IPTV Smarters alternative

Six things worth comparing

Switching player is easy. Choosing the next one well is what stops you having to switch again in six months. These are the points where it shows:

1. Which formats it takesM3U and Xtream Codes are the two common ones. If a player only takes one, you are tied to that format the day your provider changes or you want to try another.
2. Where the configuration livesThis is the most underrated point. If playlists, favourites and settings are stored only on the device, then every phone, tablet and TV is a separate setup. Lose the phone or replace the TV and you start again.
3. How it gets the programme guideUsing only the EPG embedded in the playlist is not the same as being able to add your own XMLTV URL. The second lets you fix channels with no programme data and correct time offsets.
4. Which platforms it exists onAn excellent Android TV player is little help when you want to watch something on the iPad or from the laptop browser. Look at the full list, not just the device you use today.
5. How it is distributedWhether it is in the official stores with an identifiable developer. Sideloading APKs from third-party sites is the usual route by which modified builds circulate.
6. What it does with your dataAn M3U playlist or a set of Xtream credentials is sensitive data. It is worth reading what is stored, where and why, in each application’s privacy policy.

What Chlyra TV answers to each

Synced configuration is not a marketing checkbox: it is the difference between adding your playlist once and adding it five times. Organise your favourites on the phone and they are already organised on the TV. Change device tomorrow and everything is there when you sign in.

Moving your playlist, step by step

This works whichever player you are coming from, because the playlist was never the application’s: it is yours.

1. Gather your playlist detailsYou need one of two things: the full M3U URL, or the server address, username and password if you use Xtream Codes. If they were only stored inside your previous application, ask whoever provided the playlist for them again before uninstalling it.
2. Create a free accountThis is what lets the configuration sync between devices. No card and no payment details.
3. Add the sourceIn the panel, My lists → Add list. Paste the M3U URL, or fill in server, username and password for Xtream. You can also scan a QR code if you would rather not type a URL with a TV remote.
4. Wait for the syncThe first import takes anything from a few seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the size of the playlist. The status shows on screen.
5. Set up the EPGIf your provider gave you an XMLTV URL, add it in Settings. If not, Chlyra TV will try the one referenced in the playlist itself.
6. Install the app wherever you will use itWith the account already created, each device only needs a sign-in: playlist, favourites and EPG are already there.

Questions that usually come up

Do I have to uninstall my current player?

No. You can keep several and use the same source in all of them. That is the sensible thing to do while you decide: add your playlist to Chlyra TV, use it for a few days and keep whichever you prefer. The only thing worth doing is noting down your playlist details before uninstalling anything.

Will I lose my favourites?

Favourites stored inside another application have to be rebuilt, because every player stores them its own way and there is no common export format. That is the only real manual work in switching. Chlyra TV keeps them in your account, so it does not happen again when you change device.

Does my playlist work as is, or does it need converting?

As is. An M3U playlist is a standard text file and an Xtream account is a standard API: there is nothing to convert or adapt.

How many devices can I use at once?

As far as Chlyra TV is concerned, as many as you link to your account. The real limit usually comes from your playlist provider, which typically restricts simultaneous connections to the same source. If a channel stops loading on a second device, that is almost always why.

Is using an IPTV player legal?

The player itself is neutral software, the same as a browser or a video player. What determines legality is the source you load into it and whether you have the right to access that content in your country. Chlyra TV provides no channels, playlists or content, and no information about where to obtain them: each user adds their own sources and is responsible for holding the necessary rights.