Almost every new TV is a smart TV today. Yet many IPTV users swear by an extra streaming stick. Which is better? The answer depends on your TV and your expectations.
IPTV directly on the smart TV
Samsung (Tizen), LG (webOS) and Hisense (VIDAA) have their own app stores. There you’ll find apps like IBO Player Pro that run IPTV directly on the TV.
Pros:
- No extra device, no second remote
- No free HDMI port needed
- Simple setup via MAC address and device key
Cons:
- Smaller app choice – TiviMate, for example, isn’t available
- Older TVs are often slower and no longer get updates
- Performance depends on the TV
IPTV with a streaming stick or box
Fire TV Stick, Android TV boxes such as Nvidia Shield or Xiaomi Mi Box and Google TV devices offer a large choice of apps – including TiviMate.
Pros:
- Large choice of apps, including TiviMate
- Usually faster than the built-in smart TV software
- Connects to any TV with HDMI and can be taken along
- Regular updates
Cons:
- Extra cost for the device
- Another remote (though usually combinable with the TV via HDMI-CEC)
Head to head
| Smart TV | Stick / box | |
|---|---|---|
| App choice | limited | large |
| TiviMate | no | yes |
| Performance | depends on the TV | usually better |
| Extra cost | none | one-off for the device |
| Setup | send MAC address | enter login |
Our recommendation
New Samsung, LG or Hisense TV: try it directly with IBO Player Pro first. If it runs smoothly and you’re happy, you don’t need an extra device. Guides: Samsung, LG, Hisense.
Older TV or high expectations: a streaming stick is worth it. Check our article best Fire TV Stick for IPTV – and note that new Fire TV Sticks with Vega OS can’t install IPTV apps. For 4K fans with a bigger budget the Nvidia Shield is a strong option.
TV with Android TV or Google TV: you get the best of both worlds – simply install TiviMate from the Play Store. Guide: Android TV.
Test instead of guessing
The best way is to try it yourself: with the free 24h trial you see how IPTV runs on your TV – and whether a stick is worth it for you.
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