Emby Premiere (Emby Media Server Cloud Features)

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Emby Premiere (Emby Media Server Cloud Features)

A curated collection of the 20 best self hosted alternatives to Emby Premiere (Emby Media Server Cloud Features).

Emby Premiere is the paid subscription for the Emby personal media server that enables premium features such as official mobile apps, hardware-accelerated transcoding, offline sync, enhanced remote/cloud streaming, and advanced playback and metadata options.

Alternatives List

#1
Jellyfin

Jellyfin

Jellyfin is a free, self-hosted media server to organize, manage, and stream movies, TV, music, and photos to web, mobile, and TV clients.

Jellyfin screenshot

Jellyfin is a free software media system for collecting, organizing, and streaming your personal media library from your own server to many types of clients. It provides a server backend and API along with a web interface, and is commonly used as an open alternative to proprietary media servers.

Key Features

  • Library management for movies, TV shows, music, and photos with metadata fetching
  • Web-based administration and playback interface, plus a broad ecosystem of official and third-party clients
  • Streaming with on-the-fly transcoding support via FFmpeg
  • User accounts and profiles for separating access and playback history
  • Extensible architecture with plugins and integrations

Use Cases

  • Host a private “Netflix-like” server for a household’s movie and TV collection
  • Centralize and stream a music library to phones, desktops, and smart TVs
  • Provide media access for friends or remote devices while keeping content on your own server

Limitations and Considerations

  • Transcoding and high-bitrate streaming can require significant CPU/GPU resources depending on usage
  • Some client capabilities and codecs may vary by platform, affecting direct play vs transcoding

Jellyfin focuses on giving you full control over your media, with no tracking or vendor-operated central services. It is well-suited for home labs and organizations that want a flexible, privacy-respecting media streaming stack.

47.7kstars
4.3kforks
#2
Kodi

Kodi

Kodi is an open source media center for organizing and playing local and networked video, music, and photos with a TV-friendly interface and add-on ecosystem.

Kodi screenshot

Kodi is a free and open source home theater and media center application for playing and managing digital media. It is designed for a 10-foot, remote-friendly experience on TVs while also working well as a desktop media player.

Key Features

  • Library management with media scanning, artwork, metadata, and collections
  • Playback for a wide range of audio and video formats
  • Network playback and streaming over common network protocols
  • Add-on system for extending functionality (including official add-ons)
  • Powerful theming and skinning engine for customizable UI
  • Cross-platform support across major desktop and mobile operating systems

Use Cases

  • Living-room HTPC media center for local and NAS-hosted libraries
  • Unified playback app for video, music, photos, playlists, and slideshows
  • Extensible media hub using add-ons and custom skins for tailored setups

Limitations and Considerations

  • Add-on availability, quality, and maintenance can vary across the ecosystem
  • Performance and hardware decoding capabilities depend on the platform and device

Kodi is a mature, community-driven media center focused on a polished TV experience and broad format support. Its add-on and skinning ecosystem makes it suitable for both simple playback and highly customized home theater setups.

20.3kstars
6.5kforks
#3
Stash

Stash

Self-hosted web app for organizing, tagging, and streaming a private adult video and image library with metadata scraping, galleries, and markers.

Stash screenshot

Stash is a self-hosted web application for organizing and viewing a personal adult video and image collection. It indexes your local files, enriches them with metadata, and provides a fast browser-based interface for browsing and streaming.

