Polar Electro Streaming TV User manual
USER GUIDE
Streaming T V
Getting Started 4
Recommended 5
Devices
Wireless vs. 6
Wired Devices
Self-Installation 7
Remote Controls 8
Live TV 9
Main Menu 10
Recently Watched 10
Guide 11
Restart TV 12
Shows 13
Movies 14
watchTVeverywhere 15
Replay TV 16
Filters 17
Talking Guides 17
DVR (recordings) 18
HD Content 20
Settings 21
Profiles 21
Parental Controls 22
Search 23
Closed Captioning 23
What’s Inside:
Welcom t nex
generatio T V!
Polar Streaming TV is the new full-featured TV
service delivered to your devices including TV’s,
laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
Polar Streaming TV requires you to have one or
more supported streaming devices in your home
to use the service. Please refer to recommended
devices section beginning on page 5.
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When away from home, use your Polar Streaming TV username and
password from any Internet connection to schedule or watch recorded
content from your Polar Streaming TV DVR.
You can also access full episodes, movies, and more online with your Polar
Streaming TV subscription through the included channel streaming apps
on watchTVeverywhere such as WatchESPN, WatchHGTV, and Hallmark
Channel.
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Geing Started
This guide is focused primarily on the use of “smart” boxes that connect to
a TV set such as the Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV. Devices
like smartphones, tablets, and web browsers may behave dierently.
Before attempting any of the content in this manual, first:
If you have challenges with any of these steps, please
call Polar technical support at 1-888-700-7652.
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5
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Have an active and installed Polar Internet service subscription.
Subscribe to Polar Streaming TV service.
Have each television connected to a “smart box.”
Have all device(s) you plan on using with Polar Streaming
TV activated on their appropriate accounts (iTunes, Google,
Amazon, etc.)
Set up your username and password through the Polar
Streaming TV email.
My Polar Streaming TV login name:
My Polar Streaming TV password:
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Recommended Devices*
A recommended device is one that we are confident in the features,
responsiveness, presentation, and usability experience of the Polar
Streaming TV app on that hardware. Polar Streaming TV is fully supported
on these devices and platforms:
NOTE: There are dozens of dierent kinds of Smart TVs that may or may not have an app store
that can access the Polar Streaming TV app. Some Smart TVs may play Polar Streaming TV,
while others may not. Polar Streaming TV works best on any of the recommended devices listed
above. Although Polar Streaming TV may work on a Smart TV, Polar may not be able to provide
technical support due to the numerous makes and models available.
•MAC
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Safari
Amazon Fire TV
• Amazon Fire TV (2nd or 3rd Gen.)
• Amazon Fire TV Stick (4K, Lite, 3rd Gen. or Alexa Voice Remote)
• Amazon Fire TV Cube
• Amazon Fire TV Set
Android TV
• Devices running Android 4.4 or later
Apple TV
• Apple TVs with App Store (4th or 5th Gen.)
Smartphones & Tablets
• Latest Android (4.4)
• iOS 10 or later
Web Browsers
•Windows
- Chrome (latest version)
- IE 11 or Edge
- Firefox
*Visit polarcomm.com/streamingtv for the most updated list of devices.
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Wireles vs. Wired Devices
Many devices that work with Polar Streaming TV have the option to use
a wireless network (or WiFi) to connect to the Internet. While wireless is
often more convenient and aesthetically pleasing than a wired device, the
latter oers significant advantages. When it comes to high-quality video
streaming, the best performance will always come from a wired Ethernet
connection. This option oers faster speeds, lower latency (or buering),
and a more reliable connection than WiFi. A wired connection also
eliminates one more device to fight for bandwidth on your WiFi network.
Some of the Polar Streaming TV recommended devices do not have
an Ethernet port. However, and Ethernet adapter is available at many
department stores and online vendors for around $15. This adapter
connects to the device using a Micro USB port or something similar
and provides an input for a wired Ethernet connection. Check the
manufacturer’s support and product oerings on your chosen device for
information about Ethernet and other accessories that might be available to
enhance your viewing experience.
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Self Installatio
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Download the Polar Streaming TV App. On a “smart box” or
mobile device, you can download the app from the respective
App Store that corresponds to the chosen platform.
• Android and Android TV devices - Google Play Store
• Apple iOS and Apple TV devices - Apple App Store
• Amazon Fire TV devices - Amazon App Store
• For computers and laptops - https://tv.polarcomm.com
Once you are at the appropriate store, search for “Polar TV”
and then download it and install it on your device.
