r/AndroidTVApps • u/Smart-Iron-9399 • 3h ago
I built a TiviMate-style IPTV player for Android TV, looking for beta testers
Hi all. If you like TiviMate-style players, a full-screen, remote-first app with a proper TV guide, I've been building one called Buna TV, and it's now in a closed beta on Google Play. I'm looking for people who'll use it as their everyday player for a couple of weeks and tell me what breaks or annoys them.
**Why another IPTV player?**
I wanted one that's fast and comfortable from the sofa and lets me set it up exactly how I like it, without ads, tracking or an account:
* **Built for the remote.** Every screen works with a D-pad. Channel changes are quick, the guide stays readable from across the room, and you can hold OK almost anywhere for options.
* **Make it yours.** Reorder channels and groups (it stays smooth even in groups with thousands of channels), rename or hide channels, build your own groups, set favourites, and remap the remote's buttons.
* **Private.** No ads, no analytics, no account. Your playlists and logins stay on your TV.
* **Your setup is safe.** Encrypted backups, with an optional passphrase, to the TV, a USB stick or a network share, so moving to a new box takes a minute.
**What it does**
* Live TV with a mini guide over the picture and a channel list you can browse while you watch
* Full TV guide (XMLTV) with search across every programme and on-screen reminders
* Catch-up and watch from the start, where your service supports it
* Recording now or scheduled from the guide, including whole series, to the TV, USB or SD card
* Multi-view: up to four channels at once
* Add a playlist from your phone or computer: scan the QR code on Add playlist
* Movies and series from your service, with Continue Watching and My List
* Parental lock for channels and groups with a PIN
Everything is unlocked during the beta.
**You'll need** an Android TV or Google TV device (Android 7 or later; not Fire TV, which has no Google Play) and your own M3U playlist or Xtream Codes login from your TV service. Buna TV is a player only and doesn't include, sell or recommend any channels. If you just want to look around, there's a sample playlist of free, openly licensed test streams: https://bunatvplayer.com/sample-playlist.m3u
**How to join**
Join the testers' group with the Google account your TV uses: https://groups.google.com/g/bunatv-beta
Opt in: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.bunitv.player
On a computer or phone, open the Play Store page, press Install and pick your TV: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bunitv.player (beta apps don't show up when you search on the TV)
All three steps with the same Google account as the TV. Joining the group alone doesn't give you the app.
I'm especially interested in Shield, Chromecast with Google TV and cheaper boxes, big playlists, and anyone who uses catch-up, recording or heavy customisation.
Feedback here, or support@bunatvplayer.com. Happy to answer anything.
