Andrew Welch You’re likely wondering how some people stream thousands of movies, shows, and live TV channels directly to your android device. One of the most popular methods is through installing an app called STB emulator (STBemu) on an Android box.
In this complete guide we’ll take you through, step by step, the process of setting up IPTV service for the first time with the STB emulator app. Most people already have a compatible device and don’t even know it. Any Android box is supported, as long as you have access to google playstore you can download the required app. Setting up IPTV on Amazon firestick is also another option but we recommend using an Android given a choice between the two.
Ready to learn? Let’s get into…
STB Emulator Free versus STB Emu Pro
The first thing you’ll need to do is download the STB emulator app which is offered through the google playstore on your android device. Here you’ll see two options:
1. STB emulator (Free)
2. STB emulator (Pro) – ($7.49 CAD or $5.70 USD)
You may be asking yourself what’s the difference and if the pro version is worth your cash.
The only difference between the two is STBemu pro removes any banner ads that are occasionally shown in the free version. Now, the pro version is a one-time charge and you’ll be given lifetime access which includes any future updates.
If this is you’re first time trying out IPTV then I’d suggest going with the free version.
You can always make the jump to the pro version at a later date. Most IPTV servers allow for multiple connections so switching apps shouldn’t mid-way through your account shouldn’t cause any issues. But just to be on the safer side ask your provider if the MAC address is restricted to a single device (if you’re not sure what any of that means keep reading and by the end it’ll make sense).
PRO TIP (for the more technically inclined): You can find the STB emulator apk file online and avoid the charge for purchasing the pro app. But by doing so you won’t be able to get any future updates and will have to find the latest apk versions once it rolls out. For peace of mind and to avoid accidentally downloading any malware or viruses we recommend just purchasing the app and supporting the developer (no affiliation, sponsorship).
How To Install and Configure STB App
1. Open the STB emu app and select the “configure”. Once you’ve finished installing the app you’ll be welcomed with the following screen. From here just follow the step by step instructions below:
2. If you don’t see configure but instead have a blue screen then press menu on your android box remote and select settings. You can also use mouse cursor function and select anywhere on screen to reveal the on-screen buttons. From here select 3 dots and enter into the settings.
3. In the settings of the STB emu app select “Profiles”.
4. Select the “New Profile” option. If you’re using multiple servers you can create multiple profiles and toggle between them but for our purposes we’ll just deal with one portal URL.
5. Go into “Portal Settings”.
6. Inside portal settings you can edit and change the Portal URL. Replace the default URL with the one provided by your provider. The URL varies depending on the server being used.
7. Exit back one page, back into the profile settings and from here select “STB configuration”.
8. Here you can find the MAC Address beginning with 00:1A:79. You’ll need to give this number to your provider. It’s important you have the correct MAC address activated as this is what enables STB emulator access to the server. In the case a MAC address was created for you, you can edit the MAC address on your end at this page.
9. Keep pressing back or exit until you see this blue screen. From here press menu on the remote to get the drop down menu. If you’re using mouse cursor (just as we had done is step 2) select on the upper right hand side to reveal the menu bar.
10. From the drop down menu select profile twice, this will restart the portal and you should see a yellow loading bar if you have an active account and everything been configured correctly.
If at this step you see login & password read our how to fix authentication problem. to figure out what could be the issue.
11. Another way to reload the portal is to select on the upper left hand side of the screen and you’ll see option titled “reload portal”.
Conclusion
That’s all there is to it. The service should now be up and running. Here’s just a quick checklist you should go over if you’re having problems:
- Make sure to have the activated MAC address entered. You can always double check with your provider and confirm if the correct MAC is being used.
- Make sure correct URL has been entered in exactly. Some devices like the Nvidia shield create spaces after periods which can go unnoticed. A single typo will result in an error message. Also, commonly people enter Portal URL into the “internal portal” option which would be incorrect (see step 5).
- Make sure your device is connected to a network. This would be the most infuriating thing to discover why you’re service is not working so just double check network settings.
