Channels DVR
$18.00 / month
Free trial: 7 days
Sign-up fee: $1.00
Hosted Channels DVR for your own M3U playlists: record and watch without running a server at home.
A managed Channels DVR server hosted on ElfHosted. Point it at your own M3U playlists, record to your own cloud storage, and stream to Channels apps on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, and more — at home or remotely. M3U playlists only; OTA tuners (HDHomeRun) are not supported in a hosted environment. Requires a Channels DVR subscription from Channels (BYO).
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Hosted Channels DVR with the home server taken out of the picture. Bring your own M3U playlists, plug in your storage, watch on every device.
What is Channels DVR on ElfHosted?
Channels DVR is a polished media server purpose-built for TV recording: programme guide, recording rules, commercial-skip, multi-device streaming. Self-hosting it means running a 24/7 server at home with enough storage for recordings and enough bandwidth for remote viewing. ElfHosted’s hosted Channels DVR removes that requirement: we run the server, you bring your own M3U playlists and the storage.
This product is for people who already have their own M3U playlists and want a proper DVR experience with a programme guide, scheduled recordings, and recordings accessible from anywhere — without dealing with the server side.
Key Features
- 📺 Bring-your-own M3U input: point Channels DVR at your own M3U URL and XMLTV guide.
- 📅 Programme guide & scheduled recordings: set up series passes and one-off recordings.
- ☁️ Recordings on your own cloud storage: connect Google Drive, OneDrive, S3, or any rclone-supported backend. You own the recordings.
- 📱 Native Channels apps everywhere: iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, Samsung Tizen, web. Watch recordings on the home network or remotely.
- 🛠️ Pre-configured ElfHosted instance: reverse proxy, TLS, and remote access set up out of the box — no port-forwarding, no Tailscale required.
- 🔄 Updates handled: Channels DVR releases roll out without you touching anything.
What You’ll Need to Bring
- 📜 A Channels DVR subscription from getchannels.com. Channels operates on a monthly subscription model; you sign up directly with them. ElfHosted hosts the server, Channels licenses the software.
- 🔌 Your own M3U playlists. Channels DVR doesn’t include channels. You point it at your own M3U playlist.
- 💾 Cloud storage for recordings. Channels DVR records to a connected cloud volume. You bring the storage account and connect it as an rclone remote.
- 📱 The Channels app on whatever devices you watch on (free download from each platform’s app store).
Why Run Channels DVR on ElfHosted?
The home-server version of Channels DVR works fine — until your home server reboots during a recording, your ISP renumbers your IP, you go on holiday and remote-streaming breaks, or your storage fills up faster than expected. Hosted removes all of that:
- Hosted, not at home: a recording no longer depends on your home Plex box staying up overnight. Apps do restart briefly during the daily maintenance window.
- Remote streaming works without DDNS, port-forwarding, or VPN setup — TLS and routing are pre-configured.
- Storage is decoupled from a single physical disk in your house — point it at a cloud bucket and stop worrying.
- Updates and ElfHosted’s own infrastructure changes are managed for you.
Technical Specifications
- 📺 Software: Channels DVR server
- 🔑 Subscription: Channels DVR subscription required (paid directly to Channels at getchannels.com)
- 📡 Channel sources supported: your own M3U playlists + XMLTV guide
- ❌ Not supported: HDHomeRun and other OTA tuners (these need physical hardware on the same LAN as the server)
- ☁️ Recording storage: bring your own cloud storage (rclone-mounted) — Google Drive, OneDrive, S3, Backblaze B2, etc.
- 🌐 Bandwidth: up to 150 Mbps (a shared ceiling, not reserved)
- 🔐 Remote access: TLS-terminated reverse proxy at your ElfHosted subdomain — no DDNS or port-forwarding required
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this include any channels?
No. Channels DVR is the recording and viewing infrastructure — you bring the channel source. It works with your own M3U playlists; some encrypted/DRM-protected sources don’t.
Can I use my HDHomeRun or another OTA tuner?
No. OTA tuners need physical hardware connected to the same LAN as the Channels DVR server. Since your DVR is hosted in our datacentre, it can’t see a tuner sitting in your living room. This product works with M3U playlists only. If you need OTA, run Channels DVR at home instead.
Where do recordings go?
To cloud storage you connect to the instance — Google Drive, OneDrive, S3, Backblaze B2, or any rclone-supported backend. ElfHosted doesn’t bundle storage; you bring the account and connect it as an rclone remote.
Can I watch on my Apple TV / Roku / Fire TV?
Yes. The official Channels app is available on all major TV platforms plus iOS and Android. Sign in with your Channels account and you’ll see this server.
Does this work outside my home network?
Yes. Remote streaming is the default — TLS and reverse-proxy are pre-configured, so the server is reachable from any device with the Channels app and your credentials.
Do I need a Channels DVR subscription?
Yes, required. Channels DVR runs on a monthly subscription model — you sign up directly at getchannels.com. ElfHosted hosts the server; the subscription is paid to Channels and is what unlocks the DVR functionality you’re connecting to. Without a Channels subscription, the server runs but won’t do anything useful.
Hosted Channels DVR is for people who want a proper DVR experience without running a server at home. Bring your own M3U playlists and your cloud storage; ElfHosted handles the rest.
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NA
Compatibility.