Key Features

  • Library scanning and indexing for video files, images, and image galleries (folders and zip files)
  • Scene-centric organization with ratings, tags, performers, studios, and movies
  • Video streaming to web browsers with broad codec/container support and FFmpeg-based processing
  • Markers to bookmark and tag specific timestamps within scenes, shown on the video scrubber
  • Metadata extraction from filenames plus scraping via community-maintained scrapers and metadata providers
  • Statistics and insights across performers, tags, studios, and more
  • Optional access protection (e.g., password protection) for private libraries

Use Cases

  • Build a private “personal site” experience for browsing and streaming an adult media collection
  • Curate and tag large libraries with performers, studios, and custom tags for quick retrieval
  • Create highlight collections by marking favorite moments with timestamped markers

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires FFmpeg for key functionality such as video processing and broad playback compatibility
  • Metadata scraping quality and coverage depends on the configured providers and community scrapers

Stash is well-suited for users who want a private, searchable, and streamable catalog of adult media with strong tagging and curation tools. Its extensibility through scrapers and plugins makes it flexible for many different library workflows.

11.7kstars
980forks
#4
Dim

Dim

Dim is a self-hosted media manager that indexes, organizes, and beautifies your media libraries with a modern web UI for browsing and playback.

Dim is a self-hosted media manager that scans your media directories, organizes them into a clean library, and provides a web interface to browse and play your content from anywhere. It focuses on minimal setup while offering a polished, modern UI.

Key Features

  • Library management for local media folders with metadata-driven organization
  • Web UI for browsing, searching, and viewing your media collection
  • In-browser playback experience for supported media
  • SQLite-backed local configuration and library data storage
  • Optional hardware-accelerated video processing on Linux via VA-API
  • Multiple deployment options, including standalone binaries and container images

Use Cases

  • Personal media library management for movies and TV on a home server
  • A lightweight alternative to heavier media server stacks for simple browsing and playback
  • Centralized household media browsing across devices using a web browser

Limitations and Considerations

  • Some features may be platform-dependent (for example, VA-API hardware acceleration on Linux)
  • Requires external tools/libraries (such as FFmpeg) for media processing and compatibility

Dim is a strong fit for users who want a sleek, minimal-setup media manager with a modern web UI. It works well for organizing and accessing media libraries while remaining relatively lightweight in deployment and storage requirements.

4kstars
181forks
#5
Ampache

Ampache

Ampache is a web-based audio and video streaming app and file manager for accessing and streaming your organized music and video collection from almost any device.

Ampache screenshot

Ampache is a web-based audio and video streaming application and file manager for browsing and streaming an already organized media collection. It provides a web UI and API so you can access your music and videos from almost any internet-enabled device.

Key Features

  • Music library browsing and management via a web interface
  • Audio and video streaming, including in-browser playback with an HTML5 player
  • Catalog synchronization across local and remote sources into a consistent collection
  • Client compatibility via a REST-style API for external players and apps
  • Supports common web server deployments and database-backed libraries

Use Cases

  • Self-hosted music streaming for your home media library
  • Centralized access to audio/video collections for multiple users and devices
  • Providing an API-backed media library for compatible third-party clients

Limitations and Considerations

  • Metadata quality depends heavily on embedded tags and/or file naming
  • It is designed to present an existing library rather than reorganize or curate files

Ampache is a mature, long-running project focused on giving you consistent access to your media collection through the web and compatible clients. It is well-suited for users who already maintain an organized library and want streaming, browsing, and API access in one place.

3.8kstars
607forks
#6
Bazarr

Bazarr

Bazarr is a Sonarr/Radarr companion that automatically searches, downloads, and upgrades subtitles for your movies and TV shows based on per-title language preferences.

Bazarr screenshot

Bazarr is a companion application for Sonarr and Radarr that automates subtitle management for movies and TV series in your media library. It searches for, downloads, and maintains subtitles according to per-show and per-movie preferences.

