Channel 3

Let's get you playing.

Questions, bug reports, or feedback about Channel 3? Email support@channel3.games and we'll get back to you within two business days.

For a connection issue, include your Channel 3, tvOS, and RomM versions and the error you see. Please leave out passwords and pairing tokens.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to use Channel 3?
A self-hosted RomM server, version 5 or newer, reachable from your Apple TV, plus a compatible controller for play. Channel 3 ships no games, no BIOS or firmware, and no cloud. If you don't run RomM yet, start with the RomM documentation. RomM 4.x and earlier are not supported.
How does Channel 3 find my server?
Automatically, in most homes: Channel 3 tries the hostname romm against your network's DNS search domains (for example romm.lan), plus romm.local, over HTTPS and HTTP (including port 8080). If discovery misses, you can always type the address — including reverse-proxy or VPN addresses like Tailscale.
Is pairing safe? Where does my password go?
Your RomM password is never typed into Channel 3. Pairing uses RomM 5's device-authorization flow: the TV shows a QR code and a short code, you approve it while signed in to RomM on another device, and the approved token is stored in the Apple TV's Keychain. You can revoke a device from RomM at any time.
Which permissions does Channel 3 request, and why?
These are RomM token scopes approved on your own server—not Apple privacy permissions and not access to unrelated data on your Apple TV. Channel 3 requests ten narrowly named scopes:
  • roms.read — browse game records and download the game you choose to play.
  • roms.user.read — read your play history, Now Playing, Backlog, and game status.
  • roms.user.write — update last played, submit play sessions, and save only the game-status changes you explicitly choose.
  • platforms.read — show platform names, artwork, and game counts.
  • collections.read — list your collections and determine Favorite membership.
  • collections.write — create or update your RomM Favorites collection when you use Add Favorite or Remove Favorite.
  • assets.read — download artwork, battery saves, and save states from your server.
  • assets.write — upload battery saves, save states, and their optional gameplay screenshots.
  • devices.read — negotiate which save version this paired Apple TV should upload or download.
  • devices.write — confirm successful save downloads and complete device-sync sessions.

Channel 3 does not request RomM administrator, user-management, metadata-editing, deletion, task, or log scopes. Existing pairings keep their original permissions; disconnect and pair again once to approve the new collection and device-sync scopes.

Where do the games come from?
From your server, and only your server. When you press Play, Channel 3 downloads the game from RomM for that session and cleans up after itself — no permanent ROM library accumulates on the Apple TV. You are responsible for supplying lawfully obtained game and firmware files to your own RomM library.
Can Channel 3 save and restore my progress?
Yes. Channel 3 syncs save states back to RomM and can restore them the next time you launch the same game. Unsynced saves are kept until RomM accepts them, so progress is tied to your library rather than a single Apple TV.
Which systems can it play?
Channel 3 bundles libretro emulator cores built from pinned source at release time — nothing is downloaded at runtime. See the current system list; the exact lineup is published with each release, and titles on unsupported platforms are labeled in the library before any download happens. Systems that require hardware GPU rendering (like N64 and PSP) are not supported.
My server isn't found / connection fails. What should I check?
First, open your RomM web UI from another device on the same network and note the exact URL that works — then enter that same address in Channel 3. Common culprits: RomM older than version 5, self-signed certificates the Apple TV doesn't trust, reverse proxies that block unknown hostnames (SNI), and VPN-only servers while the Apple TV isn't on the VPN.
Is Channel 3 affiliated with the RomM project?
No. Channel 3 is an independent, third-party client. RomM — including its name and logo — belongs to the RomM project. We aim to be a good ecosystem citizen: Channel 3 speaks RomM's documented API and inherits its permission model.