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

Playground Hacks
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#142

Another question though... when I log into a site (ABC for instance), the "login" button doesn't change which makes it very confusing what sites I have logged into and what sites I have not. Is there a way to change the color when it has been logged into (gray to green or something like that) or change the word from "login" to "Update" or something like that?

Yep — I see what you mean, and my aesthetics agree with you. :smile: The Login button is always shown intentionally as a convenience / escape hatch, and right now PrismCast doesn’t try to guess whether you’re logged in because every site / provider does it differently (and it’s easy to get false positives or brittle checks).

For most people this is a one-time setup step, so I’ve been prioritizing higher-impact work (stream stability, recovery, tuning behavior, etc.) over UI polish here. I agree it’d be nicer if the UI could confidently show “Authenticated” / hide the button when it’s safe to do so, and it’s on my nice-to-have list — just not at the top right now.

If you (or anyone) wants to take a pass at adding per-site login detection, I’m very open to reviewing PRs. In the meantime, the modal is the source of truth: hit Login when you need to (re)auth, otherwise you can safely ignore it. Imperfect UI for an imperfect streaming world. :slightly_smiling_face:

2 Likes
#143

@hjd submitted a pull request. Let me know if you don't want the additional ffmpeg command included in the pull and I can take that out.

New profile is the same as apiMultiVideo except it expects the video to play directly after the channel tile is clicked.

Edit: will try to look into the channel list not updating for the HDHR emulation when I can. Any time I reset or launch all presets are enabled. Once disabled - they’re the only channels that still appear on the HDHR.

Edit2: just realised I made an error in the code. Tje -ss function was doubling up. I didn’t properly look at the code and assumed each ffmpeg process was getting the input from chrome but the mpegts is being remuxed from the hls fmp4.

Edit3: Fixed

#144

I'm trying to use PrismCast to watch Disney, Disney Jr, DisneyXD, and the ESPN Channels. I don't have a subscription to DisneyPlus but I can view the channels on a web browser with TV Provider login. For the ESPN channels, I see that PrismCast is preconfigured to use DisneyPlus. I am able to access the live feed of these channels by using the following link format: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn
In this link, if you change espn to espn2, espnews, espnu, acc, etc. it will indeed bring up the live feed of these channels if you're logged in with your TV provider. I overrode the preconfigured setup for these channels in PrismCast using the above link format, I got a login window to pop-up and I did that, but unfortunately the feeds don't want to seem to load when I try to play through Channels DVR. Is there anyway to tweak the PrismCast settings to use the above link format to successfully watch ESPN channels?

Also, for the Disney channels I mentioned above, I tried the following link format: https://disneynow.com/watch-live?brand=004
This particular one gets you the Disney Channel. If you change the number at the end of the link to 008 you get Disney Jr. You do have to click a play button when the window first pops up, but again, is there anyway to possibly setup PrismCast to access these channels through the above link format?

If PrismCast will only be able to load these channels through DisneyPlus, then unfortunately I'm going to have to try to get them through ADBTuner which I know there is no longer a DisneyNOW app so there'd be no way for me to get the Disney channels and I've yet to figure out what the proper deeplink format is for the ESPN app.

ESPN+ with Custom Channels via ADBTuner
#145

Does this only work with a D+ subscription? How to use with a TV Provider subscription?

#146

Must we have a D+ subscription for the ESPN linear channels? I have TV Providers credentials, but not D+ that includes the ESPN Linear channels.

#147

I'm trying to use PrismCast to watch Disney, Disney Jr, DisneyXD, and the ESPN Channels. I don't have a subscription to DisneyPlus but I can view the channels on a web browser with TV Provider login. For the ESPN channels, I see that PrismCast is preconfigured to use DisneyPlus. I am able to access the live feed of these channels by using the following link format: First Take Presented DraftKings Sportsbook (2/4/26) - Live Stream - Watch ESPN

I’ll take a look at this…thanks for raising it. Stay tuned…if I can login with my TV provider credentials, should be able to get this going.

If PrismCast will only be able to load these channels through DisneyPlus, then unfortunately I'm going to have to try to get them through ADBTuner which I know there is no longer a DisneyNOW app so there'd be no way for me to get the Disney channels and I've yet to figure out what the proper deeplink format is for the ESPN app.

Well…let’s see. I didn’t look at disneynow.com previously…but since I can login and authenticate against it, happy to add support for it in the next release here shortly.

If PrismCast will only be able to load these channels through DisneyPlus, then unfortunately I'm going to have to try to get them through ADBTuner which I know there is no longer a DisneyNOW app so there'd be no way for me to get the Disney channels and I've yet to figure out what the proper deeplink format is for the ESPN app.

You can add any arbitrary channel you want to PrismCast…it’s a function of figuring out the site where you’re viewing this stuff (e.g. disneynow.com) and the right corresponding PrismCast profile.

1 Like
#148

@hjd submitted a pull request. Let me know if you don't want the additional ffmpeg command included in the pull and I can take that out.
New profile is the same as apiMultiVideo except it expects the video to play directly after the channel tile is clicked.

I’ll take a look at respond in the next day or two accordingly on the PR…the ffmpeg mod isn’t going to make it, but we can discuss in the PR conversation, rather than spam here.

Thanks for the contribution.

