FAQ

Metastream isn't working

1. Make sure your browser is up to date.
2. (Chrome) Ensure that the extension has access "on all sites".
3. Try disabling all other extensions in case one is conflicting.
   1. Privacy Badger is known to cause issues.
4. Allow third-party cookies–needed as Metastream embeds other websites.
5. Toggle any anti-virus/network protection software (McAfee).
6. Read the rest of the guide for more specific troubleshooting.

How do I use Metastream?

See this video on Twitter for a quick visual tutorial.

In summary:

1. Send your session URL to friends to invite them.
   1. Private sessions (default) require accepting users who join.
2. Open the media browser to find the media you want to share in the session.
3. Press the "Add to Session" button.
4. Enjoy watching with friends!

Videos without autoplay

If the video doesn't autoplay, everyone in the session will need to interact with the page to start playback. Double-clicking the screen allows you to interact with the webpage locally in case pressing a play button is necessary.

Why can't I connect to my friend?

See the Network Troubleshooting guide.

I'm coming from Rabbit, what are some things I should know?

1. A Chrome/Firefox extension is needed to watch.
2. In order to watch together, everyone must have their own account with a subscription (ie. Netflix, Hulu, etc).
3. A universal browser/virtual desktop like Rabbit is not available. There aren't plans to add this feature either.

If you run into a "Refused to connect" error with Netflix, you may want to try using Firefox. The problem is known and documented in issue #135.

How can others watch my Netflix/Hulu/[Paid-streaming-service] stream?

Metastream works by synchronizing each user's video stream. This means everyone will need to login to an account to watch. Purchased movie streams require everyone to own the movie.

Will Metastream become available on mobile (Android/iOS)?

Metastream is currently unsupported on these platforms. Mobile Firefox may be an officially supported platform in the future.

Is Metastream safe to use?

Metastream uses your own browser to watch videos on the web. You should check that your browser is using the latest version. For added security, consider using an adblocker—although I'd recommend disabling it for creators you'd like to support.

How do I end the session?

When the host leaves the session will be ended and everyone will be disconnected. To clear all media queued in the session, press the next/skip button until the queue is empty.

How can I hide the UI on top of the video?

Leave your mouse cursor idle for a few seconds and it will hide while the video is playing. The chat can be docked to the right if preferred.

How do I stream files saved on my device?

This isn't supported by Metastream and there are currently no plans to support it.

Plex is partially supported. See issue for usage.

How do I share my screen with others in the session?

This isn't supported by Metastream and there are currently no plans to support it.

Screen-sharing requires a lot of bandwidth, and money, scaling up with the number of users. If you need this functionality, you can try Discord screen sharing.

Where can I get support?

Join the Metastream Discord server.