Remote viewing, step by step.

01

Server owner: prepare remote access

1. Check a film plays in the media server's own app, then enable and test its remote access.
2. Plex: check Settings → Server → Remote Access. For Mum and Dad, invite their own Plex account through Manage Library Access and choose the libraries to share.
3. Emby or Jellyfin: provide a public HTTPS server address with a valid, trusted certificate. Create or choose the viewer's normal user account, restrict its libraries as needed, and allow remote connections and media playback for both the server and that user.
4. Give the viewer their Plex invitation, or their Emby/Jellyfin HTTPS address and server username/password. Follow the detailed owner steps for Plex, Emby or Jellyfin.

The server owner handles the server network, HTTPS and permissions. The viewer does not need a Kinostrata container or changes to the router at their location. Kinostrata does not configure remote access for the owner.

02

Take your own Fire TV Stick away

Before your trip

1. Install or update the standard Kinostrata app on your Stick. During first setup, choose Away from home. Already using Kinostrata? Open Setup → Settings → Home & away → Away from home. It opens your saved remote library in one press; if you have not set it up yet, choose Plex, Emby or Jellyfin.
2. If sign-in opens, follow the server sign-in steps below. For Emby/Jellyfin, use the remote HTTPS address you will use away; a private home-network address will not work there.
3. Test off your home network: turn your phone's Wi-Fi off, turn its mobile-data hotspot on, disconnect the Stick from home Wi-Fi/Ethernet and connect it to that hotspot.
4. Play a film for a minute. Check picture and sound, leave playback with Back, then try Resume. Afterwards reconnect the Stick to home Wi-Fi and turn the hotspot off. A library that loaded at home does not prove remote playback works.

At the Airbnb or other accommodation

5. Plug your own Stick into the TV's HDMI port, connect its power adapter and select that HDMI input on the TV.
6. On the Fire TV, open Settings → Network, choose the accommodation's Wi-Fi and enter its password. Check the Stick has internet access. For connection problems, use Amazon's Fire TV Wi-Fi help or ask the host.
7. Open Kinostrata. If your home library will not open while you are away, press the Fire TV Menu button and choose Away from home. Your saved remote connection opens your library; choose a film and Play. You do not enter your home Kinostrata container address again.

If this network is slow, choose Low data and start or resume the film again.

03

Set up a new Stick for Mum and Dad

Server owner, before handing it over

1. Complete the owner's remote-access steps and give Mum and Dad access through their own account.
2. Supply their Plex invitation, or the full Emby/Jellyfin HTTPS address and their normal server login. Keep the owner's administrator API key private.

Viewer, on the new Stick

1. Connect the Stick to the TV and to your Wi-Fi. Install the standard Kinostrata TV app.
2. Open Kinostrata and choose Away from home.
3. Choose Plex, Emby or Jellyfin, then follow the sign-in steps below with the account the owner gave you.
4. Open your library, check your name, and play a film. Check picture, sound and Resume. Your connection is saved for next time.

No Kinostrata container is needed at Mum and Dad's house, and they do not enter the owner's home-network Kinostrata address.

04

Sign in to your media server

Plex

1. Choose Link my Plex account. Open the Plex sign-in page or scan its QR code with your phone, then approve Kinostrata using your own Plex account. Accept the owner's library invitation first.
2. Return to Kinostrata and choose the shared server, if asked. Choose Test the connection.
3. If profiles appear, choose yours, enter its PIN if requested and finish setup. Choose Open my Kinostrata library.

Emby or Jellyfin

1. Enter the server's remote HTTPS address, including any configured port or base path; leave off /web/index.html. Kinostrata checks the HTTPS connection and server identity.
2. Enter your normal server username and password. Emby uses the login on that server, rather than Emby Connect. An administrator API key is not accepted.
3. Choose Test the connection, then Open my Kinostrata library.

Emby and Jellyfin stay with your signed-in account. To sign in again, open Setup → Settings → Home & away → Change remote server or account.

Complete setup on the TV; its local setup page cannot be opened from a phone or computer. The Plex sign-in QR code still opens Plex on your phone.

05

Choose video quality

1. Open Setup → Settings → Home & away → Video quality.
2. Use Left/Right or OK to choose Mobile (2 Mbps), the default; Low data (1 Mbps) for a weak hotspot; Balanced (4 Mbps); or Broadband (8 Mbps) for a stronger connection.
3. Start or resume the film again to apply the choice.

The limit applies to films and episodes. Trailers keep their original quality. On slow connections, we recommend opening Setup → Trailers and choosing Off for the Spotlight, Home rows and film pages. Kinostrata does not change this automatically. Your server may use a lower film limit or transcode to fit the connection. A phone hotspot uses your mobile data allowance.

Still buffering? Compare the same film in the server's own app on the same network. If both struggle, ask the owner to check remote access, upload capacity and transcoding.

06

Return home or switch connections

1. Reconnect your Stick to home Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Turn off any phone hotspot used for testing.
2. You can keep using remote viewing at home if that server address is reachable.
3. To return to your home Kinostrata container, open Setup → Settings → Home & away and press Home viewing. If you already saved a home address, it opens in one press, without retyping it or signing in again.
4. No home address saved? Home viewing opens the address form. Enter the full Kinostrata container address, then choose Home viewing to save it once. To correct it later, choose Edit home connection.
5. For your next trip, choose Away from home in the same Home & away settings. Your saved remote connection opens without signing in again; if none is saved, Kinostrata opens server sign-in.

Your remote setup stays saved. Kinostrata automatically opens the last connection you used on its next launch.

Hosted home mode uses your Kinostrata container address and supports browser setup. Remote viewing connects the TV to the media server and is set up on the TV. Both modes use the same standard app and update feed. Keep the home Kinostrata port private.

The standard APK requires Android 7 or later on compatible Fire OS devices or NVIDIA Shield; Vega OS is not supported. Zidoo uses its separate home-container edition.