There is no single best codec: streams differ, devices decode them differently, and firmware has bugs. When a channel shows a black screen, plays without sound, stutters or freezes, try another codec for that channel. The app remembers your choice for the channel.
Switch codec (with the default interface it is in More, section Playback; with an older interface style
it is in Parameters).Use hardware codecs: the default. Plays most channels, including HLS / DASH streams, DRM-protected ones and
4K, with the least load on the device.system video view: the Android player of your device. Sometimes plays streams the hardware codecs cannot,
and sometimes finds audio tracks they miss.Use software VLC: decodes almost anything, including RTSP, but loads the processor more and may stutter on weak
boxes. Needs Android 6.0 or newer; not offered on Chromebooks.exo v1: an older version of the hardware player. Try it only when the others fail.Always use external player (at the bottom of the list): opens the channel in another app, such as VLC or
MX Player.The channel restarts with the chosen codec. Next time it opens with the same codec.
If the app shows None of the video tracks are playable by this device or None of the audio tracks are playable by
this device, the hardware codecs of your device cannot decode this stream: switch the codec as above. If it says
DRM protection is not supported by this device, a codec change will not help: see
DRM-protected streams do not play.
Settings > Player > Setup codecs preferences > Codecs settings. The default, default codec for
provider, plays channels with the hardware codecs (RTSP links with software VLC).Settings > Provider, choose the provider, Provider properties > Codecs settings.codec attribute, see the
M3U format).The codec you pick for a channel in the player wins over all of these. To stop the app from remembering it, turn on
do not remember last codec used to play a channel in Settings > Player > Setup codecs preferences (visible in
Expert mode only).
The codec settings are hidden in Simplified mode. The level is set in
Settings > Extended settings > User experience level.
In Settings > Player > Setup codecs preferences, section hardware codecs:
Hardware codec quality: Choose automatically (default), compatibility mode or best match. If a channel shows
artifacts or freezes, try compatibility mode; best match can help with original 4K satellite streams.Use software audio decoder: decodes the sound in the app instead of passing it to the device or the TV. Helps
when the volume does not change on some channels (see
Volume does not change on some channels). For one channel the same switch is in
the Switch codec menu.Enable resolution fix (AmLogic): a workaround for the video decoder of some AmLogic boxes. It is on by default on
Android 7 and older. If video looks wrong on another device, turn it off.Track selection by bitrate: auto detected (default), Prefer lowest bitrate or Prefer highest bitrate, for
streams that offer several qualities (premium).Media track tunneling directly to output device (not shown on touch devices): auto detected by default. With
Yes, Audio shift is not available. For one channel the same switch is in the Switch codec menu.Settings > Player > Setup codecs preferences > External player chooses the app to open: MX Player, VLC, Vimu, Nova
and others, or Choose manually every time. In an external player the app’s own controls (programme info, channel
switching, archive seeking) are not available.