Everything you need to know before getting started
PixelBrite has native apps for iPhone (12 and newer), iPad (2020 models and newer), Apple TV (HD and all 4K models), and Mac (macOS 14+). A web interface is available for other devices—and honestly, it's better than you'd expect.
For direct play (which is most content on modern Apple devices), almost any hardware works—a Raspberry Pi 4, an old laptop, a NAS. Transcoding benefits from hardware acceleration (Apple Silicon, Intel Quick Sync, NVIDIA NVENC) but even older hardware can use SVT-AV1 software encoding for efficient AV1 transcoding without a modern GPU.
Pretty much everything. H.264, H.265 (including DV and HDR10), VP9, AV1, plus legacy formats. FLAC, ALAC, DTS-HD, TrueHD, Atmos for audio. MKV, MP4, and most other containers. If your Apple device can decode it, we play it directly. If not, the server transcodes.
Everything runs over a single HTTPS port. Open the port on your router, use a reverse proxy, or set up a tunnel—whatever works for your network. The app handles quality adaptation automatically based on your connection.
No. For local networks, HTTP is fine. HTTPS is recommended for remote access and requires a valid TLS certificate (for example via a reverse proxy with Let's Encrypt).
PixelBrite supports two file workflows. For on-device storage, use Files app → On My iPhone/iPad → PixelBrite. For iCloud Drive, pick a folder inside iCloud Drive in the PixelBrite app; we store a security-scoped bookmark to that folder. Each device must pick its own folder once, but you can point all devices at the same iCloud Drive folder for syncing.
PixelBrite includes a local web uploader for devices like Apple TV that don’t have a system file picker. Enable Remote File Management, then upload from your phone or computer on the same Wi‑Fi. Files land directly in that device’s local PixelBrite storage and appear instantly in the Files tab.
Completely. Your media, metadata, and watch history stay on your server. No telemetry, no analytics, no cloud sync, no account required. Metadata and artwork are served from PixelBrite's infrastructure—your library queries never touch third-party databases.
Yes. Create separate user profiles for family members, each with their own watch history and preferences. Parental controls available for kids' profiles. Remote access lets them stream from anywhere.
Jellyfin is great open-source software with a solid server. But its Apple apps are community-maintained afterthoughts—web views with limited HDR/Atmos support. PixelBrite gives you native Swift apps with full format support, built alongside the server as one integrated system.
No. Infuse is a beautiful player that requires Plex/Jellyfin/Emby as a backend. PixelBrite includes both the server and native players. One app to install, one system to maintain, all the playback quality Infuse is known for.
Full support for music libraries. FLAC, ALAC, and other lossless formats play bit-perfect. Gapless playback works everywhere—native apps and web browsers. AirPlay 2 for multi-room audio. CarPlay integration. It's not an afterthought—music is a first-class citizen.
Yes. During onboarding (or later in settings), you can run a Plex or Jellyfin database migration. PixelBrite imports your libraries, movies, shows, music, and watch progress. Your media folders stay untouched, so your existing setup keeps working.
Google restricts certain API scopes for TV device authorization flows. To access Google Drive on Apple TV, connect your account in PixelBrite on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac first—credentials sync automatically via iCloud Keychain. This means your Apple TV must be signed into the same iCloud account.
Zip the installation folder. That's it. Everything is self-contained—config, database, thumbnails, cache. No database dumps, no export scripts, no plugins. Restore by unzipping. It's the simplest backup story in media servers.
Copy your installation folder to the new machine, download the executable for your new platform (Linux, macOS, Windows), and run it. Your entire setup—library, watch history, settings—comes with you. Switch from a Synology NAS to a Mac mini? Just swap the binary.