Key Features

  • Integrates with Sonarr and Radarr to track indexed series, episodes, and movies
  • Automatic search and download of missing subtitles as they become available
  • Manual subtitle search with selection and proper file naming for media players
  • Subtitle upgrades: periodically replaces existing subtitles when better matches are found
  • Scans existing libraries for internal and external subtitles and fetches missing ones
  • Download history tracking (provider, time, and what was fetched)
  • Supports forced/foreign subtitles (provider-dependent) and a large set of languages
  • Supports many subtitle providers, including OpenSubtitles and others

Use Cases

  • Keep TV shows and movies fully subtitled in preferred languages without manual downloads
  • Maintain consistent subtitle naming/placement for Plex/Jellyfin/Kodi-style playback
  • Periodically improve subtitle quality by upgrading previously downloaded subtitles

Limitations and Considerations

  • Does not discover media on disk by itself; it only manages items already indexed in Sonarr and Radarr
  • Provider availability and matching quality can vary depending on the subtitle source

Bazarr is well-suited for media automation stacks that rely on Sonarr and Radarr and want reliable, hands-off subtitle acquisition and upkeep. It combines automation with manual controls to handle edge cases when matching is difficult.

3.7kstars
296forks
#7
TVHeadend

TVHeadend

Open-source TV streaming server and DVR for Linux supporting DVB/ATSC/IPTV inputs and HTSP/HTTP streaming.

TVHeadend screenshot

TVHeadend is the leading TV streaming server and Digital Video Recorder for Linux. It aggregates multiple tuner inputs and exposes streams to clients via HTSP and HTTP.

Key Features

  • Supports inputs including ATSC, DVB-C/S/T, IPTV (UDP/HTTP), SAT>IP, HDHomeRun, and Unix Pipe
  • Outputs HTSP (native protocol), HTTP, and SAT>IP for client devices
  • DVR functionality with scheduling and electronic program guide support
  • Runs on Linux with Docker container deployment options and extensive documentation
  • Open-source project with community and forum support

Use Cases

  • Central home media server: stream live TV to Kodi and other HTSP/HTTP-capable clients over LAN
  • DVR and archiving: schedule and record OTA/IPTV content for later viewing
  • Containerized deployments: run TVHeadend in Docker for easy hosting and updates

Limitations and Considerations

Conclusion

TVHeadend provides a Linux-focused, multi-input TV streaming and DVR solution suitable for home or small network setups. Its modular inputs/outputs and Docker support make it versatile for various networked TV viewing scenarios.

3.3kstars
952forks
#8
Kometa

Kometa

Kometa is a Python tool that automates Plex metadata, builds collections and playlists, and applies overlays using configuration files and third-party metadata sources.

Kometa is an open-source Python application that manages and automates metadata for Plex media libraries. It can build collections and playlists, apply overlays, and keep customizations reproducible by defining everything in external configuration files.

Key Features

  • Automated metadata updates for Plex items (artwork, titles, summaries, and more)
  • Automatic creation and maintenance of collections and playlists
  • Overlay generation and application for posters (for example, badges and labels)
  • Integrations with third-party metadata sources such as TMDb, Trakt, and IMDb
  • Optional automation integrations with Sonarr and Radarr to support library growth
  • Reproducible, portable configuration that can be reapplied after server/database loss or migrations

Use Cases

  • Curate Plex libraries with automated collections (genres, decades, studios, streaming services)
  • Standardize and reapply custom poster overlays and metadata across multiple Plex servers
  • Keep a large media library organized and visually consistent with minimal manual effort

Limitations and Considerations

  • Primarily designed for Plex; it is not a general-purpose media server
  • Requires initial configuration and ongoing maintenance of YAML-based config/definition files

Kometa is best suited for Plex users who want fine-grained, repeatable control over library presentation and organization. It combines metadata sources and automation rules to keep collections, overlays, and library metadata consistent over time.

3.1kstars
349forks
#9
Kyoo

Kyoo

Kyoo is a self-hosted video-focused media server for movies, TV series, and anime, with automatic library scanning, transcoding, and modern web/mobile clients.

Kyoo screenshot

Kyoo is a self-hosted media server focused on video content such as movies, TV series, and anime. It aims to minimize ongoing maintenance by avoiding strict folder structures and manual metadata editing, while still providing a modern browsing and playback experience.

