JellyWatch Glossary
Quick definitions for the Jellyfin and self-hosted media terms used across this site and in the app.
- Transcoding #
- Converting a media file from one format, codec, resolution, or bitrate to another, in real time, so a client that cannot play the original file can still stream it. Transcoding uses CPU or GPU resources on the server.
- Direct Play #
- The client plays the original media file without any modification by the server. The server acts as a simple file provider. Uses the least server resources and preserves full quality.
- Direct Stream #
- The server remuxes the media container (e.g. MKV to MP4) but leaves the video and audio codecs untouched. Less costly than transcoding because no pixel-level re-encoding happens.
- Remuxing #
- Repackaging media streams into a different container format without re-encoding the actual video or audio. Very fast and lossless.
- Hardware Acceleration (HWA) #
- Offloading transcoding from the CPU to dedicated GPU components (Intel Quick Sync, NVIDIA NVENC, AMD VCE, Apple VideoToolbox). Lets a server handle several concurrent streams at a fraction of the CPU cost.
- Session #
- An active playback instance: one user playing one media item on one device. A server can have many concurrent sessions, each with its own playback state and, potentially, its own transcode.
- Library #
- A collection of media organised by type (movies, shows, music, books). Each library maps to one or more folders on disk and has its own metadata provider and scanning schedule.
- Metadata #
- Information about a media item (title, year, cast, plot, artwork) fetched from providers such as TMDB, TVDB, or MusicBrainz, then stored and used by the server to present a rich catalogue.
- API Key #
- A secret token used to authenticate a third-party app (like JellyWatch or EmbyWatch) when talking to your media server or to companion tools (Sonarr, Radarr, Jellyseerr). Should never be shared publicly.
- Reverse Proxy #
- A server (Nginx, Caddy, Traefik) placed in front of your media server to handle HTTPS termination, caching, and routing. Required to safely expose a self-hosted server to the public internet.
- Jellyfin #
- A free, open-source media server that lets you stream your personal movie, TV, and music collection to any device. JellyWatch is a companion Android app for Jellyfin servers.
- Emby #
- A proprietary media server (with a free tier and a paid Emby Premiere plan) for streaming personal media libraries. EmbyWatch is a companion Android app for Emby servers.
- Jellyseerr #
- A request management tool for Jellyfin and Emby that lets users browse, request, and track movies or TV shows. Integrates with Sonarr and Radarr to auto-download approved requests.
- Sonarr #
- An automation tool for TV shows. Monitors RSS feeds and indexers to download new episodes as they become available, then organises them for your media server.
- Radarr #
- An automation tool for movies. Watches indexers for new releases or upgrades and downloads them automatically based on your quality profile.
- Prowlarr #
- A centralised indexer manager for Sonarr, Radarr, and Lidarr. Define your torrent and Usenet indexers in one place, and Prowlarr pushes them to every connected app.
- Bazarr #
- A companion to Sonarr and Radarr that automatically downloads subtitles from providers like OpenSubtitles, Subscene, or Addic7ed, in the languages you choose.
- Jellystat #
- An analytics tool for Jellyfin that stores long-term playback history and exposes dashboards for per-user, per-library, and per-item watch statistics.
- PiP (Picture-in-Picture) #
- An Android feature that lets a video keep playing in a small floating window while you use other apps. Supported by the JellyWatch and EmbyWatch integrated player.
- Play Integrity API #
- A Google Play service that verifies whether an Android app is running on a genuine, unmodified device and under a legitimate Google Play install. Used by JellyWatch and EmbyWatch to protect premium features.
No term matches your filter.
