Checklist for IPTV on your MAG and Formuler box
- A MAG box (the 500 series, such as the MAG 524 or 540, plays 4K) or a Formuler Z-series box running MyTVOnline
- The MAC address from the label under the box, beginning 00:1A:79 on every MAG
- The SyntraTV portal address, or Xtream details for a Formuler, which we send on WhatsApp once the box is activated
- A network cable to the router if you can run one, and a free HDMI input on the TV
Need a SyntraTV login to follow along? Grab a no-card free trial for 24 hours. You can also set up the TV guide (EPG) in your player, learn how catch-up replays work, read how the SyntraTV subscription counts screens, or see plans for 1 to 5 screens.
Installing IPTV on MAG and Formuler box in 12 easy steps
Pick the login type your box uses
Boxes sign in two ways. A MAG only understands a portal, which SyntraTV links to the MAC of that one box. A Formuler can open that same portal in MyTVOnline, or sign in with Xtream details: the server link, your user name and your password. Choose one route per box before you message us, and say which in the chat.
Send us a photo of the MAC label
Turn the box over and find the sticker with the MAC address. On a MAG it opens with 00:1A:79, and the same code shows on the device information screen. A photo sent on WhatsApp beats typing, because a zero and a capital O are easy to mix up. Our team activates the portal, usually in under 15 minutes.
MAG: paste the portal address
On the MAG, open Settings, System settings, then Servers and Portals. Name Portal 1 something friendly, such as SyntraTV. In the Portal 1 URL line, paste our WhatsApp link character for character, keeping the closing slash. Save, go back and reboot. The box now opens straight into the channel portal every time it starts.
Formuler: sign in through MyTVOnline
Open MyTVOnline and add a new portal. Type any name you like, then paste the portal address. If you asked for an Xtream login instead, choose the Xtream option and fill in the server URL, username and password. Because the Formuler is Android underneath, you can later install TiViMate beside it and use the same login.
Set the clock so the guide shows local times
The TV guide only lines up when the box knows your time zone. On a MAG, go to Settings, System settings, Advanced settings and choose your zone and menu language, then reboot. On a Formuler, open the Android settings from the home screen, turn on automatic date and time and confirm the zone. MyTVOnline follows it right away.
Open the TV guide and learn the colour keys
Press the guide or EPG button on the remote to see what is on now and next. On most portals the coloured keys jump between favourites, the guide and the channel list. Spend two minutes trying each one before you hand the remote over. Channels whose broadcasters publish no schedule will simply show an empty row.
Watch missed shows with catch-up
Some channels keep an archive, and the portal marks them with a small clock or archive symbol. Open the guide on one of those channels, scroll back to a programme that already aired and press OK to play it. How far back you can go changes from channel to channel, so check the guide rather than counting on a set number of days.
Build a favourites list for each viewer
All 25,000+ channels load in groups sorted by country and genre, which is a lot for one remote. Open the groups you actually watch and add the daily channels to favourites. On a Formuler, MyTVOnline lets you keep more than one favourites list, which suits a family. Favourites live on the box, not in your SyntraTV account.
Lock adult groups with a parental PIN
In the portal settings on a MAG, open the parental section, create a password and tick the groups children should not open. MyTVOnline on a Formuler has its own lock with a PIN. Write the code somewhere safe. Test it once by opening a locked group yourself, so you know the prompt appears before anything plays.
Find films and series in the on-demand menu
From the portal home you reach live channels, movies and shows through their own tiles; many MAG portals label the movie tile Video Club. With 120,000+ titles to browse, searching by name is quicker than scrolling. Series open into seasons, then episodes. Where a title comes in several versions, pick the one that suits your TV, 4K, FHD or HD.
Choose sound and subtitle tracks
While something plays, press the menu or info key on a MAG to see extra audio tracks and subtitles, if the stream carries any. MyTVOnline has the same choices in its playback menu. Many live channels carry a single soundtrack, so an empty list is normal. Films in the on-demand menu more often include several languages.
Add the same SyntraTV login on another screen
Want the bedroom TV or a phone to join in? A MAG portal belongs to one MAC, so a second box needs its own activation. A phone, stick or tablet can use the Xtream login instead. Ask on WhatsApp and we will set it up. How many screens can play together depends on your plan: 1, 2, 3 or 5.
MAG and Formuler box not working? Try these fixes
STB blocked, or a blank portal after activation
Either activation has not finished or the MAC was read wrongly. Send a new, sharp photo of the label on WhatsApp. Once the right MAC is on the account, the portal normally opens again within minutes.