Key Features

  • Automatic library scanning and matching, including robust parsing for unusual filenames (notably for anime)
  • Dynamic transcoding with quality switching, auto quality, and responsive seeking
  • Preview thumbnails when scrubbing the playback timeline
  • Advanced search backed by a dedicated search engine
  • OIDC login support for integrating with external identity providers
  • Offline downloads with progress sync when devices reconnect
  • Enhanced subtitle support including SSA/ASS and embedded fonts

Use Cases

  • Host a personal or family video library as an alternative to Plex or Jellyfin
  • Stream content to web and Android clients with transcoding for different devices
  • Maintain an anime collection without strict naming and folder conventions

Limitations and Considerations

  • Focused on video only (no music, e-books, or games)
  • No plugin system; features are intended to be built-in
  • Client ecosystem is currently centered on web and Android

Kyoo is designed for users who want a streamlined, low-maintenance media library with strong playback features and search. Its architecture embraces dedicated components where useful, aiming to stay portable and scalable as libraries grow.

2.3kstars
69forks
#10
Jellystat

Jellystat

Self-hosted statistics app for Jellyfin, providing session monitoring, watch history, and user/library analytics with backup and autosync support.

Jellystat is a free, open source statistics and monitoring application for Jellyfin (and optionally Emby) that collects playback and activity data and presents it in a web UI. It helps server administrators understand usage patterns across users and libraries.

Key Features

  • Session monitoring and playback logging
  • Library and user statistics dashboards
  • Watch history and viewing activity tracking
  • User overview and activity reporting
  • Automatic sync of library items
  • Integration with the Jellyfin Statistics Plugin
  • Data backup and restore
  • JWT-based authentication support

Use Cases

  • Monitor a Jellyfin server’s active sessions and recent playback activity
  • Analyze per-user and per-library viewing trends to plan storage and content
  • Maintain historical watch data and restore it after migrations or rebuilds

Limitations and Considerations

  • The project is still in development, and some features and UI behavior may be unfinished
  • Multi-server support is not yet available

Jellystat is a practical companion for Jellyfin administrators who want clearer insights into usage and playback behavior. With logging, dashboards, and backup/restore, it provides a foundation for ongoing monitoring and historical reporting.

2kstars
80forks
#11
Tunarr

Tunarr

Self-hosted IPTV channel builder that turns your Plex, Jellyfin, or Emby libraries into scheduled live TV streams with an HDHomeRun-style tuner, M3U, and web guide.

Tunarr screenshot

Tunarr is a self-hosted application for creating a classic live TV experience using your existing media libraries from Plex, Jellyfin, or Emby. It builds scheduled channels and exposes them as IPTV streams and a tuner device that media apps and IPTV players can consume.

Key Features

  • Create and schedule multiple live TV channels from Plex/Jellyfin/Emby libraries
  • HDHomeRun (HDHR) tuner emulation for integration with supported media servers
  • M3U playlist output for use with IPTV clients
  • Web UI for managing channels, programming, fillers, and settings
  • TV guide-style lineup browsing
  • Filler and branding support (e.g., commercials, prerolls, interstitial content)
  • Per-channel transcoding settings and hardware-accelerated transcoding support
  • Subtitle and audio language preference configuration
  • Scheduled, configurable backups of configuration

Use Cases

  • Build a “cable-like” channel lineup from a personal media library
  • Provide curated, always-on streams to TVs, set-top boxes, or IPTV apps
  • Add fillers and branding to create themed channels (genres, franchises, eras)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Media library changes are not always automatically tracked; channel programming may need manual updates depending on server/content changes

Tunarr is a near-complete rewrite and rebrand inspired by earlier pseudo-TV projects, focusing on a modern stack, improved stability, and a cleaner web interface. It is a strong fit for homelabs that want scheduled, channel-based playback rather than on-demand browsing.

1.9kstars
59forks
#12
Fladder

Fladder

Fladder is a cross-platform Jellyfin client that streams, transcodes, and downloads media for offline playback, with profile switching, library management, and adaptive UI.

