Device guide
IPTV on a Samsung Smart TV: two ways to set it up
A Samsung television runs Tizen, a system of its own. It cannot install Android apps, and several of its IPTV players are set up from a web page instead of the TV screen. Once you know that, the rest is simple.
- Where apps come from
- Samsung Apps store
- Android apps
- Not supported
- Login
- Web portal with a TV code, or Xtream Codes
- Alternative
- A streaming stick in an HDMI port
How IPTV works on Tizen
Press the Home button on the remote and open Apps: that is the Samsung store. A handful of IPTV players are published there, and which ones you see depends on the year of your television and on your region.
Players on Samsung come in two kinds. Some work as they do everywhere else: you type a server address, a username and a password. Others show a code that identifies your television, and you add your playlist from a phone or a computer on the website of the app. Smartiflix sends you both an Xtream Codes login and an M3U playlist, so you are covered either way.
Players to look for in the Samsung store
Search the store by name. If an app does not come up, your model does not have it, and the stick route further down is the way to go.
| Player | How you set it up | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Smart IPTV | A code on the TV, your playlist added on its website | Free to try, then a one-time fee to its developer |
| IBO Player | A code on the TV, your playlist added on its website | Also asks for a payment to its developer after a trial |
| Players with a login screen | Server address, username and password typed on the TV | Appear on some model years only |
These fees belong to the apps and are paid to their developers. They are not part of your Smartiflix plan, and Smartiflix does not supply any app.
Method 1: a player with a web portal
- Install the player from Apps and open it.
- Note the code shown on the first screen. Depending on the app it is called a MAC address, a device ID or a device key. Copy every character.
- On a phone or a computer, open the website named on that same screen.
- Enter the code of your television, then paste the M3U playlist address we sent you and save.
- Go back to the TV and restart the app. The channels load from the list you just added.
A playlist added this way belongs to one television only. A new TV has a new code, so you would repeat these steps on it. The app sets its own conditions and fee, so read them before you pay.
Method 2: a player with a login screen
- Install the player from Apps and open it.
- Choose to add a user or a playlist and select Xtream Codes.
- Type in the three details from our message (server address, username, password), taking care with capitals.
- Wait for the channels and the TV guide to load, then open a channel.
Typing with a TV remote is slow. The SmartThings app on your phone can act as a keyboard for a Samsung television, and so can a USB or Bluetooth keyboard.
The simpler route: a streaming stick
Many Samsung owners skip the TV store altogether. A streaming stick or box in an HDMI port brings a store with far more players, a normal login screen and no code to copy. The Samsung becomes the screen, and the stick does the rest.
It also travels: when you change television, the stick and its apps come with you. The Firestick guide and the Android TV guide cover both kinds.
Common problems on Samsung
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| The app is not in the store | Your model year does not offer it: try another player or use a streaming stick |
| "No playlist" after using the website | Check the code character by character, add the playlist again and restart the app |
| The app says its trial has ended | That is the app's own fee, paid to its developer; pay it there or choose another player |
| The picture stops and starts | Connect the TV to the router with a cable, or use the 5 GHz band |
| The TV guide is empty | Wait a few minutes after loading the playlist, then refresh the guide in the app |
If you are unsure which method your app uses, send support a photo of its first screen. Someone is there at all hours, on WhatsApp or email.
Limits to know about
- Players made for Android cannot be installed on the television itself, because Tizen is a different system.
- What the store offers changes with the year of the TV, and older sets lose access to newer apps.
- Apps are sometimes withdrawn from the store. Your access details keep working in any other player.
What to check during a free trial
- That the store of your exact model has a player you can use.
- How long the app can be used before it asks for its own fee.
- That the picture holds in the evening on your own connection.
- Whether you would rather watch through a stick: try both if you have one.
A free trial is the place to check all of this without paying or giving payment details.