The portal opens with no channel groups
Restart the box so it asks the server for the list again. Next, check the Portal 1 URL against our WhatsApp text, one character at a time, final slash included. If the groups stay empty, message support and we will refresh the account on our side.
A time or clock error appears
A MAG takes its time from an internet NTP server. Open Settings, System settings, Servers, General and type pool.ntp.org into the NTP field. Save and reboot. With the clock right, the guide and the catch-up lists move back into place.
The guide shows the wrong hours
The time zone is almost always the cause. Check Advanced settings on a MAG or the Android date and time page on a Formuler. After you change it, reboot so the portal reloads the listings with your local time.
The loading circle keeps spinning
Push the network cable in firmly at both ends and check the router has internet. On a MAG, the Network Info page under System settings tells you if the router handed the box an IP address. Reboot. If it still spins, send a photo of the screen on WhatsApp.
Catch-up shows nothing on a channel
Only channels with an archive offer replays, and each one keeps a different length of history. A box with the wrong date also hides past shows, so fix the clock first. If a channel marked with the archive symbol still shows nothing, send us its name.
The parental PIN is forgotten
Message support on WhatsApp with the box model and a photo of the PIN prompt, and we will walk you through clearing it. Choose a code the adults will remember next time. Clearing a lock never touches your channels or your plan dates.
The remote stops working
Try fresh batteries first. Most MAG remotes use infrared, so aim straight at the box with a clear line. If only some buttons fail, worn contacts under the keys are the usual reason, and a replacement remote solves it without touching the box.
Players we suggest for MAG and Formuler box
TiViMate
TiViMate setup with SyntraTV: add your Xtream login, correct the TV guide time zone, replay shows with catch-up and lock groups for 25,000+ channels.
All SyntraTV setup guides
Simple walkthroughs for TVs, sticks, boxes, phones, laptops and players, including guide, catch-up and PIN settings.
Live TV, a full guide and replays on your MAG and Formuler box
One SyntraTV login adds 25,000+ live channels and 120,000+ movies and series, with catch-up on selected channels. Test it free for 24 hours, receive the login on WhatsApp in under 15 minutes, and never face an automatic renewal.
Using SyntraTV on MAG and Formuler box: quick answers
Which is easier for a family, a MAG box or a Formuler?
A MAG is the easier pick for most families, since it boots into a single portal, shows the guide on one key and comes with a solid remote. Pick a Formuler if your home likes options, since Android lets it run TiViMate or another player too. Both work with SyntraTV, and both show 4K on the current models that support it. If grandparents will use it alone, the MAG usually wins.
Do I need a username and password on a MAG box?
No. A MAG signs in by its MAC address, so once SyntraTV activates the portal the box opens straight into your channels. There is nothing to type except the portal URL. A Formuler is different: it can use the portal or an Xtream login with a server URL, username and password.
Can I use STBEmu instead of buying a MAG?
In most cases, yes. STBEmu imitates the MAG portal on Android TV hardware or a Fire OS stick, and it invents a MAC of its own that SyntraTV can activate the same way it activates a physical box. The free edition shows adverts, and the StbEmu (Pro) listing on Google Play was 5.49 dollars in September 2026.
Does the TV guide work on a MAG box?
Yes. The guide comes through the portal with no separate link, so it fills in by itself after the first start. It needs a correct time zone under Advanced settings to show local times. A few channels have no published schedule, and those rows stay empty whatever you do. If the whole guide is blank, reboot and give it a few minutes.
Can I watch a show I missed on a MAG or Formuler?
Yes, on channels that keep an archive. Open the guide, scroll back on a channel with the archive symbol and pick the programme. The window of past shows differs by channel, so check the guide first. On supported Formuler models, MyTVOnline can also record a show to a USB drive.
Can I add a second TV to my SyntraTV plan?
Yes, as long as your plan covers the extra screen. A second MAG needs its own portal activation, so send us its MAC. A stick, phone or tablet can use the Xtream login instead. You can pick a plan for 1, 2, 3 or 5 screens watching together.
Should I buy a box that comes with channels already loaded?
No. Boxes sold with preloaded or lifetime channels usually depend on a reseller panel that stops working when the seller vanishes, and whatever extra you paid for the box does not come back. A better route is an ordinary MAG or Formuler from a regular retailer, with a service you can check and cancel yourself. SyntraTV starts with a 24-hour free trial.
Is a MAG box safe for kids to use alone?
It is one of the safer choices. There is no web browser or app store on a MAG, just the portal, so there is little for small hands to wander into. Set a parental password, lock the grown-up groups and put their channels in favourites. Show them the guide key and the back key once, and most children manage alone. Check the locked groups again after any portal update, just to be sure.