OwnstreamHelp
Most questions are answered on this page and in the in-app Help (Settings › Help). Still stuck, or found a bug? Email hoon.iccorp@gmail.com. Ownstream is a free app made by one developer, so replies may take a few days.
Troubleshooting
I can't connect, or I get a 403 error
- Try adding the DSM port to the address:
:5000for http,:5001for https (e.g.192.168.0.10:5000). - A 403 error usually means you've reached the NAS's web server (port 80 or 443) instead of DSM. Adding the DSM port fixes it.
- If you've changed your DSM ports, enter your custom port.
- Away from home you can't use the local IP address. Use a DDNS address or a QuickConnect ID.
- On iPhone or iPad, if it still fails on the same Wi-Fi, check that Ownstream is turned on in the Settings app › Privacy & Security › Local Network.
QuickConnect is slow
QuickConnect goes through a Synology relay server when a direct connection isn't possible. Relays are slow, so high-quality video may stutter.
- At home, connect with your NAS's IP address.
- Away from home, set up port forwarding on your router and DDNS for a faster direct connection.
- Lowering the playback quality reduces stuttering.
A video won't play
The app first tries to play the video directly on the device, then asks your NAS to convert it, and finally plays it directly with the built-in VLC engine. If it still won't play:
- Installing Advanced Media Extensions from DSM Package Center lets your NAS convert more formats (some codecs were removed starting with DSM 7.2).
- If your NAS is busy with other tasks, conversion can be slow. Try again in a moment.
- On a slow connection, try a lower playback quality.
- On iPhone or iPad, try turning on ‘Always Play with VLC Engine’ in the playback screen's settings.
Posters or plots are missing
- In File Mode (no Video Station), posters and plots are only fetched once you add a TMDB key (see below).
- If a file name is very different from the actual title, it may not be found. Try renaming it to the exact title.
- With Video Station, the app shows Video Station's info first. If posters are missing in Video Station too, try adding a TMDB key.
I forgot my lock passcode
In DSM File Station, delete the .jnology/library-prefs.json file in your NAS home folder (home), then delete and reinstall the app. Your hide and lock settings will be reset. The passcode is stored only as a hash, so even the developer can't recover it.
Guide
Connecting to your NAS
Enter your NAS address on the sign-in screen. On your home Wi-Fi, the IP address alone (e.g. 192.168.0.10) is enough. Without a port or scheme, the app uses DSM port 5001 (HTTPS). For a self-signed certificate, verify the address and fingerprint before trusting it; the pin stays only in this device’s Keychain. HTTP is used only when you explicitly choose to connect without encryption on the sign-in screen. You can also enter a DDNS address (e.g. name.synology.me:5001), an address starting with https://, or a QuickConnect ID. If your DSM account uses two-step verification, also enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app. Your sign-in details are stored only in the device's Keychain.
Other DSM users who can read the shared folder can also read file-mode watch history files there. Playback and background downloads may fail with self-signed HTTPS; install a system-trusted certificate in DSM in that case. Failure never causes the app to switch to HTTP.
Using without Video Station (File Mode)
Video Station can't be installed on DSM 7.2.2 and later. When you connect to a NAS without Video Station, the app switches to File Mode automatically and builds your libraries from the video files in your NAS folders. Movies, TV Shows and Home Videos are always in the menu — open one that has no folder yet and the app shows video folders it found on your NAS (for example /video/Movies) so you can connect one with a single tap, or choose a folder yourself. In Settings › Library Folders you can change those folders and use ‘Add Library’ to create more libraries from any folder, with your own name and type; custom libraries can be renamed, reordered or deleted, and deleting a library never touches the files on your NAS. TV shows are read in the structure ‘TV folder/Show name/(Season folder)/Episode files’. Your library list is saved in your DSM home folder (/home/.jnology) so your iPhone, iPad and Apple TV show the same libraries; on Apple TV you can also connect folders and add libraries in Settings › Libraries. Watch progress is saved in the .jnology folder on your NAS so it's shared with your other devices. The account needs File Station permission.
Posters and plots (TMDB key)
Adding your own free personal TMDB API key is optional; it lets the app fill in missing posters and plots.
- Sign up at themoviedb.org and tap the verification link in the email you receive.
- After signing in, go to Profile › Settings › API (themoviedb.org/settings/api).
- Tap Create or click here, choose Developer, and accept the terms.
- Choose Personal as the usage type and fill in the form.
- Copy the API Key or the API Read Access Token and paste it in the app's Settings (iPhone/iPad: Settings › Movie Info Key (TMDB)).
The key is stored only in the device's Keychain and is sent only to TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
Downloads and offline viewing (iPhone, iPad)
Tap Download on a video's screen to watch it without an internet connection. ‘Smaller’ asks your NAS to convert the video to about 720p first (Video Station only). Set the storage limit in Settings › Downloads.
Hiding and locking libraries
Turn libraries off in Settings › Visible Libraries to hide them. On iPhone and iPad, Settings › Lock lets you set a 4–8 digit passcode (or Face ID / Touch ID) for chosen libraries and for Settings. These settings are saved in your NAS home folder (/home/.jnology/library-prefs.json), so they apply to an Apple TV signed in with the same account, and other users can't see them.
Playback, Picture in Picture and AirPlay
Videos the device can play directly use the standard player; other formats are converted by your NAS, or played with the built-in VLC engine. On iPhone and iPad, Picture in Picture and AirPlay are supported. For series, the app can learn the opening after you watch the beginning of two episodes and skip it automatically.
Subtitles
Embedded subtitles and subtitle files with the same name next to the video (e.g. VideoName.en.srt) turn on automatically. On iPhone and iPad you can adjust size, color, position and sync, and search online through your NAS's Video Station subtitle plug-ins.
Apple TV
Ownstream is also available on Apple TV. Get it once and use it on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV with the same Apple Account.