# DS video vs HDHomeRun

The clearest difference is rating: DS video at 2.8 against HDHomeRun's 2.6. DS video also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

DS video holds the better App Store score, 2.8 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 258 and 476 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 27% and 27% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DS video | HDHomeRun |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.8 (258 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-video/id540949418/reviews)** | [2.6 (476 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdhomerun/id949582631/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 258 | **476** |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews | **26.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 35 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Synology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/321493109) | [SiliconDust USA, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/949582630) |

## What reviewers say

### DS video

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-video/id540949418)

Stream your video collection from your Synology NAS to your mobile device. Automatically retrieves movie information and organizes content into libraries. Record and manage TV programs remotely if you have compatible HDHomeRun devices connected to your NAS.

**Highlights:** Stream video collection from Synology NAS, Automatic movie information retrieval, Organized video libraries, Record and manage TV programs, Remote TV schedule management

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Simple and fast
- ⭐ Excellent ability to stream to Chromecast
- ⭐ Automatically fetches metadata
- ⭐ Allows sharing with family/friends
- ⭐ Works flawlessly with Synology NAS

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unstable, crashes frequently
- 🐛 Playback issues, video doesn't start or stops unexpectedly
- 🐛 Doesn't support common video formats like MKV, HEVC, DTS
- 🐛 Transcoding/download issues, videos don't play properly
- 🐛 Buggy on newer iOS/tvOS versions

**Reported bugs**

- Playback controls not working on Apple TV
- Subtitle display issues
- Inability to play videos over encrypted connections
- Synology NAS integration problems

**Requested features**

- Add support for more video formats
- Improve playback controls (skip forward/backward, resume, etc.)
- Implement auto-play next episode for TV shows
- Add Picture-in-Picture support on iPad
- Improve Chromecast and AirPlay support


### HDHomeRun

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdhomerun/id949582631)

Stream live, over-the-air, and cable TV channels directly to your iOS device. Pause, rewind, and fast-forward live broadcasts. Access program guides with images and logos for an enhanced viewing experience.

**Highlights:** Live TV streaming (OTA & Cable), Pause, FF, RW live TV, HD channel support, Program guide with images, Fast channel changes, Intuitive UI controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fastest TV app
- 📺 Great picture quality
- 🔍 Picks up more channels than TV tuner
- 🔌 Works reliably
- 🔨 Decent hardware

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔍 Unreliable channel detection
- 🤖 Clunky and unintuitive UI
- 🔇 No independent volume control
- 🔒 Lacks DRM support

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to detect tuner device
- Channels not loading
- Playback issues after updates
- Crashes on channel change
- Compatibility problems with iOS 15+

**Requested features**

- Picture-in-Picture mode
- Channel favorites and filtering
- Improved DVR functionality
- Manual IP address entry
- Native Apple TV app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DS video free?

DS video is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HDHomeRun free?

HDHomeRun is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DS video or HDHomeRun?

DS video is rated higher. DS video averages 2.8 out of 5 from 258 ratings, while HDHomeRun averages 2.6 from 476 ratings.

### Do DS video or HDHomeRun have ads?

Neither DS video nor HDHomeRun shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DS video or HDHomeRun?

DS video ships an update every 2 months, and HDHomeRun every 2 months. Most recently, DS video was updated on November 3, 2026 and HDHomeRun on November 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*