Dispatcharr on Apple TV
This guide connects your own Dispatcharr server to Guidevi on Apple TV, iPhone and iPad. Guidevi reads the channel list (M3U) and the programme guide (XMLTV) your server serves and shows them as a TV guide. Dispatcharr manages the channel lists you already have and serves them from one place. Guidevi has a ready-made setting for it.
What you need
- Dispatcharr running on the same home network as your Apple TV, iPhone or iPad.
- Its address: an IP address such as
192.168.1.20, or a name your router resolves. Don’t uselocalhost; your TV can’t reach itself through it. - At least one channel set up in Dispatcharr.
Where the addresses are
Dispatcharr answers on port 9191 unless you changed it. Replace <server> with the server’s address.
| What | Address |
|---|---|
| Port | 9191 |
| Channel list (M3U) | http://<server>:9191/output/m3u |
| Guide (XMLTV) | http://<server>:9191/output/epg |
The playlist builds each channel’s stream address from the address you used to open it. Use the same address in Guidevi that you would type in a browser on the same network, so the streams point to a server your TV can reach.
Dispatcharr shows these links in its own web interface: the Channels page has a Links section with buttons for the M3U and EPG addresses, and each channel profile gets its own pair. Guidevi’s form uses the addresses for all channels. To limit Guidevi to a profile, copy that profile’s M3U and EPG links and add them as a playlist address instead (see the M3U guide).
Right after Dispatcharr starts, it may answer with an error for several seconds. Wait a moment and test again. Without a guide source linked in Dispatcharr, it may generate placeholder programme blocks instead of real titles.
Add it in Guidevi
On Apple TV
- Open Settings, then Sources and choose Add a Source.
- Choose “Add on This Apple TV”. The page with the code is for adding by phone; it has no home server form (see below).
- Choose “Home Server or Antenna”, then pick Dispatcharr as the server software.
- Enter the server’s address. The port is already filled in; change it only if you changed it on the server. Guidevi shows the generated channel list and guide addresses.
- Choose “Test Connection”, then “Save”. The first import runs in the background.
Typing with the remote is slow. When you have an iPhone nearby, tvOS can offer its keyboard for the field.
From your iPhone instead. The page that opens when you scan the code has a Playlist URL form, not the home server form. Enter the two addresses from the table: the channel list in “Playlist URL”, the guide in “Guide (XMLTV) URL”. Both devices must be on the same home network. The M3U guide walks through it.
On iPhone and iPad
- Open Sources: on iPhone it is in Settings (the gear button on the Live tab), on iPad in the sidebar, and choose to add a source.
- Under Source Type, choose “Home Server”, then pick Dispatcharr as the server software.
- Enter the server’s address, then choose “Test Connection” and “Save”.
If it doesn’t work
- “No channels found”: the server answered, but its channel list is empty. Check that channels exist and are enabled in the server.
- “Different software at this address”: check that you picked the right software and port.
- The channels load, but the guide is empty or doesn’t match: see the guide doesn’t match my channels.
Server documentation
Addresses checked in September 2026 against TVHeadend 4.3, ErsatzTV 26.3, Tunarr 2026.9 and Dispatcharr. Newer versions may differ.
More guides
Guidevi’s free version includes one source and the guide from yesterday to 24 hours ahead. Premium is optional; see what it adds.
Guidevi is made for Apple TV, iPhone and iPad.