Tvheadend

Open-source TV streaming and recording server for Linux, for antenna, cable, satellite and IPTV.

Open sourceSelf-hostableMedia servers

Verified facts: 3 of 3
Alternatives ranked: 4
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Tvheadend

Tvheadend is a TV streaming server and digital video recorder for Linux. It takes input from TV tuner cards and network tuners for ATSC, DVB-C, DVB-S and DVB-T, as well as IPTV, SAT>IP and other sources, scans channels, collects the programme guide, and streams live TV or recordings to clients over HTTP and its own protocol. It is commonly used as the backend for Kodi, which has a dedicated Tvheadend client, and it can feed Plex, Jellyfin and other front ends through add-ons and M3U playlists. Configuration happens through a web interface, and it runs on Linux PCs, NAS boxes, Docker, Proxmox containers and even some Android devices. It is free under the GPL v3. The web interface is technical and the terminology around muxes and networks has a steep learning curve, and there is no built-in media library for your own movie files.

Best for: Linux users with TV tuners who want a free, flexible live TV and DVR backend.

What works

Supports antenna, cable, satellite and IPTV sources
Pairs well with Kodi as a TV backend
Free and open source

Why people leave

Steep learning curve and technical web UI
No library for your own movie files
Linux only

Top Tvheadend alternatives

See all 4

1
Channels DVR
A paid, much friendlier live TV and DVR setup with polished apps.
66.5
2
Jellyfin
Built-in live TV and DVR alongside a full media library, free.
62.6
3
Plex
Easy DVR with tuners as part of Plex Pass.
59.6
4
Emby
Live TV and DVR with Premiere, on more operating systems.
57.2

Why people left Tvheadend

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Tvheadend: common questions

Is Tvheadend free?

Yes. Tvheadend is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is Tvheadend open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at tvheadend/tvheadend. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does Tvheadend run on?

Tvheadend is available for Linux, Self-hosted and Web.

What are the best alternatives to Tvheadend?

The highest-ranked Tvheadend alternatives right now are Channels DVR, Jellyfin and Plex. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 Tvheadend alternatives

Tvheadend facts

3 of 3 verified

License: GPL-3.0; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: GPL-3.0 (GNU General Public License v3.0).”
Input sources: ATSC, DVB-C/S/T, IPTV, SAT>IP; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “Description: Tvheadend is the leading TV streaming server for Linux with ATSC, DVB-C/C2, DVB-S/S2, DVB-T/T2, IPTV, SAT>IP and unix pipe input sources.”
Install options: Linux, Proxmox, Docker, NAS, Android; Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.tvheadend.org(opens source in a new tab); “Linux Virtualisation - Proxmox Docker NAS Android”