Tips, updates, and guides from the JellyWatch team.
The Steam Deck is a portable Linux PC that runs Jellyfin natively - no homebrew required. This guide covers installing Jellyfin Media Player in Desktop Mode, adding it as a non-Steam game for Game Mode with controller support, codec compatibility, HDR on OLED models, and offline download strategies.
Jellyfin has no built-in Discover tab - by design. But in 2026, community plugins bring Netflix-style recommendations without sending your data anywhere. This guide covers LocalRecs (ML-based, 100% local), jellynext (Trakt-powered per-user libraries), and smart collection strategies for a personalized streaming experience.
TrueNAS Electric Eel replaced Kubernetes with Docker Compose for apps. This complete guide covers installing Jellyfin on TrueNAS 25.04 with the new Apps system, Intel QSV GPU passthrough, ZFS dataset configuration, and automated snapshots for bulletproof backups.
Jellyfin 10.11 moved everything to a single SQLite database managed by EF Core. Over time, this database grows, fragments, and slows down. This guide covers VACUUM, integrity checks, WAL management, activity log cleanup, and automated maintenance scripts to keep your server fast.
The Fire TV Stick is one of the cheapest ways to stream Jellyfin on your TV. But Amazon's 2026 shift to Vega OS is changing the rules. This guide covers installation from the Amazon Appstore, codec support by model, 4K HDR optimization, and what to do if your Fire TV runs Vega OS.
Uptime Kuma is the most popular self-hosted monitoring tool in 2026. This guide shows how to monitor your Jellyfin server health endpoint, set up instant alerts via Discord, Telegram, or Ntfy, and build a status page your users can check.
Swiftfin is the official free Jellyfin client for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Version 1.4 brought a full navigation overhaul and Jellyfin 10.11 support. This guide covers installation, playback settings, codec support, and how Swiftfin compares to Infuse in 2026.
Stop guessing encode settings. This guide gives you exact Handbrake and FFmpeg configurations that produce files every Jellyfin client can Direct Play - H.265 CRF values, dual audio tracks (EAC3 + AAC), HDR preservation, GPU encoding, and batch automation with Tdarr.
Not everyone has a home server. A VPS from Hetzner (€4.50/month) or Contabo gives you a dedicated Jellyfin instance with a public IP, 1 Gbps bandwidth, and 24/7 uptime. This guide covers VPS selection, Docker deployment, storage mounting, the no-GPU reality, and when Oracle free tier is enough.
