Tips, updates, and guides from the JellyWatch team.
Three operating systems dominate the homelab space for running Jellyfin: Unraid (flexible, user-friendly), TrueNAS SCALE (ZFS, free, Docker-native since Electric Eel), and Proxmox (hypervisor with LXC and VMs). This comparison covers Docker support, GPU passthrough complexity, storage architecture, backup capabilities, community size, and total cost of ownership for each platform.
Is self-hosting actually cheaper than paying for streaming services? This detailed financial analysis compares the 5-year total cost of a self-hosted media stack (Jellyfin + hardware + storage + electricity) against the combined cost of Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, YouTube Premium, and Google Photos. Includes hardware amortization, electricity costs, and the break-even point for different library sizes.
Remux or encode? This is the most-debated storage question in every Jellyfin community. This guide breaks down the differences in quality, file size, Direct Play compatibility, Dolby Vision handling, and storage cost - with a clear recommendation for every type of setup.
How much does Emby Premiere cost in 2026? This guide breaks down every pricing tier ($4.99/month, $54/year, $119 lifetime), which features require Premiere (hardware transcoding, mobile apps, Live TV), whether the investment makes sense, and how Jellyfin offers the same features completely free.
