrive as a separate bulk download. First import can take longer than Xtream while the guide snapshot saves to the device. If live TV works but the grid stays empty, wait for the background EPG job or add an XMLTV URL if your provider supplies one.
M3U and M3U8 playlists
An M3U file is a text list of stream URLs, often with tvg-id and tvg-logo
tags for guide matching. Providers email a link like https://…/get.php?username=…&type=m3u_plus. Paste
that URL or upload the file during setup.
M3U does not include movies or series unless the provider ships separate playlist URLs for VOD. EPG usually comes from an XMLTV link — add it in the playlist's optional EPG field. Without XMLTV, channels play but the guide stays blank.
How to choose when you have options
| Format | Best when | Guide data |
|---|---|---|
| Xtream | Your panel shows username/password and a port | Often built in; XMLTV optional |
| Stalker | Your provider mentions MAG, portal or Ministra | Bulk EPG download common |
| M3U | You only have a playlist URL or .m3u file | Needs a separate XMLTV URL usually |
What TiviGlass does not do
TiviGlass is a player, not a provider. It does not sell subscriptions, host streams or recommend third-party services. You must bring a lawful subscription from a company you trust. If a seller will only give you an M3U link with no support site, treat that as a risk signal about the service, not about the app.
Once connected, you can run several playlists side by side — for example a main household subscription and a travel backup. Switch between them from the sidebar without re-entering passwords each time. See Getting started for the full walkthrough.
Security habits that matter
Treat portal credentials like banking passwords. Do not paste them into public Discord channels or screenshot them for strangers offering “free fixes”. TiviGlass encrypts passwords on the device, but anyone you share them with can stream on your account and exhaust connection limits. If a panel offers a QR setup link, use it once on your own phone rather than forwarding the link to others.
When a provider rotates servers, update the primary URL in Settings → TV sources → Edit and run the test again. Stale hostnames are the most common reason a working subscription suddenly fails on every app at once — not a bug in the player.