Dispatcharr (pronounced like "dispatcher") is an open-source powerhouse for managing IPTV streams, EPG data, and VOD content with elegance and control.
Born from necessity and built with passion, it started as a personal project by OkinawaBoss and evolved with contributions from legends like dekzter, SergeantPanda and Seth.
Think of Dispatcharr as the *arr family's IPTV cousin — simple, smart, and designed for streamers who want reliability and flexibility.
Dispatcharr empowers you with complete IPTV control. Here are some real-world scenarios:
💡 Consolidate Multiple IPTV Sources
Combine streams from multiple providers into a single interface. Manage, filter, and organize thousands of channels with ease.
📺 Integrate with Media Centers
Use HDHomeRun emulation to add virtual tuners to Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin. They'll discover Dispatcharr as a live TV source and can record programs directly to their own DVR libraries.
📼 Record with Built-in DVR
Schedule one-time or recurring recordings from the TV Guide, manage series rules, and optionally strip commercials with Comskip. Watch recordings while they're still in progress.
📡 Create a Personal TV Ecosystem
Merge live TV channels with custom EPG guides from XMLTV or Schedules Direct. Generate schedules or use auto-matching to align channels with program data. Export as M3U, Xtream Codes API, or HDHomeRun device.
⏪ Watch Catch-up / Timeshift
Replay recent programs from Xtream Codes providers that advertise archives. Catch-up sessions show up on the Stats page alongside live and VOD, with per-user and global controls.
🔧 Transcode & Optimize Streams
Configure output profiles with FFmpeg transcoding to optimize streams for different clients (reduce bandwidth, standardize formats, or add audio normalization).
🔐 Centralize VPN Access
Run Dispatcharr through a VPN container (like Gluetun) so all streams route through a single VPN connection. Your clients access geo-blocked content without needing individual VPNs, reducing bandwidth overhead and simplifying network management.
🚀 Monitor & Manage in Real-Time
Track live, VOD, and catch-up sessions, client connections, and bandwidth usage with live statistics. Monitor buffering events and stream quality. Automatic failover keeps viewers connected when streams fail—seamlessly switching to backup sources without interruption.
👥 Share Access Safely
Create multiple user accounts with granular permissions. Share streams via M3U playlists or Xtream Codes API while controlling which users access which channels, profiles, or features. Network-based access restrictions available for additional security.
🔌 Extend with Plugins
Build custom integrations using Dispatcharr's robust plugin system. Automate tasks, connect to external services, or add entirely new workflows.
✅ Stream Proxy & Relay — Intercept and proxy IPTV streams with real-time client management
✅ M3U & Xtream Codes — Import, filter, and organize playlists with multiple backend support
✅ EPG Matching & Generation — XMLTV, Schedules Direct, or dummy guides; auto-match EPG to channels or generate custom schedules
✅ Built-in DVR — Schedule recordings and series rules from the guide, with optional Comskip and in-progress playback
✅ XC Catch-up / Timeshift — Proxy provider archives to clients, advertise catch-up in guides, and monitor sessions in Stats
✅ Video on Demand — Stream movies and TV series with rich metadata and IMDB/TMDB integration
✅ Multi-Format Output — Export as M3U, XMLTV EPG, Xtream Codes API, or HDHomeRun device
✅ Real-Time Monitoring — Live, VOD, and catch-up connection stats, bandwidth tracking, and automatic failover
✅ Stream Profiles — Configure how Dispatcharr connects to backend streams (VLC, FFmpeg, Streamlink, or custom commands)
✅ Output Profiles — Transcode what stream profiles deliver before it reaches the client (e.g. AC3 for media servers, AAC for browsers) with fMP4 or MPEG-TS container selection
✅ Multi-User & Access Control — Granular permissions and network-based access restrictions
✅ Plugin System — Extend functionality with custom plugins for automation and integrations
✅ Fully Self-Hosted — Total control, no third-party dependencies
- General help? Visit Dispatcharr Docs
- Community support? Join our Discord
docker pull ghcr.io/dispatcharr/dispatcharr:latest
docker run -d \
-p 9191:9191 \
--name dispatcharr \
-v dispatcharr_data:/data \
ghcr.io/dispatcharr/dispatcharr:latestCustomize ports and volumes to fit your setup.
First-time web setup is limited to local/private networks by default. If you are installing on a VPS or otherwise reaching the UI from a public IP, either create the admin with docker exec <container> python manage.py createsuperuser, or set DISPATCHARR_SETUP_ALLOWED_IP to your client IP (see comments in the compose files). The setup page also shows the IP Dispatcharr sees.
Behind a reverse proxy, set DISPATCHARR_TRUSTED_PROXIES to your proxy's IP or CIDR so Network Access, Stats, and rate limits see real client IPs (defaults trust private/loopback peers; use none to ignore forwarded headers).
| Use Case | File | Description |
|---|---|---|
| All-in-One Deployment | docker-compose.aio.yml | ⭐ Recommended! A simple, all-in-one solution — everything runs in a single container for quick setup. |
| Modular Deployment | docker-compose.yml | Separate containers for Dispatcharr, Celery, Redis, and Postgres — perfect if you want more granular control. |
| Development Environment | docker-compose.dev.yml | Developer-friendly setup with pre-configured ports and settings for contributing and testing. |
⚠️ Warning: Not officially supported — but if you're here, you know what you're doing!
If you are running a Debian-based OS, use the debian_install.sh script. For other OS, contribute a script and we’ll add it!
We welcome PRs, issues, ideas, and suggestions!
- Prior to contributing, please read the CONTRIBUTING.md
Whether it's writing docs, squashing bugs, or building new features, your contribution matters! 🙋
- 📖 Documentation: Dispatcharr Docs
Upcoming Features (in no particular order):
- 🎬 VOD Management Enhancements — Granular metadata control and cleanup of unwanted VOD content
- 📁 Media Library — Import local files and serve them over XC API
- 👥 Enhanced User Management — Customizable XC API output per user account
- 🔌 Fallback Videos — Automatic fallback content when channels are unavailable
- 📡 HLS Output — Serve streams as HLS alongside existing container formats
A huge thank you to all the incredible open-source projects and libraries that power Dispatcharr. We stand on the shoulders of giants!
Have a question? Want to suggest a feature? Just want to say hi?
➡️ Open an issue or reach out on Discord.
Open Collective provides a transparent way for anyone who finds value in Dispatcharr to support things like: • Infrastructure costs (Domains, Servers, etc.) • Apple Developer Program and Google Play Developer accounts • Helping contributors dedicate more time to improving the project
Support is completely optional, and Dispatcharr will always remain free and open-source.
Dispatcharr is licensed under GNU AGPL v3.0: For full license details, see LICENSE.
Dispatcharr is a trademark of the Dispatcharr project. Use of the Dispatcharr name or logo requires permission from the maintainers.