CineDock is now Kinostrata. Same app, new name. Your installs, settings and updates carry on as before.

Kinostrata setup

Set up Kinostrata.

Install Kinostrata, connect your media server and set up your TV or remote viewing.

Setup pages and steps

Watching away from home? Follow the numbered Remote viewing guide →

01

Choose your server

Plex

Link your account. Choose your own server or one shared with you.

Set up Plex Emby

Enter your server address and sign in with your username and password.

Set up Emby Jellyfin

Enter your server address and sign in with your username and password.

Set up Jellyfin

Follow your server's steps for accounts, connections and remote viewing.

Using your Zidoo's own Home Theater library? Follow Zinedock setup.

02

Install Kinostrata

You need a working Plex, Emby or Jellyfin server and an account with access to your libraries.

ONE COMPUTER

Windows or Mac

Install the desktop app. It runs Kinostrata on that computer and opens your browser.

Desktop install steps →
BROWSERS AND TV

Server or NAS

Install the container on Unraid, TrueNAS or Docker. Keep it running for your browsers and TV apps.

Container install steps →
TV APP

Fire TV, Shield or Zidoo

On Fire TV or Shield, use your home Kinostrata container or connect directly to Plex, Emby or Jellyfin. Zidoo uses its separate home-container edition.

TV install steps →

Kinostrata does not include or download films and TV shows. It works with your library.

03

Install on your server or NAS

Kinostrata uses port 8945 inside the container. Map/config to persistent storage to keep your settings, Watchlists and caches.

Unraid

  1. Find Kinostrata in Community Applications.
  2. Choose any unused port on the Unraid server. Kinostrata suggests 8945, but you can use another free port.
  3. Keep /config mapped to persistent appdata. This preserves your settings, Watchlists and caches when the container is updated.
  4. Optional: the template has fields for your media server's address and API key (Plex, Emby or Jellyfin) and a TMDB key. Anything you fill in here is offered ready-made during setup — useful when setup will happen on a television, where typing is a chore.
  5. Install, then open http://YOUR-UNRAID-IP:HOST-PORT.

Docker, Portainer or another NAS

Map any free host port to Kinostrata's internal 8945. This example uses host port 8955:

docker run -d --name cinedock -p 8955:8945 \ --restart unless-stopped \ -v /path/to/cinedock-config:/config \ ghcr.io/cinedock/cinedock:latest
8955Example host port8945Kinostrata container port

You would then open http://YOUR-SERVER-IP:8955. Replace 8955 with whichever free host port you choose.

The same host-to-container mapping applies to Docker Compose, Portainer, Synology Container Manager and QNAP Container Station.

TrueNAS Apps

Kinostrata is in the official TrueNAS Apps catalogue (Community train). The app uses the same Kinostrata container, but TrueNAS handles its port differently from the Docker example above:

31080TrueNAS WebUI and Kinostrata port
  1. Open Apps → Discover Apps, search for Kinostrata and choose Install.
  2. Leave WebUI Port at the default 31080, or replace it with another unused port. TrueNAS gives that port directly to Kinostrata. Unlike the Docker example above, you do not need a separate HOST-PORT:8945 mapping.
  3. For Kinostrata Configuration Storage, keep the default ixVolume for the simplest setup, or choose an existing Host Path. TrueNAS prepares /config for the app's fixed 568:568 identity.
  4. The standard resource defaults are 2 CPUs and 4096 MB memory. Leave them in place for the initial installation.
  5. A TMDB API key is optional. It adds fuller biographies, library filmographies and improves Spotlight selection; Kinostrata works without it.
  6. Install the app, then use its Web Portal, or open http://YOUR-TRUENAS-IP:31080 when using the default port.

04

Install on Windows & Mac

The desktop app runs Kinostrata on your computer. These beta builds are unsigned; follow the steps for your operating system below.

Windows 10 or 11

1

Download the beta

Download the Windows x64 executable and its SHA-256 checksum from the desktop beta release.

Your browser will probably object, because the beta is not yet code-signed. That is expected; here is how to keep the file:

  • Edge: open Downloads (Ctrl+J), hover the Kinostrata entry, choose the … menu → Keep → Show more → Keep anyway.
  • Chrome: open Downloads (Ctrl+J), find the Kinostrata entry and choose Keep (it may be behind the … menu as Keep dangerous file — Chrome's wording for any unsigned download, not a judgement on this one).

Only do this for the file you fetched from the official Kinostrata release — and the next step is how you prove it is the right one.

2

Check it, then open it

Check that the filename and SHA-256 checksum match the official release: right-click the file's folder, open a terminal and run certutil -hashfile CineDock-Desktop-4.16.0-Windows-x64.exe SHA256, and compare the result with the checksum published beside the download. Then run the executable. Windows shows a SmartScreen screen for unsigned software: choose More info, then Run anyway.

3

Complete setup

Kinostrata starts on your computer and opens in your browser. Choose Plex, Emby or Jellyfin and enter the connection details described in Connect your server.

