Kodi IPTV Setup with PVR IPTV Simple Client

Name: Kodi
Author: Kodi Foundation

Kodi: watching IPTV in a free, open-source media centre.

Kodi is a free and open-source media centre from the Kodi Foundation, available on many platforms. It does not play IPTV out of the box; instead, the official PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on reads M3U playlists and adds them to Kodi's live TV section.

In short

Suits people who already use Kodi for their own media and want live TV in the same place. It needs more setting up than a dedicated player and uses the M3U link, not an Xtream login.

Streamora editorial teamFacts checked 2026-10-14 against the Google Play listing and the official Kodi wiki

Kodi at a glance

Made by: Kodi Foundation
Runs on: Many platforms, including Android, Windows, macOS and Linux
Price: Free and open source
M3U playlists: Yes, through the official PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on
Xtream Codes login: Not built in
Content included: None

What Kodi is

The official Kodi release contains no content at all: it organises and plays media you provide. That makes it flexible, but also means a little configuration before live TV appears.

Live channels come through PVR add-ons. The official IPTV Simple Client reads an M3U playlist as its source of live streams, so Streamora's M3U link is the detail to use.

Using it with Streamora

Get your M3U link from your free trial message.
Enable the PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on from Kodi's official add-on repository.
Configure the add-on and paste the M3U link as its playlist location, then restart Kodi.
Open the TV section to find the channels, and test a few at your usual viewing time.

Strengths and limits

Strengths

Free and open source
Runs on many platforms
Live TV alongside your own media
Official add-on for M3U playlists

Limits

More setup than a dedicated IPTV player
Xtream logins are not built in
Third-party add-ons vary in quality; stick to official ones

Kodi questions

Is Kodi free?

Yes, it is free and open source.

Which add-on do I need for Streamora?

The official PVR IPTV Simple Client, which reads M3U playlists.

Does Kodi accept an Xtream Codes login?

Not with the built-in tools. Use the M3U link instead.

Does Kodi include channels?

No. The official version contains no content.

Other player apps

Perfect PlayerA playlist player for Android from Niklabs Software.IPTV Smarters ProOffered for several kinds of devices.TiviMateMade for Android TV devices and remote-control navigation.

Where Kodi fits

A free, open-source media centre that plays M3U playlists through an official add-on.

Works on

Android TV & Google TVGoogle's TV platform on many televisions and boxes, with apps from Google Play.
Phones and tabletsAndroid phones, iPhone and iPad use the mobile versions of the same player apps.
PC and MacComputers play streams through desktop player apps.

Uses

M3U playlistA text list of stream addresses that a player app reads from a link.

Alternatives

Perfect PlayerAn Android playlist player from Niklabs Software.
IPTV Smarters ProA player for M3U playlists and API-based logins, offered on phones, TVs and computers.
TiviMateA player designed for Android TV, built around the TV remote.

Common problems

BufferingPlayback pauses while the player waits for more video data.
Lag and slow menusA device or app that responds slowly, often because of storage or background activity.