Basis is a player, not a provider. It hosts and sells no channels, movies or series, and it ships with no server addresses and no credentials. This guide assumes you already have an M3U playlist URL from a service you pay for. If you do not have one, there is nothing here for the app to show you.
Before you start
- A URL, not a file. Basis takes an M3U playlist as a web address. There is no local file picker in the app today, so a .m3u saved to a USB stick will not work. Ask your provider for the hosted playlist link.
- Two sign-ins, not one. A free Basis account first, then your provider. The account is what carries your playback position and favourites to your phone, so it is doing real work.
- Not a store listing. Basis is a direct download, so the TV needs to allow installs from unknown sources once. Step 1 covers it.
The steps
Allow installs from unknown sources
On the TV, open Settings, then System, then About, and click Build several times until it tells you developer options are on. Go back to Settings, then Apps or System, open Developer options and turn on Unknown sources or Install unknown apps. The exact path moves between Android TV versions and manufacturer skins, so if yours differs, search the settings for the word
unknown.Install a sideloading browser
Open Google Play on the TV and install Downloader by AFTVnews, or any app that can fetch a URL and hand the file to the installer. This is the standard route on Android TV because Basis is not a Play Store listing.
Fetch the Basis installer
In Downloader, enter
www.basisiptv.com/downloadsand open it, then choose the Android download on that page. Going through the page rather than typing a versioned file name means you always get the current build. When the download finishes, choose Install.Open Basis and sign in
Launch Basis from the TV home screen. Create a free account or sign in to the one you already have. This is the Basis account, not your IPTV provider.
Choose the M3U Playlist tab
On the connect screen there are two tabs: Xstream API and M3U Playlist. Choose M3U Playlist. If you have an Xtream Codes login instead, which is a server address plus a username and a password, use the other tab.
Paste the playlist URL
Enter the full playlist address, which usually looks like
http://provider.example.com/get.php?username=...&type=m3u_plus. Typing this on a remote is miserable, so use the Google TV phone remote app or a Bluetooth keyboard if you have one.Add a guide URL if you have one
There is an optional field for an external XMLTV guide address on the same screen. Fill it in if your provider gave you one separately, or leave it empty if the playlist already carries guide data.
Let the catalog load, once
Basis writes the playlist into a local database in batches rather than holding it all in memory, so a large playlist takes a moment on first connect and is fast from then on. You do not need to repeat this on the same device.
Once it has loaded, the same playlist gets a second way in on your phone. Basis AI takes a sentence rather than a keyword, so you can describe a film you half remember and it finds the movies and series in your own catalog that match, which is worth knowing if your provider ships tens of thousands of titles. Being exact about where it runs: it is a Pro feature in the phone and tablet interface, so search on the TV itself stays the ordinary keyword box.
If your playlist URL contains a username and password
Most do. A get.php link with username= and password= in it is an Xtream Codes login wearing a playlist's clothes, and Basis notices. Paste it into the M3U field anyway and the app will pull those credentials out and connect over the Xtream Codes API instead. It tells you when it has done this.
That is the better outcome and worth knowing about. The API route returns the panel's real category structure and proper series detail pages, where a flat playlist gives you one long list that has to be inferred into shape. If you have the choice, take it.
If something goes wrong
| What you see | What it usually is |
|---|---|
| The installer will not open the file | Unknown sources is off, or it was turned on for a different app than the one doing the installing. On newer Android TV builds the permission is granted per app, so grant it to Downloader specifically. |
| The playlist loads but there are no categories | A flat M3U with no group tags. Nothing the player can do about it. If your provider also offers an Xtream Codes login, use that instead. |
| Channels are there, the guide is empty | The playlist carries no guide data. Add an external XMLTV URL on the connect screen. |
| It connects on the phone but not the TV | Many providers cap simultaneous connections, often at one. Sign out on the other device and try again. |
| Everything loads, one channel will not play | That channel is offline at the provider. Basis will reconnect and try a backup source, but it cannot serve a stream that is not being sent. |
Questions people ask
Can I load an M3U file from a USB stick?
Not today. Basis takes a playlist URL, and there is no local file picker in the app. Your provider should be able to give you a hosted link.
Do I need to sideload, or is Basis on the Play Store?
It is a direct download today, so on Android TV you sideload it. That is why step 1 and step 2 exist.
Does this work on Amazon's streaming sticks?
This guide is written and checked for Android TV and Google TV. Fire OS is not a tested target for Basis and the downloads page lists it as planned, so please do not follow these steps expecting a supported result.
How many playlists can I add?
You can save several providers and switch between them without signing out. One is active at a time, and switching clears the previous one's catalog so the two never blend together.
Will my playlist sync to my phone?
Saving an encrypted copy of your provider login to your account is a Pro feature and is off by default. Without it, each device is set up once. Your playback position and favourites are a separate thing and travel on your account.
Is this legal?
Basis is a media player. It provides, hosts and distributes no content and has no affiliation with any IPTV service. What you connect it to, and whether that service is licensed to distribute what it sends you, is between you and that provider.