Channel Settings
Configure channel lifecycle, numbering, consolidation, per-league configuration, and stream ordering.
Channel Lifecycle
Controls when event channels are created and deleted in Dispatcharr.
Create Timing
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Same day | Create channels on the day of the event |
| Before event + buffer | Create channels a configurable number of hours before the event starts |
When “Before event + buffer” is selected, a Pre-Event Buffer field appears where you set the number of hours before the event to create the channel (e.g., 6 hours before).
Delete Timing
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Same day | Delete channels at midnight on the day of the event |
| After event + buffer | Delete channels a configurable number of hours after the event ends |
The Post-Event Buffer sets how many hours after the event ends to keep the channel (e.g., 2 hours after for postgame coverage).
Create and delete timing work together with EPG generation. Channels are only actually created or deleted when a generation run executes — the timing determines eligibility, not the exact moment.
Channel Numbering & Consolidation
Numbering Mode
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto | Sequential numbering from the start of the channel range. Sport/league priority determines order. |
| Manual | Per-league starting channel numbers. Each league gets its own block. |
Channel Range
Both modes use a global channel range:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Channel Range Start | First channel number Teamarr can use |
| Channel Range End | Last channel number (optional — leave empty for no upper limit) |
Per-League Starting Channels (Manual Mode)
When Manual mode is selected, a table appears listing all leagues with a configurable starting channel number for each. Use the search field and “Subscribed only” toggle to filter the list.
Each league gets sequential numbers starting from its configured start. This lets you group sports into predictable channel ranges (e.g., NFL at 500, NBA at 600, NHL at 700).
Stream Consolidation Mode
Controls how duplicate streams for the same event are handled:
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Consolidate | Merge multiple streams for the same event into a single channel with multiple sources. Exception keywords (configured in Settings > Event Groups) can override this per-stream. |
| Separate | Each stream gets its own channel, even if they’re for the same event |
Channel Ordering
Configure how channels are ordered within the channel range. The Sort Priority Manager lets you drag and drop sports and leagues into your preferred order. Higher items get lower channel numbers.
Click Auto-populate to pre-fill with all currently subscribed sports and leagues.
Per-League Channel Config
Override channel profiles, channel groups, and group modes on a per-league basis. This table lists all leagues — click a league row to expand its configuration.
Available Overrides
| Setting | Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Profiles | Default, None, or specific profiles | Which Dispatcharr profiles this league’s channels appear in |
| Channel Group | Default or specific group | Which Dispatcharr channel group to assign channels to |
| Group Mode | Default, Static, Dynamic by Sport, Dynamic by League, Custom | How the channel group is determined |
When Group Mode is set to Custom, a pattern field appears where you can enter a template like {sport} - {league} that dynamically creates groups.
Per-league overrides take precedence over the defaults in Settings > Dispatcharr. Use the X button to clear an override and revert to the default.
Filtering
Use the search field to find specific leagues, and toggle “Subscribed only” to hide leagues you haven’t enabled.
Stream Ordering
Configure priority rules for ordering streams within consolidated channels. When multiple streams are consolidated into a single channel, these rules determine which stream is listed first (the “primary” stream).
Rule Types
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| M3U Account | Prioritize streams from a specific M3U account | “Premium IPTV” = priority 1 |
| Event Group | Prioritize streams from a specific event group | “ESPN+ Group” = priority 2 |
| Regex Pattern | Prioritize streams matching a regex | (?i)1080p = priority 1 |
Lower priority numbers = higher priority. Rules are evaluated in order — the first matching rule determines the stream’s priority.