Tailscale is super simple to set up and no port forwarding required. In fact, the channels team has it built right into the server options.
Tailscale has a free client for most mobile OS' as well.
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Thanks for the explanation, remote view has worked great for me with the open port method so I'll just leave as is
Tailscale in itself is great.
However, the client app is not very reliable on the TiVo Stream 4K. Sometimes we find that we can't connect to the remote server because the Tailscale app is disconnected, for no apparent reason. This is easily fixed by opening the Tailscale app and it reconnects but that quickly gets old.
Another thing I noticed too is that there is a noticeable lag when rewinding or fast forwarding in a video.
That's not the case with port forwarding, it's near instant as if the server was local (the remote server is connected to fiber Internet.)
For these reasons, I will go back to port forwarding.
Make sure you are not using a relay server. They are dog slow.
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Is this an option in Tailscale? All I did was connect to my account and that's it.
Other than that, there nothing else on my network, straight connection to the provided router and fiber modem.
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What are you running your Channels server on?
You can tell if a client is connecting directly or via a DERP server by doing a tailscale ping.
The docs state tailscale status will show that, but not for me. Have to use tailscale ping
I can't speak to specific behavior on a TiVo Stream 4K, but on Android clients in general Tailscale needs to be reconnected after a power off. The simple solution to this is to leave the client device powered on.
I'd suggest that for many, where port forwarding is doing the job in providing remote CDVR access, there's little reason to change.
But for many others, like me for example, Tailscale has quickly become indispensable. Having the entire Internet become a sort-of virtual managed switch for my local network is absolute magic. It no longer matters where I am in the world in terms of being able to engage with services and equipment on my LAN.
CDVR client/server access is a wonderful part of a much, much larger whole.
I use tailscale ping at a Windows command prompt.
Their docs are outdated and say tailscale status will show if clients are connected direct or through a DERP relay. That hasn't been the case for quite a while. tailscale ping works from my WIN laptop and Synology NAS's.
They have a lot of good documentation and FAQ's on their website.
Thanks.
I have uninstalled Tailscale on the client devices for now.
I don't exclude the possibility of trying Tailscale again in the future, especially if I ever change devices. 
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What I like about using Tailscale is that installing it on your device at home (not the Channels server tailscale) and your client devices is that you have a Private VPN from each client to your home network.
Either to the device at home you installed it on, or your whole home network.
Are there settings in Channels I can use to improve the streaming performance through Tailscale? I'm trying to watch a recording, and am having issues. It will play for a few seconds and then freeze.
It sounds like your home internet upload speeds aren’t fast enough. Change your quality settings on your client.
You should do a little research and test how fast your internet bandwidth can upload from home.
Match your quality settings to it.
Unfortunately I'm just seeing this now that I'm already away from home and won't be back for two weeks. I see that I can adjust settings remotely. Any suggestions on what I should try? My speeds are generally no lower than 150/30.
You adjust that in the client app under Settings > Playback > Streaming Quality
Tailscale is treated as "At Home".
Your top picture is the settings for clients that are not web player. For clients you can choose bitrate in the settings of the client android iOS ect. Or you can set it for the clients from the server like your top picture.
Your bottom picture shows the web player transcoder running at 10mb. The web player isn’t a client and does not use client settings. To change the bitrate of the web player, the setting is under advanced>web player>playback quality
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Thanks to all! I think that did it. The real test will be a live football game, but it looks better.