True crime series: use favorites, categories and search
Most people spend more time hunting for something to watch than actually watching it. With a library that runs to 50,000+ channels, that problem can feel worse before it feels better — unless you know which three tools to reach for first. Categories narrow the list by genre, search cuts straight to a title or keyword, and favorites turn a good find into a one-tap return visit. Used together, they get you to a true crime series in a few minutes, even on your first evening.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the fastest way to find a true crime series if I do not know the channel name?
Use the search bar and type a keyword from the genre — 'crime,' 'investigation,' or a partial series title. The player filters the channel list as you type, so you rarely need to spell out the full name.
- Do my favorites carry over if I log in on a different device?
This depends on the player. TiviMate stores favorites locally on the device, so they do not transfer automatically. IPTV Smarters Pro also stores them locally by default. If you set up the same account on a second device, expect to rebuild the favorites list there.
- How do I know which category to look in for true crime content?
Look for labels such as 'Documentary,' 'Crime,' or 'Investigation' in the category list. If none of those appear, try a keyword search instead — it is often quicker than guessing at category names.
- My search returns no results even for a channel I can see in the list. What is wrong?
Some players require you to be inside a specific category or list before the search scope kicks in. Try switching to 'All channels' first, then search again from there.
- Can I organize my favorites into sub-groups, such as separating true crime from sports?
TiviMate supports multiple favorites groups, which lets you sort channels by genre or mood. IPTV Smarters Pro uses a single favorites list, so you would rely on the order you added channels rather than named groups.
What you need before you start
You need your login details — these arrive by email, usually within minutes of payment — and a compatible player installed on your device. IPTV Systems supports several players: IPTV Smarters Pro works well on Android phones and Fire TV sticks, TiviMate suits Android TV boxes, and MAG box owners use the built-in portal. If the app is not yet on your device, the guide on sideloading IPTV apps: what goes wrong and how to fix it walks through the most common installation pitfalls.
Once you are logged in and the channel list has loaded, you are ready. The three tools — categories, search and favorites — are all reachable from the main navigation in every supported player, though the exact label and position varies slightly between them.
Using categories to cut the list down
Categories are the fastest first move. Instead of scrolling a single flat list of tens of thousands of channels, you pick a genre group and the player shows only what belongs there. Look for a section in the guide that covers categories: it will show you where to find the genre filter and how to move between groups.
For true crime content, the relevant category is usually labeled something close to 'Documentary,' 'Crime,' or a combined 'Documentary & Crime' group, depending on how the provider has arranged things. The name matters less than the habit: always filter before you scroll. A list of thirty channels is manageable; a list of fifty thousand is not.
One thing worth knowing: some channels sit in more than one category, so if a title does not appear where you expect it, check a neighboring genre group before assuming it is absent.
Search when you already know what you want
If a friend mentioned a specific series by name, the search bar is quicker than any category. In IPTV Smarters Pro, search is accessible from the main screen; in TiviMate, it sits in the channel list toolbar. Type the first few letters and the player filters as you type.
Search also works well when you know a keyword but not an exact title — 'murder,' 'cold case,' 'investigation' — because many channel names include the genre in their title. The results will not always be tidy, but scanning twenty results is far faster than browsing an unfiltered list.
If you are on an Android tablet and finding the keyboard fiddly after a recent update, the article on IPTV Smarters Pro on Android tablet: after the update covers the layout changes that trip people up.
Saving favorites so you never hunt twice
Once you find a channel worth returning to, add it to your favorites immediately. In every supported player, there is a way to mark a channel — usually a long-press or a star icon — and it then appears in a separate favorites list that sits above the full channel grid.
The practical habit is this: on your first evening, do the work of browsing by category and searching by keyword, then favorite every channel that looks relevant. The second evening, you open the favorites list and choose. The third evening, you barely think about it.
Favorites also survive a channel list refresh in most players, which means your shortlist stays intact even when the provider updates the feed. If you ever clear the app's data or uninstall it, the favorites list goes with it. The article on uninstalling unused apps: slip-ups and how to fix them explains what gets lost and what can be recovered in that situation.
From login to settled viewing: how one evening goes
Here is how the whole thing fits together in practice. You sit down after dinner, open your player, and the full channel list appears. Rather than scrolling, you go straight to categories and pick the documentary or crime group. The list drops to something manageable. You scan it, spot two or three channels whose names suggest true crime content, and add them all to favorites.
While you are there, you try a search for a series title you heard about earlier in the week. It appears in the results, you add that channel to favorites too, then switch over to the favorites list to decide what to watch first.
The whole process — from opening the app to pressing play on something — takes a few minutes the first time and almost no time after that. The tools are simple; the only thing that takes practice is the habit of using them in order.
