Chillz is a modern, high-performance IPTV streaming project designed to provide a premium TV experience across Windows Desktop, Web Browsers, and Mobile Devices.
It solves the common problem of unreliable free streams by using different robust playback technologies tailored for each platform, with a focus on stability, performance, and user experience.
This repository contains three distinct applications:
1. Chillz Desktop (Windows & Linux)
- Technology: Flutter + C++ (Direct libVLC Integration with VLC Command Thread).
- Platforms: Windows 10/11, Linux (Ubuntu/Debian/Fedora).
- What it is: A native desktop application that embeds the VLC media engine directly into the window with a dedicated worker thread for non-blocking playback.
- Why use it: Best for stability and compatibility. Typical web browsers block many IPTV streams (CORS, mixed content, codecs), but the Desktop app plays everything that VLC plays without UI freezing.
- Key Tech: Custom native plugins for Windows (HWND) and Linux (GTK), VLC command thread architecture, low-level event loop bridging.
- Recent Improvements: Implemented dedicated VLC command thread to eliminate UI freezes during stream switching and slow network conditions. Full Linux support added with self-contained packaging (.deb, .tar.gz, AppImage support).
- Downloads: See releases for pre-built packages.
2. Chillz Browser (Web Client)
- Technology: React 19 + TypeScript + Vite 7.
- What it is: A lightweight, instant-access web player using HLS.js.
- Why use it: Accessibility. No install required, runs on any device (Mobile, Tablet, Laptop) instantly.
- Key Tech: Virtualized channel lists (8,000+ items), client-side stream diagnosis, PWA support.
3. Chillz App (Flutter Mobile/TV)
- Technology: Flutter (Cross-platform).
- What it is: Mobile and Android TV application with platform-specific optimizations.
- Why use it: Native mobile experience with TV remote support and touch-optimized UI.
- Key Tech: Platform channels, adaptive UI for different screen sizes.
All projects share the same design philosophy:
- Premium UI: Glassmorphism, smooth animations, and zero clutter.
- Massive Content: Integration with publicly available IPTV-ORG playlists (8,000+ channels).
- User Control: Advanced filtering (Country, Language, Category) and instant search.
- Diagnostics: Tools to help users understand why a stream might fail (Geo-blocking, 404s, etc.).
- Performance: Non-blocking architecture ensures UI remains responsive even with slow/broken streams.
| Platform | Package | Size | Installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) | .deb |
6.7 MB | sudo apt install ./chillz-desktop_1.0.0_amd64.deb |
| Linux (Portable) | .tar.gz |
18 MB | Extract and run ./run.sh |
| Windows | .msi |
~40 MB | Run installer |
To run the specific applications, navigate to their respective directories and follow the README instructions therein:
- Desktop:
cd chillz_desktop- Full VLC integration for Windows & Linux - Web:
cd chillz_browser- Instant browser-based player - Mobile/TV:
cd chillz_app- Flutter mobile and TV app
- VLC Command Thread: All blocking VLC operations run on a dedicated worker thread
- Non-blocking UI: Platform channel calls return immediately, preventing UI freezes
- Native Rendering:
- Windows: Direct video rendering via child HWND
- Linux: GTK integration with native window embedding
- Event-driven: Thread-safe event dispatch (PostMessage on Windows, g_idle_add on Linux)
- Self-contained: All packages include bundled VLC libraries for maximum compatibility
- Distribution Formats:
- Linux: .deb, .tar.gz, AppImage, .rpm
- Windows: MSI installer, portable ZIP
- HLS.js Integration: Polyfills native HLS support for non-Safari browsers
- Virtual Scrolling: Handles 8,000+ channels with 60fps performance
- Client-side Only: No backend required, fully static deployment
- Platform Channels: Native integration for optimal performance
- Adaptive UI: Responsive layouts for phones, tablets, and TV screens
- Remote Control: Full D-pad and remote button support for Android TV
We welcome contributions! Please read our CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md before contributing.
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature) - Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add amazing feature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/amazing-feature) - Open a Pull Request
This project is open source. Please check individual subprojects for specific licensing information.
- VLC Media Player - For the robust libVLC library
- IPTV-ORG - For maintaining the comprehensive channel database
- HLS.js - For enabling HLS playback in browsers
- Flutter Team - For the excellent cross-platform framework
For questions, issues, or suggestions, please open an issue on GitHub.
Built with ❤️ for the IPTV community