When something's wrong

Why

The server inside the app stopped. The app starts it again by itself, waiting a little longer each time, and the menu shows the reason after Server failed:.

Fix

1. Choose Restart Server in the WatchMyMedia menu. When the server is back, the menu says Server running · port 27587.
2. If it fails again, choose Show Logs. Finder opens with the server's log, server.log, selected. Its last lines say what went wrong.
3. If the log says address already in use, another app is using port 27587. Quit that app and choose Restart Server.
4. Only if you need that other app to keep running, move WatchMyMedia to another port. Open Terminal (in Applications › Utilities), paste this line and press Return:

   defaults write media.watchmy.WatchMyMedia port 27590

   Then choose Quit WatchMyMedia in the menu and open the app again. The menu says Server running · port 27590, and WatchMyMedia's address ends in :27590 instead of :27587 on every device. To go back to 27587 later, run defaults delete media.watchmy.WatchMyMedia port the same way.

Why

Posters and details come from TMDB (The Movie Database), and WatchMyMedia needs a TMDB key to ask for them. Without one it still finds your files, but can't tell what they are.

Fix

Open Settings › General. In Metadata (TMDB), follow How to get a TMDB key, paste the key, then choose Test and Save. Matching starts as soon as the key is saved. Step 4 of Set up your server goes through it.

If a key is saved and only some titles have no poster, those weren't matched. Settings › Libraries counts them under Unmatched, with a link to review them.

Why

WatchMyMedia matches each title by its folder and file names, and a name without a year can fit more than one movie or show.

Fix

Open the movie or show and choose Fix match. Search by title and Year, or paste a TMDB, TheTVDB or IMDb ID or link. Pick the right one, check What changes, then confirm with the button that moves its files, such as Move 1 file.

So titles match right the first time, name each folder with its year, such as The Movie (2019). To settle a match, add the number from the title's address on themoviedb.org: The Movie (2019) {tmdb-12345}. Name your movie and TV folders has more examples.

Why

Either the drive was ejected, or macOS didn't let WatchMyMedia use it. After an eject, the library under Settings › Libraries says Not watching this folder, so changes show up at the next scheduled scan.

Fix

• The drive was ejected: connect it again, then choose Restart Server in the WatchMyMedia menu. The server watches the folder again once it restarts.
• macOS refused access: open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Files & Folders and find WatchMyMedia. Turn on Removable Volumes for an external drive, or Network Volumes for a network share, then choose Restart Server.

Why

Your other screens reach the server over your home network. They need to be on that network, and the Mac needs to be awake, with WatchMyMedia running, and let them in.

Fix

• Put the phone, TV or computer on the same Wi-Fi as the Mac.
• Type the whole address, with http:// and the port, such as http://my-mac.local:27587. Use your Mac's own local hostname, which is at the bottom of System Settings › General › Sharing.
• If macOS asks whether to allow incoming connections, choose Allow.
• Keep the Mac on and awake, with Server running · port 27587 in the WatchMyMedia menu. WatchMyMedia keeps the Mac awake while something plays, but not in between.
• Turn off any VPN on the phone or computer. A VPN can send its traffic away from your home network.

Why

The connection can't carry the video at this quality, or the Mac can't convert it fast enough.

Fix

In the player, open the quality menu and choose Automatic. It steps down mid-play when the connection can't keep up, and shows the step it's at, such as Auto · 720p. Or pick a lower quality yourself, such as 720p · 4 Mbps. Your pick becomes this browser's default.

As the admin, open Activity to see why: it shows each play's stalls, and each step down with its reason.

Why

Chrome and Edge show the Cast button only on a secure page (HTTPS) or on the Mac itself (localhost), and only when they find a Chromecast or Google TV on your network. An address such as http://my-mac.local:27587 is neither HTTPS nor localhost.

Fix

On the Mac, open http://localhost:27587 in Chrome or Edge and cast from there. In Safari on a Mac, iPhone or iPad, the player's AirPlay button plays on an Apple TV or AirPlay TV instead.

Why

OpenSubtitles limits downloads each day: 20 on a free account, up to 1000 with VIP, and 5 when the server isn't signed in to an account.

Fix

Wait for the limit to reset. When the server is signed in, Settings › Subtitles shows Downloads today: how many are left and when they reset. Not signed in? Sign in there with a free OpenSubtitles account for 20 a day. If it says Sign-in failed, type the username and password again.

Subtitles inside your video files keep working either way.

Why

Their files are symbolic links: pointers to files kept in another place. Since 0.4.4, library scans skip video and subtitle files that are symbolic links, so those titles leave the library at the next scan.

Fix

Replace the links with the files themselves, or add the folders the links point to as library folders, with Add library under Settings › Libraries.