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Getting Started Remote Controls Touch Gestures Live TV Player Live TV Player TV Guide (EPG) TV Guide (EPG) Send to Another Device Settings Troubleshooting General FAQ

Getting Started

How do I install TIVRA on my Android TV?
TIVRA is installed via sideloading (it's not on the Play Store yet). The easiest method:
  1. Install the Downloader app from the Google Play Store on your TV
  2. Open Downloader and enter: tivratv.com/downloads/tivra-latest.apk
  3. Wait for the download, then select Install
  4. If prompted, enable "Install unknown apps" for the Downloader app in your TV's settings
How do I install TIVRA on my phone or tablet?
The same APK runs on Android phones, tablets, and Android TV — auto-detected at launch.
  1. Open your browser on the phone/tablet and visit tivratv.com/downloads/tivra-latest.apk
  2. Tap the downloaded file to install. If prompted, allow your browser to install unknown apps.
  3. Open the app — the mobile UI loads automatically.

A first-launch popup will walk you through the gestures. You can switch back to the original TV layout anytime via Settings → Appearance → Use mobile UI (beta).

How do I create an account?
Open the app and tap Sign in with Google. Use any Google account. Your TIVRA account is created automatically on first sign-in.
How do I add my IPTV provider?
After signing in:
  1. Go to Settings from the sidebar
  2. Select Providers
  3. Enter your M3U playlist URL or Xtream Codes credentials (server, username, password)
  4. Save and wait for channels to load
What IPTV formats are supported?
TIVRA supports M3U/M3U8 playlists and Xtream Codes API. Both live streams and VOD catalogs are supported. EPG data can be loaded from XMLTV sources.

Remote Control Quick Reference

Tip: TIVRA is designed entirely for D-pad navigation. Every feature is accessible with the standard Android TV remote — no mouse or touchscreen needed.

Long-Press Actions

These actions require holding the button for the specified duration.

WhereButtonHoldAction
Live TV PlayerRight arrow800msOpen channel history popup
TV Guide (EPG)Back500msFullscreen player (if preview active)
Channel cardOK / Enter500msAdd/remove favorite
Category pillOK / Enter500msMove or hide category

Global Controls

ButtonAction
BackClose overlay/menu, or navigate back. On a top-level page, opens the sidebar.
OK / EnterSelect, confirm, or toggle the player overlay
D-pad arrowsNavigate menus, lists, and grids
0-9 number keysDirect channel entry (auto-tunes after 1.5s)

Live TV Player

Channel Navigation

ButtonAction
Up / DownChange channel (wraps around)
Right arrow tapJump to last watched channel
Right arrow hold 800msOpen recent channels list (up to 10)
Left arrowOpen channel sidebar
0-9Type channel number directly

Overlay & Info

ButtonAction
OK / EnterShow/hide program info overlay
SpacePlay / Pause

Audio & Subtitles

Open the overlay (OK), then navigate to the Audio or Subtitle button. Only one selector can be open at a time.

Exiting

Press Back to close overlays one at a time: history popup, audio/subtitle selector, sidebar, overlay, then exit the player.

TV Guide (EPG)

Grid Navigation

ButtonAction
D-pad arrowsMove between program cells
OK (first press)Preview channel in the top-left video window
OK (second press)Enter fullscreen player for that channel
G keyJump grid to current time
Page UpScroll back 2 hours
Page DownScroll forward 2 hours

Back Button

ButtonAction
Back tapOpen sidebar menu
Back hold 500msFullscreen player for preview channel

Category Tabs

Press Up from the grid to reach category tabs. Use Left/Right to navigate. OK to filter. Hold OK to move or hide a category.

Tip: Use the refresh button in the top-right corner to manually update EPG data from your XMLTV source.

Touch Gestures

Tip: The mobile UI is touch-only — no D-pad chrome. A first-launch popup walks you through the gestures below; you can replay it by clearing app data.

Anywhere

GestureAction
TapSelect / play / open detail
Long-pressShow "Send to another device" picker (channels, EPG cells, episodes, movie cards)
Swipe downPull-to-refresh on Home and content lists
Rotate deviceApps follow rotation; the player goes full-screen landscape

Bottom navigation

Five tabs at the bottom: Home, Live, VOD, Search, Settings. The Live tab has a Live/Guide sub-tab; VOD has Movies/Series.

