IPTV on Raspberry Pi: build a live TV box with Kodi
Turn a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 into an IPTV box with LibreELEC and Kodi. What you need, setup steps, adding your playlist and guide, and performance tips.
Quick answer
Install LibreELEC (a Kodi-based system) on a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5, enable the PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on, and add your M3U link and guide address. The result is a quiet, low-cost IPTV box with a full TV guide.
On this page
A Raspberry Pi makes a neat DIY IPTV box. With LibreELEC it boots straight into Kodi and behaves like a dedicated media player.
What you need
- Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 (older models struggle with HD streams).
- Official power supply, a 16 GB or larger microSD card and a case with cooling.
- A micro-HDMI to HDMI cable and an Ethernet cable.
- A remote: most TVs control Kodi over HDMI-CEC.
Install LibreELEC
- Download the Raspberry Pi Imager on your computer.
- Choose Media player OS > LibreELEC for your Pi model and write it to the card.
- Put the card in the Pi and boot it on the TV.
Add IPTV
- In Kodi go to Add-ons > My add-ons > PVR clients and enable PVR IPTV Simple Client.
- Open its settings, paste your M3U link and your guide (XMLTV) link.
- Restart Kodi; channels appear under TV.
Full Kodi walkthrough: Kodi IPTV setup guide.
Every app on this page asks for the same thing: either an Xtream Codes login (server address, username, password) or an M3U playlist link. IPTV Trends sends both as soon as your payment clears. If an app offers both, use the Xtream Codes login: it loads the channel groups and the TV guide together. See M3U vs Xtream Codes.
Performance tips
- Use Ethernet; Pi Wi-Fi is fine for HD but weak for 4K.
- Set the guide to refresh daily.
- Keep the Pi cool; throttling causes stutter.
Sources and official links
IPTV on Raspberry Pi: questions and answers
Yes. A Pi 4 or 5 with LibreELEC and Kodi plays IPTV with a full guide.
The Pi 5 or Pi 4; earlier models struggle with HD.
Only for setup. Most TV remotes control Kodi over HDMI-CEC.
