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Viren070 edited this page Mar 7, 2026 · 14 revisions

Important

The Wiki has moved to docs.aiostreams.viren070.me

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

AIOStreams integrates with Usenet by first using addons to source content from your indexers, and then using a configured "service" to handle playback. This guide will walk you through the various methods to set up playback.

Sourcing Content: The Addons

AIOStreams offers the following addons to find content on 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.
  • TorBox Search: Utilizes the TorBox Search API, which searches both torrents and Usenet using TorBox's internal indexers.
  • Easynews Search: Searches Easynews and can either stream directly or provide standard NZB files for other services.

After finding content with one of these addons, you need a playback method. The following methods are ordered by their accessibility and ease of setup.

Tip

With the Newznab addon, it is recommended to set the Search Mode to both if you have API hits to spare. You can get vastly different results - and sometimes only get results via query search—depending on the indexer. Test the different modes to see what works best for you.

Method 1: Stremio's Native Usenet Streaming

Important

This is currently only available on the latest releases of Stremio desktop V5.

The most direct way to stream Usenet is using Stremio's native NNTP feature. It's free, easy to set up, and doesn't require any extra software beyond the Stremio desktop app. (you obviously still need to bring your own Usenet provider and indexers)

How it Works: This functionality is built into the Stremio application. When you play a Usenet result from AIOStreams, AIOStreams sends your Usenet provider configuration and the NZB file's location to the Stremio app. Stremio will then fetch the NZB and stream its contents by connecting directly to your provider.

Setup:

  1. In AIOStreams, navigate to the Services menu.
  2. Select Stremio NNTP and configure your NNTP server(s). You will need to fill in:
    • Host
    • Port
    • Username
    • Password
    • SSL (enable or disable)
    • Connections (it is recommended to leave this at the default of 5; increasing it can worsen performance).
  3. Once configured, Usenet addons in AIOStreams will show results with the SN (Stremio NNTP) tag. Playing these results will trigger the native Stremio streaming process.

Drawbacks:

  • Platform Limitation: This feature is currently only available on the latest Stremio v5 desktop versions.
  • Debugging: Since the streaming process happens entirely within the Stremio client, it can be more difficult to diagnose and troubleshoot issues compared to self-hosted solutions.

Method 2: The Simple Path with TorBox Pro

The easiest way to get a "it-just-works" experience across all devices is by using a TorBox Pro plan. This method is highly recommended for users who prefer a straightforward setup without managing their own providers or software.

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, and results will be playable via TorBox.

Warning

When using your own indexers with TorBox (and not their internal ones), all results will appear as uncached. If another TorBox user has added the same NZB, the file may start instantly for you, but it will still appear as uncached. Results from TorBox's internal indexers, however, will show as cached if previously added by anyone.

Recommended Feature: Cache & Play

To improve the experience with uncached Usenet files on TorBox, AIOStreams offers 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, the player will error out, and you'll need to manually restart the stream.

Method 3: The Advanced Path (Self-Hosting)

This advanced method provides the most control over your Usenet streaming setup. Similar to the native Stremio method, it allows you to stream Usenet content directly without waiting for it to download first. However, it achieves this by requiring you to self-host additional software (nzbDAV, AltMount, or StremThru). This path is recommended for users who want maximum customization and are comfortable with a more technical setup, this method will also work on any platform/device as the end result is a normal URL that can be streamed by any video player.

While this does require self-hosting, you can easily set this up for free using an Oracle VPS following my guides on self-hosting. The guides will go through obtaining the VPS, setting up Docker, and setting up my template which comes with preconfigured setups for all necessary software and more. I'd highly recommend using it for anybody new to self-hosting in general.

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.

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

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 or equivalent. The AIOStreams integration 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. StremThru is also actively developed.

Initial Setup (nzbDAV, AltMount, or StremThru)

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.

