Would it be difficult to add the ability to view multiple streams at one time? This would be great during game days when there are multiple games on simultaneously. Currently, I had to create an m3u playlist of the Channels DVR streams and import it into a 3rd party program in order to accomplish this. But the software is kinda unstable and freezes after a couple of hours. Below are a few renderings as to what I am thinking:
It is non-trivial. And while the behind-the-scenes code to actual create a 2x2 video is not that difficult, creating the UI for implementing this, as well as the audio stream switching/focus aspect, are definitely not things to be done in a single afternoon. Making it work is the easy part. Making it work well, easily, and simply for the masses is magnitudes more difficult.
I would second this request. It's an incredibly useful feature and while I know it's not trivial to include, it's a feature that would immediately make Channels better than my actual TV Provider app.
I also use a third party app for this feature now, and the way it is implemented (on ATV) you swipe down while watching Channel 1 to bring up a list of favourite channels (exactly like the Channels app). Then you press the play button on the second channel you want to add, and you get a menu to add the channel and choose the layout. When multiple channels are on the screen, one is selected at all times and this is the audio channel, which you change clicking right, left, up or down. When you click the elected channel, it goes full screen.
Which app are you using on AppleTV? I started with QuadStream, also tried Surveil Stream, then landed on CCTV Viewer for a bit. They all work okay, but have various UI issues, and none have a buffer to instant replay or rewind.
So now I subscribe to Fubo TV for this, specifically, and it's absolutely glorious, a real game changer. Very elegantly implemented.
If the Channels client could offer anything similar as a native feature, I'd be over the moon about it!
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I use an app (on Firestick) call OTT Navigator. It isn't super intuitive and it seems to have issues the longer I watch it. And it too doesn't seem to have a buffer to replay/pause. But it will let me use a custom m3u file (using the local urls to the Channels DVR streams) to watch multiple streams at once.
I requested this feature a few months ago. I use a program called TiviMate for my Nvidia Shield to accomplish a similar thing. Its pretty sweet for Sunday football when watching the CBS, Fox and Redzone channels.
That's exactly what I'm wanting. I had heard of TiviMate, but for some reason I thought it was hardware. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the info!