In this guide
The first big weekend of the season is no time to discover that the TV’s Wi-Fi can’t cope or that you can’t find the right channel. Spend ten minutes before the season starts, and match days look after themselves.
Before the season
Find your channels now. Open the sports group and note which channels carry the competitions you follow. Put them in a “Football” favourites list so they’re two clicks away.
Test at peak time. Watch a live sports channel on a Saturday afternoon or a weekday evening, when networks are busiest. If it stutters, sort it out now with the buffering checklist.
Check your plan’s dates. Make sure your plan runs through the fixtures you care about. A longer plan costs less per month and saves renewing mid-season.
Count the screens. If people at home watch different matches at the same time, your plan needs enough devices. Each stream uses one, and you can choose up to 5 at checkout.
The week of a big match
- Find it in the guide a day or two ahead and set a reminder.
- Look for it on more than one channel. Big matches sometimes air on several channels with different commentary. Choose the one you prefer and keep a second as a backup.
- Update the app and restart the device the day before, not five minutes before kick-off.
At kick-off
- Use a cable for the main TV if you possibly can.
- Pause downloads on other devices: console updates, cloud backups, big transfers.
- Tune in a few minutes early so the stream has settled before the whistle.
- If it stalls, switch to your backup channel first; troubleshooting can wait until half-time.
A word about delay
Internet TV can run anywhere from a few seconds to around a minute behind satellite and aerial broadcasts, and it varies by channel and app. If the neighbours cheer before you see the goal, that’s why. Mute live-score notifications on your phone if spoilers bother you.
Making more of match day
Multi-view. TiviMate Premium can show up to four channels on one screen, ideal for the last day of a league season when several matches kick off together. Each window is a stream, so check how many devices your plan includes.
Catch-up. Missed the first half? On channels with an archive, go back in the guide and start from kick-off. See how catch-up works.
Away from home. Your plan works on your phone too, within your device limit. Mind the mobile data, though: an HD match can use several gigabytes.
Questions
Will every match be there?
Coverage depends on what each channel broadcasts, and line-ups change. Check the sports group before the season and ask us if you’re after a particular competition.
Why is my stream behind the TV next door?
Streaming adds a delay compared with satellite or aerial broadcasts. It’s normal and doesn’t affect quality.
Can two TVs show two different matches at once?
Yes, if your plan includes at least two devices. Each TV counts as one.