StremThru Configuration

  1. StremThru setup: Install and run StremThru following the official documentation. You will need to set STREMTHRU_AUTH and STREMTHRU_VAULT_SECRET.
  2. Usenet Provider: Configure your Usenet Providers inside StremThru at its dashboard (/dash) via Usenet -> Servers.

nzbDAV Configuration

  1. Create Admin User: Register your admin user upon first launch.
  2. Usenet Provider: Go to Settings -> Usenet and add the details for your Usenet provider(s).
  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.
  3. NNTP Providers: In the NNTP Providers tab, add the details for your Usenet provider(s).
  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 these services concurrently, it's not recommended. Be mindful of your Usenet provider's connection limits. For example, if your provider allows 60 connections, ensure the combined usage of nzbDAV, AltMount, and StremThru does not exceed this limit.

Configuring the Service in AIOStreams

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

  1. In AIOStreams, go to the Services menu and select either nzbDAV, AltMount, or StremThru.
  2. Enter the required details. For nzbDAV/AltMount: API Key, WebDAV User, and WebDAV Password. For StremThru: StremThru URL and Auth Token (this is simply a user:pass token, optionally base64 encoded from STREMTHRU_AUTH).
  3. Configure the URL and Public URL fields based on your setup.

Note

The Public URL field is not applicable for StremThru as StremThru will use the STREMTHRU_BASE_URL environment variable which should be preferred instead. Therefore, you should prefer using a local URL (e.g. http://stremthru:8080 here instead, and then use the environment variable to get publicly accessibly playback links.

Understanding URL vs. Public URL

This is the most critical part of the setup.

  • URL (Required): The address AIOStreams uses to talk to the API.
  • Public URL (Optional): The publicly accessible address used to construct the final streaming URL that your video player will use.

Here are the common scenarios:

Scenario 1: AIOStreams and nzbDAV/AltMount on the Same Local Network (Recommended)

  • URL: Use the internal Docker/local network address (e.g., http://nzbdav:3000).
  • Public URL:
    • Option A (Proxy - Recommended): Leave this blank and provide your AIOStreams Auth Token in the service configuration. AIOStreams will proxy the stream, which is the most reliable method for avoiding playback issues.
    • Option B (Public Address): Enter the publicly accessible URL for your instance (e.g., https://nzbdav.yourdomain.com). Without this, your player will receive an inaccessible local URL and fail to play.

Scenario 2: AIOStreams is Hosted Remotely

  • URL: Enter the public URL of your 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 without a Stremio server (e.g., Stremio Web) will likely fail. If you encounter issues, try providing the Auth Token. Self-hosting both AIOStreams and the streaming service is recommended for easier debugging.

Important

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

Important Considerations for Indexers and IP Addresses

Some Usenet indexers have strict rules about how their service is accessed, particularly regarding IP addresses.

The IP Mismatch Problem

When using Usenet with AIOStreams, the IP address that searches an indexer can be different from the IP address that downloads (grabs) the NZB file.

  • API Query: The search query is sent from the IP address of your AIOStreams instance.
  • NZB Grab: The grab request comes from a different IP address:
    • Stremio NNTP: The IP of your Stremio client (e.g., your home IP).
    • TorBox: The IP of TorBox's servers.
    • nzbDAV/AltMount/StremThru: The IP of the server hosting the application.

This discrepancy can be flagged by some indexers as a violation of their terms of service.

Solutions in AIOStreams

AIOStreams provides solutions to unify these IP addresses.

  1. AIOStreams Proxy (for Newznab): If you self-host AIOStreams, you can configure the Newznab addon to proxy NZB grabs. In the addon settings, provide your AIOStreams Auth credentials (user:password from your AIOSTREAMS_AUTH environment variable). This forces the NZB grab to be routed through your AIOStreams instance, making the query and grab IPs identical.

  2. Indexer Managers:

    • NZBHydra2: Proxies NZB grabs by default (which is the preferred behavior), unless the redirect option is enabled.
    • Prowlarr: No longer offers a proxy option and only redirects. This will result in an IP mismatch.

Indexer Policies

Indexer rules vary. It is always best to check with your indexer directly about their policies.

  • NinjaCentral has confirmed it is fine to use with a public AIOStreams instance as long as you are not sharing your account.
  • SceneNZBs explicitly disallows use with Stremio. (This is likely detected via the IP mismatch, a problem solved by self-hosting AIOStreams and using the proxy feature or NZBHydra2).

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