Multiview on Android TV / Google TV - Why is this not being looked at?

Channels DVR Server
#1

Hello everyone,

Please excuse me if this is addressed elsewhere; I tried using the search feature but could only find inactive discussions that have been closed out.

I’m a heavy Shield TV user and a longtime Plex Lifetime subscriber (since 2014!). While Plex works great, I’ve been hunting for a true Multiview experience. I recently discovered Multiview - Sports & TV by Henzelmann Labs LLC on the Play Store. It handles my HDHomeRun and Plex sources perfectly, allowing me to watch up to 4 streams at once. However, the workflow is clunky—I hate having to jump between Plex and Multi-view app to switch from live OTA broadcasts to my local library.

I turned to Channels because it seemed like the ideal "all-in-one" solution. However, I was disappointed to find that Multiview isn't supported on Google TV—and according to some threads, it isn't even on the roadmap.

This feels like a massive missed opportunity given the current market:

Google TV: 220+ Million active devices (Global Leader)

Roku: 100+ Million active accounts

Amazon Fire TV: 80–90 Million active accounts

Apple TV: 30–50 Million active devices

I’ve seen comments from devs suggesting that Android TV hardware isn't powerful enough to decode multiple streams. Respectfully, that’s hogwash. My budget ONN TV box runs the Henzelmann Multiview app flawlessly with three OTA streams, and my Shield handles four without a hiccup. If a third-party app can do it on a $20 box, the power is clearly there.

I’d love to know if this is officially off the table for Google TV. I plan on testing Channels for a few months to compare it to Plex for an extensive review on a YouTube channel I guest on frequently, and I'd love to be able to show off this feature.

Thanks for listening to the rant and for the warm welcome!

Gary

#2

Try Tivimate. Output your m3u from Channels and pull it into Tivimate. You can have a ton of streams with Tivimate, many more than just four.

1 Like
#3

Hi Aspesi4,

Thanks for the info! Since I’d still need to output the m3u from Channels into TiviMate, it sounds like TiviMate would just be acting as the player.

I actually already have a Multiview app that pulls directly from my HDHomeRun without needing the Channels DVR middleman. I’m really holding out for an "all-in-one" experience where I don't have to jump between apps.

Thanks again for the suggestion, my friend!

Gary