Choose your provider and then sign into the App with your
username and password (see page 4).
NOTE: Your username is the email address you provided to Polar when signing
up for service. The password is something you chose and entered into the Polar
Streaming TV activation email. If you don’t remember your username and/or
password, please contact us at 1-800-284-7221.
Enter a profile name and choose an avatar. You can set up
additional profiles for up to 4 more users now or at any time.
Enjoy Live TV!
Visit the Polar Streaming TV
support website for more setup help:
www.thinkpolar.com/tvhelp
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Remot Controls
Swipe down on Apple, or press the Select button for Android remotes when
watching Live TV, open controls to play/pause, seek and more. This is also
how to enable closed captions and other accessibility settings.
Change Channels up one or down one from Live TV view:
• Apple TV: Swipe right/left
• Android TV & Amazon Fire TV Devices: Press up/down directional
controls.
Go to the Guide to scroll more quickly. To access Main Menu:
•Apple TV: Press the Menu button on the remote to get to the Main
Menu while watching Live TV.
•Android TV & Amazon Fire TV Devices: Press the button
New Amazon
Fire TV
Old Amazon
Fire TV
Apple TV Mi (Android)
Up
Up
Up
Down
Down
Down
Down
Up
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Liv T V
Change the Channel
Pause Live TV
Standby
Channel surfers will appreciate that Polar Streaming TV allows for moving
up or down to the adjacent station.
• Apple TV: Swipe right/left
• Android TV & Amazon Fire TV Devices: Press up/down directional
controls.
Once a channel begins to play, the user can pause live TV content with the
remote. The amount of pause time varies by channel. After that time has
passed, the app will begin playing whatever is currently live on the active
channel.
After 4 hours of consistent playing on the same channel and no activity
on the remote control, Polar Streaming TV will ask the user to press any
button on the remote to continue to broadcast a picture. If the user does
not press a remote button after a few minutes, the screen will revert to the
home screen of the device.
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Mai Men
Receny Watched
To access the Main Menu:
• Apple TV: Press the Menu button on the remote to get to the Main
Menu while watching live TV.
• Android TV & Amazon Fire TV Devices: Press the Ok or Select button.
The Main Menu has 5 immediate options:
• Guide - The traditional main listing of channels that allows for browsing
both forward and backward in time to see what’s on and upcoming.
ReplayTV is accessed in the Guide as well.
•Shows - View show recordings and browse live, upcoming, and recently
aired but still accessible shows by categories such as “What’s on Now,”
“Action.” “Drama,” etc.
•Movies - View movie recordings and browse live, upcoming, and recently
aired but still accessible movies by categories in the same way as the
Shows section.
•Settings - Manage settings such as DVR Recordings, Parental Controls,
User Profiles, and other information.
•Search - Explore live, upcoming, recorded, and Replay content across the
entire app by show, movie, actor, channel, and many other options.
A Recently WWatched list is located just below the Main Menu. This feature
is a chronological history of the last 15 channels and programs watched. In
many cases, if the item is a live channel, you will see a picture-in-picture
preview of that channel on most platforms. Navigate to the desired icon
using the directional buttons remote and click Select on the remote for
quick and easy return to the show you were on before.
• Apple TV: Swipe down on the touch pad.
• Android TV & Amazon Fire TV Devices: Press the Down directional
button again.
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Guid
The guide is reminiscent of traditional television in that it is a channel-
based way to browse live and upcoming content as well as filter content by
movies, sports, kids, or subscribed channels.
To navigate the guide:
• Apple TV:
- Swipe left/right to navigate backward or forward in time.
- Swipe up/down to navigate through the channel numbers.
• Android TV & Amazon Fire TV Devices:
- Press right/left to navigate backward or forward in time.
- Press up/down to navigate through the channel numbers.
- Hold up/down to quickly navigate channel numbers.
When a currently playing program is highlighted, press the Select button
once for a quick show description. If the show is on now, a live sample of
the show will display to the right of this information for a sneak peek. Inside
the quick view, you can also set recordings as well as go to the full show or
movie details page.
If you navigate to the far left of the guide screen past “On Now,” a pop-up
overlay will appear for Replay TV (see page 16). Press the Select button to
explore the Replay content by channel.
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Restar T V
Polar Streaming TV also oers the ability to restart a program already in
progress.
When changing to a live program that has already started, a small pop-up
may appear near the bottom of the screen for a few seconds that reads,
“Restart this program from the beginning? YES.”
Click the Select or Ok button on the remote to be taken to the beginning
start of that program.
