Full review and use of Stremio
There’s no shortage of streaming options available. On Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and even free services like Crackle, you can find just about everything you need. Stremio doesn’t aim to make your subscriptions easier, but rather supports HTPCs, and you’ll find out why later in this Stremio review along with using Stremio.
As a service, Stremio consists of three main features: streaming, search, and libraries. They are even more diverse, such as streaming offers links to external sites, live streaming and live TV. The Comprehensive Search feature works much the same as Roku’s Loud Search, gathering content and telling you where to watch a particular title.
Using Stremio: How to use Stremio?
The first time you launch Stremio after installation (guide follows), you will be prompted to create an account. Accounts are used to store your library (more on that later) and save settings online, but if you can use sign in with a guest account. Just remember that the guest account and library settings are stored locally, not online. After creating your account, Stremio opens the Discover page. Here you have movies, TV shows, YouTube and TV channels that you can already watch.
You can sign in to your Facebook account, create a new account, or use a guest account.
To register, simply enter your email address and password and click the “Register” button.
Start page: just start browsing!
Streaming media using Stremio
Playback in Stremio is pretty intuitive. Just select the movie or show you want to watch and hit the play button. Source selection includes premium paid services (iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Google Play) as well as free sites like Crackle. Selecting a title shows the source as well as pricing information for both high definition and standard definition, if available.
There is also a live streaming feature similar to the late Popcorn Time. We found playback to be smooth, with no stutter or lag. However, this depends on your network. Little caching is required, so make sure you have enough free space on the media.
Source Selection: Select an available source and enjoy!
Loading screen: after filling in the logo, playback starts automatically.
Playback is smooth and hassle-free, although skipping can cause some strange artifacts to appear on the screen.
After the playback starts, nice functions appear on the screen. You can view your network status, select an audio channel (if available), subtitles, network streaming (DLNA sharing on mobile, Chromecast or Apple TV), or tell your friends what you’re watching via social media.
Share: Post what you’re watching on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter or send via email.
In addition, you can drag and drop torrent files, local media files, and even insert magnet links into the search bar. Stremio lets you play or stream with the click of a button. While we could easily play local media files (mkv, mp4, etc.), they don’t seem to be saved in the Stremio library. However, the Stremio is a great media center for playback.
Insert a link to a magnet or torrent file: choose what you want to see and where.
Stremio Library
The library lets you keep track of the movies, series, and even channels you watch regularly. Visit “Discover” to find a movie, show or channel and just click the “Add to Library” icon.
You can also use the search bar to search for movies, TV shows, and channels. Selecting an item displays a sidebar that provides an overview, cast, and other details. Three big buttons should appear at the bottom: “Trailer” (may not be available), “Add to Library” and “Show Movie/Series”. To add to the library, click on the button with this label.
Stremio as a media center
Stremio really positions himself as a lover of entertainment. If the stream is not available, you can set up notifications about when the stream becomes available. If the movie is still in theaters, you can even buy tickets online for the next show.
You can resume playback on all connected devices (if you’re signed in to your account).
If you watch a lot of TV shows and find it hard to keep track of them, check out Calendar. This allows you to keep track of your favorite shows’ release dates and available streams, much like you do for movies. When an episode airs, the software starts monitoring the network looking for the source of the stream. You will receive an automatic notification that the episode is available. If you’re familiar with auto-download software like Sonarr, Sickbeard, and CouchPotato, it’s the same concept, but streaming a file instead of downloading it.