tvsub MCP

Name: tvsub MCP
Author: launzi

by launziversion 0.3.0i★ –iRuns on your computer

Registry nameio.github.launzi/tvsub-mcp

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

Control tvsub for Apple TV.app: subtitles, glossary-aware translation, overlay, styling, and sync.

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi1 of 1 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiNot measured yet★ –

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Runs on your computer
Transport: stdio
Category: Docs, sheets & office work
You need to fill in: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 1 of 1 passed
Runs on your computer with your user’s permissions (files, network, apps).
You fill in yourself: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

Values marked secret are keys to your account. Never share them or paste them into a chat.

You need

PyPIPython’s uv installed (for the uvx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tvsub": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "tvsub-mcp",
        "--tvsub-root",
        "your-value"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add tvsub --env ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-value -- uvx tvsub-mcp --tvsub-root your-value

Fill in the empty values before running it.

This one needs values on its command line, so copy the settings and fill them in.

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tvsub": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "tvsub-mcp",
        "--tvsub-root",
        "your-value"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

This one needs values on its command line, so copy the settings and fill them in.

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "tvsub": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "tvsub-mcp",
        "--tvsub-root",
        "your-value"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

This one runs on your computer, and ChatGPT can only connect to servers on the internet. Pick another app.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

Values you fill in

ANTHROPIC_API_KEY secret env
Anthropic API key; required only for subtitle translation

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

What it can do

Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 7, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account launzi, which owns the repo
… Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
– Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
– Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints

Compared with others in Docs, sheets & office worki

More stars than 0% of the other 3532 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 66% of the other 3532 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 3532 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is tvsub MCP safe?

It passed 1 of 1 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

You need to fill in: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed –, and the latest version (0.3.0) reached the registry 16 days ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Python (uv) on your computer.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Agent-Native Calendar, Excel MCP Server, MCP Server for Excel

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Install

README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

tvsub MCP

tvsub-mcp is the MCP companion for tvsub, an experimental subtitle overlay for Apple TV.app on macOS. It lets an MCP client inspect the current playback item, choose or translate a subtitle file, adjust its appearance, start or stop the overlay, and calibrate subtitle timing.

Supported player: purchased and rented films in macOS Apple TV.app (Prime Video support is being explored and is not currently available). Subtitle formats: SRT, SMI/SAMI, VTT. Translation runs on your choice of three backends: an Anthropic API key, a signed-in Claude Code CLI (Claude subscription), or a signed-in Codex CLI (ChatGPT subscription) — subscription backends add no API charges.

The server does not download subtitles, bypass DRM, modify video, or launch TV.app. You provide subtitle files that you have the right to use and start playback yourself.

Two directions, one workflow

If a foreign, classic, or multilingual film you purchased in Apple TV.app does not include Korean—or another language you need—bring a lawfully obtained subtitle file, translate it with your Claude or ChatGPT subscription, and display it as an overlay. The same workflow works in the other direction: viewers worldwide can translate lawfully obtained subtitles for Korean films and series into their own language.

Apple TV.app에서 구매한 외화·고전·다국어 영화에 한국어 또는 원하는 언어 자막이 없다면, 정당하게 보유한 자막 파일을 불러와 Claude나 ChatGPT 구독으로 번역한 뒤 오버레이로 표시할 수 있습니다. 같은 방식으로 전 세계 시청자도 한국 영화와 시리즈의 정당하게 보유한 자막을 자신의 언어로 번역해 시청할 수 있습니다.

Requirements

macOS
tvsub, installed and built
Python 3.12 or later
uv for the recommended uvx installation
For subtitle translation, one of: an Anthropic API key, a signed-in Claude Code CLI (Claude subscription), or a signed-in Codex CLI (ChatGPT subscription). No key or CLI is needed for any other tool

Install and register with Claude Code

Replace /absolute/path/to/tvsub with the directory containing tvsub's build/, config/, src/, and subtitles/ directories.

brew install uv

claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user tvsub -- \ uvx tvsub-mcp==0.3.0 \ --tvsub-root /absolute/path/to/tvsub

claude mcp get tvsub claude mcp list

Translation picks a backend automatically: an Anthropic API key if present, then a signed-in Claude Code CLI, then a signed-in Codex CLI. Set TVSUB_TRANSLATE_BACKEND (auto, api, claude, codex) or the backend tool argument to override. With a subscription CLI signed in you can skip the key entirely. To use the API backend, export your key and include it when registering the server — or store it once in macOS Keychain (service kim.youngji.tvsub.anthropic), which the server also reads.

