IPTV Questions Devices and apps
Can I cast IPTV from my phone to my TV?
Which ways can you send IPTV from a phone to a TV?
There are three. Which one you can use depends on your phone and your TV:
| Method | From | To | Your phone while it plays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cast button in the app (Google Cast) | Android phones, and some iPhone apps, such as UHF | Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, TVs with Chromecast built in | Free to use; it acts as a remote |
| AirPlay | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Apple TV, most Roku devices, many recent Samsung and LG TVs | Mostly free with the app's AirPlay button; busy if you mirror |
| Screen mirroring | Android phones, Windows PCs | Most Roku devices, most Fire TV devices, many Samsung and LG TVs | Busy the whole time |
How do you cast IPTV step by step?
With the app's Cast or AirPlay button
- Put the phone and the TV device on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Start a channel in your IPTV app.
- Tap the Cast icon (a screen with curved lines) or the AirPlay icon (a screen with a triangle) and pick your TV.
Not every player has these buttons. If yours does not, mirror the screen instead.
By mirroring your screen
- iPhone or iPad: open Control Centre, tap Screen Mirroring and choose the Apple TV, Roku or AirPlay TV.
- Android: swipe down twice and tap Cast, Screen cast or, on Samsung phones, Smart View.
- Roku: allow it under Settings > System > Screen mirroring (mode Prompt or Always allow), and for iPhones check Settings > Apple AirPlay and HomeKit. Roku's mirroring help page lists the few models that cannot.
- Fire TV: open Settings > Display & Sounds > Enable Display Mirroring, then start mirroring from the phone.
Why is an app on the TV better than casting?
Casting suits one evening. For everyday watching, a player on the TV wins:
- Your phone stays free for calls and messages, and nothing pops up on the TV.
- No battery drain, and no stream that stops when you walk off with the phone.
- Mirroring carries the video over your Wi-Fi twice, so it stutters first on a busy network.
- You flip channels with a remote and a full TV guide.
Most TVs can run a player with no extra hardware (see IPTV on a Smart TV without a box), and on a Roku TV a streaming stick is often the better fix (see IPTV on a Roku).
Can you cast a paid IPTV subscription to your TV?
Yes. While one stream plays, the phone and the TV usually count as one screen. Watching on the phone and on a TV app at the same time counts as two, so your plan must cover two. IPTV Nord plans cover 1 to 5 screens at once; see using one subscription on several devices.
Related questions people ask
Can I cast IPTV to a Fire TV Stick?
Only by mirroring. Fire TV devices do not accept Google Cast or AirPlay out of the box, but most can receive screen mirroring from Android phones and Windows PCs once you turn on Enable Display Mirroring under Display & Sounds. On a Fire OS stick it is simpler to install TiviMate directly, as our Fire TV Stick guide shows.
Why does the cast picture stutter when the app plays fine on my phone?
Casting adds a second Wi-Fi hop. Move the phone closer to the router, use the 5 GHz network and close other apps. If you are mirroring, try the app's own Cast or AirPlay button instead, since the TV device then usually fetches the stream directly. If it still stutters, install a player on the TV itself.
Test casting and TV apps with a free trial
Try both ways on your own TV with a free 24-hour trial. Plans start at $19 CAD, paid by Interac e-Transfer.