Add new source: any way to select desired channels *before* authenticating?

Channels DVR Server TV Everywhere
#1

I'm a potential new user of Channels. I just signed up for a month, installed the DVR software on an old MacBook (which could potentially get replaced with a Raspberry Pi if I decide I like this). I ran into a couple of issues, but I'm currently in the setup process where it's attempting to verify access to all of my channels.

Unfortunately, it's REALLY slow and, here's the thing...I'm considering downgrading my Comcast/Xfinity package to "Limited Basic" (so, just the local networks, basically). Right now, though, I've got a ton of channels as part of my package.

Maybe this is a feature request, but since I'm new, I wanted to start with this thread in case there's already a way to do what I'd want. Basically, is there any way to select the channels I care about before Channels attempts to add/authenticate everything? It seems like that would speed this process up significantly. Especially for someone like me who just wants to get a few channels added so that I can test out the whole Channels experience before I decide to commit to it.

FWIW, I recently got Frontier fiber optic gigabit installed (as a replacement for my Xfinity gigabit download, 40 mbps upload) as well as testing out YouTube TV. I'm happy with the Fiber optic internet, but haven't loved the UX of YouTube TV on my Apple TV. I'm coming from using TiVo and my wife isn't happy with me forcing this change on her (the YouTube TV UX is a mess, IMO). I'm hoping the Channels UX will be a lot more like TiVo. I've also realized that most of the shows we (mostly she) watch are on the major networks, which is why I'm considering dropping YouTube TV and downgrading my Xfinity plan to just be "Limited Basic" TV.

#2

There's no way to do that right now. Xfinity scanning is particularly slow.

#3

Thanks for the quick reply. OK, that's what I figured. And as I type this the pop-up on my browser for the TV Everywhere scan is showing a spinning icon with no information about the current status (as of a few mins ago it was at around channel 120 of ~210 total channels). So now I'm wondering if it's hit some sort of timeout or something. Ugh.

Just out of curiosity, if I choose YouTube TV as my provider, will it just do a single authentication of YouTube TV and get all of its channels from there, or will it still attempt to authenticate with all of the individual channels sources/streams?

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#4

You can click into Support > Logs and follow the progress there.

Yes YTTV will be faster. It still scans each channel but the auth is shared.

#5

Thanks for the tip. OK, so when I look at the logs, the last entry was 11 mins ago. So it seems like something went wrong. Hopefully I don't have to start over from the beginning again. If so, I'll probably choose YouTube TV this time.

#6

Not sure what happened then. You can click Support > Troubleshooting > Submit Diagnostic

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#7

Thanks again. I just submitted a diagnostic report.

OK, so at least this got me to the point where I can evaulate the Apple TV Channels app UX, so I'll play with that for a bit before attempting to do any re-scan. I see that it didn't seem to add any of my local major networks, which is a bummer, since that was my main use case, though it did add a lot of non-local major networks, which was unexpected (e.g., I'm in CT, but am looking at ABC Philadelphia right now - or at least that's what the guide claims it is). Not sure what to make of that. Also odd is the existence of a lot of Adult Swim channels.

So just playing around with the UX for a bit and it seems like I already like it better than YouTube TV's UX on the Apple TV. I don't love scrolling through the guide, but that's probably more of a quirk of the Apple TV remote (some sort of page up/down would be nice). I wonder if any extra functionality would get exposed if I were to set up my Apple TV to use my TiVo remote?

At this point, though, I do think my wife might like it better. I'm also leaning away from my cost-saving idea of switching to "Limited Basic" on Xfinity and just paying the extra $30 or so more for YouTube TV to get a lot more channels. I'd probably get Channels up and running but also set shows to record on YouTube TV so that I can experiment with both (and see how reliable Channels ends up being, longer-term, since I'm also worried about an external hard drive failing).

#8

Local channels requires experimental setting enabled at the bottom of the page.

Personally if I had xfinity I would get a cablecard and hdhomerun prime.

#9

Thanks for the tip about the "experimental settings." Curious why that's experimental.

So the scanning seemed to complete (well, the channel authentication pop-up seemed to disappear off the screen when a moment before it looked like it still had a ways to go - but it seems like most/all of my channels are there - I guess I need to confirm that somehow). Then I turned on the experimental locals option and then refetched all of my guide data.

