Show HN: TV Explorer. Improving UI for a Solid IPTV App

Howdy HN!

I launched this IPTV app earlier this year and got some great responses here on HN:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48325624

It reaches about 2,000 people a day, but the user interface never really got beyond `geek` status and I think that hindered our uptake.

Yesterday, I put up a new version with a vastly different UI to try give it a more "consumer" feel, like the big streaming apps.

-- A big challenge is navigating 10,000+ channels of TV without relying heavily on a keyboard or mouse. Solved here with thumbnails and scrollable, customizable sets of buttons.

-- Another challenge was information density on small screens, or even on big screens without detracting from the TV-watching experience. This version does more with information hiding, tap-to-control, and hints and affordances.

-- The worst problem with live streaming TV when you don't control the source is knowing what's live vs geoblocked or offline. This version fixes that by live scanning the genre and filter you asked for in the background, surfacing channels that are known to be live and streaming openly to you right now.

-- Finally, the rubber hit the road with monetization. I wanted a sponsorship model like a stadium but I spent months on personal approaches to the "right" people and got nowhere. Ad supported, free TV (or sub to remove ads) is an established biz model so maybe I just give the people what they want?

I got so much great input last time, I'd love to hear your thoughts on any and all of the above!

-- Is this UI better than the last one, or any good at all if it's your first time?

-- Is TV Explorer something you'd enjoy yourself, or share with someone?

-- Finally, how would you monetize it? Is the (test, Watson) ad bar intrusive? Would you pay to have it go away, watch with it there, or leave the site?

Thank you to everyone who looks at this. I'm honored to be able to reach out to this community.

-- D