4

Know where it lives

The browser window is not the app. Close the window and Kinostrata keeps running in the system tray, ready to reopen instantly. The tray icon's right-click menu is the app's real front door: Open Kinostrata, Start with Windows, and Quit Kinostrata when you genuinely want it gone.

Mac

1

Check compatibility

Two builds are available: Intel (x86_64), tested on macOS Monterey, and Apple Silicon (arm64), confirmed working on real hardware. Download the build matching your Mac.

2

Verify and extract

Download the Mac ZIP and checksum. Verify the checksum, then extract Kinostrata.app.

3

Open safely

Because the beta is unsigned and not notarised, Control-click Kinostrata.app, choose Open, then confirm. Do not disable Gatekeeper.

4

Use the menu bar

Closing the browser leaves Kinostrata in the macOS menu bar. Use the menu-bar icon to reopen Kinostrata, open Settings or quit. To upgrade, quit from the menu bar first, then replace Kinostrata.app with the new one.

05

The two addresses

Media-server address
Entered during Kinostrata setup, including direct TV mode.
http://192.168.1.20:8096 for Emby or Jellyfin.
Kinostrata address
Opened in your browser, or entered in the TV app when using a home Kinostrata container.
http://192.168.1.50:8955 in these examples.

In hosted TV mode, use the Kinostrata host port you chose when installing. 8955 is an example.

For another computer or a container, use a reachable network address. localhost refers to the machine running that part of the setup.

06

Install on your TV

Fire TV and Shield use one standard Kinostrata app. Connect it to your home Kinostrata container, or set it up directly with Plex, Emby or Jellyfin.

NVIDIA Shield TV

Sideload the standard signed APK with your preferred sideloading method, then choose a connection mode as described below.

Zidoo players

Zidoo uses a dedicated two-app release: Playback Helper 1.6.7 and Kinostrata Zidoo 0.2.14. Install the Playback Helper first (the current helper), then install Kinostrata Zidoo from the Zidoo release page and open Kinostrata Zidoo. A box that already has Kinostrata Zidoo offers the newer helper by itself. Install both over any existing versions; do not uninstall either app, clear application data, or factory-reset the box.

Zidoo path substitution

Enter the folder address used by your media server and the address used by your Zidoo for the same files.

1

Updates

Update your Kinostrata server to the latest release. Kinostrata downloads.

On the Zidoo, open Setup → Settings → Check for updates. Two updates are required: update Playback Helper first, then use Check for updates again to update the Kinostrata Zidoo app.

2

Zidoo path substitution requirements

  • The latest Kinostrata server release
  • Kinostrata Zidoo 0.2.14 or newer
  • Playback Helper 1.6.7 or newer
  • Your Zidoo's IP address, found in Settings → Network (on the Ethernet tab, or the Wi-Fi tab if the box uses Wi-Fi)
  • your media libraries folder addresses
  • Kinostrata server and Zidoo on the same network for Browse Zidoo
3

Media Server Folders

Copy the full folder address from your existing media-server library:

  • Plex: Settings → Manage → Libraries → Edit beside the library → Add folders.
  • Emby: Dashboard → Library → select the library → Folders.
  • Jellyfin: Dashboard → Libraries → open the library settings → Folders.

Copy the full folder address, such as D:\Movies, \\NAS\Movies or /library/movies. Do not use the library name. Repeat this for every folder you want to use with Zidoo path substitution. Leave the library unchanged and close its settings.

4

Kinostrata Settings

  1. On your computer or phone, open the Kinostrata address your Zidoo app uses.
  2. Open Settings (the gear), choose the Settings tab, then Zidoo path substitution.
  3. Enter your Zidoo's IP address.
  4. In Server folder, paste the address from step 3.
5

Choose the Zidoo folder

  1. Click Browse Zidoo beside the mapping.
  2. Choose SMB shares or NFS shares.
  3. Open the share containing the same files, then open any subfolders needed.
  4. Click Use this folder. Kinostrata fills in Zidoo folder.

Example: the server folder is D:\Movies. On the Zidoo, open the Media share, then its Movies folder, and click Use this folder.

If the share is missing, open it in Zidoo Media Center and click Reload folders. If Kinostrata cannot reach the Zidoo, check the IP address and that the box is switched on.

Find and enter the mounted path manually

Use this if browsing is unavailable. On a computer or phone on the same network as your Zidoo:

  1. Replace ZIDOO-IP with your Zidoo's IP address. Open the address for your share type in a browser.

SMB:

http://ZIDOO-IP:9529/ZidooFileControl/getFileList?path=/mnt/smb&type=1000

NFS:

http://ZIDOO-IP:9529/ZidooFileControl/getFileList?path=/mnt/nfs&type=1000
  1. Find name beside the share containing your films. Example: "name": "192.168.1.10#Media".
  2. Put /mnt/smb/ before that name for SMB, or /mnt/nfs/ for NFS. Copy the name exactly, including capitals and #. SMB example: /mnt/smb/192.168.1.10#Media. NFS example: /mnt/nfs/192.168.1.10#Media.
  3. If your films are in a folder inside the share, add that folder to the address. For a Movies folder, the SMB address is /mnt/smb/192.168.1.10#Media/Movies. The NFS address is /mnt/nfs/192.168.1.10#Media/Movies.

