Introducing PrismCast: Browser-based Live TV Capture for Channels DVR and Plex

[gill]

Is tuning slow for anyone else? Takes at least 10 seconds or more to load up the video feed on VLC. M1 mac

[GTFan]

Too many variables to answer that question, you have to say what the source website is etc. The tuning time is all over the map if you're trying to watch stuff live, but it's really a non-issue with recordings because prism will tune ahead of time to avoid delays.

Not a great solution if you want to watch live and flip around channels, in other words.

[scottuf]

Anyone having issues with ESPN starting up? I verified I'm logged in and if I try to stream in the same Chrome browser but a different tab it works. Here's the logs:

2026/04/25 10:33:29.673 AM] Restarting browser for scheduled maintenance (uptime: 6h 5m).
[2026/04/25 10:33:34.010 AM] Chrome ready: Chrome/147.0.7727.117 (GPU: Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630 [AV1, H264, HEVC]).
[2026/04/25 10:33:35.808 AM] Browser restart complete. Fresh instance is ready.
[2026/04/25 11:08:14.772 AM] [WARN] [espn-ldxn94] Video did not reach a playable state within 11000ms.
[2026/04/25 11:08:14.773 AM] [ERROR] [espn-ldxn94] Stream setup failed for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Waiting failed: 11000ms exceeded.
[2026/04/25 11:08:14.773 AM] [espn-ldxn94] Stream ended after 27s (setup failed).
[2026/04/25 11:08:41.908 AM] [WARN] [espn-iic6pj] Video did not reach a playable state within 11000ms.
[2026/04/25 11:08:41.909 AM] [ERROR] [espn-iic6pj] Stream setup failed for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Waiting failed: 11000ms exceeded.
[2026/04/25 11:08:41.910 AM] [espn-iic6pj] Stream ended after 23s (setup failed).
[2026/04/25 11:09:13.704 AM] [WARN] [espn-x5k334] Video did not reach a playable state within 11000ms.
[2026/04/25 11:09:13.705 AM] [ERROR] [espn-x5k334] Stream setup failed for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Waiting failed: 11000ms exceeded.
[2026/04/25 11:09:13.705 AM] [espn-x5k334] Stream ended after 23s (setup failed).

edit to add I'm on v1.8.0 and other non-ESPN networks are working fine.

[blujay40]

Just tested mine via Prismcast (YTTV provider) and it works fine for me.

[2026/04/25 11:19:03.980 AM] [espn-u7x68m] Streaming ESPN: YouTube TV, youtubeTV, FFmpeg [ HEVC]. Tuned in 4.6s (direct).
[2026/04/25 11:19:50.132 AM] [espn-u7x68m] Stream ended after 51s.

[scottuf]

Thanks for checking. I'm about to migrate to a new Mac Mini so I'm not too concerned if it's just an issue on my end, maybe the reinstall will resolve it.

[scottuf]

Interesting, I noticed the browser says 1.8.0, but the log says 1.9.0. I've restarted the service a few times and the browser isn't showing an update available (neither does brew upgrade).

[chDVRuser]

@scottuf

I noticed the browser says 1.8.0, but the log says 1.9.0

When updating I do the following

1. brew update
2. brew upgrade
3. prismcast service restart

Also make sure you give node permissions in Privacy & Security for App Management and Local Network. I get a permissions notification for node after every update.

[scottuf]

Did all that. Thanks though.

[chDVRuser]

Maybe

• backup (see the Help tab)
• prismcast service stop
• brew uninstall hjdhjd/prismcast/prismcast
• brew install hjdhjd/prismcast/prismcast
• prismcast service restart
• restore (see the Help tab)

Not sure all of the steps are necessary

[scottuf]

Appreciate the help, but I’ll be setting up a new server this week so hope that fixes everything. Decided to do a clean install rather that restore from backup since I’m moving from Intel max to M4 and don’t want the old architecture stuff carried over. But I do plan on doing backup/restores from the specific apps, and then only starting from scratch if there are individual issues.

