On to 2023, what are you missing in Channels?

#13

Okay, here is my crazy dream:

I want all streaming services to play through Channels' media player. In other words, I create a stream link to Hulu, but instead of opening up the Hulu app it would play in Channels directly and use all of the Player's functionality like skip ahead/back. It would almost be like integrated PlayOn on the fly!

I've pondered a lot about how this might technically work. My thoughts are that it would open a headless Chrome session in the background that would play the content, and then Channels would capture that and it put it into the Player. This seems to be pretty similar to what is happening with TVE stations right now.

I have read through the TOS on things like Netflix and to say the frown on something like this is an understatement. Although I do not believe they are legally enforceable, I sadly would understand any hesitations to attempting something like this.

2 Likes
Request: View Stream Links Inside Channels App
#14

Yes thats pretty much the scenario I would want as well. But I understand the difficulties. #DRM lol

1 Like
#15

And while I am at at, here is what I'm looking for in metadata management (aside from what is stated above)

  1. Merge same content into single listing, pop up to select which source to play from (or choose default order, like recordings > Hulu > Kanopy).

  2. Similar to this, be able to merge content from Custom Sources with their TVE/OTA equivalents.

  3. Build and mange stream links (and .strm files) directly in Channels interface, no more files.

  4. Access to Gracenote database to see episodes names/order without having to create content first. Or if this is combined with #3 above, subscribe to content and then add links so it is available already in expected order.

  5. Ability to search for content not in the upcoming guide and set a recording for it (aware I can do this with advanced passes, would like something much simpler).

2 Likes
#16

I've been looking for this forever... thank you. It's actually in the Favorites drop down, not the Sources.

#17

I'll play.

  1. Integration of streaming content
  2. User accounts, but only if integrated with what is already selected in the ATV
  3. Favorite Sports/Teams/Shows

I am an Apple TV household with 7 ATVs. With Channels I am able to create a simple, consistent interface to entertainment that is intuitive and easy for the whole family and guests to get just about any available content. Today, we are down to only four apps, and I would love that to be reduced to one. The apps and usage: 1. Channels, by far the most used in the house for linear TV, recorded content, Movie/TV Library, and now even home video; 2. Apple TV app is used for integrated discovery across (almost) all streaming apps as well as personalized favorite shows, watch history/up next. It is far from perfect, but the ability to consolidate content across Disney, HBO, ESPN, Hulu, Amazon, and a half a dozen others is a BIG need in todays world. I also LOVE, that anytime any of my teams are playing, it pops up for easy access (and live scores); 3. Netflix because they don't play well with others. I would watch a lot more of their content if it was integrated with the TV app. (on a side note, if you are looking for the worst experience designers in the world, they work at the big streaming services and you can probably have them for cheap!); and finally 4. YouTube (OG), I enjoy killing time by watching silly stuff on YouTube. Guilty pleasure? Maybe, but still can't help myself.

Anyway, whatever you guys decide to do with 2023, I am sure it will be amazing.

1 Like
#18

For me, it's the ability of the DVR to act on corrupted recordings and possibly replace them with better versions.

I know this is a lot to ask but you did ask the question so here it is in this thread:

I know there are a lot of technical difficulties involved but maybe something can be done. :grin:

2 Likes
#19

Backup to an optional location so a separate device can be used. Backing up to the same device dose not address hardware failure.

2 Likes
#20

Reviews linked to shows and movies.

3 Likes
#21

Are you talking about your TV client or the server's Admin/Settings web page? I've been able to favorite virtual channels in the client, but not from the server's admin/settings (http://x.x.x.x:8089/admin/settings) and Channels | Guide (http://x.x.x.x:8089/admin/guide/grid) web pages.

In the admin/settings page, when I click on either link indicated in the following screen shot, they take me to the page to create / manage my virtual channels. I am using server Version 2022.12.22.0210.
image

When I'm working, I'd like to have a browser tab open to the guide grid and don't want to scroll through the 900+ (Local, Hulu live tv, Pluto, Stirr, Virtual) all channels grid to view something.

#22

● Slow-motion and a streamer-remote friendly way to implement it.

● Gray or neutral color instead of the godawful purple.

/ducks and runs

:smiling_imp:

4 Likes
#23

Hey @maddox, I had previously created a topic on this. I know it's only the GUI, but I wish there was an option to list season passes (with ability to order alphabetically or by newest recorded episode), click that season pass and it bring up a list of recorded episodes (with ability to sort by series/episode or by date with newest or oldest first).