Fladder screenshot

Fladder is a cross-platform frontend client for Jellyfin that lets you browse and play your media library across mobile, desktop, web, and TV devices. It focuses on a clean UI, multi-profile support, and reliable playback including offline syncing.

Key Features

  • Stream media with direct play or server transcoding
  • Download and sync media for offline playback while keeping progress in sync
  • Manage your library, including refresh actions and basic metadata edits
  • Multiple profiles for quickly switching users or servers
  • Skip media segments such as intros and credits
  • Trickplay support for improved timeline scrubbing
  • Adaptive layout for mobile, tablet, desktop, web, and TV
  • Dark/light mode with multiple color style options
  • Simple comic book reading support for CBZ/CBR
  • Integrations with Seerr/Jellyseerr

Use Cases

  • Daily Jellyfin viewing on phones, desktops, and Android TV with a consistent UI
  • Offline playback for travel while keeping watch progress synchronized
  • Households with multiple users or multiple Jellyfin servers

Limitations and Considerations

  • Some features may depend on Jellyfin server capabilities (for example, transcoding and segment markers)
  • The hosted web build may be restricted to secure connections depending on where it is served

Fladder is a practical option for users who want a modern Jellyfin experience across many platforms with both streaming and offline workflows. It is especially well-suited for mixed-device setups and multi-user environments.

1.6kstars
78forks
#13
Gerbera

Gerbera

Gerbera is an open source UPnP/DLNA media server that streams your music, photos, and videos to compatible devices on your home network, with a web UI and optional transcoding.

Gerbera screenshot

Gerbera is a UPnP/DLNA media server that lets you stream your local digital media library across your home network to a wide range of compatible players, TVs, consoles, and mobile devices. It maintains an indexed media database, extracts metadata, and provides a web interface to manage and browse your collection.

Key Features

  • UPnP AV media server for browsing and playback on compatible renderers
  • Web UI with tree views for both the media database and filesystem management
  • Metadata extraction for many audio/image formats and thumbnail support
  • Configurable server layout based on extracted metadata
  • Optional on-the-fly transcoding via external plugins/scripts to improve device compatibility
  • Automatic directory rescans, including efficient filesystem monitoring (inotify)
  • Support for linking external URLs into the library

Use Cases

  • Stream a personal music, photo, and video library to smart TVs and consoles over DLNA
  • Provide a lightweight media server for NAS or homelab environments
  • Customize how media is presented across clients using scripting and metadata-based views

Gerbera is well-suited for users who want a standards-based home media server with a manageable web interface and flexible library organization. Its optional transcoding and scripting capabilities help adapt media delivery to diverse device ecosystems.

1.3kstars
215forks
#14
WatchState

WatchState

WatchState is a self-hosted service that synchronizes watch progress and play state between Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby, with backups, webhooks, and parity checks.

WatchState is a self-hosted tool that keeps users’ watch progress and play state synchronized across Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby media servers. It supports one-way or many-to-many sync without relying on external third-party services.

Key Features

  • Multi-user and sub-user support
  • One-way or two-way (many-to-many) play-state synchronization between backends
  • Webhook ingestion from supported media servers to update state in near real time
  • Scheduled and on-demand imports to reconcile missed events
  • Portable play-state backup/export
  • Detection of unmatched/mismatched items across servers
  • Metadata search and parity checks to compare backend reporting
  • Checks for stale references to old or removed files

Use Cases

  • Keep watch progress consistent between a local Jellyfin server and a remote Plex server
  • Migrate or rebuild a media server while preserving watch history via backups/restore
  • Audit libraries across multiple backends to find mismatches and stale references

WatchState is well-suited for homelab and multi-server media setups where consistency and data ownership are important, offering both automation (webhooks/scheduling) and manual control for synchronization and verification.

1.2kstars
17forks
#15
Meelo

Meelo

Open-source self-hosted music server for collectors with flexible metadata parsing, multiple releases/versions support, music-video handling and Docker deployment.

