squanch.me › media
// section :: media_terminal

The Media Terminal

A curated archive of film and television — hosted on real hardware, not someone else's cloud. Stream, request, download for travel. The library grows on demand.

Media Serveronline
Request Queueopen
Transcodingactive
access // services
guides // tips & how-tos
How to add Seerr to your homescreen
Quickly make requests from your device's home screen

iOS (Safari)

  1. Open Safari and navigate to the Seerr URL provided to you.
  2. Sign in with your Plex account if prompted.
  3. Tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen — it looks like a box with an arrow pointing up.
  4. Scroll down the share sheet and tap Add to Home Screen.
  5. Edit the name if you like, then tap Add in the top-right corner.
Note This must be done in Safari — Chrome and Firefox on iOS don't support Add to Home Screen for web apps.

Android (Chrome)

  1. Open Chrome and navigate to the Seerr URL.
  2. Sign in if prompted.
  3. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
  4. Tap Add to Home screen.
  5. Confirm the name and tap Add. Chrome may also show an install banner at the bottom of the screen — tapping that works too.
Tip Once added, Seerr opens in its own window without browser chrome — it behaves like a native app. No need to open Chrome first.
How to request a movie or show
Using Seerr to add to the library

Getting started

Open the request tool and sign in with your Plex account. Seerr pulls your Plex identity — no separate credentials needed.

Submitting a request

  1. Use the search bar to find the movie or show you want.
  2. Click the title, then hit Request. For TV you can request specific seasons or the whole series.
  3. Done. The request routes automatically — you'll get a Plex notification when it's available.
Heads up Most requests fulfill within a few hours. New or obscure titles may take longer or need a source to appear. If something has been pending more than 24 hours, check with your server admin.

Checking request status

Open Seerr → your profile icon → Requests. Status will show as Pending, Processing, Available, or Failed. Failed typically means no source was found — manual intervention might be needed.

Setting preferred audio & subtitles
Language preferences, forced subs, and how Plex handles them

Global preferences

In Plex Web or desktop: Settings → Account → Audio & Subtitle Preferences. Set your preferred audio language and default subtitle behavior. These sync to your account across all Plex clients.

Subtitle modes

  • Always on — subtitles on everything, regardless of audio language
  • Foreign audio only — subtitles only when audio isn't your preferred language
  • Forced only — subtitles only for foreign-language segments within a title (alien dialogue, untranslated signs, etc.) — usually the right pick if you just want context
  • Off — no subtitles ever
Note If a title has a better audio track or subtitle file and it's not showing, request it via Seerr with a note. Bazarr handles subtitle automation but occasionally misses things.

Per-playback override

Switch audio or subtitle tracks mid-playback using the speech bubble icon in the player controls. This doesn't change your global preferences — just that session.

Downloading for offline viewing
Sync content to your phone or tablet before you travel

Plex mobile downloads

Plex supports offline sync on iOS and Android. Open a movie or episode, tap the download icon (down arrow near the title). The file saves to the app's local storage and plays without any network connection.

Quality settings

Before downloading: Settings → Quality → Download Quality. Original downloads the source file as-is — highest quality but potentially very large. 1080p transcodes first, smaller file. For travel, 1080p is usually the right balance.

Storage warning A 1080p movie is typically 4–20 GB depending on encode. A full TV season at 1080p can be 20–60 GB. Check your device storage before going deep on a series.

Downloads expire

Synced downloads require the Plex app to check in with the server within 30 days, or the content locks. Make sure the app re-syncs at least once before you leave — then it'll stay available for the trip.

Why your smart TV's Plex app may suck
Transcoding, codec support, and what to use instead

The problem

Most built-in smart TV Plex apps (Samsung, LG, Vizio, etc.) have weak codec support. They can't decode H.265/HEVC or high-bitrate H.264 natively, so Plex has to transcode — re-encoding the file in real time on the server before sending it. This causes buffering, degraded quality, and burns CPU on the server side.

Better client options

  • Apple TV 4K — best option; handles nearly every codec natively including Dolby Vision and TrueHD Atmos
  • NVIDIA Shield Pro — excellent for 4K HDR, great local decode, handles everything
  • Roku Ultra / Streaming Stick 4K+ — solid, handles most modern encodes well
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max — decent, occasional gaps but generally fine
  • Chromecast with Google TV — good overall, occasionally transcodes Dolby Vision
But Netflix is Fine! Big streaming services store a bunch of different versions of everything so it works perfectly on any device. Home DIY'ers don't have that kind of storage, so this is more of a "works for most things" setup.

4K content specifically

4K remuxes and HDR encodes are large, high-bitrate files. Even if your TV has a "4K Plex app," it almost certainly can't direct play these. An Apple TV 4K or Shield is the correct tool. Everything else is a compromise.

Reporting a broken file or playback issue
Wrong audio, missing subs, corrupted file, or a request that went sideways

Things worth reporting

  • Audio is out of sync, wrong language, or no audio at all
  • Subtitles are missing, broken, or defaulting to the wrong language
  • File is the wrong version, wrong cut, or mislabeled
  • Video corrupts, freezes, or cuts out at a specific point
  • Request showed "Available" in Seerr but the file won't play or is missing in Plex

How to report

Submit issues through the request tool Seerr. On any movie or series page there's a Report Issue option — use it to flag the problem type (video, audio, subtitles, wrong file, etc.) and add any relevant detail. This goes directly to the server admin.

Before reporting Try switching audio and subtitle tracks manually first via the speech bubble icon in the Plex player. Plex occasionally defaults to the wrong track. If switching fixes it, it's a preference issue, not a file problem — no need to report.

Resolution

Most file issues get resolved by replacing or remuxing the source. Subtitle problems are typically handled via automated tooling. Straightforward issues usually turn around quickly.