[EnigmaPBS]

Has anyone been able to use PrismCast with Verizon FIOS or created a custom profile for Verizon FIOS Watch?

[babsonnexus]

See above:

Introducing PrismCast: Browser-based Live TV Capture for Channels DVR and Plex

It would be better for you to PM @hjd and offer up your Verizon credentials so they can make a profile for it like they did for Xfinity and Cox. Yeah, you could figure out the way to do all of it by hand, but having something everyone could use would be way more helpful for the project.

Introducing PrismCast: Browser-based Live TV Capture for Channels DVR and Plex

Any chance you'll support Verizon Fios as a provider? I'm guessing not because when I tried to watch Verizon live in Chrome via VNC, the Verizon page wouldn't even load and told me to disable developer options. Any suggestions on getting this to work with Verizon? Open to it if someone wants to PM me credentials in a subaccount of theirs. That's the primary constraint.

[turfitgolf]

On Sling TV free service, Vix Deportes 21, 22, 23 shows soccer matches a few times a week. I set these up and got them working but my issue is every time a new match is on one of the channels the streaming url changes. I'm assuming there is not a work around since the url changes every time, correct???

On Fubo TV, I get most of my tv stations in ChannelsDVR using VLC-Bridge-Fubo and/or TVE except for the ones that are DRM. I am able to watch one of those channels (that is DRM) using PrismCast, THANK YOU!!! (none of the mouse's channels work for me)

[bnhf]

@turfitgolf

On Sling TV free service, Vix Deportes 21, 22, 23 shows soccer matches a few times a week. I set these up and got them working but my issue is every time a new match is on one of the channels the streaming url changes. I'm assuming there is not a work around since the url changes every time, correct???

You need to make sure you're grabbing the URL for the channel and not for the event. It's a very easy mistake to make with Sling. Search the forum for details on how to locate the channel's URL. Details can be found in the ah4c and ADBTuner threads.

[Fofer]

@fashioncents

So the Weather Channel just introduced a webpage that displays your weather like their old broadcasts back in the 80s and 90s.

@radioboy

Has anyone tried adding this retro Weather Channel feed to CC4C and had any luck getting it to un-mute? The Weather Channel - RetroCast Now

I came here to ask this same question, exploring the possibilitiies. Is PrismCast the best option to umute the audio on TWC's Retrocast Now website, and serve it as a channel to CDVR? I'm preferring its retro look and performance over ws4kp's.

RetroCast Now

[radioboy]

It works - but stays muted. Without user interaction on the server, I'm not sure how to get it to load unmuted.

[DapperFalcon]

@hjd I just want to say thanks for working on this!
It is slow to actually bring up video, but it does work. I am using Windows Server.

[jsfullam]

@radioboy

It works - but stays muted.

Yeah, that's a drag. I tried everything I could think of to unmute the channel. Couldn't do it.

[fashioncents]

Not sure if this helps, but the mute button's selector is button[aria-label="Toggle audio"]. I think there is a way to trigger a click on a button but I have not used this project enough to know how to do that.

[SageLois]

@GTFan

Are you running a headless server? Try logging into it with VNC and see if you can get ESPN to work. If it doesn't you might have to get a dummy HDMI plug. I know I had to because the server doesn't think you have a display without it. I had that same error until I figured out that I had an HDMI cable to my TV plugged in instead of the dummy plug.

If you're logging in with RDP it creates its own virtual display and makes you think that it'll work but it won't.

I'm logging in with rdp, and can't get a screen to open to set up logins. The server is (along with 2 other computers) connected to a HDMI switch, so I can switch to it if that would help. It's a bit of a pain in my setup, but doable on occasion. I don't have any convenient way to connect directly.

If I get a dummy HDMI plug, what do I do with it? I do prefer to run this server mostly headless but sometimes need to switch it to a monitor for troubleshooting.