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Jellyfin and Emby both support .strm files, which are small text files that point to streaming URLs. This is the recommended method for these media servers as it’s compatible with all systems and takes up minimal storage space (less than 1GB for libraries of any size).

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Why use STRM for Jellyfin and Emby?

The STRM mounting method is specifically geared towards media servers that support .strm files. Benefits include:
  • Universal compatibility - Works on all operating systems, including Windows
  • Minimal storage - STRM files are tiny text files, using less than 1GB total
  • No FUSE required - Doesn’t require Linux kernel FUSE support
  • Better compatibility - Jellyfin and Emby have excellent STRM support
For Jellyfin and Emby, always use MOUNT_METHOD=strm

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Setup steps

1

Configure TorBox Media Center for STRM

Set the MOUNT_METHOD environment variable to strm:
docker run -it -d \
    --name=torbox-media-center \
    --restart=always \
    --init \
    -v /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox \
    -e TORBOX_API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY> \
    -e MOUNT_METHOD=strm \
    -e MOUNT_PATH=/torbox \
    anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest
Or with Docker Compose:
name: torbox-media-center
services:
    torbox-media-center:
        container_name: torbox-media-center
        stdin_open: true
        tty: true
        restart: always
        volumes:
            - /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox
        environment:
            - TORBOX_API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY>
            - MOUNT_METHOD=strm
            - MOUNT_PATH=/torbox
        image: anonymoussystems/torbox-media-center:latest
2

Configure Jellyfin or Emby volume mapping

Add the TorBox Media Center path to your Jellyfin or Emby container. Use the host system path, not the container path:
-v /home/$(whoami)/torbox:/torbox-media-center
This makes the files available inside your Jellyfin/Emby container at /torbox-media-center.
3

Add libraries in Jellyfin or Emby

In your Jellyfin or Emby web interface:
  1. Navigate to Dashboard > Libraries
  2. Click “Add Media Library”
  3. For Movies:
    • Content type: Movies
    • Folder: /torbox-media-center/movies
  4. Click “Add Media Library” again
  5. For TV Shows:
    • Content type: Shows
    • Folder: /torbox-media-center/series
  6. Save and scan libraries
4

Configure library scanning

Set your library to scan for new content regularly:
  • Go to Dashboard > Scheduled Tasks
  • Configure “Scan Media Library” to run on your preferred schedule
  • This should align with your MOUNT_REFRESH_TIME setting

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Understanding STRM files

A .strm file is a plain text file containing a URL that points to your media. When you play a file in Jellyfin or Emby, it reads the URL from the STRM file and streams directly from TorBox. Example STRM file content: 
https://api.torbox.app/v1/api/torrents/requestdl?token=YOUR_TOKEN&torrent_id=12345&file_id=67890&redirect=true
These files:
  • Take up less than 1KB each
  • Are created automatically by TorBox Media Center
  • Are updated when your library refreshes
  • Point directly to TorBox’s streaming URLs

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Performance considerations

The STRM method has some disk I/O overhead:
  • Files are created and updated on disk during library refreshes
  • Over long periods, this can cause disk wear (minimal, but worth noting)
  • On slow filesystems (HDD vs SSD), many files can slow down initial scanning
If you have a very slow hard drive and an extremely large library (10,000+ files), initial library scans may take longer than with the FUSE method.

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Troubleshooting

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STRM files aren’t playing

Check that:
  1. Your TorBox API key is valid
  2. The files are cached in your TorBox account
  3. Jellyfin/Emby has network access to TorBox’s API

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Libraries aren’t updating

Verify:
  1. TorBox Media Center is running and refreshing (check logs)
  2. Your MOUNT_REFRESH_TIME is set appropriately
  3. Jellyfin/Emby scheduled tasks are configured to scan libraries

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Permission errors

Ensure:
  1. The volume mapping uses the correct host path
  2. The user running Jellyfin/Emby has read permissions on the mount path
  3. Use chown to fix any permission issues on the mount directory

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