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Channels API

The Channels app exposes a simple HTTP API that you can reach on port 57000 of the IP address of your device.

Learn more about how you can use it below. Monitor what’s currently playing, integrate Channels into your home automation, or just make your family think there are ghosts.

Note

The Channels API will be as available as the platform it's running on allows. For tvOS, this means only when Channels is open and active. For Android and Fire TV, it will work if Channels is active or backgrounded, but only if it has been launched at least once.

Discovery

The Channels API advertisies itself with Bonjour. You can search for all of the apps on your network with Bonjour using the _channels_app._tcp</code>` service name.

HTTP API

Method Endpoint Description
GET /api/status Player’s current status
GET /api/favorite_channels List of favorite channels
POST /api/toggle_pip Toggle Picture in Picture on and off
POST /api/toggle_mute Toggle mute on and off
POST /api/toggle_cc Toggle captions on and off
POST /api/channel_up Change the channel
POST /api/channel_down Change the channel
POST /api/previous_channel Jump to the previous channel
POST /api/toggle_pause Pause or resume playback based on current playing state
POST /api/toggle_record Record the program playing on the current channel
POST /api/pause Pause playback
POST /api/resume Resume playback
POST /api/stop Stop playback
POST /api/seek/{seconds} Seek in timeline by seconds
POST /api/seek_forward Seek ahead duration in settings
POST /api/seek_backward Seek back duration in settings
POST /api/skip_forward Skip to the next chapter mark
POST /api/skip_backward Skip to the previous chapter mark
POST /api/play/channel/{channel_number} Play a channel
POST /api/play/recording/{recording_id} Play a recording
POST /api/navigate/{section_name} Change to a section of the app by providing its name. EX, Guide, Library, Live TV
POST /api/notify Present a notification while playing video - example payload: {“title”:”Arrived home”, “message”:”Jon has arrived home”}

Example

You can simply use CURL to query or control Channels with the Channels API. All methods return a JSON representation of the current status of Channels.

$ curl -X POST http://192.168.1.50:57000/api/pause
{
"status": "paused",
"muted": false,
"channel": {
"number": "552",
"name": "TBS HD",
"image_url": "http://fanc.tmsimg.com/h5/NowShowing/58515/s58515_h5_aa.png"
},
"now_playing": {
"title": "Seinfeld",
"episode_title": "The Truth",
"season_number": 3,
"episode_number": 2,
"summary": "A woman (Valerie Mahaffey) wants to know why George doesn't want to see her."
"image_url": "http://fanc.tmsimg.com/a/p183875_b_h6_ab.jpg",
}
}

API Clients

Use these API clients in your existing projects. They’re ready to roll. Let us know if you make one yourself.

  • rbchannels - Ruby client for talking directly to your Channels app.
  • pychannels - Python client for talking directly to your Channels app.