Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Bunny Ears TV, from setup to pricing to the technical details. If your question is not here, reach out through the contact page.
Getting Started
What is Bunny Ears TV?
Bunny Ears TV is an Apple TV app that turns your Plex media library into over 200 virtual TV channels and 50+ music stations. It builds a broadcast-style electronic program guide from your own content, so you can channel surf your library the way you used to flip through cable. No new content is streamed to you. Everything that plays comes from your Plex server.
What do I need to use it?
Three things: an Apple TV (4th generation or later running tvOS 17+), a Plex Media Server with content in it, and a Plex account. That is it. There is no Docker setup, no server-side configuration, no IPTV tuner, and no separate hardware. You install the app, sign in with Plex, and your channels populate from your library.
Do I need a Plex Pass?
No. Bunny Ears TV works with free Plex accounts. A Plex Pass is not required for any feature in the app.
How do I set it up?
Install Bunny Ears TV from the App Store on your Apple TV, open it, and sign in with your Plex account. The app discovers your Plex servers automatically. Once connected, channels are generated from your library metadata in a few seconds. There is nothing to configure on the server side.
Does it work on iPhone or iPad?
Not right now. Bunny Ears TV is a native tvOS app built specifically for the Apple TV experience. It is not available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or any other platform at launch.
Does it work with Jellyfin or Emby?
Not yet. Bunny Ears TV currently supports Plex only. Jellyfin support is something being explored for a future update, but there is no timeline to share.
Channels & Content
Where does the content come from?
Entirely from your Plex media library. Bunny Ears TV does not host, stream, or provide any content. Every movie, show, and song that plays on a channel is pulled directly from your Plex server using its API. If something is not in your library, it will not appear on any channel.
How are channels created?
Each channel is defined by a set of metadata filters: genre, content rating, decade, minimum rating, keywords, and more. When the app connects to your server, it runs those filters against your library and populates each channel with matching content. A channel like "Horror Movies" will include every movie tagged as Horror in Plex, minus comedies, family content, and documentaries. The filters are designed to keep each channel feeling true to its theme.
What if a channel is empty?
That just means your library does not have content matching that channel's filters. If you do not own any westerns, the Western Movies channel will have nothing to show. The more content in your library, the more channels come alive. Empty channels are hidden or grayed out in the guide so they do not clutter the experience.
Can I create my own channels?
Not in the current version. All channels are pre-built with curated metadata filters. Custom channel creation is something that could come in a future release.
How does the program guide work?
The guide generates a rolling 28-hour schedule for every channel using a seeded deterministic algorithm. That means the schedule is not random; it is consistent, so if you check what is on at 8pm, it will be the same thing whether you look now or later. The guide shows what is currently playing, what is coming up next, and lets you preview any program's metadata before you commit to watching.
What about the music stations?
Music stations work the same way as TV channels, but they pull from your Plex music library instead of your movie and TV libraries. Each station is filtered by genre, style, decade, or keyword. If you have a jazz collection in Plex, the Jazz FM station will play it. If you do not, it will be empty. There are 50+ stations covering everything from rock and hip-hop to K-Pop and ambient.
Does it play content from the middle?
Yes. Just like real TV, you tune into whatever is currently airing on a channel. If a movie started an hour ago, you will join it an hour in. That is part of the live TV experience. The guide shows how far into each program you are so you can decide whether to jump in or flip to something else.
Playback & Streaming
Does it work over the internet or just locally?
Both. If your Plex server is configured for remote access (which most are), Bunny Ears TV works from anywhere. Family and friends with shared Plex access can tune in from their own Apple TVs. You can also enable lower-quality transcoded streams for faster playback on remote connections.
Does it transcode or direct play?
That depends on your Plex server settings and the content format. Bunny Ears TV uses Plex's HLS transcode endpoint, which means your Plex server handles the transcoding decisions the same way it would for any other Plex client. If your Apple TV can direct play the format natively, Plex will serve it without transcoding.
