That means when using the Channels client on your AppleTV to watch live from the HDHR tuner, it connects directly to the HDHR tuner, bypassing the Channels DVR Server.
Unless you set streaming quality to something other than Original, or set streaming quality delivery to stream. Then it gets the stream from the Channels DVR Server, which gets it from the HDHR tuner.
So possibly different network path than the HDHR app, which only streams directly from the HDHR tuner.
This is helpful. As a new Channels user (and new to HDHomeRun) I continue to learn.
My settings:
Home Streaming = Original
Original Quality Delivery = Direct
Given this and the information you’ve shared, I remain confused by my viewing experience. If I understand everything here, my settings would indicate Channels is taking the live feed direct from HDHR tuner. If so, why would I have the signal issues in Channels but not in HDHR app?
I can manage the occasional blips now that I know my workaround (switch to HDHR). Just curious why the difference.
Does the notification in Channels say signal error or network error
There should be no difference between the apps when tuning into the same channel. You can check the HDHR status page to verify.
Signal
The next time I observe the problem I will see if I can gather more objective data.
Thank you both for the feedback and guidance.
If it's not sharing tuners, perhaps HDHomeRun app is using a different tuner than Channels, and one of the tuners is less capable on this particular channel?
That is likely it!
Direct access to HDHR may still be using tuners in reverse order, which would explain the difference. Signal levels can vary across the tuners.
Recommend turning on Tuner Sharing
I turned on Tuner Sharing. Will report back if continued problems.
I would be surprised if tuner sharing fixes your problem. I don't think it is possible for the HDHR application to share tuners with the Channels DVR app. And besides it will not fix the tuner with the poor reception. You probably need to check your antenna signal reception. It is probably marginal at least on the channel that is having problems. I think Apple TV has methods to check antenna signal reception, but I don't know what they are. So if you still have problems, one of the Apple TV people can probably help.
To get better stats on the signal quality, since you turned on tuner sharing in the Channels app, record what you're watching. Since tuner sharing is ON, it will only use one HDHR tuner.
The stats shown in the log after the recording is finished will tell you the range of stats from your HDHR tuner (which Channels DVR will poll every 2 seconds during the recording).
2025/03/30 20:01:00.540476 [SNR] Signal statistics for "TV/Tracker/Tracker S02E15 The Grey Goose 2025-03-30-1900.mpg": ss=97%-98% snq=100% seq=100% bps=6740059,4196160-6945472 pps=577,359-595
ss=Signal Strength
snq=Signal Quality
seq=Symbol Quality
bps=bits/second
pps=packets/second
Logged numbers are Average,Minimum-Maximum
SS 60% (-24dBmV) minimum
Signal Strength 100% = 0dBmV = -48.75dBm and a change of 5% is a 3dBmV difference, so every 1% change is equivilent to 0.6dBmV. A signal strength of 80% (-12dBmV) or higher is recommended for OTA operation, 60% (-24dBmV) minimum.
SNQ 50% (16dB SNR) minimum
Signal Quality is scaled for each modulation type such that 50% is the minimum signal-to-noise requirement. For ATSC1, 100% SNQ is 30dB+ SNR, 50% is 16dB SNR.
SEQ 100%
Symbol Quality is an indication of how many uncorrectable TS frames (packets coming out of the demodulator with the TEI-Transport Error Indicated bit set in the packet header) have been lost in the last second (logarithmic scale). The Symbol Quality needs to be 100%.
Aiming an OTA antenna using the numbers
Use the Signal Strength for a rough idea of direction, but align the antenna for the highest Signal Quality, ignoring Signal Strength. When aimed correctly, Symbol Quality will show 100%, indicating no errors in the output. Splitters and amplifiers can introduce noise which will lower the Signal Quality, even if the Signal Strength increases.
This is great info. I am new to the world of antennas, signal strength, etc. I'm being stretched from my digital comfort zone of 1's and 0's. 
I would love to learn more. I still don't fully understand the notion of different tuners and how things change in my environment (one antenna, connected to one HDHR, connected with one Channels instance). I don't understand the technical implications of "tuner sharing" on vs off. I trust some day I will!
In the mean time, I'll begin recording the channel in question and see what I can learn from that. Thanks for the detail
It should also be noted that HDHR tuners are incredibly susceptible to overly strong signals. It will report 100% signal, but it may be higher, which will affect the quality. When dealing with SD HDHR devices, a 100% signal strength is almost always a bad thing; you should attenuate your signal closer to 95% to ensure you are not overloading their tuners.
