Guide
IPTV player: what it is and which one to choose
An IPTV player is the program that shows the channels on screen, not the service that carries them. It sounds obvious and yet it causes a lot of confusion: the player is free to download, the channels cost a subscription. This guide explains the difference, compares the seven players most used in Italy and says which one to choose for your device.
A player and a service are not the same thing
| Player | Where it works well | Who should pick it |
|---|---|---|
| IPTV Smarters Pro | Android, Android TV, Fire TV and PC | The most widespread on Android and Android TV, and the only one here with a stable desktop version for Windows. |
| Televizo | Android and Android TV | Light, built for Samsung and LG televisions, with automatic start. |
| Smart IPTV (GSE) | Samsung Tizen and LG | The right one if your TV has its own store: it installs from the menu and needs no keyboard. |
| SS IPTV | Samsung, LG and Android | Unlike GSE it does not ask for activation details: the playlist is enough. |
| Kodi | Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and Raspberry Pi | The most versatile, and the only one that also runs on Raspberry Pi. For those who know what they are doing. |
| Nanomid | Android and Android TV | A lighter alternative to Smarters Pro on Android, starting in one tap. |
| Facile TV | Fire TV Stick | Made for Fire TV Stick: everything is done with the remote. |
Independent, free programs, compatible with the TV8Live service. None of them is ours: they are programs you download yourself and give your login details to.
Four criteria for choosing
- 1
Which screen you watch on
This decides almost everything. Phones and tablets need a vertical interface, a television one you use with a remote. Many of the seven work on both, but not with the same convenience. - 2
How many screens at once
Each plan includes a number of simultaneous connections. If you watch on the TV and check your phone at the same time, check the limit before choosing a plan. - 3
How much the guide matters
If you use it to find your way in the evening, pick a player that displays it well. Some load it slowly or only show it on Android TV. - 4
Where you download it from
Only from the official store or the developer’s site. A player is free software, but a file installed by hand can contain anything.
The player is free and you download it yourself. The channels are not: they come from a paid service. When the two get mixed up — free software promising thousands of free channels — the question is not the app, it is where the video streams come from.
The player in your browser
If you would rather install nothing, there is another route: the TV8Live online player opens straight in your browser and uses the same login details. It has two honest limits: the computer must stay on and the player tab must stay in the foreground. Good enough to try the service; for everyday viewing an app on the television is more comfortable.
What customers say
Messages received on our support chat, published with the customer's permission.
In short
The right player is the one that fits your screen and does not cost you half an hour switching between apps. Start with what you already have: if your television has a store, GSE is the shortest route; if you start from Android, Smarters Pro is the best-documented choice.
Then you need the subscription: the channels come from the service, not from the player. The 24-hour trial for €1 is the honest way to check that it holds on your connection.
FAQ
The questions we get most often about the player
What is an IPTV player?
It is the program that shows the channels: it receives a video stream and plays it on screen. It does not contain the channels and does not buy them for you. It is the CD player, not the CD. The channels come from a subscription service, and that is what TV8Live gives you.
Why do Android and TV need different software?
Because the interface matters. On a phone you hold the player upright with your thumb; on a television you use it from ten feet away with a remote. Same code, different interfaces. That is why the best phone players and the best TV players are often two separate programs.
Which IPTV player is best?
None in the absolute sense: the one that fits your device and does not force you to move from the TV to the phone. The guides on this site cover the seven most used in Italy, with the install steps and the common problems for each.
Can I use the same player on several devices?
Yes, and that is the point. With a single TV8Live subscription you log in with the same details on phone, tablet, television and computer, at the same time within your plan's connection limit. You do not need to buy a player for every screen.
Is a free IPTV player enough?
The player is free: it is software you can download yourself. What costs money is the channels, through the subscription. Do not confuse the two, because that is the most common trap: free software does not mean free channels.
The channel does not change: the player does
Pick the player you prefer and try it with a €1 trial.
Why it helps
Worth reading together
Every player has a different use case. This is the guide to work out which one you need, then get it running.
These pages answer the same question from different angles. Start here, then pick the next step.
- TelevizoGuide
- IPTV Smarters Pro on WindowsGuide
- KodiGuide
- NanomidGuide
- SS IPTVGuide
- Smart IPTVGuide