Will it put a heavy load on my Plex server?
No more than any other Plex client. Bunny Ears TV streams one channel at a time per user, just like watching a single movie in the regular Plex app. The guide itself is generated client-side from cached metadata, so it does not constantly hit your server.
What happens when I change channels?
The current stream stops and the new channel's stream begins. There is a brief transition with a retro static effect between channels, which gives the app its cable TV feel while the next stream buffers.
Pricing & Subscriptions
Is it free?
Partially. Every new user gets a full 14-day free trial of every channel package, no credit card required. After the trial, Basic channels (13 channels covering general entertainment, comedy, drama, family, and more) remain free forever. Paid plans unlock the full lineup of 200+ channels and 50+ music stations.
What are the pricing options?
There are three plans: $1.99/month if you want flexibility, $14.99/year if you want to save over the monthly price, or $29.99 one-time for lifetime access. The lifetime option means you pay once and never again. All plans unlock the same content.
Which channels are free?
The Basic package is always free. It includes 13 channels: General Entertainment, Prime Drama, LOL Network, Family Channel, News & Talk, Reality TV, Primetime, Classic TV, Late Night, Daytime, Variety Mix, Weekend Matinee, and New Arrivals. These cover the core broadcast-style experience.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Monthly and yearly subscriptions are managed through your Apple ID and can be cancelled at any time in your Apple TV or iPhone settings. If you cancel, you keep access through the end of your current billing period. Lifetime purchases do not require cancellation since there is nothing recurring.
Is there a family sharing option?
Subscriptions follow standard Apple Family Sharing rules. If you have Family Sharing enabled on your Apple ID, other family members can access your Bunny Ears TV subscription on their own Apple TVs.
Technical Details
What Apple TV models are supported?
Bunny Ears TV requires an Apple TV HD (4th generation) or Apple TV 4K running tvOS 17 or later.
How much storage does the app use?
The app itself is small. Library metadata is cached locally for fast guide generation, but this is typically in the low tens of megabytes even for very large libraries.
Does it support multiple Plex servers?
Yes. If your Plex account has access to multiple servers (your own plus shared servers from friends or family), they all appear in the app and you can switch between them.
Does it support 4K and HDR?
Bunny Ears TV passes playback to your Plex server's transcode endpoint, so 4K and HDR support depends on your server's transcoding capabilities and your Apple TV model. If your Plex server can serve 4K HDR content and your Apple TV supports it, it will work.
Does it support subtitles?
Subtitle support follows your Plex server's subtitle settings. If your server is configured to include subtitles in the transcode stream, they will appear in Bunny Ears TV.
How is this different from ErsatzTV, DizqueTV, or Tunarr?
Those are server-side tools that require Docker, manual configuration, and their own infrastructure. They generate IPTV/M3U streams that you then watch in a separate player. Bunny Ears TV is a native Apple TV app with zero server setup. You install it, sign in, and watch. No Docker, no IPTV tuner, no command line. The tradeoff is that it only works on Apple TV, while those tools can work with any IPTV-compatible player.
How is this different from Plex's built-in Live TV?
Plex's Live TV feature requires a Plex Pass, a physical TV tuner, and an antenna or cable connection. It streams actual over-the-air broadcasts. Bunny Ears TV does not use a tuner or antenna at all. It creates virtual channels from the content already in your Plex library. They solve completely different problems.
Privacy & Data
What data does Bunny Ears TV collect?
Bunny Ears TV connects to your Plex server to read library metadata (titles, genres, ratings, durations, artwork). This metadata is cached locally on your Apple TV for guide generation. The app does not collect, store, or transmit your viewing habits, library contents, or personal information to any external server. Authentication is handled entirely through Plex's own OAuth flow.
Does it phone home?
The app communicates with Plex's API (for authentication and server discovery) and with Apple (for App Store subscription validation). It does not communicate with any Bunny Ears TV servers. There is no telemetry, no analytics beyond what Apple provides through standard App Store analytics, and no third-party tracking.