BEAM TV Companion connects the BEAM mobile app to an Android TV or Google TV device. It does not contain a media player and provides no channels, movies, subscriptions or media URLs.
Link a phone or signed-in account by scanning the short-lived, single-use QR code shown on the TV. The TV stores at most one certificate-pinned local controller. Its authenticated channel can be linked to multiple accounts, and each account syncs the TV across its signed-in phones without removing the others. Linking and synchronised status do not require Premium; sending commands through the cloud does. When the scanning phone can reach the TV locally, the same flow also establishes its separate LAN credential, and LAN remains the fallback if cloud linking is unavailable. From the phone you can send a playback request, pause or resume, seek supported media and follow playback progress. VLC for Android must be installed separately and owns playback.
During setup, BEAM offers Android's optional "Display over other apps" access. If granted, an explicit Play action from an authenticated linked phone can show BEAM's brief artwork transition and open the selected URL in VLC while BEAM is in the background. During playback BEAM can also show a non-interactive watermark, brief transport feedback and seek feedback. These overlays accept no input, are never advertising, and are removed after their task, on failure or timeout, and when the remote session ends. If access is declined or revoked, BEAM keeps the pending request so you can complete it from an ordinary notification or BEAM's visible screen.
A cloud Play command may briefly contain the selected URL. It is valid for no longer than 30 seconds and is normally deleted immediately after handling. Playback status sent back through the cloud is sanitised and excludes the URL, title and provider credentials.
What you need:
BEAM mobile on a compatible phone; BEAM TV Companion on Android TV or Google TV; VLC for Android installed separately on the TV; internet access for cloud pairing and control, or a shared local network for the preferred local connection; and a media service and content you are authorised to use.
BEAM is independent and is not sponsored, endorsed or certified by Google or VideoLAN. Third-party names are used only to describe compatibility.
Send your IPTV playback from the BEAM phone app to VLC on Android TV.