This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/piracy by /u/NutSockMushroom on 2024-07-19 23:54:42+00:00.

I’ve been downloading stuff for over 2 decades but until this year, I’ve been limited to watching it on my PC or transferring it to a relatively small USB drive that I would plug into the TV. It wasn’t always convenient, but it worked well enough that I never stopped doing it. Also had Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount+, and an on again/off again Disney subscription because my wife likes to scroll.

I saw someone mention Jellyfin in a random comment a few months ago and I had never heard of it before, so I figured I’d check it out. Since then we’ve ditched all of our video streaming subscriptions except Hulu (it’s bundled with my Spotify account, which would cost more separately).

My absolute favorite part about it is not having to scroll through a bunch of stuff we will never care about – everything on it is there because we wanted it. Everything we like is on one app with no ads, no subscription, and no filler to sift through. We don’t have previews blaring at us every time we stop on something, and no episodes have been banned due to other people’s sensibilities. This is all I’ve ever wanted from TV.

I also like being able to make playlists of videos. I can have seasonal playlists, chronological cinematic universes, or just weave shows together to make my own TV channels to use as background noise. I wondered why this feature has never existed for paid streaming services, until I realized that people’s lists would be changed every time a show or movie got removed from any given service (yet another issue I will never have again).

The only downside is that we can only watch it when we’re at home, on a device that is connected to the same network as my PC. I know it’s possible to make it remotely accessible, but I don’t currently have the knowledge, space, or budget to set up my own dedicated server. Even so, we don’t travel very often and mostly watch stuff at home anyway.

I strongly recommend trying it out if you’re a video collector who doesn’t already know about it!