Guide · Portal (Stalker/MAG)
Stalker/MAG portal: how to connect it on TV, Android and iPhone
· Checked with BurgTV 1.3.7 (TV) · 1.2.1 (Android) · 1.0.15 (iPhone/iPad)
Some sources don’t give you a playlist link or an Xtream Codes login, but a portal address and a MAC address. That is a Stalker (or MAG) portal. BurgTV connects to it on Fire TV, Google TV, Android TV, Android phones, iPhone and iPad. Here is what it is, how to add it and what to expect. You bring the source: BurgTV provides no portals, MAC addresses or content.
What a Stalker/MAG portal is
MAG is a family of set-top boxes built for IPTV, and Stalker is the name of the middleware many services use with them. In that system the box is recognized by its MAC address: the service registers the MAC and the box connects to a portal address. Player apps use the same method: you enter the portal address and the MAC that your source associated with your access, and the portal sends the list of channels.
The MAC address is not your device’s
The MAC you enter is an identifier that your source registered for you; with MAG-style portals it usually starts with 00:1A:79. It does not have to be the network address of your Fire TV or phone, and BurgTV neither generates one nor changes the one of your device. If your source says the portal works on one device at a time, that is its rule: BurgTV adds no limit of its own.
What you need
- Portal URL, for example
http://example.com/c/. You can type it as you received it, with or without/c/: BurgTV tries the usual portal paths by itself. - MAC address in the form
00:1A:79:00:00:00(made-up example). Capital or small letters are both fine.
Add a portal on the TV, step by step
- Open BurgTV on Fire TV, Google TV or Android TV and go to Settings > My Lists > Add playlist (or use the Welcome screen at first launch).
- Choose Portal (“MAC address and portal URL”).
- In Portal URL complete the address after the
http://that is already there. - In MAC Address type the MAC exactly as your source gave it, then press Continue.
- BurgTV contacts the portal and loads the channels. Movies and series appear too, if the portal offers them.
On Android phones, iPhone and iPad
Go to Settings > Content sources > Add, choose the Portal tab and fill in the same two fields: portal address and MAC. Portals work on iPhone and iPad as well, not only on the TV. You add the portal on each device separately.
What works with a portal
| Feature | Portal in BurgTV |
|---|---|
| Live channels | Yes |
| Movies and series | Partly yes, but with some portals not the whole catalog: BurgTV currently reads the first page of each list |
| TV guide (EPG) | No not from the portal: you can add an additional XMLTV source |
| Recordings on the TV | Yes Premium, for personal use and respecting your source’s rights |
If the portal does not connect
- “The portal did not accept this MAC address.” (Android, iPhone): the portal answered but does not recognize that MAC. Check every character (0 and O, 1 and I) and that the MAC is still active with your source.
- “Xtream Codes authentication failed” on the TV: in version 1.3.7 the TV shows this message for portals too, both when the MAC is refused and when the portal cannot be reached. Check the MAC and the portal address.
- It worked on another device and now it doesn’t: many portals accept one device at a time with the same MAC. Close the portal on the other device and try again.
- Channels but no programs in the guide: portals do not send a guide to BurgTV. See blank TV guide: causes and fixes.
Portal, Xtream Codes or M3U?
If your source also offers an Xtream Codes login, that is usually the more complete option, because the TV guide comes with it. If it offers a link, you can use it as an M3U playlist. All the guides are in BurgTV guides.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Stalker portal?
A system that many IPTV services use with MAG set-top boxes: the device connects to a portal address and is recognized by a MAC address registered by the service.
Can I use my Fire TV’s or phone’s own MAC address?
You need the MAC that your source registered for your access. It does not have to match your device’s network address, and BurgTV does not change that.
Does BurgTV provide portals or MAC addresses?
No. BurgTV is a neutral player: the portal address and the MAC come from the source you already use.
Is there a TV guide with a portal?
Not from the portal itself. You can add an additional XMLTV source in Settings > TV Guide; channels get programs when their names match the guide.
Does it work on iPhone and iPad?
Yes. In the iPhone and iPad app, go to Settings > Content sources > Add and choose the Portal tab.
Is using a portal legal?
The player is neutral and legal; legality depends on your source. Use only accesses you have the right to use.