Usenet

This guide serves as a reference for using Usenet with AIOStreams with your own indexers. It assumes you have a basic understanding of both AIOStreams and Usenet concepts.

AIOStreams integrates with Usenet through several built-in addons, which require a "service" to fetch and download content. This guide will walk you through the two primary methods for setting this up.

Usenet Addons in AIOStreams

AIOStreams offers the following addons to source content from Usenet:

• Newznab: Connect your Usenet indexers directly using their API URL and Key.
• NZBHydra2: Connect your NZBHydra2 instance to have AIOStreams query it for results.
• Prowlarr: Connect your Prowlarr instance to query both torrent and Usenet indexers (configurable in the Prowlarr addon settings).
• TorBox Search: Utilizes the TorBox Search API, which searches both torrents and Usenet content using TorBox's internal indexers.

To use these addons, you must configure one of the following services in AIOStreams.

Tip

With the Newznab addon, it is recommended to enable the Force query search option. You can install two instances of the addon per indexer (one with QS on, one with it off), if you have API hits to spare. This is because you can get vastly different results and possibly even only get results via QS with some indexers.

There is also the Easynews addons, these are not "built-in" addons, and as they are not specific to AIO, it won't be discussed in detail here - but they are an option. It uses Easynews' API to both search for content, and stream them to you. You would simply install one of these addons - either in Stremio or via AIOStreams by adding Easynews as a service and installing them via the marketplace.

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Method 1: The Simple Path with TorBox Pro

The easiest way to get started with Usenet on AIOStreams is by using a TorBox Pro plan. This approach is highly recommended for users who want a straightforward, "it-just-works" experience.

How it Works: TorBox Pro ($10/mo) gives you access to their Usenet download capabilities. TorBox manages its own private indexers and Usenet providers, so you don't need to subscribe to or configure your own.

You can access these internal indexers results via either the official TorBox addon or TorBox Search. You don't even need to use AIOStreams' built-in addons to connect your own indexers.

With TorBox, Usenet files function similarly to torrents on debrid services: they are first downloaded to TorBox's servers and then streamed to you. The key advantage is that Usenet downloads are generally much faster and more reliable than torrents.

Setup:

1. Obtain a TorBox Pro account.
2. In AIOStreams, navigate to the Services menu.
3. Add your TorBox API Key.
4. The Usenet addons will now be functional.

Warning

With TorBox, when using your own indexers (and not their internal indexers either via the TorBox or built-in TorBox Search addon), all results will appear as uncached unless you've cached them yourself. If someone else had added the same NZB, that file may start instantly but it would still appear as uncached. Results from their internal indexers, however, will show up as cached if somebody else has added that NZB before and can be streamed instantly.

Recommended Feature: Cache & Play

To enhance the experience with uncached Usenet files, AIOStreams offers a feature called Cache & Play.

• Without Cache & Play: Playing an uncached file returns a short video telling you to try again later while the file downloads in the background.
• With Cache & Play: The video player will buffer until the Usenet download on TorBox is complete, and then it will start playing automatically. This is especially effective for smaller files that download quickly.

Warning

The effectiveness of Cache & Play depends on your video player's timeout settings. For example, the Stremio player on iOS has a short timeout (around 30 seconds). If the download takes longer than this, the player will error out, and you'll need to manually restart the stream.

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Method 2: The Advanced Path (Self-Hosting)

This method offers more control and allows you to stream Usenet directly - rather than waiting for it to be downloaded—but it requires self-hosting additional software and managing your own Usenet provider and indexer subscriptions.

Note

Acknowledgements: The native integration of nzbDAV and AltMount was inspired by the work of the UsenetStreamer addon, which was first to serve nzbDAV streams through a Stremio addon. Full credit goes to its developer for the original concept. If you prefer it, you can skip adding the service to AIOStreams, and simply add UsenetStreamer to AIOStreams using the addon in the Marketplace.

To get started, you will need to set up one of the following applications:

• nzbDAV
• AltMount

These applications act as a bridge, mounting NZB files as a virtual file system and allowing you to stream content directly from your Usenet provider via a WebDAV server. Our integration merely acts as a wrapper around these apps.

