FAQ

FAQ

Is there a native (non-Docker) install?

No. ARM v3 runs only as a Docker Compose stack. The legacy apt/native install belonged to v2, which is frozen and no longer developed. See Getting Started.

Can I upgrade my ARM v2 install to v3?

There's no in-place migration — v3 shares no code, database, or config with v2. Install v3 fresh; it can run side by side with v2 (containers/volumes are namespaced armv3-* vs arm-*). See Upgrading.

Do I need API keys?

No, but they help. ARM tries the community CRC64 database first (no key), then TMDb and OMDb (keys improve naming hit rates a lot), and MusicBrainz for audio CDs (no key). Add TMDb/OMDb keys on the Settings page — see Configuration.

Can I rip on Windows or macOS?

You can run the UI + transcoder as a library frontend, but you cannot rip — Docker Desktop can't pass an internal optical drive into its Linux VM. Ripping needs a Linux host. See Known Issues.

How do I rip without HandBrake transcoding?

Apply a rip-only session/preset (e.g. the ISO-dump or a passthrough rip preset) instead of a transcoding session, or leave Auto-transcode on idle off and don't queue a transcode. The raw MakeMKV output lands in ~/arm/raw/<job-id>/. See Web UI § Settings (the Sessions tab).

Where do my files end up?

• ~/arm/raw/<job-id>/ — the intermediate MakeMKV/abcde output.
• ~/arm/media/ — the finished, Plex/Jellyfin-friendly library after transcoding.

My disc didn't get identified — what now?

By default (Block on identification miss = on) ARM pauses and asks you to confirm or search for the title before ripping; resolve it from the job in the UI. Turn the setting off to rip immediately and sort identity out later. See Configuration.

How do I get notified when a rip finishes?

Enable notifications on the Settings page and add one or more Apprise URLs (Discord, Slack, Telegram, Gotify, e-mail, …). ARM notifies on rip and session completion/failure. See Configuration § Notifications.

Do I have to pay for MakeMKV?

Not while it's in beta — ARM uses the free monthly beta key automatically. You can supply a purchased permanent key via MAKEMKV_KEY to skip the monthly rotation. DVDs don't need a key at all; Blu-ray/UHD do. See MakeMKV.

How do I turn on GPU transcoding?

Enable the GPU overlay (and, on NVIDIA, install the Container Toolkit). See Hardware Transcoding.

Can I rip from an .iso file instead of a disc?

Not yet as a user feature — that's designed but not built. ARM can produce an .iso from a physical disc (the ISO-dump preset). See Roadmap.

How do I read the logs?

armctl compose logs <service>, or browse ~/arm/logs/. Set ARM_LOG_LEVEL=debug in ~/arm/.armctl/.env first for detail. More in Troubleshooting.

How do I back up my install?

In priority order: certs/arm-ca.key (unique, unrecoverable), a Postgres dump (docker exec armv3-db pg_dump -U arm arm), .env, and your media/ library. See Uninstall and Upgrading.