Your Plex, Jellyfin or Emby library, live like cable.
Lazy Channel turns the movies and shows you already have, plus antenna channels from an HDHomeRun tuner, into live TV channels with a real cable-style guide on Apple TV. No scrolling. Something good is already on.
Coming soon to the App Store for Apple TV
Something good is already on
A big library has one catch: you have to pick something. Lazy Channel does the picking. It schedules your movies and shows into channels that run all day, so when you turn on the TV, a show is already mid-episode, just like cable.
Swipe up or down on the Siri Remote to flip channels, or open the guide to see what's on now and next. Leave it on in the background while you cook, work or fall asleep.
Everything runs on the Apple TV. There's no extra server to install, no Docker, and no account to create.
How it works
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Connect your server
Sign in to Plex with a code at plex.tv/link, or connect Jellyfin or Emby. No server yet? Try the built-in demo library.
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Get a lineup automatically
Lazy Channel builds channels from your library by network, genre and decade, plus Movie Night, Kids and New Arrivals. Edit them or make your own.
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Turn it on
Something is already playing. Surf with the Siri Remote, or open the guide to see the next 24 hours.
Everything cable got right
Built from your own movies and shows, on the Apple TV you already have.
Channels that build themselves
Auto-built channels by network, genre and decade, made from what's actually in your library.
Time-slot programming
Saturday-morning cartoons, prime-time movies and holiday blocks, scheduled like real TV.
No repeats until everything has aired
Every program on a channel plays once before anything comes around again.
Filler and up-next cards
Your own clips fill the gaps between programs, then a countdown shows what's coming on.
Profiles with PINs and kids limits
Separate lineups, rating limits and a Kids channel that stays kid-safe.
iCloud sync, no server
Your lineup appears on every Apple TV in the house through your own iCloud account.
Antenna channels in the same guide
HDHomeRun channels through Plex or Jellyfin Live TV, right next to your library channels.
Works away from home
Watch your channels from another house. Lazy Channel reaches your server over the internet.
Share channels with family
Family members on your server get the same lineup, airing in sync with yours.
Control it from your phone, Mac or AI assistant
Use your phone as a remote, edit the lineup on your Mac, or ask an AI assistant to make a channel and put it on.
A real channel guide
What's on now and next across every channel, with program details and a large-text mode.
On Now, from the Home Screen
See what's playing on your channels from the Apple TV Home Screen and jump straight in.
Works with the server you already have
Plex
Sign in with a code at plex.tv/link. Lazy Channel picks the best connection to your Plex Media Server, at home or away.
Jellyfin
Connect with your server address, or use Quick Connect so there's no typing on the TV.
Emby
Connect your Emby server and its movies and shows become channels.
HDHomeRun
Antenna channels through Plex Live TV & DVR or Jellyfin Live TV, with your server's listings and station logos.
Lazy Channel is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Plex, Jellyfin, Emby or SiliconDust (maker of HDHomeRun). Their names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to describe compatibility.
Pricing
Planned prices in US dollars. Final prices will be listed on the App Store at launch.
Free
$0
Everything you need to start watching.
- Up to 20 channels, auto-built or custom
- One server, plus the demo library
- Guide, channel surfing and up-next cards
- iCloud sync, Home Screen row and backups
- One profile with a rating limit
Lazy Channel Plus
$4.99
One-time purchase. Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited channels and servers
- Time blocks, late night and holiday programming
- Filler clips and bumpers
- Profiles with PINs and per-profile limits
- Live TV from your antenna tuner
- Phone, Mac and AI-assistant control
Autopilot
$1.99 a month
Or $14.99 a year, with a one-week free trial. Everything in Plus, plus:
- Channels that curate themselves each week from what you watch
- For You, Background TV, Discover and Tonight's Movies
- Seasonal specials and refreshed programming packs
Frequently asked questions
What is Lazy Channel?
Lazy Channel is an Apple TV app that turns your own Plex, Jellyfin or Emby library into live TV channels with a cable-style guide. Instead of scrolling through menus, you turn it on and a show is already playing, mid-episode, like flipping on cable. Antenna channels from an HDHomeRun tuner can sit in the same guide.
Can I watch my Plex library as live TV channels on Apple TV?
Yes. Sign in to Plex with a code at plex.tv/link and Lazy Channel builds channels from your movies and shows: by network, genre and decade, plus channels like Movie Night, Kids and New Arrivals. Each channel runs on a schedule, so when you tune in, something is already on. Swipe up or down on the Siri Remote to change channels, or open the guide to see what's on now and next.
How do I make Plex feel like cable TV?
That's exactly what Lazy Channel is for. It schedules your library into channels with a real program guide, so shows start at the right minute and keep going whether you're watching or not. Add time-slot programming like Saturday-morning cartoons or prime-time movies, filler clips between programs and "up next" cards, and it feels like the cable you grew up with, made from your own collection.
Will the same movie or episode keep repeating?
No. Each channel plays every program in its pool once before anything repeats, and a new round never opens with the program that just closed the last one. A big library stays fresh for a long time.
Can I watch HDHomeRun antenna channels with Plex on Apple TV?
Yes, with Lazy Channel Plus. If your HDHomeRun or other tuner is set up in Plex Live TV & DVR or Jellyfin Live TV, Lazy Channel adds your antenna channels to the same guide as your library channels, numbered as broadcast (10.1, 25.1) with your server's listings and station logos. Your server converts the broadcast into a stream Apple TV can play, and the tuner is released when you change channels.
How much will Lazy Channel cost?
The plan is a free version with up to 20 channels; Lazy Channel Plus for $4.99 as a one-time purchase, which unlocks unlimited channels, time blocks, filler, PIN profiles, live TV and remote control; and Autopilot for $1.99 a month or $14.99 a year, which adds channels that curate themselves. Final prices will be listed on the App Store at launch.
When is Lazy Channel coming out?
Lazy Channel is in development and coming soon to the App Store for Apple TV. There's no release date yet. When it's available, this site will link to it. There's no mailing list, because we don't collect email addresses.
Coming soon to Apple TV
Lazy Channel is in development. When it's on the App Store, this site will link to it.
There's no waitlist and no sign-up form, because we don't collect email addresses. Check back here, or search for Lazy Channel in the App Store on your Apple TV once it's out.
