HACK: Use Channels DVR as a Plex tuner

[tmm1]

With latest prerelease:

@fancybot

v2024.12.02.1921

EXPERIMENTAL: Support for adding Channels DVR M3U urls to Plex as a tuner

You can now add your DVR m3u exports into Plex directly.

0. Copy M3U/XMLTV urls from your DVR

   

1. Add M3U url under Manage > Live TV & DVR > Set Up Plex Tuner

   

2. Channels DVR will appear but won't let you add it yet. Close Tuner Setup and click Set Up again

3. Click Edit under Country, then click XMLTV to enter your XMLTV url from Channels DVR

   
   

4. After guide download, your TVE and other DVR sources will appear inside Plex

   

(Note that Plex doesn't support M3U. We detect when Plex is accessing the M3U url and return data in a format that Plex can understand)

[tmm1]

On a fresh Plex server install, I was not able to play TVE channels due to a s1001 (Network) error.

It turns out this is a Plex bug, as described in more detail here: https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/11c4vau/error_code_s1001_network_yet_another_one/

---

To fix it on a Linux plex server, I had to go into the codecs directory in my Plex install and download the correct codec for AAC audio from their servers:

$ cd "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Codecs/e613bce-38cf5cd1fd57f37d2412c608-linux-x86_64"

$ ls -l
-rw-r--r-- 1 plex plex  204120 Nov 27 19:09 libaac_encoder.so
-rw-r--r-- 1 plex plex  138936 Nov 27 19:09 libac3_decoder.so
-rw-r--r-- 1 plex plex 1596672 Nov 27 19:09 libh264_decoder.so
-rw-r--r-- 1 plex plex 1821880 Nov 27 19:09 liblibx264_encoder.so
-rw-r--r-- 1 plex plex  553376 Nov 27 19:09 libmpeg2video_decoder.so

$ wget https://downloads.plex.tv/codecs/e613bce-38cf5cd1fd57f37d2412c608/linux-x86_64-standard/libaac_decoder.so
--2024-11-27 19:50:54--  https://downloads.plex.tv/codecs/e613bce-38cf5cd1fd57f37d2412c608/linux-x86_64-standard/libaac_decoder.so

---

On macOS you need to use these:

$ cd ~/Library/Application\ Support/Plex\ Media\ Server/Codecs/e613bce-3d5ad59c62e771ae9cb5738e-darwin-aarch64

$ curl -O https://downloads.plex.tv/codecs/e613bce-38cf5cd1fd57f37d2412c608/darwin-aarch64-standard/libaac_decoder.dylib

[radioboy]

I've tried this, but Plex does not give me the option for the XMLTV URL

[jaidenc]

I had the same issue. Apparently Plex does not let you have both zip code based and xmltv epg sources. You can either have one or the other. So if you have another source like a HDHomerun that you entered a zipcode for, you likely need to delete that.

[Edwin_Perez]

It works ...... Easy Setup... TVE plays on Windows guess it has AAC codecs.

[radioboy]

Ahhh thank you - that's the trick!

[KineticMan]

interesting hack... i have an old Roku TV in home gym been wanting to try something like (yes - i know FireSticks are dirt cheap)

[Lvevan]

Wait... how do you download this codec in laymans terms?

[Fofer]

@Lvevan

Wait... how do you download this codec in laymans terms?

Run this command, the download URL follows the first word:

wget https://downloads.plex.tv/codecs/e613bce-38cf5cd1fd57f37d2412c608/linux-x86_64-standard/libaac_decoder.so

[jator]

Yet another way I can tinker with my setup....YAY!!!!

Can also confirm my Synology NAS had the correct codec already installed, no need to download.

You guys truly represent the best in terms of innovation. Plenty of smaller things I'll continue to advocate for, but this was a pleasant surprise.

[Lvevan]

Updated to the beta DVR, followed the steps, but keeps pulling up my regular channels that my antenna is pulling in. Can't get TVE. In step three you switch from "M3U" to "XMLTV" url. Are those different urls that are found different places on the Channel's "Sources" page? Or the same one just pasted again for that step?

[tmm1]

There are two copy buttons in your DVR. See the first screenshot.

You can copy the links from the TVE source dropdown if you just want those.

EPG = XMLTV

[Metalman]

This works great. Thank you.

[mjitkop]

I have a lifetime Plex Pass but stopped using Plex when I discovered Channels.

In what situation is it better to use Plex?
Just curious if I should dust it off.

[mdo77]

I'd imagine on Roku or other platforms that don't support Channels natively

[Jean0987654321]

I guess I don't need Threadfin anymore....if this works with Jellyfin

[Jay1987]

Crazy combo CDVR for Live TV/DVR + Appbox Account (do not ask what that is) and you have a trully all in 1 media center. But. . . Last time I checked Plex live TV interface was not very good. Laggy, unresponsive, and not very great. So will someone go test out Plex Live TV interface and report back

[Fin756]

I’ve noticed that when I use Channels as a guide data for my locals it looks like the photos attached, but only for locals. TVE and custom channels like Frndly TV seems to be fine, not sure of the disconnect and only happens between channels 2.1 through 4.1(for a total of seven channels)

[jcharr1]

I'm running both Channels and Plex in Docker on a Synology DS1821+. OTA is working fine, but for any TVE or custom M3U channels it fails with a bunch of errors like this in the Plex logs.

[tmm1]

I mentioned a fix above.

@tmm1

On a fresh Plex server install, I was not able to play TVE channels