Dispatcharr

Dispatcharr

Dispatcharr is a free, open-source app for taking control of live TV sources, guide data, and media-server integrations. Run it on Docker, connect M3U or Xtream Codes sources, clean up channels, match EPG, monitor streams, and serve Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, Channels DVR, and IPTV players from one organized system.

Latest v0.27.1 · Free & open-source · GNU AGPL v3.0 · Runs on Docker

See how it works

What is Dispatcharr?

IPTV is rarely clean out of the box. Dispatcharr is the management layer that fixes that.

Playlists can be huge, duplicated, unstable, badly named, or disconnected from usable guide data. EPG sources may not match channel names. Media servers expect predictable tuner and guide behavior. Different people need different access. Streams fail, buffer, or need a fallback.

Dispatcharr sits between your upstream IPTV sources and your downstream viewing apps, acting as a central layer for importing, organizing, proxying, filtering, matching, transcoding, monitoring, and distributing streams. Instead of giving every client raw provider links, it creates a controlled output layer with cleaner channels, better EPG alignment, user permissions, stream and output profiles, and integration-ready endpoints.

In short: it is infrastructure for people who already have legitimate IPTV sources and want to manage them properly - not a player, not a playlist dump, and not a cloud IPTV service.

One app for the hard parts of IPTV

Dispatcharr handles the full workflow - from source import to client playback - so your lineup stays clean, reliable, and easy to serve.

M3U & Xtream Codes import

Add standard M3U playlists, Xtream Codes accounts, local files, and EPG URLs. Set refresh schedules, connection limits, user agents, server groups, and VOD scanning.

Precise channel organization

Build channels from provider streams and assign numbers, groups, logos, TVG IDs, Gracenote station IDs, visibility rules, maturity flags, and access levels.

EPG matching & XMLTV export

Connect EPG sources, auto-match or assign guide entries by hand, fix TVG IDs, and export clean XMLTV that media servers and DVR systems actually understand.

Outputs every client understands

Serve generated M3U playlists, XMLTV guide data, an Xtream Codes-compatible API, and HDHomeRun-style discovery for popular apps and media servers.

Flexible stream profiles

Choose how each stream is handled - proxy, redirect, FFmpeg, VLC, Streamlink, yt-dlp, or custom commands - balancing resources, buffering, and failover.

Output profiles & transcoding

Normalize audio, pick containers like MPEG-TS or fMP4, and transcode per client so browsers, media servers, and IPTV players get a stream they can play.

DVR & guide recording

Schedule one-time or recurring recordings by channel, date, and weekly rules - or record a program, all episodes, or new episodes straight from the TV guide.

Failover & backup streams

Give a channel multiple streams. When one source fails, Dispatcharr switches to a backup automatically, so clients keep playing without manual fixes.

Real-time stats & events

See active channels, uptime, bitrate, data served, watchers, IPs, user agents, and codecs - plus a system event log of refreshes, switches, and errors.

Users & access control

Create admin, standard, and streamer accounts with channel-profile limits, stream caps, mature-content rules, output overrides, XC passwords, and allowed IPs.

VOD management

When a source supports it, scan and expose movie and series catalogs so users can search, browse, and play on-demand content from one library.

Plugins, webhooks & API

Extend Dispatcharr with plugins, fire webhooks and scripts on events, ship metrics to monitoring stacks, and automate with a documented Swagger API.

How Dispatcharr works

1

Add your sources

Connect M3U playlists, Xtream Codes accounts, uploaded files, and EPG URLs. Configure refresh behavior, max streams, user agents, and server groups.

2

Select & organize streams

Search imported streams, create channels, add backup streams, set numbers and groups, pick logos, and choose what appears in each output.

3

Match guide data

Auto-match or assign EPG entries, clean up TVG and Gracenote IDs, and prepare XMLTV so downstream apps get accurate channel and program info.

4

Choose stream behavior

Use stream profiles to proxy, redirect, remux, or process each stream through FFmpeg, VLC, Streamlink, yt-dlp, or your own commands.

5

Create output profiles

Tune delivery per client - pick containers, normalize audio, and transcode where a browser, media server, or IPTV player needs it.

6

Connect your clients

Point Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, Channels DVR, or any IPTV player at Dispatcharr via HDHomeRun, M3U, XMLTV, or Xtream Codes-compatible endpoints.

7

Monitor & refine

Watch active streams, stats, and system events, then adjust profiles, failover streams, filters, and user access as your lineup evolves.

Download & set up Dispatcharr

The recommended way to install Dispatcharr is with Docker. Pull the image, run the container, then open the web UI to create your first user and add a source.

Latest release: Dispatcharr v0.27.1 - faster Xtream VOD and XMLTV export, lower EPG memory use, quicker channel loading, and live-streaming, DVR, and M3U refresh fixes.

Quick Docker install

docker pull ghcr.io/dispatcharr/dispatcharr:latest

docker run -d \
  -p 9191:9191 \
  --name dispatcharr \
  -v dispatcharr_data:/data \
  ghcr.io/dispatcharr/dispatcharr:latest

After startup, open http://your-server-ip:9191 in a browser, create the first user account, add an M3U or Xtream Codes source, connect EPG data, then start creating channels.

Docker Compose

services:
  dispatcharr:
    image: ghcr.io/dispatcharr/dispatcharr:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    container_name: dispatcharr
    ports:
      - 9191:9191
    volumes:
      - dispatcharr_data:/data
    environment:
      - DISPATCHARR_ENV=aio
      - REDIS_HOST=localhost
      - CELERY_BROKER_URL=redis://localhost:6379/0
      - DISPATCHARR_LOG_LEVEL=info

volumes:
  dispatcharr_data:

Installation options

All-in-one (recommended)

Dispatcharr, Redis, and PostgreSQL run in a single container - the fastest path to a working setup. Ideal for home servers and first-time installs.

