HDHomeRun vs AVR Controller
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HDHomeRun
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.
- Live TV streaming (OTA & Cable)
- Pause, FF, RW live TV
- HD channel support
- Program guide with images
- Fast channel changes
- Intuitive UI controls
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Enjoy free over-the-air TV throughout your home on Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and Mac with HDHomeRun and a TV antenna. Simply connect your HDHomeRun to your TV antenna and home network to enjoy a modern TV experience throughout your home. Discover shows, explore a beautiful guide, see what's on now and next, and start watching with fast channel changes and an intuitive interface. Add a USB hard drive to your HDHomeRun for DVR across your home. Pause and rewind live TV, record your favorite shows, and watch your recordings on Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and Mac. Watch NEXTGEN TV (ATSC 3.0) where available with the HDHomeRun FLEX 4K. Features: • Watch free over-the-air TV from your TV antenna on Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and Mac • Discover shows with a beautiful guide • Pause and rewind live TV • Fast channel changes • Record your favorite shows with HDHomeRun DVR • Schedule series and movie recordings • Watch your HDHomeRun DVR recordings on Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and Mac • Watch NEXTGEN TV (ATSC 3.0) with the HDHomeRun FLEX 4K where available Requirements: • HDHomeRun connected to your TV antenna and home network • Wi-Fi or wired home network • Internet connection for guide data
AVR Controller
Easily manage your compatible Denon or Marantz AVR's power, volume, and sound modes. This third-party app offers quick access to essential controls, preventing accidental changes to your preferred settings.
- Power control
- Volume adjustment
- Quick select sound modes
- Accidental touch prevention
- Syncs with AVR status
- Network capability support
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Download AVR Controller and experience AVR control that looks as good as your AVR sounds. AVR Controller isn't a typical remote app. It takes inspiration from the front of your receiver, with thoughtfully spaced controls and a physical-style volume knob that gives it a high-end, cinematic feel — like it belongs alongside your home theater equipment. Whether you're settling in for movie night or enjoying your favorite music, AVR Controller feels more like a dedicated control panel than a basic utility. Compatible with network-capable Denon and Marantz AVRs from 2014 and later. AVR Controller is a third-party application and is not endorsed by or associated with Denon or Marantz. FEATURES • Fast startup, discovery, and responsive control • Power, volume and mute control • Quick Select control for fast access to your favorite input and sound mode combinations • Displays the current sound mode • Multi-zone control for supported AVRs • Multi-receiver support • Automatically stays in sync when AVR settings are changed outside the app • Automatically finds your AVR — even if its IP address changes • Movie Mode dims the screen to reduce distractions and save battery; tap or pick up your iPhone to bring it back instantly • Demo Mode lets you explore AVR Controller without connecting to a receiver ABOUT QUICK SELECT Quick Select is a built-in feature of Denon and Marantz AVRs. It lets you save and quickly recall combinations of settings such as input, volume and sound mode. AVR Controller gives you fast access to the Quick Selects already configured on your receiver. TIPS • For reliable network control, set your AVR's Network Control setting to “Always On.” This may increase standby power consumption. • Your AVR must be connected to your local network using Ethernet or Wi-Fi. • A static IP address is not required, but is best for fastest startup. AVR Controller can automatically find your receiver again if its IP address changes.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: AVR Controller at 100% against HDHomeRun's 27%. AVR Controller also leads on rating (3.9 vs 2.5). HDHomeRun's advantage is ratings volume (465 vs 20) and device support (5 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
AVR Controller holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HDHomeRun has 465 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of HDHomeRun's written reviews are positive against 100% of AVR Controller's.
HDHomeRun ships an update every 2 months, AVR Controller monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HDHomeRun | AVR Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (465 ratings) | 3.9 (20 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 26.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 465 — better | 20 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SiliconDust USA, Inc. | Peter Schwenk |
Customer experience
HDHomeRun
AVR Controller
Bugs and requests
HDHomeRun
Reported bugs
6 issues- Fails to detect tuner device
- Channels not loading
- Playback issues after updates
- Crashes on channel change
- Compatibility problems with iOS 15+
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- Lip-sync issues
Requested features
5 requests- Picture-in-Picture mode
- Channel favorites and filtering
- Improved DVR functionality
- Manual IP address entry
- Native Apple TV app
AVR Controller
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
HDHomeRun
No in-app purchases
AVR Controller
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is HDHomeRun free?
Is AVR Controller free?
Which has better reviews, HDHomeRun or AVR Controller?
Do HDHomeRun or AVR Controller have ads?
Which is updated more often, HDHomeRun or AVR Controller?
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