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ChannelWatch

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ChannelWatch work with Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin?

Section titled “Does ChannelWatch work with Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin?”

No. ChannelWatch is built specifically for Channels DVR. It connects to the Channels DVR event stream API, which is unique to that platform. Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin use different APIs and are not supported.

Can I monitor multiple Channels DVR servers from one ChannelWatch instance?

Section titled “Can I monitor multiple Channels DVR servers from one ChannelWatch instance?”

Yes. ChannelWatch v1.0 supports multiple DVR servers from a single instance. You add each server through the web UI under Settings > DVR Servers. Each server gets its own connection, alert routing, and health monitoring.

Does ChannelWatch record or store my viewing activity?

Section titled “Does ChannelWatch record or store my viewing activity?”

ChannelWatch stores only what it needs to function: active session state (to prevent duplicate notifications) and configuration settings. It does not build a viewing history, does not send data to any external service, and does not phone home. All data stays on your own server.

Why did I receive a flood of notifications when ChannelWatch started?

Section titled “Why did I receive a flood of notifications when ChannelWatch started?”

This can happen when the event stream reconnects and replays recent events. ChannelWatch includes deduplication logic and a startup grace period to suppress alerts that fire during the initial connection window.

If you see a flood after a container restart, check that:

  1. Your cooldown settings are configured in Settings > Alert Types
  2. The container has enough time to complete startup before events are processed
  3. You’re running a recent version (the deduplication logic was improved in v0.6 and later)

The community backlog flagged this as a known issue. If you experience it consistently, open a GitHub Issue with your container logs attached.

What notification providers does ChannelWatch support?

Section titled “What notification providers does ChannelWatch support?”

ChannelWatch supports:

  • Pushover (native direct integration)
  • Discord, Telegram, Slack, Email (SMTP), Gotify, Matrix (via Apprise)
  • Any Apprise-supported service via a custom Apprise URL

You configure providers through the web UI with no environment variables required. See the Notification Providers section for per-provider setup guides.

Do I need to use host network mode?

Section titled “Do I need to use host network mode?”

Host network mode is the default in the example docker-compose.yml because it simplifies mDNS discovery of Channels DVR servers on the local network. Bridge mode works too, but you may need to configure DNS manually and add explicit port mappings.

If you run in bridge mode and ChannelWatch cannot find your DVR, add the DVR host and port manually through the web UI. See Common Issues for bridge mode DNS troubleshooting steps.

How much memory and CPU does ChannelWatch use?

Section titled “How much memory and CPU does ChannelWatch use?”

ChannelWatch is lightweight. Typical resource usage:

ResourceTypical usage
CPUUnder 2% on most systems
RAM~50MB
Docker image~150MB
Startup timeUnder 5 seconds

It runs efficiently in the background without impacting DVR performance.

Can I run ChannelWatch on a Raspberry Pi or ARM device?

Section titled “Can I run ChannelWatch on a Raspberry Pi or ARM device?”

Yes. The Docker image is published as a multi-platform image supporting linux/amd64 and linux/arm64. Docker automatically pulls the correct variant for your hardware when you run:

Terminal window
docker pull coderluii/channelwatch:latest

This covers Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi 5, and Apple Silicon Macs running Docker.

Is ChannelWatch affiliated with Channels DVR or Fancy Bits LLC?

Section titled “Is ChannelWatch affiliated with Channels DVR or Fancy Bits LLC?”

No. ChannelWatch is an independent community project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by Fancy Bits LLC or the Channels DVR team. It uses the Channels DVR API to monitor activity, the same way any third-party tool would.

See the Disclaimer for the full nominative fair use notice.

Is ChannelWatch free? Will it stay free?

Section titled “Is ChannelWatch free? Will it stay free?”

Yes. ChannelWatch is MIT licensed and free to use, modify, and distribute. There are no paid tiers, no feature gates, and no subscription.

If you find it useful, voluntary support through GitHub Sponsors, Buy Me a Coffee, or PayPal helps fund continued development.

Where can I get help?

Section titled “Where can I get help?”