That pop-up message will only appear for around 5 seconds. If you miss it,
press the Select button on your Android remote (or swipe down for Apple
remotes) while watching Live TV. This will bring up Restart, Record, and
other options. Navigate to “Restart” using the remote and press okay to go
back to the beginning of the program.
If there is not a pop-up or an option to Restart from the program options,
then that content is restricted for Restart and/or Replay TV by the channel
provider.
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Shows
The shows section is organized in a picture tile display for easy viewing.
Episodes and series are organized into horizontally scrolling rows according
to show type or genre. These include:
•Recordings - This is another place to view content recorded by profile
on the account. They are displayed in reverse chronological order with the
most recently recorded on the left and older content on the right.
• On Now rows - Quickly see what is live for categories like Sports, News,
and Kids.
• TV Genre rows - Browse through series and episodes by type including
Action, Drama, and Reality.
Navigate this area with the up/down and left/right on the remote.
Once a show is chosen, press the Select button on the remote to see
more options regarding the desired content. Browse individual episodes by
season, select an episode to play, view more details like actors or air dates,
or set a recording if the show has yet to air.
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Movies
The movies section is also organized in a picture tile display for easy viewing.
Content is organized into horizontally scrolling rows according to show type
or genre. Typically, these include:
•Recordings - This is another place to view content recorded by profile
on the account. They are displayed in reverse chronological order with
the most recently recorded on the left and older content on the right.
• TV Genre rows - Browse through series and episodes by type including
Action, Drama, Comedy, or Sci-Fi.
Navigate this area with the up/down and left/right directional function on
the remote.
Select “Browse All” to see all available content. This list will display all
available movies, including Replay titles, recorded, and upcoming.
Once a movie is chosen, press the Select button on the remote to see more
options regarding the desired content. If the movie has not yet aired, you
can set it to record from this screen.
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watchTVeverywher
watchTVeverywhere is included FREE with Polar Streaming TV service.
You’re used to watching TV in your living room or den. But how about
enjoying that favorite show in your backyard, during a work break, at a
coee shop, or in a waiting room? watchTVeverywhere provides instant
access and live streaming content for top-rated shows and movies from
over 80 networks on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Register First
Before gaining full access, Polar Streaming TV members must register
and create a username and account. You will need your Polar account
number which can be found on your bill statement. Then visit www.
watchtveverywhere.com to activate the account.
Share with Family
Each member may register up to 4 additional users after the main account
is created and verified. There is no limit to the number of devices used to
access each account.
Additional channels will be added as they become available. We are actively
working with other providers to secure additional channels to provide you
with more entertainment options.
Each network determines what content they release. TV episodes are often
available just days after they originally air.
NOTE: You must subscribe to the
corresponding channel package in order
to access content from each network.
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Replay T V
Replay TV allows access to up to 72 hours of already-played programming,
depending on the availability and permissions from each content provider.*
To access Replay TV, first bring up the Guide (page 11) then navigate left or
backwards in time past the “On Now” column. A pop-up panel will appear
which gives you the option to “Watch Recently Aired Programs.”
Click “Replay” on the pop-up with the Select button on the Android
remote or depress touch pad on the Apple remote and the screen will
transition to the Replay TV section.
Replay TV content is available up to the last 72 hours on the channel that
you had highlighted within the Guide. Programs are arranged in reverse
chronological order from right to left. The most recent aired program will
be the first image seen. Navigate to the left for older channel content.
To navigate to dierent channels within the Replay TV screen:
• Apple TV: Swipe up/down on the touch pad.
• Android TV & Amazon Fire TV Devices: Press the up/down on the
directional pad to see all content available from the selected channel.
*NOTE: Each network, series, and channel has dierent rules as to what can be viewed and how.
If a channel or program is not oered in the Replay TV section then the program is beyond the
replay time window for that channel, the network itself does not allow replay, or the content
provider has restricted replay content. Some networks allow for only 24 hours of replay content,
and some have restricted just certain shows.
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Filters
Talking Guides
The Filters feature is accessed through the guide and is a quick way to find
current and upcoming content by genre. From the guide, press left on
Android or Amazon, or swipe left on Apple to bring up the filter overlay.
Press Ok or Select on the remote to filter down to just content by Sports,
News, Movies, and Kids. To exit the filter, press back or choose a program
and click Ok or Select.
Polar Streaming TV supports talking guides for individuals that are visually
impaired. With talking guides active, any text or area highlighted within the
app will be read out loud, including program titles and functions like Play,
Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward, Stop and Record.