Modular Compose

Split Dispatcharr, Celery, PostgreSQL, and Redis into separate services for control over database versions, scaling, security, and TLS.

Unraid

Install from the Unraid Apps tab - search for Dispatcharr, deploy, and adjust defaults only when your server setup needs it.

Proxmox

Run inside a Docker-enabled Ubuntu LXC container or VM - a clean fit for homelabs that separate media, networking, and app workloads.

Windows, macOS & Linux

Anywhere Docker and Docker Compose run, including Docker Desktop on Windows and Mac, and any Linux host, NAS, mini PC, or VPS.

External DB & Redis

Point the modular deployment at external PostgreSQL and Redis, and pair it with reverse proxies, VPN containers, and monitoring stacks.

Why Dispatcharr instead of raw playlists

A raw M3U link is simple until it is not. Dispatcharr adds the management layer that basic playlist usage is missing - and gives you one place to diagnose and fix problems.

Problems raw playlists leave you with

  • Duplicate, stale, or badly named channels across huge playlists
  • EPG data that does not match channel names or numbers
  • Unstable streams with no failover or backup source
  • Multiple providers and connection limits to juggle
  • Media servers that expect predictable tuner and guide behavior
  • Different users who need different access and lineups

What Dispatcharr does about it

One server handles provider imports, stream selection, channel mapping, output formatting, access control, and monitoring. Clients receive cleaner endpoints instead of raw provider URLs that expose upstream details and break silently.

Administrators get a central place to switch streams, adjust profiles, fix guide data, and maintain the lineup - so troubleshooting happens in one interface, not across every client.

Frequently asked questions

What is Dispatcharr?

Dispatcharr is a free, open-source, self-hosted IPTV and stream-management application. It imports M3U and Xtream Codes sources, helps you build organized channel lineups, matches EPG guide data, manages how streams are delivered, and exports formats that media servers and IPTV clients understand - all from one controlled interface.

Is Dispatcharr an IPTV provider?

No. Dispatcharr is not an IPTV provider, subscription service, or content platform. It ships no channels, paid packages, provider accounts, movies, or series. It is software for managing IPTV sources you already have legal access to, sitting between your upstream sources and downstream clients like Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, Channels DVR, and IPTV players.

Who is Dispatcharr made for?

It is built for self-hosters, IPTV power users, homelab operators, media-server users, and technical households that want real control over live TV. It is especially useful for managing large M3U playlists, multiple Xtream Codes accounts, unstable streams, mismatched EPG data, and per-user access - not for people looking for a one-click TV subscription.

How is Dispatcharr different from a raw M3U playlist?

A raw M3U playlist is just a list of streams. It usually has no structured management, access control, failover, channel or stream profiles, monitoring, DVR, plugins, or clean EPG mapping. Dispatcharr adds that missing layer: instead of handing raw provider links to every client, it produces controlled outputs with better organization, predictable guide data, central monitoring, and configurable stream behavior.

Which sources can Dispatcharr import?

Standard M3U sources, local M3U files, Xtream Codes accounts, EPG sources, and supported VOD catalogs. Imported sources can be refreshed, filtered, grouped, searched, and turned into managed channels, with control over refresh intervals, connection limits, user agents, server groups, VOD scanning, and stale-stream retention.

Which clients and media servers work with Dispatcharr?

Dispatcharr serves software that supports common IPTV and live-TV formats, including Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, Channels DVR, and compatible IPTV players. Depending on the client it provides M3U playlists, XMLTV guide data, an Xtream Codes-compatible API, or HDHomeRun-style behavior - making it a clean middle layer for media servers that need predictable channels and guide info.

Does Dispatcharr support EPG and TV guide data?

Yes. It connects EPG sources, assigns guide data to channels, supports manual and automatic matching, and exports XMLTV for downstream clients. Clean EPG data makes live TV easier to browse, helps media servers identify channels correctly, and improves DVR scheduling.

Can Dispatcharr help with unreliable streams?

It cannot make a bad provider good, but it makes unreliable sources easier to manage. A channel can have primary and backup streams so Dispatcharr can switch sources when one fails, stream profiles control how each stream is processed, and the Stats and Events views help you spot failures, reconnects, and provider-side issues.

Does Dispatcharr support DVR recordings?

Yes. It includes DVR features for one-time and recurring recordings, scheduled by channel, date, time, and weekly rules. When guide data is available you can also create recordings directly from program entries in the TV guide.

How is Dispatcharr installed?

The recommended method is Docker. Deploy the all-in-one container for the simplest setup, or a modular Docker Compose stack for advanced environments. It runs on Linux servers, NAS devices, mini PCs, Unraid, Proxmox, and Docker Desktop on Windows and macOS. For most users, the all-in-one Docker deployment is the fastest way to start.

Is Dispatcharr free and open-source?

Yes. Dispatcharr is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU AGPL v3.0. It is developed in public and shaped by community contributions, releases, documentation, and plugins, and belongs to the self-hosted software ecosystem rather than the commercial IPTV-provider market.

Is using Dispatcharr legal?

Dispatcharr is a management tool, not a content source - it includes no channels, subscriptions, or media. Whether a particular stream is allowed depends entirely on the source and the rules that apply to it. Use Dispatcharr only with IPTV sources and content you have the legal right to access in your jurisdiction.

Download Dispatcharr

Free, open-source, and self-hosted. Turn scattered IPTV sources into one organized, reliable TV system for IPTV, EPG, VOD, DVR, and stream management.

Download DispatcharrInstall with Docker