Meelo is an open-source, self-hosted music server and web app designed for music collectors and heavy music libraries. It organizes music by albums/releases/versions, supports rich metadata sources and treats music videos as first-class media.

Key Features

  • Collector-focused data model: albums with multiple releases, songs with versions and tracks, explicit handling of B-sides and rare tracks
  • Flexible metadata parsing from embedded tags and filenames; integrates external providers for genres, descriptions and ratings
  • Music video support integrated into album/artist/song pages and differentiated from interviews or behind-the-scenes videos
  • Automatic detection of featured artists/duets and de-duplication when browsing large libraries
  • Supports wide range of audio/video formats via on-the-fly transcoding; designed to work with ffmpeg-based transcoder
  • Dockerized microservices architecture for easy deployment, including separate front, server, scanner and supporting services
  • Search/indexing backed by a dedicated search service, plus optional scrobbling to ListenBrainz/Last.fm and synced lyrics support

Use Cases

  • Manage and browse large personal music collections with multiple releases and rare tracks
  • Host a private music web app for family or a small group with centralized metadata and playback
  • Run on a home server using Docker Compose with Postgres and Redis for persistence and caching

Limitations and Considerations

  • Mobile support is experimental: an Android app exists but is alpha and some mobile features are still missing
  • Not all consumer features are present (for example, gapless playback and advanced smart-playlist capabilities are on the roadmap)
  • Requires some setup knowledge (Docker, environment variables, and a clean metadata/file layout) and occasional tuning of the transcoder

Meelo is aimed at users who need deep collection organisation and metadata flexibility rather than a plug-and-play streaming service. It is actively maintained and distributed as Docker images for straightforward deployment.

1kstars
33forks
#16
Riven

Riven

Open-source media management system that exposes a FUSE-based virtual filesystem, automates discovery/scraping/downloading, and integrates with Plex/Jellyfin/Emby.

Riven screenshot

Riven is an open-source media management and streaming platform that exposes media via a virtual filesystem (RivenVFS). It automates discovery, scraping, downloading, and organization of media and integrates with popular media servers for immediate streaming.

Key Features

  • Virtual filesystem (FUSE-based RivenVFS) that presents downloaded media to media servers without moving files
  • Automated discovery and scraping pipeline: content services, multiple scrapers, debrid downloader integration and ranking
  • Integrations with Plex, Jellyfin, Emby and content/watchlist services for seamless library updates
  • Configurable caching, fetch-ahead/prefetching, chunked streaming and eviction policies for smooth playback
  • Web-based dashboard (SvelteKit frontend) for configuration, analytics, monitoring and role-based controls
  • Service-oriented backend architecture with REST API, scheduling, and database-backed state management
  • Docker-ready deployment with docker-compose examples, multi-stage builds, and healthchecks

Use Cases

  • Run an automated media acquisition pipeline that finds and prepares media for Plex/Jellyfin/Emby
  • Present on-demand streaming of debrid-hosted content through a virtual filesystem to existing media servers
  • Centralize and monitor media library state, downloads, and notifications (Discord, Apprise, webhooks)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Linux-only runtime: Windows requires WSL and careful Docker/WSL setup; the VFS relies on FUSE and host mount propagation
  • Requires privileged container capabilities (e.g., /dev/fuse, SYS_ADMIN) and proper mount propagation flags for correct containerized VFS behavior
  • Active-development/beta status: some features and integrations are still evolving and documented as beta; expect breaking changes on dev tags
  • Operational dependencies: needs Docker (or Python runtime), a PostgreSQL database, and configured debrid/indexer accounts to function fully

Riven is suited for self-hosting enthusiasts who want automated media acquisition and a FUSE-backed streaming experience. It pairs a Python backend and SvelteKit frontend to provide an end-to-end media management workflow with configurable caching and integrations.