Live TV Player

Playback & overlay

GestureAction
Tap screenToggle the player overlay (channel info + controls)
Tap cast icon (top-right)Send the current stream to another signed-in device
Tap backExit the player
Rotate phoneSwitch between portrait and landscape — fills the screen in landscape

Channel switching

Tap the channel sidebar from the overlay to pick another channel. Audio and subtitle pickers live in the bottom bar's sub-menu.

TV Guide (EPG)

Navigation

GestureAction
Swipe left / rightScroll the program area through time. The channel column on the left stays fixed; the time labels at the top scroll with the programs.
Swipe up / downScroll through channels
Tap a program / channelStart playing that channel
Long-press a program / channelSend to another device

There's no video preview pane on mobile — the program info shows in a compact band at the top, and the program grid takes the rest of the screen.

Send to Another Device

If you're signed in on multiple devices (e.g. phone + Android TV), you can send any stream from the phone to another device. The target device must be signed in to TIVRA and online — it polls every ~30 seconds and starts playback when it picks up the command.

Where to send from

WhereHow
Live TV channel cardLong-press the card
Live TV / EPG channel columnLong-press the channel
EPG program cellLong-press the program
Movie detail pageTap "Play on Device"
Series episodeLong-press the episode
Home screen cardLong-press the poster or backdrop (movies and Continue Watching only — series cards open the detail page)
Anything currently playingTap the cast icon in the player's top bar
Tip: Don't see your TV in the picker? Make sure it's signed in to the same TIVRA account and connected to the internet. The list also flags devices as Offline if they haven't checked in for 5+ minutes.

Settings & Customization

Color Schemes
Go to Settings → Appearance. Use Left/Right to browse 11 color schemes. Press OK to apply. The entire app re-themes instantly.
Hiding Categories & Channels
Go to Settings → Content. You'll see two tabs: Visible and Hidden.
  • Press Left on a category to focus the eye icon, then OK to hide/show it
  • Press OK on a category name to drill in and manage individual channels
  • Inside a category, use the eye icon on each channel to hide/show it
  • Press Back to return to the category list
EPG Settings
Settings → EPG lets you configure the XMLTV source URL and automatic sync interval (1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 hours). You can also set it to manual-only and use the refresh button on the TV Guide page.

Troubleshooting

Channels aren't loading or showing "No channels"
  • Check that your provider URL or credentials are correct in Settings → Providers
  • Make sure your IPTV subscription is active with your provider
  • Try updating the playlist (Settings → Providers → Update)
  • Check your internet connection
Streams are buffering or skipping
  • This is usually a network or provider issue, not the app
  • Try a wired Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi
  • Check if the issue occurs on specific channels (provider-side) or all channels (network-side)
  • In Settings → Playback, try adjusting the buffer size
EPG (TV Guide) shows no program data
  • Go to Settings → EPG and verify your XMLTV source URL is correct
  • Trigger a manual sync using the refresh button on the TV Guide page
  • EPG data can take a few minutes to download and process, depending on source size
  • Not all providers include EPG data — check with your provider
App shows splash screen every time I open it
Android TV devices have limited RAM and may kill background apps. When this happens, the app restarts fully. This is normal Android behavior. Using a release build (not profile/debug) helps reduce memory usage and keeps the app alive longer.
How do I update the app?
Download the latest APK from tivratv.com/downloads/tivra-latest.apk using the Downloader app and install it over the existing version. Your settings and favorites are preserved.

General FAQ

Does TIVRA include any TV channels or content?
No. TIVRA is a pure media player. It contains no content. You must supply your own M3U playlist URL or Xtream Codes credentials from a separately obtained IPTV subscription.
Is TIVRA an IPTV service?
No. We are a software application, not a service or content provider. TIVRA is comparable to TiviMate, IPTV Smarters Pro, or GSE Smart IPTV.
What am I paying for?
You are purchasing a license for the TIVRA media player software. No TV channels, live streams, or on-demand content are included.
Can I use TIVRA on a phone or tablet?
TIVRA playback is currently Android TV only. However, you can manage your providers, favorites, and channels from any device using the web dashboard. Phone/tablet and iOS playback apps are planned for the future.
How many devices can I use?
The Personal plan supports 1 device. The Family plan supports up to 5 simultaneous devices.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Go to Settings → Account in the app to manage your subscription through the Stripe billing portal. You can cancel anytime — your access continues until the end of the current billing period.
Is using TIVRA legal?
TIVRA itself is legal software. The legality of the content you stream depends entirely on your IPTV provider and your local laws. We require users to only use TIVRA with content they are legally licensed to access.