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Major server hardware overhaul planned for November, 2026

Here's what you need to know and how to prepare:

The Jellyfin server started as an at home project to catalogue and store my vast DVD collection. As the volume and quality of data has grown over the last year, it's clear that the original NAS hardware and storage volume were not adequately designed for the amount or type of use that the server receives. A major server upgrade project has been started that will see the original NAS device serving as an auxiliary storage pool to brand new computing hardware that is purpose built to handle multiple 4K video transcoding streams, and host a variety of services simultaneously.

In order to accommodate the usage that the Jellyfin server handles now, and is expected to handle over the coming years, we will be taking the current Stream-DIY (Stream-DIY #2) server offline completely and rebuilding it from scratch in the new hardware environment. This will allow us to host Jellyfin in a more appropriate operating system that is designed to run a server/NAS environment. Not only will server-side video transcoding dramatically improve, but secure access and service options should improve, as well. This means that user profiles will be completely reset, and the server IP address will change. Users wishing to continue using Stream-DIY will need to remake a profile for Stream-DIY #3, and should expect to have their watch history completely erased. The stream.stream-diy.com URL will direct the user to Stream-DIY #3, but any applications linking to the server directly by IP will need to update to the new IP once it's available.

The anticipated roll-out of the new server hardware is early-mid November (depending on shipping/when parts arrive).

Features coming with the new hardware overhaul:

Jellywatch Integration

Jellywatch is a 3rd party app for viewing and managing a Jellyfin server on "any" screen. It's a separate app that will link to the Stream-DIY #3 server and offer additional management support tools. The viewer benefits, as well, with integrations like:

Social Watch which allows viewers to see a live feed of what others are watching, and leave likes, ratings, and reviews on videos.
Linked Profiles allows a viewer to link multiple Jellyfin (and/or emby) servers together and view their combined libraries in one place.
Custom Shelves give the viewer the ability to build home rows from user defined rules instead of the fixed lists that Jellyfin provides. Custom rules could include conditions like a min/max video quality, rating, or specific titles. These shelves work with combined libraries from multiple servers.
Personalized Recommendations is pretty self explainatory, but a viewer can have six shelves built to suit their specific tastes and watch habits.
The Jellywatch player includes a built in hardware accelerated player that provides better local transcoding in the unlikely event that the server is too busy to transcode for you.

Read the whole list of Jellywatch services here

Expanded Media Types

One of the goals through 2027 will be to start including a wider library of eBooks and music. While video will remain the primary focus of the server, the ability to seamlessly switch between hosted videos, music, and literature will become a more present feature in the library.

As CD and Record collections are backed up, they'll be incorporated into the server and even have android auto integrations for android phone users. Like the videos already are, music and eBooks will be available for download for offline use.

Server Stability

The new hardware should allow a larger population of viewers to watch videos at the same time. Viewers from various parts of the Globe should have a less varied experience when connecting to Stream-DIY.

24/7 - Live TV mode

Based on user interest, Stream-DIY #3 will feature a lineup of Cable TV style channels that run TV episodes and commercials. While the service will run 24/7/365, the programming on various channels will match what is appropriate in different user time-zones. This means that some channels may switch to old TV shows and infomercials at night, while playing more highly rated TV shows during 'prime-time hours.'

Relive the nostalgic era of setting a schedule around when your favorite shows would be on, and running to get snacks during commercial breaks. Cable TV style programming also helps users cut down on binge watching and decision fatigue since shows only run during set times.

The full lineup is expected to have between 50-100 online TV channels that are playable live in the Stream-DIY #3 environment, complete with a guide. Channels will be thematically programmed based on genre, rating, publication era, and content. Programming will vary from 'kids' stations featuring cartoons and child oriented shows, to Science Fiction mashups, Anime, war themes, 1990s/2000s channels, and even more adult-oriented material that's not so suitable for work.

Channels are currently being tested on Stream-DIY #2 but are not up continuously. Some test channels currently include:

The Tokyo Underground (Ch 3): a channel featuring Japanese themed, or created shows. Heavily focused on Anime
Seasons on 7 (Ch 7): seasonally appropriate shows based on approaching holidays. Currently displaying spooky-season themes, but soon to switch to the Christmas hearthrobs you'd expect to find on a greeting card.
Old But Gold (Ch 10): TV shows from yesteryear that are still worth watching, like Police Classics from Adam-12 to Columbo, and sitcoms like the Golden Girls and Friends.
The 1990's (Ch 19), 2000's on 20 (Ch 20), 21 for the 2010s (Ch 21), and 2020 isn't Hindsight Yet (Ch 22) are decades based theme channels that show television and movies from their respective decades
Star Network (Ch 28) features science fiction shows that are set in or about Outer Space

Television shows and movies will be split by 'commercial breaks' featuring channel specific and general videos that include nostalgic advertisements, short and funny videos, music videos, and trailers/announcements for shows on that or other channels. Ad breaks only occur between shows or movies and never during them, allowing viewers to experience their programming uninterrupted. These ad breaks are usually between 1-5 minutes long (trending closer to 1 minute than 5), and designed to buffer the programming so that the next show or movie can start at a predictable time.

Improved Branding:

Improved branding on the home page (especially with Jellywatch integration) will make browsing more enjoyable. Branding won't stop there, Netflix style pre-show/movie bumpers will make the server or specific TV channels feel more professional and 'real.' Stream-DIY #3 will feel more like a legit streaming service than a homebrew application made from a shelf of DVDs.

User Requests

Users will be able to make media requests using a Jellyseerr request interface. Jellyseerr will give users a different interface that allows them to more easily discover content on the server, and make requests when missing content is discovered. Depending on functionality, the server may try to automatically fulfill the request if the media is available, but we'll see how that works when we get there.

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