My problem recurred last night. The exact same symptoms. Signal degradation while watching CBS on Channels app. Warning: "Tuner reception problems. Reception problems are causing issues with the signal."
Switched to HDHR app and experienced zero issues. Perfectly clear broadcast for the remainder of the evening.
The following are the signal stats following the recording:
2025/04/01 23:37:00.121625 [TNR] Closed connection to 10969163/1 for ch5.11 WTVF-HD
2025/04/01 23:37:00.223507 [SNR] Signal statistics for "TV/The Late Show With Stephen Colbert/The Late Show With Stephen Colbert S10E97 Michelle Williams Max Thi 2025-04-01-2235.mpg": ss=94%,93%-95% snq=81%,0%-84% seq=81%,0%-100% bps=13064651,7572640-16820736 pps=1118,648-1543 sigerr=29%
2025/04/01 23:37:00.337187 [SNR] Buffer statistics for "TV/The Late Show With Stephen Colbert/The Late Show With Stephen Colbert S10E97 Michelle Williams Max Thi 2025-04-01-2235.mpg": buf=0% drop=0%
Based on @chDVRuser's comments, the SEQ could be problematic at a value of 81%.
Sorry to be obtuse.
Why is HDHR handling this without any issue yet Channels is not?
Given the values of SS (94%) and SNQ(81%) is antenna direction a factor?
FWIW, here is my RabbitEars report. All of my channels of interest are generally in the same direction. The channel in question is WTVF. I do not understand why there are 2 entries on the report for this same Callsign. (5-1 (36) and 5-1 (5)).
This is quite bad
Second tuner was used. Prob works fine on the first, which HDHR app was using
Thanks for this info, though it remains unclear what my options might be for resolution.
“This is quite bad”… Is there something within my control to improve this?
“Second tuner was used. Prob works fine on the first”… Per my prior comments I do not understand the tuner dynamics of this setup. Why does one have no issue but the other does? Given your assumption, is there a way to force Channels to use the tuner that supposedly works better?
If it were me, I'd try to narrow down the source of the issue to either a hardware or a software problem.
Close any instances of the Channels app you have running in your house. Since you have a two-tuner HDHR device, launch two instances of the HDHR app (can be on the same PC, or on separate devices in your home), each on a different channel. Browse to the IP address of your HDHR device so that you can look at which channel is on which HDHR tuner. Kill the instance of the HDHR app that's using the tuner you want the Channels app to use. Now, launch the Channels app and it will use this tuner since the other tuner is still being used by the remaining HDHR app.
The HDHR app doesn't share tuners, so another test you can run would be to launch two instances of the HDHR app tuned to the same problem channel and then use the web interface to your HDHR device see if there's a difference between the signal integrity between the two tuners (or just watch the video on both and see if there's artifacts in one and not the other). If you see visual discrepancies between these two app instances, that would point toward a hardware issue in your HDHR device and there's little that the Channels app can do to mitigate that. GIGO. Now that I think about it, I'd do this test first.
If you do manage to determine that it's a hardware problem, you might want to post details on Reddit (r/hdhomerun). Silicon Dust has support people that watch that forum and have worked with users in the past that have hardware tuner problems and were looking for ways to disable a suspect tuner.
I appreciate these suggestions. I will continue my troubleshooting following this guidance.
I think I have found the problem. Thanks to @doncr’s guidance, some spelunking using the previously unknown to me HDHR web console, exposed the problem. I have 2 CBS signals (5.1 and 5.11). Channels was setup for use with 5.11. Seems 5.1 is the correct choice.
I’ve been watching 5.1 this evening with no issue. Also completed a recording with far better log stats.
I don’t understand why there are 2. Nonetheless, seems to be the root of the issue.
Glad you got things sorted out!
5.1 (physical UHF band channel 36) is what you want to use for WTVF in Nashville. From what I've been able to gather from googling, 5.11 (5 VHF) is a translator for fringe reception areas not covered by 5.1 using the old WTVF analog channel 5. If you're getting a good signal from 5.1, then I'd remove 5.11 in the list of scanned channels so that it won't be used by Channels.
More details on WTVF here on rabbitears.info.
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