ErsatzTV can turn selected media from a self-hosted library into scheduled live channels that you can watch through Plex. It runs alongside Plex Media Server, presents itself to Plex as a tuner, and supplies an XMLTV guide; it does not require an over-the-air tuner or antenna to create channels from your own library. The title’s add-on is not named in the available documentation, so ErsatzTV is a likely fit rather than a confirmed identification of any particular setup.
What ErsatzTV does—and what it does not do
ErsatzTV is software for building custom, scheduled channels from a media library. You select content, organize it into collections, create channels, and schedule what plays. Plex then treats ErsatzTV as a Live TV source, letting you browse a channel lineup and guide rather than choosing each file individually. ErsatzTV’s introduction and quick-start documentation describes that workflow.
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This is different from receiving local broadcast television. An antenna and compatible OTA tuner are for bringing broadcast signals into Plex; custom ErsatzTV channels are assembled from your existing media. They are also not a new streaming catalog: the programs come from media sources you configure.
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The broad sequence is to install ErsatzTV, connect a media source, create collections and channels, make schedules, and then configure a playback client. In the Plex workflow, Plex supplies library metadata to ErsatzTV, while ErsatzTV provides channel and guide information back to Plex. For the documented integration, you need an active Plex Pass, and Plex clients directly support ErsatzTV’s MPEG-TS channel streaming mode. Check the current ErsatzTV Plex client instructions for interface labels and any changes before following a screen-by-screen guide.
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Connect Plex and select libraries
In ErsatzTV, sign in to Plex and choose which libraries to synchronize. The sync is one way: Plex provides metadata to ErsatzTV. ErsatzTV says this process does not change Plex configuration or modify your media. That keeps the roles distinct: Plex remains the media server, while ErsatzTV builds the channel schedule from the library information it receives. See ErsatzTV’s Plex Libraries documentation.
Build channels and schedules
Use the imported media to create collections, arrange channels, and define schedules. The scheduling step is what makes a channel feel like live TV: a viewer joins what is playing at that time instead of starting a program from its beginning. How you organize the library and schedule is up to you; the documentation establishes the workflow, not a particular programming format or lineup.
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Add ErsatzTV in Plex
- In Plex, open Settings → Live TV & DVR and choose Set Up Plex DVR, following ErsatzTV’s documented Plex workflow.
- If Plex does not discover the service, enter the ErsatzTV server address and port manually as prompted.
- When Plex displays the channel listing, provide the XMLTV guide URL shown by ErsatzTV so Plex can load the program guide.
- Complete setup and try playback on the Plex client you intend to use. The exact labels may change; consult the ErsatzTV Plex guide for current instructions.
The XMLTV URL is the guide feed, not a replacement for the server connection. Both the channel source and guide need to be configured for the intended Plex Live TV experience.
Choose how ErsatzTV reaches your files
If ErsatzTV streams through Plex media sources, Plex is the source of the library metadata and media workflow. If you want ErsatzTV to read files directly from disk, its process must be able to access the same shares and mounts as Plex. The simpler arrangement, according to the Plex Libraries documentation, is to use identical mounts for both services.
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When identical mounts are not practical, configure path replacements so paths Plex reports map to paths ErsatzTV can access. A mismatch can leave ErsatzTV with library entries but no usable file path for direct disk streaming. Check permissions and mount visibility from the environment where ErsatzTV runs, especially when Plex and ErsatzTV are in separate containers or on different hosts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check server and client compatibility before relying on it
Plex’s Live TV support documentation says the server must be capable of transcoding for its described Live TV workflow. Plex’s support material also lists Plex Media Server v1.16.1 or newer for that workflow and an active Plex Pass for recording. Those requirements should not be conflated: a Plex Pass is documented for the ErsatzTV integration, while the cited Plex page specifically associates the pass with recording. Check the current Plex documentation and your actual server/client combination rather than assuming that a NAS or a particular client can play every stream.
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Custom channels made from your library do not require an OTA tuner and antenna. Those devices apply when you want Plex to receive over-the-air broadcasts, as distinct from ErsatzTV-generated channels. Plex’s setup background is available in its Live TV & DVR guide.
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Other clients and the Tunarr alternative
ErsatzTV lists Plex, Jellyfin, TiviMate, Channels DVR Server, and Kodi among its clients. Depending on the client, setup may use an M3U playlist, an XMLTV guide URL, or both; do not assume Plex’s tuner procedure applies to every app. The ErsatzTV client documentation has client-specific details.
Tunarr is another documented option for creating custom channels and connecting them to Plex through Live TV & DVR with an XMLTV guide. Its documentation also describes Plex media-source synchronization, but the feature-status language in that material is not enough to establish its current maturity. Compare the current documentation for each project before choosing; available evidence supports that both document a Plex integration, not a definitive feature-by-feature winner or a reliability ranking. Tunarr’s integration instructions are at Tunarr’s Plex client page, and its media-source information is at Tunarr’s Plex media source page.
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