Enter the mounted path in Zidoo folder. If the share is missing, open it in Zidoo Media Center and reload the address above.

6

Additional Folders and Save

Click Add mapping for each additional folder. Three separate folders require three rows. Repeat steps 3–5 for each row.

One row also covers its subfolders if the media server and Zidoo use the same folder layout. A different drive or share requires another row.

Click Save mappings. Refresh the page and check that the rows remain. Windows paths come back with forward slashes (D:\Movies shows as D:/Movies). That is normal and works the same.

7

Check Playback

Stop any current playback. Start the film again from Kinostrata.

Open the Zidoo player's Info panel. If the title contains native-stream, check both folder entries. If the problem remains, send the entries and an Info photo through the support form.

Fire TV Stick or Cube, step by step

These instructions work on compatible Fire OS-based Amazon Fire TV Sticks and Fire TV Cubes; the wording of one or two menus can vary by Fire OS version.

1

Reveal Developer Options

  1. From the Fire TV Home screen, move to the gear icon and open Settings.
  2. Open My Fire TV. On some devices it is called Device & Software.
  3. Open About, then highlight the name of your Fire TV device.
  4. Press the centre Select button seven times. A message confirms that you are now a developer. If it says you are already a developer, simply continue.
  5. Press Back once. Developer Options should now be visible.
2

Install Downloader

  1. Return to the Fire TV Home screen and choose Find, then Search.
  2. Search for Downloader.
  3. Choose the orange Downloader app published by AFTVnews.com, then install it. Do not open it yet.
3

Allow Downloader to install the APK

  1. Return to Settings → My Fire TV (or Device & Software) → Developer Options.
  2. Open Install unknown apps and switch Downloader to On.
  3. Leave ADB debugging off. Kinostrata does not need it.
4

Download Kinostrata

Open Downloader. If it asks for permission, choose Allow. In the address box, enter the Kinostrata Downloader code:

9746448

Or, if you prefer to type the address, enter:

https://kinostrata.com/apk

Choose Go and wait for the Kinostrata installer to appear.

5

Install and tidy up

  1. Choose Install.
  2. When Fire TV says App installed, choose Done.
  3. Back in Downloader, choose Delete, then Delete again. This removes only the downloaded installer file; Kinostrata remains installed.
  4. When the installation is finished, return to Install unknown apps and switch Downloader back Off. Turn it on again only when installing a future Kinostrata release.
6

Open Kinostrata and connect

  1. From Home, open Apps → See all, then choose Kinostrata. You can press the Menu button and choose Move to place it in your main app row.
  2. Home Kinostrata container: enter its full Kinostrata address, including http:// and your chosen host port. Example: http://192.168.1.50:8955.
  3. Choose Home viewing. Kinostrata remembers the address on that device.
  4. Direct server connection: instead choose Away from home. Select Plex, Emby or Jellyfin and follow the provider setup steps on the TV.

On televisions, a cold launch shows a short Kinostrata splash while the app loads. A warm start skips it and goes straight to Home. In hosted mode, container updates need no new APK: the app loads its interface from your container. Direct mode includes its interface in the standard APK and uses that same app's update feed.

Get Kinostrata for Fire TV and NVIDIA Shield ↗Get the two-file Zidoo release ↗
Developer Options did not appear +

Return to About, highlight the device name itself and press the centre Select button seven times. Then press Back once. If it was already enabled, leaving and reopening the menu can make the item appear.

Downloader says installation is not allowed +

Check Settings → My Fire TV → Developer Options → Install unknown apps and confirm that Downloader—not another app—is On.

Kinostrata cannot connect +

For hosted mode, confirm the complete Kinostrata address opens on a computer on the same home network. For direct mode, check the provider account and the server's remote access from the TV network. In Setup → Settings → Home & away, choose Home viewing or Away from home. Use Edit home connection to correct the home address, or Change remote server or account to sign in again.

07

Away from home

Remote viewing: step-by-step guide →

On Fire TV or NVIDIA Shield: use the standard Kinostrata app and choose Away from home. The TV connects using Plex, Emby or Jellyfin's own remote access.

  1. The server owner enables remote access and gives your account permission to use the libraries and play media.
  2. For Plex, link your own Plex account and choose the authorised server. For Emby or Jellyfin, enter a reachable public HTTPS server address and your own server username and password.
  3. Test a film and Resume from another network before travelling.

On Windows or Mac, install Kinostrata on the computer you will use away from home and follow the same provider steps. Zidoo's separate Kinostrata edition remains a home-container client.

Kinostrata does not configure your router, DNS, certificates or server accounts. Emby and Jellyfin's public address must have a valid, trusted HTTPS certificate.

Remote steps for Plex, Emby or Jellyfin.

For browsing, collections, playback and settings, see the User guide.