Comparison

TvhClient vs WinTV Extend

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TvhClient

Control your TVHeadend server remotely and stream live TV channels to your device. Manage recordings, browse EPGs, and search for programs with ease. Supports various video players for a flexible viewing experience.

Highlights
  • Remote TVHeadend server control
  • Watch live TV channels
  • Manage and schedule recordings (DVR)
  • Browse channel EPGs
  • Search programs by title
  • View server logs and status
  • Stream video to third-party apps
Features
Read full description

TvhClient is a full client for your TVHeadend server: watch live TV, rewind it, browse the guide, and manage your recordings from your iPhone or iPad. WATCH • Live TV with a built-in player: pause and rewind live TV with timeshift, see the programme under the playhead, and switch channels without leaving the player • Choose your playback engine, VLCKit 4 or mpv, separately for live TV and recordings. Both deinterlace. • Picture in Picture, background audio, a draggable mini player, and a statistics overlay • Pick audio and subtitle tracks. TvhClient remembers them per channel, and remembers where you stopped in a recording. • Transcoding profiles, and an audio-only mode that picks a suitable profile for you • Connects over HTSP (timeshift, instant updates) or the HTTP API. TvhClient works out which one your network supports. BROWSE • Channel groups, channels with now/next and progress, and each channel's programmes by day • "Now" shows what is on across all channels, with search and filters by group and channel • EPG now standard in iPhone, and you can rotate to landscape RECORD • Record with one tap, or create and edit recordings and AutoRec rules in editors built from your server's own settings • Upcoming, Completed, Failed, Removed and AutoRec lists, with folders • Play recordings with seeking, straight from the list ADMINISTER • Status: subscriptions, tuner inputs, networks, muxes and services • The live server log, and the app's own diagnostics EVERYWHERE • Siri and Shortcuts: "Play BBC One in TvhClient", "What's on now?", "Record this" • Spotlight search for channels, recordings and programmes • Widgets and a Live Activity for recordings • CarPlay audio, for listening to your channels in the car • Optional iCloud storage for your servers, and sync of track choices and resume positions with the Apple TV app • Several servers, with Bonjour discovery. A server can name a public address to fall back on when you're away from home. • A redesigned interface for iOS 26, with a Help section in Settings. It also runs on Apple Silicon Macs as an iPad app. Works with tvheadend 3.2 and up. Transcoding needs tvheadend 4.x profiles. HTSP timeshift needs timeshift enabled on the server. Also available for Apple TV. Your audio and subtitle choices and recording resume positions sync between them. Support: tvhclient@gmail.com or http://chat.tvhclient.com

About

WinTV Extend

Stream live TV and recorded shows from your PC to your iOS device. Watch your favorite channels and programs anywhere on your home network or the internet via Wi-Fi. Requires a compatible Hauppauge WinTV Extend or PCTV Broadway device.

Highlights
  • Stream live TV from PC
  • Watch recorded shows from PC
  • Supports Wi-Fi streaming
  • Adjustable video bitrate and resolution
  • Supports various TV channel types
  • HD-PVR and Colossus support
Features
Read full description

WinTV Extend enables you to stream live TV and recordings from your PC at home to your iOS device. This easy to use application lets you watch your favorite TV channels and shows across your home network or the internet using Wi-Fi. To use this application, you must have a Hauppauge WinTV Extend installed on your PC with a supported TV tuner, or a PCTV Broadway. TV connections can be roof top antennas, cable or satellite set top box, or a cable TV connection. Features - Supports iPhone, iPad and iPod. 
- Watch Live TV from your PC 
- Watch Recordings from your PC 
- Adjustable video bitrate and image resolution to suit your network connection 
- Supports Analog, ClearQAM, ATSC, DVB-T, DVB-S/S2 and DVB-C channels 
- Supports all common digital television codecs including MPEG-2 and H.264 video, and MPEG1, AC3, E-AC3 and HE-AAC audio. 
- Supports HD-PVR and Colossus, for high definition capture from set top box receivers or game consoles - Auto fullscreen when the device is rotated to landscape 
 Supported devices: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, running iOS 7.0 or later.

Screenshots

TvhClient4 screens
WinTV Extend4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TvhClient at 85% against WinTV Extend's 10%. TvhClient also leads on rating (4.3 vs 2.0). WinTV Extend's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. TvhClient sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. WinTV Extend asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TvhClient holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 28 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of TvhClient's written reviews are positive against 10% of WinTV Extend's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TvhClient ships an update every 5 weeks, WinTV Extend monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TvhClient versus WinTV Extend: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTvhClientWinTV Extend
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (26 ratings) — better2.0 (28 ratings)
Positive reviews84.9% of reviews — better10.3% of reviews
Number of ratings2628 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.07.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size101 MB4 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperLuis FernandesHauppauge Computer Works

Customer experience

TvhClient

All ratings26 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive84.9%
Neutral9.4%
Negative5.7%

WinTV Extend

All ratings28 ratings
Positive10.7%
Neutral17.9%
Negative71.4%
Written reviews29 reviews
Positive10.3%
Neutral13.8%
Negative75.9%

Bugs and requests

TvhClient

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • Garbled code in English
  • Sound plays in background when switching out of app
  • Blank screen appears upon returning to app
  • DVB subtitles don’t work on Internal VLC
  • Internal VLC player bug: video goes black on system UI interaction
Show 9 more
  • Sound keeps playing when switching between apps, picture blank on return
  • Picture blank when certain system dialogs appear
  • EPG from tvheadend v4.2 shows 'null' for program titles
  • Guide scrolls too fast and lags on Apple TV
  • Cannot watch recording while recording without reloading
  • V/A not in sync with HomePod AirPlay
  • Software crashes when watching recording on iPad 2
  • Scalability issues with 400+ channels (scrolling, guide loading)
  • Status bar in the way on full screen (iPad Pro 9.7)

Requested features

18 requests
  • Grid guide option
  • Option to change icon backgrounds
  • iOS Picture in Picture support
  • Chromecast support
  • Ability to navigate whole EPG
Show 13 more
  • Overlay guide like in Kodi
  • Time shift functionality
  • Different transcoding options
  • Better EPG UI (table view)
  • Search from EPG screen
  • Filtering UI for channels
  • Full screen without status bar
  • Casting channel to Chromecast
  • Option to change icon backgrounds
  • Picture in Picture native iOS support
  • Chromecast support return
  • Full EPG matrix view
  • Dark mode option

WinTV Extend

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

TvhClient

One-time4
  • Llama Thanks$0.99
  • Thanks a Sloth$1.99
  • Whale of Thanks$2.99
Show 1 more
  • Apple TV Full App$4.99
None

WinTV Extend

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TvhClient free?
TvhClient is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is WinTV Extend free?
WinTV Extend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TvhClient or WinTV Extend?
TvhClient is rated higher. TvhClient averages 4.3 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while WinTV Extend averages 2.0 from 28 ratings.
Do TvhClient or WinTV Extend have ads?
Neither TvhClient nor WinTV Extend shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TvhClient or WinTV Extend?
TvhClient ships an update every 5 weeks, and WinTV Extend monthly. Most recently, TvhClient was updated on October 17, 2026 and WinTV Extend on October 13, 2026.

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