Noob Questions -

#1

Hello, I have been doing a lot of reading on using Channels DVR and there are a couple of things that I don't see discussed often if at all.

  1. How do you watch recorded content on your TV? I assume it depends on what you are recording to. PC vs NAS? I have a mac and of course I could use airplay but that's not a convenient solution for the family.

  2. When viewing on your TV, how are you controlling the content (is there a channels remote control? I assume that what the end user is looking at would be the Channels DVR GUI. I've read that you just use the controller for the device you are streaming from which doesn't make it any more clear. Maybe that links back to the first question, how the signals are making it to the TV.

Sorry for the dumb questions, it just seems like these two items are always assumed so couldn't find much on the topic or I wasn't looking in the right place.

#2

The channels server is just that, a server. it can be on whichever platform you wish. For instance I have a mac mini I use as a Plex server and it also is my ChannelsDVR server and general file server. Channels also has Apps for IOS, Android, AppleTV and the like which plays the content from the server. It has its own user interface and uses whichever method is needed for the user to play. For instance on an iPad or iphone they are touchscreen and with the appleTV app you use the siri remote to scroll and select. Hope this helps.

#3

As @Rwbisme said, you use a streaming device.

Channels is primarily used through apps on your streaming device. It's just an app like everything else. Channels DVR Server just serves as the backend software to power it locally at your home.

Everything you see on the website is our app.

2 Likes
#4

Here's an even better explainer of how it works:

Read through the website, it goes over a lot of how it works and what you can do with Channels.

#5

Thanks for the information. If I use Apple TV for streaming, I assume that to record shows, I will still need to install Channels on a recording device like my MAC or a NAS.

#6

Correct.