Nucleus HTPC

Playground Hacks
#1

Introducing Nucleus HTPC: A Windows Desktop Client for Channels DVR*

Nucleus HTPC is a native Windows desktop application designed to act as a dedicated, large-screen frontend for your local Channels DVR servers.

I built this primarily to get a tailored 10-foot living room experience on Windows, completely optimized for standard remote controls (like the Rii Mini i25) and keyboard navigation.

Here is a quick look at what it currently does:

  • MPV Playback Engine: Uses libmpv under the hood for smooth video decoding and HDR-to-SDR tonemapping.
  • Live TV Mini-Guide: Pull up a horizontal guide overlay that syncs to your current channel without stopping your video.
  • Multi-View Support: Watch multiple live TV streams on the screen at the same time.
  • Optional Video Upscaling: Built-in hardware upscaling options (like RAVU and ArtCNN) for higher-end GPUs, plus a quick-toggle "Anime Mode" shader.
  • Full Server Sync: Fetches your library, tracks your watch status, and manages your Up Next queue directly with the Channels server.
  • Built-in Auto Updater: Automatically checks GitHub on startup so you can easily download the latest release.

Disclaimer: Nucleus HTPC is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Channels DVR or its developers (Fancy Bits LLC).

2 Likes
Feral HTPC: A Community Windows HTPC client
#2

Thank you Bobby. I installed and it works great.

During the install it asked to open firewall holes which surprised me and I did not permit this. There is no apparent harm done and I'm wondering if it should be requesting firewall holes.

#3

You are correct. My API server does not need network access. Originally, I was going to build a remote control app, but the usb remote works fine and I axed that idea. I never changed it to localhost only access. I will push that in an update later today. Thanks.

#4

I just pushed the update, you should see the update bar appear on the dashboard home page anytime now.

#5

Thank you Bobby. this works great for me also.

#6

You just like to make all my documentation and videos be outdated, don't you? :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

Working out of my summer office...

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... so I got to do a net new install on my sucky notebook and everything went fine. Looks like almost all my complaints feature requests have been addressed! And knowing you, assuming what isn't will be coming someday.

Kudos and excellent job well done, and I'll, of course, let you know should anything come up! :smile:

#7

The 1.1.6 update has a nice change to the updater that downloads the update in the background and runs the installer so you don’t have to use the browser to download the update. That being said, it worked on my tests, hopefully no one will have issues with it on the 1.1.7 update when it hits.

#8

Seeing something odd. Nucleus is picking up my OTA channels (8.1, 21.1, 27.1, 27.3, 33.1 &43.1 which are disabled in the Channels Server) and not picking up my remapped OTA channels (1-6) that are my OTA funnled through Dispatcharr and imported into Channels.

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#9

Just updated to 1.1.6. A few things that would help:

  • The ability to delete a video (movie, TV show, video) after viewing
  • A notice when an automatic channel skip starts. This will be helpful for when there are false positive commercial detections.
  • On the timeline it's hard to distinguish between content and commercials. I suggest either do as the Channels Developers have and use gray for content and black for commercials or make this configurable.
  • Add support for Library Collections and Personal Sections

I'm thrilled to have the Windows client. Thank you for creating and supporting this Bobby

#10

Are you using all channels or a channel collection?

#11

All Channels

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Also noted it's trying to pull in my YTTV TVE channels which I have disabled on this server. Said another way, it doesn't seem to be honoring disabled sources when populating the channel list.

Also interesting is that it is pulling through my other dispatcharr channels (ESPN, CNN, HGTV, FOOD, etc), so seems like it's dropping those that are "duplicate" to what is in another source (even though it's disabled).

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#12

I’ll look into why it isn’t respecting disabled sources and hidden channels. Does it do the same on your other channel collections too?

#13

I will add those to the list. Thanks.

#14

Kinda......

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#15

You can right click the channel and adjust location or hide the channels also. If you hide the channel is also hides in CDVR. I will have this issue worked out by tomorrow.

I just pushed 1.1.7. Let me know if the downloader works for anyone that was on 1.1.6. Thanks

#16

The downloader worked! :+1:

#17

Thank you.

#18

Are you interested in making this more tablet (specifically, Surface Pro) friendly, or are you just focused on the 10-foot experience?

#19

I have a half built api that was intended to be used with a mobile companion app. I will probably finish it out after I get the bugs and features finished. This is one of those things I would need to really think out to make it useful.

Is the Surface Pro an ARM based CPU?

#20

Honestly, I never even thought about touch screen friendly navigation. I will look into mapping touch screen controls into it. I have plans on releasing an ARM version later on since Snapdragon X Windows might be a big hit with consumers.