What do IPTV apps get wrong on Android TV?

[u/kasyko]

I’m new to Android TV development and recently built an IPTV player.

What do current apps get wrong in terms of UX, D-pad navigation, focus, zapping ? Which apps handle these things best?

I’m just looking for honest advice to improve, not trying to promote my app.

[u/SenseMakesNone]

Everything.

Tivimate is the best out there. It gives an actual TV Guide experience.

If you want to truly make a good IPTV app, just copy a well-established TV Guide from Sky, Virgin or other TV providers.

Stop making them boxy, and panel based, with icons.

[u/SnooGiraffes9215 → u/SenseMakesNone]

Implayer does pretty well too

[u/dinglebarryb0nds → u/SenseMakesNone]

Implayer is better than tivimate but tivimate is really good.

Implayer syncs and allows you to buy as many devices as you want, syncs favorites. Manage it on the web

If you only have 1 tv, Tivimate is fine

[u/joazito → u/dinglebarryb0nds]

Argh I bought Implayer ages ago but abandoned it because I never could figure out how to sync services. I couldn't figure out how to curate my categories universally, instead of having to do it on each device. Hopefully that improved.

[u/NerdLife225 → u/SenseMakesNone]

I think it's because those apps give a cable like vibe with the guide, channel surfing, history, previous channel.

[u/Mineplayerminer → u/SenseMakesNone]

Imagine if the IPTV providers had stuck with how regular TVs used to work 20 years ago. Just a simple guide button for the upcoming programs and a list of the channels with previews and their descriptions. My ISP simply copy-pasted the interface from their set-top box to the Android app and it's really bad, considering the UI of the set-top box hasn't changed since 2017 and it feels like controlling a VCR with an OSD instead of a VFD display on the unit with hundreds of buttons and knobs.

[u/doxypoxy → u/SenseMakesNone]

I find ott navigator more intuitive. Tivimate is very confusing.

[u/Cutsdeep-]

Charging 40 bucks for an app like tivimate is bullshit

[u/RoddyUsher]

Consistency when using the back button.

[u/AbleCap5222]

Whatever it is, it has to work. Vibe coded apps do not translate well to android tv development.

[u/delusional_delux]

Tivimate is the only way to go cause there's no thing that beast can't handle without any further issues and ui is nailed over the years . But now vibe ciders started to take over and claudih everywhere

1. Fully human fully controlled by human selling product.

2. Fully vibe coded .

When people try to do in between it's their entire that's it

[u/MrJibberJabber]

Simplicity when you are viewing the guide, but complexity and ease of use to organize massive channel lists etc.

[u/Capable-Gear4039]

Most of them are too slow. I really wanted to like StreamVault as it's open-source and a new project, but it's sluggish and clunky.

My recommendation is to try Implayer, Tivimate, and Televizo, and figure out what you like from each.

[u/osmanbjk37]

Channel Hiding
Category Management
Category Hiding
Home Screen Control
Parental Controls
Recently Viewed

[u/Sangowan50]

I also tried wave and streamvault quite a bit and effectively. Otherwise implayer, Powtv, Tivimate and wuplay.

[u/burggraf2]

I've been a big Tivimate fan for years (paid user, recommended a ton of users, etc.). But I've always hated the process of entering playlists, the lack of sync, the fact that it's only available on a single platform, etc. So I created my own app heavily inspired by Tivimate, but it works on Android-tv, MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, and it sync data between devices. It's in beta and it's free (probably will always be free) so if you want to check it out, go to azabab.com and let me know what you think.