IPTV Smarters & Channels

I am using IPTV Smarters through my Samsung SmartTV (it has its own app in the Samsung store) and I am hoping to use Channels through my Synology network drive as a DVR to record shows.

I saw this link https://getchannels.com/docs/channels-dvr-server/how-to/custom-channels/ but I need it dumbed down so I understand exactly what to do as it makes no sense to me.

Is what I am trying to achieve possible?

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Do you have access to a public m3u file that includes the content? If so, it may be possible to add it to channels. I’m not familiar with this app/service, so that’s the best answer I can give.

IPTV Smarters Pro is an app. I toyed with it in the past but found it's interface to be terrible. You feed it an .m3u like custom channels.

So, yes you can install channels to your Synology, and output an .m3u that can be imported into smarters pro. Then you'll have to get an epg working, and you won't have any control of DVR functions through it. Only through the channels app on a different device. And whatever you do set to record isn't going to show in the program either, it will just be video files on your nas you have to manually access.

Just go grab a cheap android streaming stick and use the channels app.

i have a M3U Plus Playlist URL and also something called an EPG URL. I added the M3U URL to the Custom Channel and refreshed and it now says there are 500 channels, but I don't know what to do next.
Screenshot_1

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To get the full channels experience you’ll need the Channels client next. Does your TV run Android? If not, you would have to get a supported client device.

As mentioned above you can also use Channels’ export of the m3u into your player, but that doesn’t really buy anything, since you’re going in a circle at that point. Of course you can also set up recording via the web ui where you added the ui source. Go to the guide and if your guide data loaded successfully you’ll see the programs and be able to record them. You can then play them with a Channels app or media player of your choosing.

Thank you. I really appreciate all the help. It is a Samsung SmartTV so not running on Android. It seems like maybe this just isn't going to work without adding some new device to my TV like a Google Chromecast, FIrestick, or something else? I was really hoping to make the IPTV to Channels DVR work but it's a bit over my head technically.

I can see channels showing up but nothing else nor do I know what to do.

It looks like your guide data is not working properly, as there are channels but no programs within them. If you get that corrected you’ll see the option to record.

Get a legitimate provider

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Thank you. Can you tell me why some are showing up with the logos and others are not? Everything showing up are things I am not interested in. I see that it is also limited to 500 channels. Is there a way to select others not listed to make up the 500? Ideally I'd like to choose what makes up that list being populated.

Logos for channels for playlists are specified one of two ways:

  • via the tvg-logo tag in the playlist, or
  • via the associated guide data set in the DVR's web UI.

Correct. Only the first 500 entries from a playlist are imported; additional entries are ignored. If you wish to change this, you need to manually modify your playlist before directing Channels to scan it.

(Also, since from your posted screenshot it's most likely your source is not a legitimate provider of US-based streams, this will probably be the extent of the support you will receive.)

ii feel like i am starting to get somewhere here, but why are some showing as available and most are not? I really want to be able to choose from my full list of channels what the Channels app displays as available. How is it choosing some of these over others?

Sorry, total newbie here and I am a bit clueless.

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As mentioned above, Channels pulls in the first 500 Channels and then stops. This was done for performance reasons. There is no way to pick and choose, your only option would be to modify the m3u so that the channels you want are one of the first 500.

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Please find help for your pirated IPTV streams somewhere else. Don't ruin a good thing for the vast majority of us who use Channels for legitimate purposes. Either figure it out yourself, or switch to a platform like Kodi where there is ample information readily available on the internet on how to access your pirated content. @racameron @tmm1 @maddox

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