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-key"

claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user \ --env ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="$ANTHROPIC_API_KEY" \ tvsub -- uvx tvsub-mcp==0.3.0 \ --tvsub-root /absolute/path/to/tvsub

Other stdio MCP clients can launch the same command:

uvx tvsub-mcp==0.3.0 --tvsub-root /absolute/path/to/tvsub

Tools

Tool	Purpose
`now_playing`	Read the current Apple TV.app title, content ID, position, and playback state.
`list_subtitles`	List and parse SRT, SMI, SAMI, and VTT files in tvsub's subtitle library.
`load_subtitle`	Select a subtitle file for the current content while preserving sync anchors by default.
`translate_subtitle`	Estimate or perform an LLM translation with cue and timecode validation. Supports backend selection, glossary injection, and partial retranslation by line or time range.
`set_glossary`	Create or update a per-title glossary (names, honorifics, relationships, forbidden translations) that is injected into translation prompts.
`mark_reviewed`	Promote a translated subtitle's provenance from `ai_draft` to `user_reviewed`.
`list_fonts`	List installed macOS fonts and check sample glyph coverage.
`set_style`	Change font, size, colors, outline, background, and screen position.
`start_overlay`	Start tvsub with the selected subtitle and style.
`stop_overlay`	Stop only the overlay process started by this server.
`calibrate_sync`	Store one or more dialogue anchors and calculate timing offset and drift.
`status`	Summarize playback, overlay, subtitle, style, and calibration state.

Before translating, call translate_subtitle with dry_run=true to review the cue count, batch count, and estimated cost. Subscription backends report $0 (included in subscription). Every translation writes a .provenance.json sidecar recording backend, hashes, and review status.

Usage statistics

Starting with 0.2.3, anonymous usage statistics are enabled by default. The server stores a random installation ID (UUIDv4), daily tool and translation backend counts, and send dates in ~/Library/Application Support/tvsub/telemetry.json. The first enabled run prints a notice to stderr; the status tool reports whether collection is enabled, what is sent, and how to disable it.

On startup and after tool calls, the server checks for unsent days before today. It sends the oldest pending day in a background POST to https://youngji.kim/api/tvsub/telemetry, at most once per local calendar day. The timeout is 3 seconds. Failed attempts keep their counters and retry on the next eligible day; they do not interrupt tools. TVSUB_TELEMETRY_URL overrides the collector URL.

The JSON contains only install_id, day, tvsub_mcp_version, macos_version (major.minor), python_minor (major.minor), tools (counts for the 12 tool names), and backends (counts for api, claude, codex, pro, or auto). An omitted or empty backend is counted as auto; this records the requested backend, not the backend eventually selected by translation. Statistics never include subtitle text, titles, content IDs, filenames, paths, glossaries, API keys, raw errors, or IP addresses in the payload.

To disable both recording and sending, set `TVSUB_TELEMETRY=0` (false, off, and no also work, case-insensitively), or `DO_NOT_TRACK=1` in the MCP server's environment. For example, add --env TVSUB_TELEMETRY=0 to the claude mcp add command before tvsub. Mock mode (--mock or TVSUB_MCP_MOCK=1) and tests always disable statistics. Disabling leaves any existing local counters untouched; no statistics are recorded or sent while disabled.

Important notices

Experimental software: expect rough edges and breaking changes. Keep a backup of your tvsub configuration and subtitle files.
Data sent to Anthropic: translation sends the selected subtitle text and surrounding subtitle context to the Anthropic API. Loading, styling, sync, and overlay controls do not send subtitle text to Anthropic.
User-paid API usage: the api backend uses your Anthropic API key and all charges are your responsibility; estimates can differ from the final bill. The claude and codex backends run through your own signed-in subscription CLIs and add no API charges.
Private API risk: tvsub reads Apple playback state through undocumented macOS MediaRemote interfaces. Apple does not support this integration and a macOS update may change or disable it.
Content rights: you are responsible for having the right to process and translate subtitle files. Do not redistribute protected content without permission.
This project is independent from and not affiliated with Apple or Anthropic.

Development

python3.12 -m venv .venv

.venv/bin/python -m pip install -e . .venv/bin/python -m unittest discover -s tests -p 'test_*.py' -v TVSUB_TEST_PYTHON="$PWD/.venv/bin/python" .venv/bin/python tests/stdio_smoke.py bash scripts/hygiene-check.sh

Before tagging a release, run bash scripts/preflight.sh from the repository root.

Linux can run the unit tests and mock stdio smoke test. Apple TV.app, MediaRemote, CoreText, and the real overlay require macOS.

License

MIT. See LICENSE.

tvsub MCP

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

Values you fill in

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Docs, sheets & office worki

Common questions

Alternatives

Agent-Native Calendar

Excel MCP Server

MCP Server for Excel

README from the maker

tvsub MCP

Two directions, one workflow

Requirements

Install and register with Claude Code

Tools

Usage statistics

Important notices

Development

License