This is the only thing I miss about my TiVo... the way it organized recorded content. Otherwise, Channels DVR is much, much better than TiVo. The commercial autoskip feature is amazing, and the app on AppleTV is incredibly responsive. Great job!

#24

In the Guide.

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image1179×1966 99.7 KB

#25

The original request was about a virtual channels, not Channel collections.

1 Like
#26

Automatic movie Collections.

2 Likes
#27
  1. Ability to adjust guide size (fewer channels visible at once) to allow easier reading for the GenX users.
  2. Ability to have a dark, light or standard color scheme. I won't lie, Purple is not my choice of color, and don't want to go crazy giving people the ability to theme their guide to their favorite sports team colors (though that would be cool), but having some basic options would be nice.
  3. Ability to link 2 servers under one account (having a server in our family NC home and one in our home in PA), would be nice to be able to stream from one server to another, not just clients (my mom likes to watch local news whereas we like to keep tabs on the local news back home when visiting frequently). To prevent people putting their servers into a fishbowl like car keys (ewww), limit it to same user credentials only. I think I know why this won't be allowed, but you asked for our 'crazy things'. :wink:
2 Likes
#28

It would be great to have playback speed control while playing back a program that is currently recording. It would be fine if it dropped back to 1x after catching up to current recording time. I currently find myself waiting until the recording has stopped so I can play it back at my preferred speed.

1 Like
#29

Automatic transcoding for storage purposes

3 Likes
#30

Dark/black theme for Apple devices.

6 Likes
#31

You guys really have put together a fantastic piece of software here. I've got Channels running remote to three different households and have not had a single issue with playback, quality, etc. This is my daily driver and happy to continue to pay for this service, especially since we know how closely you all listen to user feedback.

My wishlist for Channels in the upcoming year (coming from an Apple TV user):

  • Better datasource for Movie & TV imports - I do find myself having to manually update some things that gracenote(?) does not pick up and match automatically. The artwork for some movies and TV shows look a bit cheap and unofficial sometimes, and descriptions can be lacking.

  • True native PIP when in the grid guide. I know it was a pretty big task to get PIP in its current form here, so this is a little bigger of an ask. But it would be really cool to get a PIP screen more embedded in the grid guide (on one of the top corners) so that Apple's PIP doesn't overlap with the content on the screen.

  • I like the purple, but a deeper, darker purple would look good as an accessibility option for those who have a hard time reading text against some of the lighter shades of purple.

  • Option to toggle on/off unwatched markers on TV shows.

I think the enhanced library interface could be cleaned up a bit. Some examples I see:

On the main (Enhanced) Library screen, the "Movies"-"TV Shows"-"Collections" buttons could be on the very top of the screen (above "Up Next" and taking up the entire row), to quickly get into each different section instead of being below the "Up Next" section. I'm not sure if this would improve functionality at all, that's just a UI preference for me.

  • Have the sidebar tabs always be present in every screen within the library. When I go Library>Up Next and am in the "Up Next" screen, the sidebar is gone until you back into the prior screen. Unless that is intentional, it'd be nice to have the sidebar collapsed on every menu.

  • Would also like to see the "All Shows" or "All Movies" access button more prominent from their respective screens within the library.

  • When you are in "All Shows" or "All Movies", a quick-scroll lettered scroll (like on Plex) would be amazing for those of us with large import libraries.

-Super nit-picky, but just some general UI enhancements on the Library pages, like depth, shadows, different spacing, etc. Something to give the libraries a little more pop beyond cover images in a grid. When the Apple TV motion UI has a movie highlighted and enlarged, when it moves around the cover sometimes overlaps a large portion of the title text.

Additionally, I think you guys have mentioned you're on this

  • Reducing the CPU usage when editing Virtual Channels that have a lot of content added

  • Increasing the timeout error message time (I get a handful of Timeout screens on my Apple TV watching remotely within two seconds of loading

But again, the act of watching live TV with my HdHOMERUN, nothing works better than Channels. Keep up the great work guys.

2 Likes
#32

Multi-view on tvOS, iPadOS, and iOS

I’m ready to move on from Xfinity to YouTube TV once they released the mosaic mode feature with the NFL Sunday Ticket

5 Likes