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EmbyTok supports connecting to Emby, Jellyfin, and Plex media servers. This guide covers the authentication process and configuration options for each server type.

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Supported Server Types

EmbyTok can connect to:
  • Emby / Jellyfin - Full support with native API authentication
  • Plex - Using X-Plex-Token authentication
  • Local Folder - Browse videos directly from your device
  • Folder Service - LAN-based file server for sharing videos across devices

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Connecting to Emby/Jellyfin

1

Enter server URL

Input your Emby or Jellyfin server address in the format:
http://192.168.1.100:8096
The URL will be automatically normalized - you can enter it with or without http://.
2

Provide credentials

Enter your username and password. For Emby/Jellyfin:
  • Username is required
  • Password is optional (leave blank for users without passwords)
3

Authenticate

Click “Connect” to authenticate. EmbyTok will:
  • Send credentials to /Users/AuthenticateByName endpoint
  • Receive an access token and user ID
  • Store the configuration in localStorage

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Authentication Headers

EmbyTok uses the following authentication header format: 
'X-Emby-Authorization': `MediaBrowser Client="EmbyTok Web", Device="Web Browser", DeviceId="embytok-web-emby", Version="1.0.0", Token="${accessToken}"`

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Server Configuration Object

After successful authentication, the following configuration is stored:
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url
string
required
Server URL without trailing slash (e.g., http://192.168.1.100:8096)
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username
string
required
User’s display name from the server
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userId
string
required
Unique user identifier from Emby/Jellyfin
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token
string
required
Access token for API requests
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serverType
string
required
Set to 'emby' for both Emby and Jellyfin servers

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CORS Configuration

EmbyTok requires CORS to be enabled on your Emby/Jellyfin server. If you encounter connection errors, ensure:
  1. CORS is enabled in your server settings
  2. The EmbyTok web app origin is allowed
  3. Your server is accessible from the client device

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Connecting to Plex

1

Obtain X-Plex-Token

Get your Plex token from:
  • Plex Web App → Settings → Account → Show Advanced
  • Or extract from your Plex Media Server XML files
2

Enter server details

  • Server URL: http://192.168.1.10:32400
  • Username: Optional (defaults to “Plex User”)
  • Password: Enter your X-Plex-Token here
3

Connect

EmbyTok will:
  • Fetch machine identifier from /identity endpoint
  • Validate the token
  • Store configuration with serverType: 'plex'

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Plex Authentication Headers

{
  'Accept': 'application/json',
  'X-Plex-Token': token
}

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Machine Identifier

Plex uses a machine identifier for constructing playlist URIs. EmbyTok automatically:
  1. Fetches the identifier from /identity endpoint
  2. Stores it as userId in the configuration
  3. Uses it for favorite playlist operations:
const itemUri = `server://${machineId}/com.plexapp.plugins.library/library/metadata/${itemId}`;

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User Settings Storage

All server configurations are stored in browser localStorage: 
localStorage.setItem('embyConfig', JSON.stringify({
  url: 'http://192.168.1.100:8096',
  username: 'John',
  userId: 'abc123',
  token: 'xyz789',
  serverType: 'emby'
}));

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Security Considerations

Tokens and credentials are stored in browser localStorage. For enhanced security:
  • Use HTTPS for production deployments
  • Regularly rotate your access tokens
  • Use server-side session management in production environments

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Login Component

The login interface is implemented in components/Login.tsx with the following features:
  • Server type selector (Emby/Jellyfin, Plex, Local, Folder Service)
  • Dynamic form fields based on selected server type
  • Real-time URL normalization
  • Error handling with user-friendly messages
  • Support for both authenticated and guest users

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URL Normalization

const normalizeServerUrl = (rawUrl: string) => {
  const trimmed = rawUrl.trim();
  if (!trimmed) return '';
  if (trimmed.startsWith('http://') || trimmed.startsWith('https://')) {
    return trimmed.replace(/\/$/, '');
  }
  return `http://${trimmed}`.replace(/\/$/, '');
};
This ensures URLs are properly formatted regardless of how users input them.

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Error Handling

Common connection errors and their solutions:
ErrorCauseSolution
”Authentication failed”Invalid credentialsVerify username/password or token
”CORS error”Server doesn’t allow originEnable CORS on media server
”Connection refused”Server not accessibleCheck server URL and network
”Plex connection failed”Invalid tokenUse valid X-Plex-Token

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Next Steps

After connecting to your server:
  • Browse your media libraries
  • Configure video orientation filters
  • Set up favorites and playlists
  • Explore the admin panel (for Folder Service mode)

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