vdrLive vs ByAR Texel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
vdrLive
Watch Live TV from your VDR installation on your iOS devices. Access channel lists, current program info, and EPG data. Control your VDR with a virtual remote.
- Live TV streaming
- Channel lists and program info
- EPG information
- Virtual remote control
- Automatic VDR network search
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vdrLive connects your iPhone and iPad to your Video Disk Recorder (VDR) on the local network. Home screen • The channel you watched last with the current program; tap to tune in • Continue watching, on TV now, tonight and new recordings at a glance Live TV and radio • Watch all channels through the streamdev-server plugin, including MPEG-2, H.264 and HEVC, stereo and AC-3 • Swipe to change channels, see the current and next program • Choose audio track and subtitles, adjust deinterlacing and buffering • Mini player (iOS 26.1 or later): playback continues while you browse the guide or your recordings • Picture in picture: the video keeps playing in a floating window, even when you leave the app • Radio keeps playing in the background, with Lock Screen controls iPad and iPhone Duo • Home screen, recordings and timers in two columns: list and details side by side • Channel list next to the playing video • iPhone Duo: partially folded, video and controls sit side by side or one above the other; playback continues as you open and close it Program guide • Guide per channel and guide grid on iPad and the unfolded iPhone Duo • Full-text search in the loaded guide • Create timers with pre- and post-recording margins directly from program details • Programs that already have a timer are marked Timers and recordings • Create, edit, deactivate and delete timers • Timer conflicts and search timers when epgsearch is installed • Recordings in folders, resume where you left off • Rename, move and delete recordings, or play them on the TV connected to the VDR More • Remote control for the VDR • Channel logos as well as images and series details for programs and recordings when restfulapi and a scraper plugin are installed • Find VDRs on the local network, multiple servers • Demo mode with fictional channels to try the app without a VDR • Settings from vdrLive 2 are imported Requirements • VDR with SVDRP access for this device (svdrphosts.conf) • For playback: streamdev-server plugin with its HTTP server enabled; it must also allow this device (streamdevhosts.conf). Recordings require streamdev-server 0.6.1 or later • Optional: restfulapi (logos, images), scraper2vdr or tvscraper (images and series details), epgsearch (search timers, conflicts) • More › Settings › VDR Requirements shows which of these are met vdrLive Pro Without a purchase, each playback ends after 3 minutes; all other features can be used without restriction. The in-app purchase vdrLive Pro removes this limit permanently. A purchase from vdrLive 2 remains valid.
ByAR Texel
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Experience the present and past of Texel and Den Helder in augmented reality! iTexel takes you interactively to noteworthy points in Den Helder and on Texel. The routes offer an additional digital experience in the form of augmented reality, photos, videos, and audio. Learn more about the VOC era on Texel and Napoleon's legacy in Den Helder. This small, powerful man comes to life and tells you more about his grand plans! On Texel, you'll pass by beautiful nature reserves where the forest ranger and birdwatcher can tell you all about the island's flora and fauna. Tip: Download your chosen route in advance on a Wi-Fi network. This way, you won't depend on an internet connection while on the go. Once the route is downloaded, it's available offline in our app. With your mobile phone's GPS and a clear route, you'll visit different points. After a brief explanation at each point, you can start the interactive experience. Learn more about Den Helder and Texel. Download the routes and get going!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ByAR Texel at none against vdrLive's 1. ByAR Texel also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.0). vdrLive's advantage is device support. On price there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. vdrLive sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ByAR Texel asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | vdrLive | ByAR Texel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | — |
| Ads | No | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | — |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 53 MB | 198 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | R&M SimplyTechnologies GmbH | Tjitske Swierstra |
In-app purchases
vdrLive
- vdrLive Pro$4.99
ByAR Texel
No in-app purchases









