A downloadable app for Windows

ChannelOS turns your local media library into your own programmable television system.

Instead of browsing folders and choosing individual files every time you want to watch something, ChannelOS lets you build persistent cable-style channels from media you already own.

Channels keep their own schedules, the TV Guide shows what is currently airing, and you can switch between stations like a traditional television.

Current Windows Alpha features include:

• Local-first operation with no cloud requirement
• Persistent user-created TV channels
• Cable-style TV Guide
• Fullscreen couch-friendly interface
• Xbox-compatible controller support
• On Demand library playback
• Add media folders directly from the Library
• Add individual media directly to existing channels
• Persistent channels, library state, and settings between launches
• Fullscreen / Windowed mode with F11 switching

ChannelOS does not move, rename, upload, or replace your media. Your library stays where it already lives.

This is an early Windows alpha. Channel programming and management features will continue to expand as development continues.

More information

Download

Download
ChannelOS 0.0.2 — Windows x64 Alpha 104 MB

Install instructions

Windows x64

  1. Download the ChannelOS ZIP file.
  2. Extract the entire ZIP to a folder of your choice.
  3. Keep all included files and folders together.
  4. Open the extracted ChannelOS folder and double-click ChannelOS.exe.
  5. On first launch, choose a folder containing media you own. ChannelOS will index the media in place and create your first channel.

ChannelOS does not require a separate Python, Qt, VLC, or FFmpeg installation.

This is an unsigned early alpha, so Windows may display a security warning the first time you launch it.

Comments

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Captainkoopa2 days ago

Hey! I’m the guy who made this. xD

ChannelOS mostly exists because I got tired of the fact that I could own an entire library of movies and shows, but the experience of actually watching them was still basically just digging through folders and picking files.

I missed the feeling of television turning it on, seeing what’s already playing, flipping through channels, finding something halfway through and just watching it.

So I figured if I own the media, why can’t I also own the television network?

That’s basically what ChannelOS is trying to become. Your media, your channels, your schedules, your TV.

This is still a very early alpha, so if you try it and something breaks, acts weird, feels confusing, or you just think “why the hell doesn’t it do this?” tell me. I genuinely want to know.

Thanks to anybody willing to give this weird little project a shot. :)

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