To activate talking guides, navigate to the Amazon Fire TV Settings from
the Home screen and select “Accessibility.” Select “Voice View” and
switch to “On.”
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DVR (Recordings)
Set it now, watch it later.
A Digital Video Recorder, or DVR, is a simple way to watch your favorite
shows when it is convenient for you. Every Polar Streaming TV subscription
includes 100 hours of FREE DVR storage across all profiles.
There are no limits to the number of channels that can be recorded
simultaneously. The only constraint is the number of hours allowed with
your subscription tier. DVR storage is shared across all profiled. Once a
show is recorded, most are accessible by everyone on the account at home
or on the go.
Access most recorded shows on the go on nearly any Internet-connected
device. Polar Streaming TV allows the user to record any TV program and
watch it when convenient. It also allows the user to schedule recordings,
play back shows, delete, and manage recordings all from Polar Streaming
TV devices at home or on the go through the Polar Streaming TV app. The
DVR allows for all the regular options like end a recording late, record only
new episodes, or choose channel preferences.
Real Time storage capacity for the account is shown at the top right of the
Manage Recordings Screen. If you need more than 100 hours, additional
DVR storage options are available. Call customer service at 800-284-
7222 for more information.
To Schedule Recordings
• From a live program - Press the Select or Ok button, or swipe depending
on your remote. This will bring up a screen overlay with several options.
Navigate to the Rec option and press Select again on the remote.
• From the Guide or When Browsing - Select the program to record while
browsing anywhere within the Guide, Replay TV, Search, or
while browsing Shows & Movies. This will bring up the detailed
information about that program including some options below. You should
see a Record option. Select that button to start the recording.
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The next step provides a choice to “Record this episode only,” or “Record
all episodes.” The latter option may also provide a list of channels that the
program will air.
To record only NEW episodes of a given program, set a program to record
using the previous steps. A pop-up will then appear asking if you’d like to
“Record this episode only” or “Record all episodes.” Choose the option you
want and you will see a confirmation appear at the bottom of the screen.
To Manage Recordings
To Extend A Recording
Recorded Programs
Scheduled Programs
Access the DVR from the Main Menu by selecting the Settings Icon (head
in a circle icon) to view, edit and delete your recorded shows and movies.
Recorded series will appear in the top row, and recorded movies will appear
below.
After a program has been scheduled to record, navigate to it in the
Scheduled section of the DVR. To the right of the program will be three
boxes, the third is labeled “Extend.” Select that option and choose to
extend the recording by 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes.
All programs that are recorded and ready to watch on your device will be
displayed in this section from most recent to oldest. To play a show, go
to a title and select “View Recordings” to see all the recordings of that
particular program. Select a recording and then select “Play.”
• View Recordings - This is another way to get to the recorded shows for
this series. From here you can play the show, view detailed info for
each show, and delete. On this screen, you will see an option to “Delete
All Recordings” on the top right.
• View Scheduled - These are future episodes that are set to record. View
detailed info for each show, extend a particular recording time, and cancel
the series recording.
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• Recording Options - This allows you to add/remove the channel listings
from this series that will be recorded as well as add extra time to the end
of the recording.
• Series Info - This will bring up more detailed information for the series
and an overview with some additional browsing options for this series.
DVR Storage Full
Keep an eye on your storage capacity in the
upper-right corner of the DVR. If you set a new
recording that will put you over your storage
limit, a pop-up will appear asking you to confirm
it, the oldest program in your DVR will be
deleted to make room for the new recording.
If you record a lot of content, you can upgrade
your DVR storage capacity by calling customer
service at 800-284-7222.
Storage Capacity
Keep an eye on your
storage capacity in the
upper right of the DVR
section.
15/25 hours
DVR Usage and Replay TV
All recorded content with Polar Streaming TV is stored in an osite server
and not on your device. There is a limit to the number of hours available
for your DVR storage but Restart and Replay TV don’t count. Restart and
Replay TV are entirely new concepts, and something to consider before
scheduling DVR programs.
HD Conten
Polar Streaming TV oers FREE HD content included in the service. If we
have the channel in HD, we broadcast it to you in HD. No extra channels,
costs, or hassle.
If you are watching a channel that is usually in HD but appears to be of
a lower quality picture, it is either because the Internet bandwidth is not
strong enough to support HD content, or the video is being received and
broadcast in SD quality from the channel. Please refer to the online or
printed channel lineup to see if the content is oered in HD. The online
guide can be found at www.polarcomm.com/video
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