STB Emu IPTV setup

Before you start

• An Android phone, Android TV, Google TV or Fire TV device, connected to your network.
• A stable connection: 25 Mbps or more for 4K.
• An active plan: your portal URL arrives on WhatsApp. No plan yet? See our IPTV plans for TiviMate; every plan works in this app too.
• About 10 minutes.

Everything below is a one-time setup. After that, you just open the app.

Which app should you pick?

Start with the free STB Emulator. It does everything in this guide, including the TV guide and on-demand menus, but shows ads. STBEmu Pro is the same app without ads, sold in the store and paid to its developer, not to us. Try the free version first and upgrade only if the ads bother you. Your plan with us works the same in both.

Warning. Do not install the emulator from codes or files shared in forums or video comments, because they can open modified copies. If you are unsure which file to use on a Fire TV device, message us on WhatsApp before you install anything.

What STB Emu is, and when to use it

The app imitates a MAG set-top box. It lets an Android device use the same portal a physical box uses, with a MAC address and a portal URL instead of a username and password. People choose it for two reasons: they like the portal-style layout, or they already use a MAG box and want the same menus on a second screen.

It is not our first recommendation. On the same devices, TiviMate is easier to set up and has a clearer TV guide. The emulator is the right pick if you specifically want the portal look. If you own a real box, our MAG box guide covers it, and the Android TV setup guide shows the TiviMate route on Google TV and SHIELD.

TiviMate Premium on STB Emu devices

Unlike a MAG box, every device that runs this app can also run TiviMate, so you have a real choice. The emulator gives you a portal layout at no cost beyond your plan. TiviMate gives you a guide built for a remote, and its optional Premium upgrade adds recording, multiple playlists and catch-up. Premium is sold only by the TiviMate developer; we never sell it.

Our TiviMate Premium explainer shows what the upgrade adds. To try TiviMate on a Fire TV Stick, follow the Firestick setup guide, then load your login with our guide to adding a playlist in TiviMate. You can keep both apps installed; your plan works in each.

Troubleshooting

The portal is not reachable

Check the portal URL for typos against our message: it must start with http:// and end with /c. Confirm that the device is online by opening any other app. Then save the profile, go back and select Reload portal. If it still fails, send us a screenshot of the portal settings.

The MAC address looks different from before

Each profile has its own MAC address, and a reinstall can create a new one. If you made a new profile, either go back to the old one or send us the new address on WhatsApp. We move the link to it, and you reload the portal.

Channels do not appear

We must register the MAC address before the portal loads. Wait for our confirmation on WhatsApp, then open the profile and select Reload portal. If the screen still says the portal is loading after a minute, close the app fully and open it again.

Ads keep covering the screen

That is the free version. Close the ad and carry on watching. If the ads bother you, STBEmu Pro removes them; buy it in the store from its developer. Your profile settings and MAC address can be entered again in the Pro version the same way.

The picture buffers

Open the app's settings and try the hardware decoder first, then the software decoder if the video stutters. Choose the FHD or HD version of a channel on Wi-Fi. A cable or a 5 GHz connection helps most on Android TV boxes and Fire TV devices.

The guide is empty or the times are wrong

Set the correct time zone in the profile settings, then reload the portal. A new activation needs a few minutes to fill the guide. Our TiviMate EPG guide explains how guide data reaches a player, which helps if times stay off by an hour.

STB Emu IPTV setup on more than one device

Every device you use creates its own profile with its own MAC address. If you watch on a phone and on a TV, send us both addresses and we link them. Each one counts toward the devices in your plan, so a 2-device plan lets both play at once. If you reinstall the app, the profile may get a new MAC address: back it up first, or send us the new one afterwards.

Back up your profile

A profile holds your portal URL and settings. Export it to a file from the app's settings and keep the file safe. After a reinstall or on a new device, import it and you are back in seconds. Without a backup you re-enter the portal URL by hand, and a changed MAC address means one more message to us.

Tip. Export the profile right after the portal loads for the first time, and keep a copy of the file off the device, for example in your email. A reinstall then restores your portal URL and settings without typing them again.

Settings worth changing

Most options can stay at their defaults. These few decide whether a channel starts quickly, plays smoothly and shows the right times in the guide.

• Use the hardware decoder first, and switch to the software decoder only if the video stutters.
• Set the time zone in the profile to your own city.
• Match the screen resolution in Portal settings to your TV, for example 1920x1080 on a Full HD set.
• Close other apps on phones and low-memory TV boxes before you watch.
• Export a profile backup after any change you want to keep.

Watching from the US, UK, Canada, France or Germany

STB Emu IPTV setup is identical in all five countries, because Android, Google Play and the app behave the same everywhere. Our prices are in US dollars, so convert them before you compare with a local provider quoting in CAD, GBP or EUR. Set the profile's time zone to your own city so the guide shows local times.

Need help? We'll set it up with you

Stuck at any point of your STB Emu IPTV setup? Send us a screenshot and your device type, and we guide you on WhatsApp until the portal loads. All our setup guides for every device are in one place, and the best IPTV player apps compares other players.