KimberPlay

Answers

Frequently asked questions

Answers about sources, devices, pricing, updates and privacy. For step-by-step instructions, choose a guide below.

Find your setup or troubleshooting guide

Does KimberPlay come with channels?

KimberPlay is player software and does not sell channels or subscriptions. It plays sources you are authorized to use, supplied through your own M3U playlist or Xtream login.

Does it work with HDHomeRun, Tvheadend, ErsatzTV or Tunarr?

Yes. Add the server's playlist address like any other playlist — for an HDHomeRun tuner that is http://<tuner IP>/lineup.m3u — and the TV app asks once to confirm it is your own server. ErsatzTV and Tunarr bring their guide with them; for HDHomeRun add a listings guide such as Schedules Direct, and KimberPlay matches channels like "2.1 KATU" to it. It works on Fire TV and Android TV (version 1.16.0 and later) and in the Windows and Linux app; browsers limit what the web player can reach on a home network. Step-by-step setup for each server is at kimberplay.com/home-tv-servers.

What do I need to start?

A supported device and a playlist from your IPTV provider - either an M3U URL or an Xtream server login. On a Fire TV or Android TV install the app from kimberplay.com/apk; on a Windows PC use kimberplay.com/windows; on Linux use kimberplay.com/linux; or open kimberplay.com/app in a browser with nothing to install. Paste the playlist, done. The Free tier includes live TV with the full guide.

Will an app update delete my playlist?

Updates are designed to preserve your library and settings. The Android app includes database migrations and migration tests. Keep a backup before changing devices or clearing app data; clearing browser site data removes the web player's local library.

Why won't the new Android version install over my old one?

It is signed with a new key, and Android will not update an app with a differently signed copy. Your current version keeps working. To move, uninstall KimberPlay, then install the new version; the safety copy in Downloads/KimberPlay stays on the TV and the new version offers to restore it (on Android 11 and newer, allow file access first). If the app closed before you restored, or you chose Start fresh, open Settings › Backup & Restore and press Restore from safety backup. Your playlists and favourites come back. Since version 1.15.0 that copy leaves out passwords and your Plus key, so have your provider login and key ready; you can get the key re-sent at kimberplay.com/billing. A server on your own network, such as an HDHomeRun tuner, needs approving again after the restore, because that approval is not in the copy either. These steps were checked on Android TV. If you got KimberPlay from the Amazon Appstore, none of this applies to you.

What devices does KimberPlay run on?

Amazon Fire TV Sticks and Cubes running Fire OS (Vega OS devices cannot install this APK), Android TV / Google TV devices, and Windows 10/11 and Linux desktops through the desktop app. Windows plays through the bundled mpv engine; Linux plays through the distribution's mpv package, so MKV, HEVC, and raw-TS streams work. The web player runs the same app in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox for providers that allow browser access. Phones and tablets are not a supported app. A Samsung TV (Tizen) app is in development on the same license. A Plus key from kimberplay.com works in the Fire TV and Android TV app from kimberplay.com, the Windows and Linux apps and the web player, on up to 5 devices. The Amazon Appstore version sells Plus through Amazon instead and has no key field.

Why does Google TV say "Harmful app blocked" when I install KimberPlay?

KimberPlay contains no malware. Google Play Protect can block apps installed from outside Google Play that it doesn't recognise yet, and KimberPlay installs from kimberplay.com rather than Google Play. First make sure the file came from kimberplay.com/apk; you can compare its SHA-256 checksum with the one published at kimberplay.com/#install. If the warning offers Install anyway (sometimes under More details), you can choose it for this one install; Play Protect stays on for everything else. If there is no Install anyway, keep Play Protect on and use the web player at kimberplay.com/app or the Windows app instead, or write to support@kimberplay.com. Fire TV devices do not have Play Protect, so this does not happen there.

What does Plus cost, and what stays free?

Plus is $9.99 per year or $29.99 lifetime, with a 14-day no-questions refund. Free includes live TV with the full program guide. Plus adds the power features - recording, catch-up, the Sports Hub, skins, and more.

Does KimberPlay see my playlist or what I watch?

Your library is stored locally and playback connects directly to your provider. On Fire TV and Android TV, paid-key Cloud Sync is optional and uploads encrypted settings when enabled, including playlist credentials, favorites and progress; you choose whether to enable it in Settings. Its encryption key is derived from your license key, which KimberPlay also stores. Phone remote commands pass through our servers and can include typed text, searches or stream links. The apps also send device, license and usage information described at kimberplay.com/privacy.

Does KimberPlay have multi-view?

Yes, on Fire TV and Android TV with Plus: up to four live channels on one screen, with the D-pad choosing which one you hear and saved presets for your usual layout. Each screen is its own stream, so it uses one of your provider's connections, and how many play smoothly depends on the device. Multi-view is not available in the Windows, Linux or web players.

Can KimberPlay record live TV?

Yes, with Plus. DVR recording is in the Fire TV and Android TV app from kimberplay.com and in the Windows and Linux apps. It is not in the web player or in the Amazon Appstore version. Record a programme from the guide; on the TV app a series rule can also record every episode. On a PC the computer has to stay on and connected while it records.

Does KimberPlay support catch-up?

Yes, with Plus, on every platform, but only on channels where your provider keeps an archive; in the web player the browser must also be allowed to reach it. If your provider offers no catch-up, no player can add it.

Where does the program guide (EPG) come from?

From your source. Xtream logins supply the guide directly; for M3U playlists KimberPlay uses the XMLTV link in the playlist or one you add in Settings. The guide is free on every platform and refreshes on a schedule. Program reminders are part of Plus.

Can I add more than one playlist?

Free holds one playlist. Plus removes the limit on every platform, so a second source or a backup login can sit beside the first.

My guide says 'No information' on some channels. Fixable?

Usually yes, automatically. Channels with blank or wrong guide ids get matched to the guide by name; anything ambiguous is left blank rather than guessed wrong, and you can assign a guide to any channel by hand in two clicks.

Is KimberPlay in my language?

It is fully translated into 23 languages: English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Turkish, Czech, Greek, Russian, Kazakh, Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Cornish. Arabic and Hebrew get a right-to-left layout, and Ask Kimber understands requests typed in the app's language. It follows your TV's language, or pick one under Settings → Language.

Something unanswered? Write support@kimberplay.com — a human reads it. New here? Start with what an IPTV player is, the Firestick install guide, or the Android TV guide. Feature availability by platform is in the feature matrix.