[API][Android] API feature proposal and wishlist.

I have found a way to install Jellyfin on a NAS. Are there also instructions on how to get the client running on the zidoo or how does that work?

Tell me, if it works like Plex or Emby, in my case the NAS has to do all the work of playing the movie or does it just send the movie to the client and the end device does the rest?

 

You first setup the server via its http page and setup your libs, there is also a plugins sections. So basically the server manages your media library.

Now you can use any Jellyfin app to access it, via Zidoo, Phone, Webpage or Mac/Pc.

Yes it works like those media-centers, in fact Jellyfin is a offspring of Emby after Emby went closed-source. Thats why Jellyfin is so similar to Emby.

Yes and no, in our Zidoo case the player supports most audio/video/subtitle formats so the server sends the file via http by default in so called "DirectPlay" mode.
In this mode the player/client does the playback and the server has very little to-do, basically just hands the http stream to the client.

Yet if the client, like your Phone cant play the file natively, than the server will live transcode the file in a format the client can play.
This transcoding process can happen via CPU or GPU and therefor the speed depends on the "transcode power" of the server.
As example my i3-12100 intel CPU can use the iGPU to transcode into h264/HEVC at 400-600 FPS, so its super fast and easy on the CPU.
On older CPU's and probably your NAS, iGPU transcode is not going to work, so the CPU has to-do the heavy lifting.
So now it depends on you CPU and how it can handle this and at which speeds.

Than you can also setup "Network Paths" on the server, so instead of "DirectPlay" via http the server can send smb/nfs paths directly to the client.
In our case inside the JellyfinTv app you enable the "Direct Path" option to get this working.
This has the advantage that it can be more stable, than sending a http stream to the Zidoo player.

You install the Zidoo Edition client via web or usb-stick, check the documentation here: https://github.com/Andy2244/jellyfin-androidtv-zidoo
Also check the Jellyfin server documentation here: https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/quick-start.html

 

It seems the changes are already there with the latest alpha for Neo series:

3. Added more playback interfaces for third-party players.

 

Yeah i currently test v6.4.11 for Z9X with the changes, need to verify all works.

At least one somewhat major issue still remains, we have no "working" seekable transcode option atm.
If i send a HLS stream the internal player gets confused after seeking, guessing it does not know its a HLS stream. Its also quite unstable in HLS mode.
If i send a progressive mkv stream, you cant seek at all and the duration/position times are all 0. So the player can play the file, but again gets confused on whats going on.
I hope we can add some flag to the player that indicates those cases and the internal player can adjust accordingly.
Getting stable HLS to work would be preferably, so seeking/chapters can work in transcoding cases.