715stars
92forks
#17
Cinephage

Cinephage

Self-hosted media management app that unifies discovery, downloading, subtitles, streaming, and live TV with built-in indexers and Docker deployment.

Cinephage is a self-hosted media management application that centralizes discovery, downloading, library management, streaming integration, subtitles, and live TV into a single interface backed by one database. It aims to replace multi-app *arr-style stacks by offering indexers, download clients, streaming providers and monitoring from one place.

Key Features

  • Unified single-database media library for movies and TV with TMDB integration and scanning/file-watching.
  • Built-in indexers (7 built-in) plus Newznab support for Usenet indexers.
  • Subtitle support across multiple providers (8 providers, 80+ languages) with auto-download.
  • Streaming integration with multiple providers and circuit-breaker style failover (10 streaming providers listed in project).
  • Download client integrations: qBittorrent, SABnzbd, NZBGet (configurable download clients).
  • Live TV / IPTV Stalker portal support (discovery or bring-your-own account) and EPG handling (marked experimental).
  • Smart lists and automated monitoring tasks for searches, upgrades and new-episode detection (monitoring features flagged experimental).
  • Docker-first deployment with docker-compose examples, example .env and a provided Dockerfile for containerized installs.

Use Cases

  • Consolidating separate media tools into a single self-hosted app to simplify management and reduce cross-app configuration.
  • Automated discovery and acquisition pipeline for new episodes or movie releases using built-in indexers and download clients.
  • Providing .strm-based streaming proxies to integrate discovered streams into media players and media servers.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Project is in active development (alpha/early stage): features may be incomplete, APIs can change, and bugs are expected.
  • Several features are explicitly marked experimental (monitoring automation, Live TV/IPTV); they may be unstable or change behavior.
  • Some integrations and feature gaps (e.g., certain debrid services and provider coverage) are noted as backlog items; expect ongoing additions and changes.

Cinephage is positioned as an all-in-one, developer-focused alternative to multi-service media stacks. It is suitable for users who want a single, evolving application for media discovery, acquisition and streaming, and who are comfortable running software that is actively developed and may change between releases.

538stars
11forks
#18
Frames

Frames

Modern self-hosted SVOD streaming platform to organize and stream MP4 media from local drives and cloud providers with metadata, playlists, GroupWatch, and AI recommendations.

Frames is a subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) style streaming platform for self-hosted personal media collections. It organizes movies and TV shows, fetches rich metadata and artwork, and streams MP4 files from local storage or cloud providers while offering playlists and synchronized GroupWatch sessions.

Key Features

  • Stream MP4 media from local storage and cloud providers (Amazon S3, Dropbox, Google Drive and others)
  • Modern React/Next.js UI with a visually focused dark theme and media discovery pages
  • Backend built with NestJS and TypeScript, using PostgreSQL for storage and Redis for caching
  • Automatic metadata and artwork ingestion from TMDB, Fanart and Apple artwork sources
  • AI-powered recommendations using OpenAI embeddings (requires API key and vector storage)
  • Advanced video player with subtitle support, AirPlay, picture-in-picture, download controls and seek thumbnails
  • Playlists, public/private sharing, and admin controls for media metadata and permissions
  • GroupWatch for synchronized viewing and in-session chat

Use Cases

  • Host a private streaming library for personal or family use with centralized metadata and artwork
  • Stream media stored across local drives and multiple cloud providers without copying files
  • Run watch parties with synchronized playback and chat using GroupWatch

Limitations and Considerations

  • Several integrations (TMDB, Fanart, OpenAI embeddings) require API keys for full functionality
  • Transcoding is experimental (alpha) and currently only supports local media; feature is not production-stable
  • Some casting functionality (Chromecast) is listed as coming soon and may be incomplete

Frames is suited for users who want a polished, self-hosted streaming UI with rich metadata and collaborative viewing features. It requires typical infrastructure components (PostgreSQL, Redis) and optionally API keys for enhanced metadata and AI recommendations.

