Steam Deck & Linux
Download the one-click desktop installer. It installs without sudo and adds Tater Tube to Steam as a non-Steam game.
One-click installSteam DeckLinux x86_64
The VCR-style 240-MP interface
Tater Tube Retro
A VCR-style frontend for Steam Deck, Linux, and CRT or HDMI Raspberry Pi builds, led by The Tube: shared server-built TV channels, local libraries, and Discovery alongside Video on Demand, OTA, Public Access, Tape Deck, Game Center, PC Link, and local files.
Steam Deck one-click install
Pi 4 CRT composite
Pi 5 HDMI auto
The Tube + Tube TV
Build the station once, then tune it from every Tater Tube box.
Tater Tube Server scans local movies, series, and music; builds a shared TV schedule; and serves the same channel timeline to every paired player. Automatic genre and decade channels sit beside custom channels made from movies, series, seasons, or individual episodes.
Shared schedule
Custom channels
Commercial breaks
Channel logos
TaterText
Guide CH 999
What it is
A small media station that feels like an old TV.
Tater Tube turns a Raspberry Pi into a focused appliance. It hides the desktop, starts the app at boot, supports remotes and controllers, and keeps the interface tuned for repeat couch use.
Raspberry Pi Appliance
Flash the Pi 4 CRT image or Pi 5 HDMI image to an SD card and boot directly into the VCR-style interface.
Pi 4 CRTPi 5 HDMIReady-to-flash
Tater Tube Server
Run the native macOS app or Docker server for shared Tube TV channels, Discovery, local libraries, player pairing, playback history, and optional transcoding.
Tube TVMac + DockerTranscoding
Modules
Everything lives behind the same VCR-style menu.
Each module is designed to launch cleanly from the main menu and return without showing the Linux desktop. Web Setup handles long-form configuration from a phone or computer.
The Tube
Connect to Tater Tube Server for Tube TV channels, Discovery, local movie and TV libraries, music, resume history, and server-side transcoding.
Tube TVDiscovery + LocalServer
Over The Air
Direct HDHomeRun playback with no guide screen. Pick OTA and it tunes like an old TV, with up/down channel changes and a channel OSD.
HDHomeRunLive TVOld-TV OSD
Video on Demand
Browse Emby, Jellyfin, or Plex libraries from a VCR-style interface with resume playback, TV Mode, editable custom channels, no-repeat local commercials, and optional mid-roll breaks.
Emby/JellyfinMid-RollCustom Channels
Public Access
Save public YouTube playlists, browse videos from the couch, and run TV Mode with shuffled playlist channels and no-repeat local commercial categories.
YouTube Playlistsyt-dlpCommercials