Warning

Both nzbDAV and AltMount are considered alpha software and are in early stages of development. You may encounter bugs, instability, or breaking changes.

Initial Setup (nzbDAV or AltMount)

You must set up and run one of these applications, typically via Docker. Please refer to their respective GitHub repositories for the most up-to-date installation instructions.

Note

For use with AIOStreams, you do not need to configure rclone.

Once your chosen application is running, follow the configuration steps below.

nzbDAV Configuration

1. Create Admin User: Register your admin user upon first launch.
2. Usenet Provider: Go to Settings -> Usenet and enter your Usenet provider's details. nzbDAV currently supports one provider.
3. SABnzbd API Key: Navigate to the SABnzbd tab. You don't need to change anything here, but note the API key for use in AIOStreams later.
4. WebDAV Credentials: In the WebDAV tab, set a WebDAV username and password. These are the credentials you will provide to AIOStreams, not your admin login.

AltMount Configuration

1. Create Admin User: Complete the onboarding process to create your admin user.
2. WebDAV Credentials: Go to Configuration -> WebDAV and set your desired username and password. These are the credentials you will provide to AIOStreams.
3. NNTP Providers: In the NNTP Providers tab, add the details for your Usenet provider(s). AltMount supports multiple providers.
4. Enable SABnzbd API: Navigate to the SABnzbd API tab and ensure Enable SABnzbd API is turned ON.
   • Important: Do not change the Complete directory. It must be set to /complete.
5. System API Key: Go to the System tab and find your API key. You will need this for the AIOStreams setup.

Warning

While you can run both services, it's not recommended. If you do, be mindful of your Usenet provider's connection limits. For example, if your provider allows 60 connections, ensure the combined usage of nzbDAV and AltMount does not exceed this limit.

Configuring the Service in AIOStreams

After setting up nzbDAV or AltMount, you can add it as a service in AIOStreams.

1. In AIOStreams, go to the Services menu and select either nzbDAV or AltMount.
2. Enter the required details: API Key, WebDAV User, and WebDAV Password.
3. Configure the URL and Public URL fields based on your setup.

Understanding URL vs. Public URL

This is the most critical part of the setup. These fields determine how AIOStreams communicates with your nzbDAV/AltMount instance and how stream links are generated.

• URL (Required): The address AIOStreams uses to talk to the nzbDAV/AltMount API.
• Public URL (Optional): The publicly accessible address used to construct the final streaming URL that your video player will use (after being redirected to it from AIOStreams)

Here are the common scenarios:

Scenario 1: AIOStreams and nzbDAV/AltMount are on the Same Local Network (Recommended for Self-Hosters)

• URL: Use the internal Docker/local network address (e.g., http://nzbdav:3000 or http://altmount:8080). This ensures fast, local communication.
• Public URL:
  • Option A (Proxy - Recommended): Leave this field blank and provide the AIOStreams Auth Token below to use the built-in proxy. AIOStreams will generate a proxy link that you can access, and then serve the stream to your player. This is the most reliable method and can avoid playback issues. Simply provide the AIOStreams Auth Token at the bottom of the service configuration.
  • Option B (Public Address): If you don't use the proxy, you must enter the publicly accessible URL for your nzbDAV/AltMount instance (e.g., https://nzbdav.yourdomain.com). If you don't, your player will receive an inaccessible local URL (like http://nzbdav:3000) and fail to play.

Scenario 2: AIOStreams is Hosted Remotely (Not Self-Hosted)

• URL: Enter the public URL of your nzbDAV/AltMount instance (e.g., https://altmount.yourdomain.com).
• Public URL: Leave this blank.

Warning

When not using the built-in proxy, playback on external players and devices/apps without a Stremio server (e.g. Stremio Web) will likely not work. If you are encountering issues, try providing the Auth Token (this is not possible if you don't self-host AIOStreams, but it is recommended you self-host both as it will make debugging easier.

Important

Mismatched protocols (HTTP vs. HTTPS) can cause playback to fail on certain devices. For instance, if you access AIOStreams via https but your nzbDAV/AltMount instance is on http, the redirect might be blocked by your player. Using the built-in proxy is the best way to avoid these issues.