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Popcorn Vision uses TMDB (The Movie Database) for authentication, giving you access to powerful features like watchlists, favorites, and ratings that sync with TMDB.

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Why TMDB Authentication?

Popcorn Vision leverages TMDB’s authentication system to provide:

Unified Account

One account works across TMDB and Popcorn Vision

Data Sync

Your watchlists, favorites, and ratings sync between platforms

Trusted Security

TMDB’s secure authentication infrastructure

Community Integration

Your ratings contribute to TMDB’s community database

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Creating a TMDB Account

If you don’t have a TMDB account yet, you’ll need to create one:
1

Click Login

Click the Login button in the Popcorn Vision navigation bar
2

Click 'Don't have an account?'

On the login page, click the “Doesn’t have an account?” link at the bottom
3

Complete TMDB Signup

You’ll be redirected to TMDB’s signup page. Fill in:
  • Username (must be unique)
  • Password (minimum 4 characters)
  • Email address
  • Accept terms and conditions
4

Verify Email

Check your email for a verification link from TMDB and click it to activate your account
5

Return to Popcorn Vision

Come back to Popcorn Vision and log in with your new credentials
Your TMDB account is completely free and gives you access to features across all TMDB-powered applications.

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Logging In

Once you have a TMDB account, logging into Popcorn Vision is simple:
1

Access Login Page

Click the Login button in the navigation bar or visit /login
2

Enter Credentials

Enter your TMDB username and password
3

Submit

Click the Login button to authenticate
4

Automatic Redirect

You’ll be automatically redirected to the page you were viewing (or home page)
If you see an error message like “Invalid username or password”, double-check your credentials. Use the “Forgot your password?” link if needed.

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Authentication Flow

Behind the scenes, Popcorn Vision uses TMDB’s secure authentication process:
  1. Request Token: Popcorn Vision requests a temporary token from TMDB
  2. Validate Credentials: Your username and password are validated with the token
  3. Create Session: A session ID is created for your authenticated session
  4. Store Session: The session is securely stored to keep you logged in
Your password is never stored by Popcorn Vision. All authentication is handled directly by TMDB’s secure API.

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Password Reset

Forgot your password? No problem:
1

Click 'Forgot your password?'

On the login page, click the “Forgot your password?” link
2

Reset on TMDB

You’ll be redirected to TMDB’s password reset page
3

Enter Email or Username

Provide your email address or username
4

Check Email

TMDB will send password reset instructions to your email
5

Return to Login

After resetting your password, return to Popcorn Vision and log in

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Your Profile

Once logged in, access your profile at /profile:

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Profile Information

Your profile displays:
  • Display Name: Your name (if set) or username
  • Username: Your TMDB username
  • Member Since: Account creation date
  • Avatar: Your TMDB profile picture (if set)
To update your profile information or avatar, visit your TMDB account settings. Changes will automatically sync to Popcorn Vision.

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Activity Overview

Your profile shows three main collections:
All movies and TV shows you’ve marked as favorites
  • Quick access to your favorite content
  • Sorted by when you added them (newest first by default)
  • Filter by movies or TV shows

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Sorting Your Collections

Each collection can be sorted using the dropdown in the top-right:

Created At

Date added to your collection (default: newest first)

Rating

Sort by your rating or average rating

Popularity

Most to least popular

Release Date

Newest to oldest releases
Sort order options:
  • Descending: High to low, newest to oldest (default)
  • Ascending: Low to high, oldest to newest

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Filtering Between Movies and TV

Switch between content types using the dropdown:
  • Movies: Shows only movies in your collections
  • TV Shows: Shows only TV shows in your collections
The filter applies to all three collections (Favorites, Watchlist, Rated) simultaneously.

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Account Privacy

Popcorn Vision only accesses:
  • Your TMDB username and profile info
  • Your watchlist items
  • Your favorite items
  • Your ratings
No personal information like email or password is accessed or stored.
No. Your TMDB account data is only used to provide features within Popcorn Vision. No data is sold or shared with third parties.
Yes. To remove your data:
  1. Remove items from your watchlist and favorites in Popcorn Vision
  2. Delete your ratings
  3. Log out of Popcorn Vision
To permanently delete your account, you’ll need to delete your TMDB account at TMDB.org.
Logging out removes your session from Popcorn Vision. Your data remains safe in your TMDB account and will be available when you log back in.

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Logging Out

To log out of Popcorn Vision:
1

Click Your Profile Icon

Click on your profile picture or username in the navigation bar
2

Select Logout

Click the Logout button in the dropdown menu
3

Confirm

You’ll be logged out and redirected to the home page
Logging out only ends your Popcorn Vision session. Your TMDB account remains active for use on TMDB.org and other TMDB-powered apps.

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Guest Features vs. Logged In

Without logging in, you can:✅ Browse all movies and TV shows
✅ Use search and filters
✅ View detailed information
✅ Watch trailers
✅ Read reviews❌ Cannot add to watchlist
❌ Cannot mark favorites
❌ Cannot rate content
❌ Cannot save preferences

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Troubleshooting Login Issues

Try these steps:
  1. Make sure you’ve entered both username and password
  2. Check that your credentials are correct
  3. Verify your TMDB account is activated (check email)
  4. Clear your browser cache and try again
  5. Try a different browser
This usually indicates a network or session issue:
  1. Wait 30 seconds for the process to complete
  2. Refresh the page
  3. Clear cookies and try logging in again
  4. Check your internet connection
If your actions in Popcorn Vision aren’t appearing on TMDB:
  1. Log out and log back in to refresh your session
  2. Check that you’re logged into the correct account
  3. Give it a few minutes - sync can take time
  4. Verify the action completed successfully (no error messages)
Common solutions:
  1. Double-check your username (not email)
  2. Verify password is correct (case-sensitive)
  3. Make sure your account is activated
  4. Use the “Forgot password” link if needed
  5. Check if your TMDB account is still active

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Next Steps

Watchlist & Favorites

Learn how to save and organize content

Rating System

Rate movies and TV shows

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