Edit: will try to look into the channel list not updating for the HDHR emulation when I can. Any time I reset or launch all presets are enabled. Once disabled - they’re the only channels that still appear on the HDHR.

Channels update / show up fine on Plex for me…you’ll need to force Plex to refresh the tuner since it doesn’t do so, but you can verify for yourself that the lineup does indeed update: http://prismcastaddress:5004/lineup.json is what gets sent. So I’m curious to see what you have going on, and if you can reliably reproduce the issue.

2 Likes
#149

Just to confirm, the ESPN and other Disney-owned channels are still not working, right? Currently, I can tune all channels except for those.

#150

It's really not a one-time setup step, unfortunately. Many providers force you to reauth on a regular basis, NBC family being one of them.

#151

Something's broken with the latest code, ABC used to work and now doesn't. I can see it streaming in the browser but prism can't navigate. Same with ESPN. CNBC and others work.

Here's the logs.

[2026/02/04 13:11:54.499] [WARN] [espn-twayfg] Attempt 1 failed for page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:11:55.851] [espn-twayfg] Retrying page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn (attempt 2 of 4).
[2026/02/04 13:12:15.852] [WARN] [espn-twayfg] Attempt 2 failed for page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:12:18.034] [espn-twayfg] Retrying page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn (attempt 3 of 4).
[2026/02/04 13:12:38.041] [WARN] [espn-twayfg] Attempt 3 failed for page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:12:41.637] [espn-twayfg] Retrying page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn (attempt 4 of 4).
[2026/02/04 13:13:01.653] [WARN] [espn-twayfg] Attempt 4 failed for page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:13:01.655] [ERROR] [espn-twayfg] Stream setup failed for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms.
[2026/02/04 13:13:26.475] User channel 'espn' updated.
[2026/02/04 13:13:50.438] [WARN] [espn-gm8hmj] Attempt 1 failed for page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:13:52.391] [espn-gm8hmj] Retrying page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn (attempt 2 of 4).
[2026/02/04 13:14:11.757] [cnbc-l1jvr3] Streaming CNBC (fullscreenApi, FFmpeg).
[2026/02/04 13:14:12.398] [WARN] [espn-gm8hmj] Attempt 2 failed for page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:14:14.451] [espn-gm8hmj] Retrying page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn (attempt 3 of 4).
[2026/02/04 13:14:34.465] [WARN] [espn-gm8hmj] Attempt 3 failed for page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:14:37.849] [espn-gm8hmj] Retrying page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn (attempt 4 of 4).
[2026/02/04 13:14:50.063] [WARN] [abc-a12u4c] Attempt 1 failed for page navigation for https://abc.com/watch-live/b2f23a6e-a2a4-4d63-bd3b-e330921b0942: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:14:51.845] [abc-a12u4c] Retrying page navigation for https://abc.com/watch-live/b2f23a6e-a2a4-4d63-bd3b-e330921b0942 (attempt 2 of 4).
[2026/02/04 13:14:57.851] [WARN] [espn-gm8hmj] Attempt 4 failed for page navigation for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms
[2026/02/04 13:14:57.854] [ERROR] [espn-gm8hmj] Stream setup failed for https://www.espn.com/watch/player?network=espn: Operation timed out after 20000ms.
[2026/02/04 13:15:01.279] [WARN] [abc-a12u4c] Attempt 2 failed for page navigation for https://abc.com/watch-live/b2f23a6e-a2a4-4d63-bd3b-e330921b0942: Waiting failed
[2026/02/04 13:15:02.848] [cnbc-l1jvr3] Stream ended after 57s.
#152

Just to confirm, the ESPN and other Disney-owned channels are still not working, right? Currently, I can tune all channels except for those.

Correct…there’ll be an update today that addresses the disneyplus-related channels.

2 Likes
#153

Feature request. Allow ESPN login from Plus.ESPN.com instead of the mouse. Most of us w/ other subscriptions are have ESPN Unlimited from our providers.

#154

ABC indeed is not pulling up for me either. FX and FXs are, but the ABC just keeps trying to load. I tried it locally on my computer and it loads fine, but within the prismcast container is does not.

#155

I completely understand and agree to focus on functionality before aesthetics (that is what we do at work too). I am not questioning you AT ALL, just wanted to grt it "on the list". Thank you for all you are doing for the community, we all appreciate it!

1 Like
#156

No problems completely understand.

Yeah I’m honestly not sure what’s going, I’ll do some investigating.

#157

I had it running etc and could see the PrismCast site BUT when i tried to authenticate a chanel Chrome does not load up..... how can i get the VNC app to open the remote server....Im running with an hdmi dummy plug .....CC4C used to open the browser with this setup so maybe Prismcast does it differently ??? I use Windows Remote Desktop to view the PC running Channels Would Team view work better to allow me to see chrome for logging in??

#158

Did you try your browser going to http://YOURSERVERIP:6080/vnc.html? That should open the NoVNC page for you to login.

1 Like
#159

That's only available in the container version.

#160

Ah, I missed that he wasn't using that.

#161

@hjd or @bnhf

When I change the profile on a channel, do I need to stop/start the stack in Portainer for it to take effect? I ask because when I try to play a Peacock event (from the Fruitdeeplinks lanes), I get the Sad Kitty page from them saying something went wrong. I've tried changing the profile from top to bottom (not static page of course) and no change. The same event works straight from Fruitdeeplinks though. Any thoughts?