485stars
52forks
#19
Jellyswarrm

Jellyswarrm

A Rust-based reverse proxy that aggregates multiple Jellyfin servers into a single unified interface with unified libraries, direct playback, and user mapping.

Jellyswarrm is a reverse proxy that aggregates multiple Jellyfin servers into a single unified experience. It presents itself as a standard Jellyfin server so existing Jellyfin clients can browse and play media from multiple back-end servers without switching between them.

Key Features

  • Unified library access: browse media from multiple Jellyfin servers in one combined view (Next Up, Recently Added, etc.).
  • Direct playback: streams content directly from the origin server to preserve original transcoding and reduce proxy overhead.
  • User mapping and federation: link and synchronize user accounts across connected Jellyfin servers for a consistent user experience.
  • API compatibility: exposes the Jellyfin API surface so most existing Jellyfin apps and tools work with minimal changes.
  • Embedded web UI: bundled management UI for adding servers, configuring user maps, and basic administration.
  • Docker-friendly deployment: provided container image and docker-compose examples for easy installation.

Use Cases

  • Consolidate personal media libraries hosted on multiple Jellyfin instances into a single client-visible server.
  • Share and browse friends' Jellyfin libraries across networks without complex file sharing setups.
  • Present a single Jellyfin endpoint for client devices while keeping media stored and served on multiple origin servers.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Project is in early development; some features are incomplete or experimental.
  • QuickConnect-style remote convenience is not yet implemented; login currently requires username and password.
  • Websocket support is incomplete, which can affect real-time features like SyncPlay or live updates.
  • Audio streaming and some client combinations are untested and may have issues in certain setups.
  • Media management (adding/removing libraries) through the proxy is not implemented; library changes must be done on origin servers.

Jellyswarrm is useful for users who want to aggregate multiple Jellyfin instances under a single endpoint while preserving playback performance and original server responsibilities. It is focused on compatibility with existing Jellyfin clients and on simplifying multi-server browsing and user federation.

434stars
8forks
#20
CrossWatch

CrossWatch

CrossWatch synchronizes watchlists, history, ratings and live scrobbles between Plex, Jellyfin, Emby and trackers like Trakt, SIMKL, AniList and MDBlist.

CrossWatch is a local synchronization engine and web UI that keeps media metadata consistent across media servers and tracker services. It syncs watchlists, history, ratings and provides live scrobbling and snapshots via an internal tracker for Movies and TV (seasons/episodes).

Key Features

  • Sync watchlists, ratings and play history one- or two-way between media servers and trackers
  • Live scrobble (real-time) from Plex/Jellyfin/Emby to trackers such as Trakt, SIMKL, MDBlist and AniList
  • Internal CW Tracker that stores snapshots/backups of server and tracker state for recovery and auditing
  • Multi-server and multi-tracker support in a single interface with flexible sync directions
  • Scheduling support for headless or recurring runs and manual synchronizations from the web UI
  • Analyzer and Editor tools to find mismatches, inspect and adjust items, export CSV reports, and review history and logs
  • Watcher mode and webhooks for near realtime updates without server plugins

Use Cases

  • Maintain a unified watchlist and consistent ratings across Plex, Jellyfin, Emby and external trackers
  • Ensure play history and scrobbles are synchronized to a preferred tracker for cross-device viewing stats
  • Create snapshots and recover or revive items that disappear from a media server using the internal tracker

Limitations and Considerations

  • Focused on a single user/server context: multi-user or multi-server workflows are explicitly not supported
  • Supports only Movies and TV (seasons/episodes); other media types are not covered
  • Matching between providers can be imperfect; manual review with the Analyzer/Editor may be required for ambiguous items

CrossWatch is suited for users who run one or more personal media servers and want a single place to manage syncs, scrobbles and snapshots. It is designed for self-hosted/home setups and emphasizes configurability and recoverability.

332stars
7forks

Why choose an open source alternative?

  • Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running