Dark Mode Please

Channels DVR Server Feature Requests
#7

I can just second what @Kryptonyte is saying, every request, bug, also my first post giving some constructive feedback about the software etc. I made got totally ignored by the devs.

This topic we also had 3 years ago:

So we still have in 2025 a barebone DVR webinterface with:

  • all white
  • no warnings when schedules exceed stream limit of source(s)
  • the schedulded recording dont show end time, you have to calculate that yourself from start time and duration, together with the missing warning of schedules exceeding stream limit this just annoying
  • no possibility to customize the webinterface
  • no way to have guide drop down custom times to jump on (german primetime 20:15 for example)
  • 24:00/0:00 is still a hard border for days (a day in the guide should be 6:00 - 6:00 like in every EPG and tv magazine)
  • no repitition of the x axis with times every 20 channels or a fixed header
  • mixed content error as stream is not taking into account to the protocol of the webinterface (https)
  • no option for raw streaming without transcoding
  • no metadata search / programming
  • no way to configure buffers, also external/server side one

At least here we get some replies, not by the devs but at least by some users.
But hey as it took 2 years to get a damn clock in the guide view of the clients, that every EPG had since decades, I have no hopes that the points I have listed we will see anytime...
Sounds harsher than meant, the devs do a lot of improvements, some (for me) unecessary stuff like personal lists, but the lack of care for the DVR webinterface and the lack of responses is a bit frustating.
If this was open source, it would be in a totally different state.

1 Like
#8

It's a "for profit" company. Why would they give away their source code?

3 Likes
#9

Let's hope the devs can add the feature to the road map.

#10

I might be going out on a limb here, but one thing's for sure, there wouldn't be as much purple in the UI of the client apps.

#11

Yes, please.

1 Like
#12

We've been asking for this for as long as I've been here, 5–6 yrs IIRC. It's always been an emphatic no.

The idea of tossing your business out the window by open sourcing it so customers can have themes or dark mode is just plain silliness.

Meanwhile, there's this.

1 Like
#13

Thanks. I was just joking around.

I'm aware of the Carbon Theme hack for Android TV devices. I'm currently using an ONN 4K Pro device and being able to sideload a version of Channels that I can actually read the onscreen text without eye strain is the number one reason that is keeping me from migrating to an Apple TV device in my living room.

1 Like
#14

This is pretty disheartening to read through the post about how fairly common features are more or less ignored, I guess we'll either have to wait but don't hold our breathe or try to find alternatives, I am very new to iptv and this was a nice and easy approach but now that I've got a semi decent handle on how it works, I guess I can start looking around which is too bad I like Channels so far.

Thank you guys for all of the replies!

#15

Let us know when you find the perfect server/client.
I'm still using CDVR after 7 years, even though some things I can't workaround are slightly annoying.

#16

Finding something that does all that CDVR does and keeps the wife happy is impossible. This is a unicorn when it comes to features and simplicity.

2 Likes
#17

Open source alternatives exist and they’re way worse. And to be fair to the devs, they do allow for a ton of customization and integrations with other systems. Channels is a really open platform for what it is.

I do wish they would provide more extendability and customization in the apps and web interface. Or at least prioritize some of these quality of life improvements users have been asking for for years.

Channels is open enough that someone could, in theory, create their own client app that ties into the Channels DVR server. Just about everything is exposed in APIs. But developing that type of app is way more difficult than it looks.

1 Like
#18

To drop the word "open source" was more of "joke" or out of my little rant mood I was while posting, as I wouldnt also make the source code public if I want to earn money, all good :slight_smile:

Its just sometimes frustating to see how many good and/or easy features dont get deployed, as someone stated in the other topic I linked, with the framework used it should be easy to implement.
Lets hope the webinterface of DVR gets more love soon :slight_smile:

#19

I've learned that some things we think are easy to implement, are not that easy for the developers.
Sure, the easy, low hanging fruit gets implemented, but they have other things they're working on and we don't even see support issues brought up via email and other venues.

1 Like
#20

There are chrome browser extensions like Dark Mode that do a good job of inverting the colors of sites without a default dark mode. I use it with channels web admin and haven’t had any issues. I’m sure other browsers have similar extension too.

1 Like
#21

Like what specifically?

(I'm thankful for the product we have, but it could be so much more with a little work)

#22

I do not expect anything new coming down the pipe that will interest me In Channels DVR... I am satisfied with the DVR Functions ... I do not care about the library and all the manual stuff as EMBY handles all that for me automatically.... plus Android as far as new features will never come to fruition.

#23

I'll give you the same answer the developers will :cricket: :cricket: :cricket:
:grin:

#24

Modes are fine, but lettting us use our colors of choice would be even better.
I keep thinking of Prince when I use this software :smiley: :expressionless: :face_with_diagonal_mouth: :frowning_face:

2 Likes
#25

I def will and one that I like that is pretty simple so far is emby, it's running in my proxmox as an lxc also.. so pretty minimal.

Emby has a nice ui, it shows the channels I want, it records to my server folders and scrapes my recordings for metadata, I can have multiple different epgs updated when I want, I don't really need channelsdvr if I really think about it.

Emby does it for me for my use cases which is simple and records shows or movies that I want. It's not perfect or for everyyone, but for me I might just have to let my sub to channelsdvr run out and stick with emby.

And to add on to this I recently found Dispatcharr it's open source and fairly new but it looks really promising so far and definitely something to keep an eye on. It can be installed with docker or you can spin up your own container which is what I did, I made my own lxc container with Dispatcharr in it.

#26

I already stated in my original post I don't want to have to resort to third party options and why I don't want them, it's 2025 and most websites have a dark mode now same with apps.

1 Like