Launching the Channels app on the Apple TV now, and things look pretty good. Fox guide data seems to suggest that this is not my local Fox station, even though I do get my local Fox station via the YouTube TV app. Hmm. I'm also still seeing a lot of non-local network channels. So I guess I'm confused, as I was thinking/hoping that using TVE in conjunction with YouTube TV would end up mirroring the same exact channel lineup.

I'm also wondering if this entire approach is going to be giving me worse PQ than I was getting with my TiVo w/cablecard. Image certainly seems darker (which may just be an Apple TV vs TiVo difference), but it also looks a bit softer.

tmm1, as to your recommendation of Xfinity w/cablecard & HDHomeRun Prime. My hope was to cut our costs by a good chunk by moving away from Xfinity (or switching to their Limited Basic package - since we mainly watch major networks). For not too much more I can move away from Xfinity and just go with YouTube TV (I'm definitely switching from Xfinity internet to Frontier fiber optic, so Xfinity's TV-only packages are ridiculously expensive, once you add taxes and broadcast fees).

Welp, I'm not sure what to make of everything yet. Definitely some pros and cons.

#10

Welcome to Channels DVR and the community.
Besides Forum Topics, there are Support and Knowledge Base Articles available

#11

It’s worth familiarizing yourself with how TV Everywhere works too.

But if, as you mentioned, YouTube TV is more than your xfinity plan, like @tmm1 said, you’re better off using it with a cable card.

Cable card and Channels is as good of an experience as you’re going to get.

#12

Likely you need to change your ATV video output defaults to be SDR not HDR

#13

Coming from an Xfinity user, I whole heartedly agree.

Channels DVR with a HDHR Prime and cablecard source
TiVo Bolt w/cablecard as a backup
Channels DVR with Xfinity TVE source (for channels my Prime and Bolt only get in SD)

TVE (especially with Xfinity) can be fickle sometimes.

#14

Thanks again for all of the replies I've gotten. I should probably start up a new thread to discuss my experiences/questions, and let this thread close out since we've gotten way off track from the intent of the original post / subject line (and that question was answered pretty quickly).

But I may as well follow up on a couple of the replies...

My Apple TV is set to use Dolby Vision, which my 85" Sony X90CH supports. I have the TV set to use "Dolby Vision Dark" which I've been happy with previously, but can experiment with more of those settings.

Xfinity TV package definitely doesn't look to be cheaper than YouTube TV. I was contemplating their Limited Basic package, which is listed as being $24/month per the price guide on a recent bill, but I suspect that it may still require an extra Broadcast TV fee, and may block the HD channels (which is probably a non-factor for TVE, but would be a problem if I wanted to use a cablecard and HDHomeRun Prime). If I simulate being a new customer, I don't even see that Limited Basic package offered, but rather the similarly limited Choice TV package, which is listed as being $25/month + $28.10 Broadcast TV fee + tax. No thanks. And if I want a channel lineup w/HGTV, etc., their current offer for new customers is their "Popular TV" package at $60/month + $28.10 Broadcast TV fee + $18.10 regional sports fee + tax. YouTube TV is a much better deal than that.

#15

Your Apple TV should be set to SDR with Match Content turned on. You should not run it in DV mode, even though Apple tries to default to this. Trust us.

#16

maddox, can you point me to a good resource for reading up more on what you're saying about DV / HDR / SDR? I had assumed that since my TV supports DV and my Apple TV supports DV, that I ought to use it, but if there are issues with it and I'd be happier with SDR I'd like to educate myself about it.

#17

If you try to watch non-DV content while your TV is in DV mode, the colors won't look right.

#18

The ui of the interface doesn’t support it either, so it looks bad and muted.

Match Content will automatically switch to the right mode based on the content you watch. So if you watch DV or HDR content, it will switch to that for you.

It’s also very bad to run your TV in these modes at all times. It lowers the lifespan of its backlight. They are not meant to stay in these modes.

So you should use it in SDR mode, and turn on Match Content.

#19

To clear this up, it’s lot about what your tv or streaming box supports, it’s about the type of content and what it supports. Live tv does not support it. Older movies do not support it. The user interface does not support it.

So it’s best to just leave it in SDR, snd let your Apple TV switch modes when you watch content that DOES support it.

#20

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