I have a 4th gen Apple Time Capsule with 80211n wifi.
When using Channels for iOS on my iPhone6s, the video stream stutters and pixelates after a few moments. The only exception is if I’m within 20 feet or so of my access point.
My question is - anyone else get reliable Channels iOS performance on a wireless network that is not the very latest (80211ac)?
Yeah, an 802.11 AC network is pretty much required 
The only scenario that 802.11n would work is if you were in the same room as the access point, as you described. Wifi generally slows down real fast the further you move away from it. And since 802.11n’s realistic throughput is low, by the time you’re too far away from it, you’re going to have speeds way below the 16-20mbit bitrate that live TV streams use.
Live TV streams are very high bitrate, so you need a network that can really push it.
Again though, there’s not much more variable than wifi speeds. They vary from house to house due to many many factors. So what might work ok for some people might not work for others.
My best suggestion would be to get the SpeedTest app and test what kind of speeds you are getting on your device in a specific place in your home. It’s important to remember though, that the SpeedTest app tests your internet speeds. So if your internet connection is slower than your network, it wouldn’t be a great way to test it.
@DebbieFL also recommended the “Wi-Fi Sweetspots” app which will run a speed test against your router.
Another possible solution for folks with older wireless networks is to use the hdhomerun extend model which supports transcoding. Transcoding converts the video from mpeg2 to h264(mpeg4) and greatly reduces the data transmission size to the viewing device. The mpeg4 stream should be fine over a 802.11n network.
Note that the hdhomerun extend only supports over-the-air stations so this will not work for folks that require the hdhomerun prime for cable support. Also silicon dust is going to a new fan less extend model which is supposed to start shipping middle of August.
I seem to have way more trouble on my iPhone SE than my (biggie) iPad Pro, using an N Airport Extreme/Express (as an extender, although I think it does more harm than good at this). The SE more often than not breaks down within a few seconds.
Nice to know it’s not just me, guess it’s time to invest in a new router. 
Extenders aren’t the best idea in a home environment (or really any environment in my opinion). It’s basically taking what it can see (a degraded signal) and then rebroadcasting that out stronger. So now you have a louder degraded signal that you will get where without it you’d get better speeds from your actual access point. It’s just not a good thing to add into your network.
It’s much better to run ethernet cables from your main router/switch to different locations in your house, and then hook up access points that are all hard wired together. Use the same name and password, and then your devices will pick the best signal no matter where you are in your house.
Oh I’ve got cable run everywhere I can, in this case the Express is connected to a stereo just for AirPlay that’s not ideal location wise for Ethernet. I have switched it out of extend into join mode though, thanks!
I agree that wireless extenders are not a good fit for video. All data to and from an extender has to be sent wirelessly between the extender to your main wireless router. So every data packet has to be sent wirelessly twice. While this does increase range it degrades performance.
I am using 802.11n and it works fine. It really depends on your wifi throughput. I can get 80Mbps when device is on the same floor close to AP and get 20Mbps on 2rd floor. I think HD stream will need around 15Mbps per channel.
Thanks everyone for the feedback!
I just ripped and replaced my two 80211n APs with 80211ac APs. The Channels app (and the HDHR View app) are now running smoothly.
Nice! And now your whole network is updated!
802.11ac all the way. My router has been the same since 2011. I update the router model only when I want or need more services. It is not wireless. I buy a new additional wireless access point to use with my router and recycle the old one whenever there is a new frequency or protocol. The next protocol to look forward to is 802.11ay in 2017. This will change the networking industry as a whole.
The speed is up to 100 Gbit/s.