We've previously covered how to build a smart home theater and how to scrape posters using TMDB. But TMDB scraping isn't foolproof — for films with incomplete metadata, such as missing release years, incomplete titles, or absent file format information, it may fail to retrieve accurate posters.
StationOS's library feature, however, offers a simpler solution: after a one-click scrape, any film with incorrect poster information can be fixed through manual correction. Today, we'll walk through how to correct mismatched posters in Station OS and how to share your media library.
The whole process is straightforward and can be broken down into three steps: correcting mismatched posters, creating a shared library, and setting user viewing permissions. Everything is done within StationCloud, so just follow along in order.
Start by opening the StationCloud app and navigating to [Cinema]. Tap [All Film] to see your entire collection at a glance.
Locate the film with a missing or mismatched poster, tap to open it, and select [Manual Identity]. Enter the title, search, and select the correct film — the poster will be restored instantly. The whole process takes just seconds, far less hassle than re-scraping from scratch.
If a large number of posters are mismatched, it's recommended to switch to the desktop version. StationCloud on desktop supports faster batch processing, allowing you to search and preview simultaneously and confirm matches on the spot.
Once your poster wall is cleaned up, you're ready to set up a shared library.
Create a media library and add the films you want to share with other users. There are several flexible ways to add media: you can point directly to a folder and let the system scan it automatically; use Docker, which suits users with some technical experience; or connect external devices such as portable hard drives or USB flash drives to include their contents in the library. Either way, your original files stay untouched — the media library simply acts as an index that can be adjusted at any time.
Once the library is set up, family members can turn on the TV and see your curated collection, saving everyone the trouble of searching for films individually. For users who enjoy collecting and sharing, this step truly unlocks the value of your library.
Once the library is set up, family members can turn on the TV and see your curated collection, saving everyone the trouble of searching for films individually. For users who enjoy collecting and sharing, this step truly unlocks the value of your library.
Sharing is one thing, but not everything is meant for every pair of eyes.
Configure viewing permissions for the cinema media library and grant different users different levels of access as needed. For example, give children access only to animations and family films, let parents browse classic favorites, and keep your personal collection in a separate library visible only to yourself. This way, even when the whole family shares a single device, films you'd rather keep private won't be stumbled upon.
Share what should be shared, keep private what should be kept private — that's what a proper home theater experience looks like.
