Getting Started & Setup
What is Timeslot TV and how does it work?
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Timeslot TV is personal media software that organizes and plays your own collection of videos and music in an authentic television experience.
- Creates channels that play continuously from your media folders
- Simulates live broadcast - content plays at different points when you change channels
- Features an authentic TV interface with channel numbers, volume controls, and station call signs
- Runs locally - not a streaming service
What are the system requirements?
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Operating Systems:
- Windows: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit only)
- Linux: Most modern distributions with X11 or Wayland (64-bit only)
Architecture:
- x86-64 (64-bit) processors only
Minimum Hardware:
- CPU: Dual-core 2.0 GHz or higher
- RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
- GPU: Graphics card with hardware video decoding support recommended
- Storage: ~500 MB for application
Optional Software (Windows):
- VLC Media Player - For alternate video backend support. Install from videolan.org
- Full GStreamer installation - For additional codec packs beyond what's included with Timeslot TV. Download from gstreamer.freedesktop.org
- Mutagen - For expanded audio metadata support. Install via Python pip:
pip install mutagen
Optional Software (Linux):
- VLC Media Player - For alternate video backend support. Install via package manager (e.g.,
apt install vlc) - Full GStreamer installation - For additional codec packs. Install via package manager (e.g.,
apt install gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly) - Mutagen - For expanded audio metadata support. Install via package manager or pip:
pip install mutagen
What file formats are supported?
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Most common video and audio formats are supported:
Video: MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, WebM, OGG, TS, M2TS, MPEG, 3GP
Audio: MP3, FLAC, WAV, OGG, M4A, AAC, WMA
What codecs are supported?
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Supported Video Codecs:
- H.264 / AVC - (MP4, MKV, MOV)
- H.265 / HEVC
- VP8, VP9
- AV1
- MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4
Supported Audio Codecs:
- AAC
- MP3
- Opus
- Vorbis
- FLAC
- PCM / WAV
NOT Supported:
- AC-3
- E-AC-3
- DTS
- Dolby TrueHD
Content & Channels
How do I add content and create channels?
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Quick Setup:
- Use the Scanner Mode to browse your media folders
- Select folders you want to turn into channels
- Timeslot TV automatically assigns channel numbers and creates station IDs
- Each folder becomes a channel that plays all videos in sequence, looping continuously
Drag and Drop:
- Drag media files or folders directly into the video display area
- Drag files into the Program Guide to add them to specific channels
Manual Setup:
Right-click channels in the Program Guide to add folders or individual files.
How does the timeline system work?
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Timeslot TV creates a consistent timeline across all channels to simulate real broadcasting:
- All channels start playing when you launch the app
- Each channel plays independently through its playlist
- Switch channels to catch content at different points
- Progress persists between sessions
- Playlists loop continuously
Controls & Hardware
What game controllers and remotes work with Timeslot TV?
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Built-in Support:
- Keyboard and mouse
- Xbox controllers
- PlayStation controllers
IR Remote Control (via FLIRC):
- Acquire FLIRC USB IR receiver and IR remote control
- Install FLIRC software to program your remote
- Map remote buttons to keyboard shortcuts (see below)
What are the controller commands in TV Mode?
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Controller Layout:
| Button | Function |
|---|---|
| LB / RB | Channel Down / Up |
| LT / RT | Channel Down 10 / Up 10 |
| A Button | Enter / Confirm |
| B Button | Escape / Cancel |
| X Button | Toggle info panel (guide) / Quick Volume (Press X + dpad while in TV mode) |
| Y Button | Toggle fullscreen |
| Start | Toggle menu |
| Select / Back | Toggle program guide |
| Start + Select | Exit app |
| D-Pad Up / Down | Navigate (arrow keys) |
| D-Pad Left / Right | Navigate (arrow keys) |
| X + D-Pad Up / Right | Volume up |
| X + D-Pad Down / Left | Volume down |
| Left Stick Up / Down | W/S viewport shift (program guide) |
| Left Stick Left / Right | A/D viewport shift (program guide) |
| Left Stick Click (L3) | Center guide (guide mode) / Mute (TV mode) |
| Right Stick Click (R3) | Toggle power (TV mode) |
PS5 DualSense Controllers: Supported with equivalent mapping based on button location (Cross=A, Circle=B, Square=X, Triangle=Y). Due to built-in controller audio, you must deselect the DualSense speaker as the audio output device in Windows Sound Mixer to prevent audio routing issues.
Keyboard Controls:
| Key | Function |
|---|---|
| = / + / Numpad + | Channel up |
| - / Numpad - | Channel down |
| Page Up | Channel up 10 |
| Page Down | Channel down 10 |
| [ / ] | Volume down / up |
| Arrow Keys | Navigate menus and guide |
| W / S / A / D | Viewport shift in program guide |
| Enter / Numpad Enter | Confirm / Select |
| Escape | Exit / Cancel |
| C | Center guide |
| M | Toggle mute |
| V | Cycle subtitles |
| A | Cycle audio tracks |
| P | Toggle power |
| F | Toggle fullscreen |
| Q | Toggle menu mode |
| G | Toggle program guide |
| I | Toggle info panel in guide |
| Space | Play / Pause |
| , / . | Skip backward / forward |
| ; / ' | Skip backward / forward 30 seconds |
| L | Last channel |
| R / N / K | Performance mode / Scanlines / Scanner mode |
| 0-9 | Direct channel number input |
Troubleshooting
My game controller isn't working
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Controller setup:
- Connect controller before starting Timeslot TV
- Check if controller icon appears in status bar
- For wired controllers, try a different USB port
- Verify controller works in other applications
- For wireless controllers, ensure proper pairing
- For PS5 Dualsense controller, you must deselect the DualSense speaker as the audio output device in Windows Sound Mixer to prevent audio routing issues