Emby Podcast Plugin

[sake8881 2]

Good Day!  I wanted to inquire on the status of the current emby podcast plug-in.  It has been over two years since it has been updated, and is lacking several standard  features to be an effective and useful podcast platform.  In my opinion, it is still missing the following features:

1.  Local file storage support where the podcasts can be downloaded and saved on the existing storage.  While the current restream functionality works well, the lack of local storage options  goes against the spirit of the other libraries in emby.  This feature should include customizable auto downloading and auto deleting features.  

2.  Proper sorting of podcasts.  Currently the default sorting is done by file name, or title I believe.  This sort of thing does not work with podcasts as the most important aspect of podcasts are the release dates.  Regardless, being able to select the default sorting rules for a podcast library that would apply to all users and devices would be best.

Currently this is all I can think of to make emby a true formidable platform to manage podcasts.

 

 

[Lyfesaver 133]

On 8/27/2025 at 9:59 AM, sake8881 said:

1.  Local file storage support where the podcasts can be downloaded and saved on the existing storage.  While the current restream functionality works well, the lack of local storage options  goes against the spirit of the other libraries in emby.  This feature should include customizable auto downloading and auto deleting features.  

To a certain extent cant you accomplish this with a audio/music library, yes? You would just need a metadata provider plugin for ultimate polish without manually doing it. I manually do mine as I only follow about 30 Podcasts and once the data is there it does not need to be redone. Scrape the download file for the title, date guests.

On 8/27/2025 at 9:59 AM, sake8881 said:

2.  Proper sorting of podcasts.  Currently the default sorting is done by file name, or title I believe.  This sort of thing does not work with podcasts as the most important aspect of podcasts are the release dates.  Regardless, being able to select the default sorting rules for a podcast library that would apply to all users and devices would be best.

I sort my Podcast plugin podcasts using the date. Works great. However, I do run Emby beta so maybe that is a 4.9 thing and thats why you dont see it.

[howllor 26]

I got premiere mainly to try the podcast plugin and I was pretty disappointed.

1. Let me add an OPML file. Adding feeds one by one when you're a power user is... not acceptable.

2. There are no views/sections under the podcast library? All I get is a screen with my podcasts, and then I need to navigate into each one of them. That is *one* of the views that I think a podcast library should have, but here should also be at least one with all new episodes with the newest at the top. 

3. The feeds I as an admin enter are what's fed to the entire user base. No options to choose which podcasts to follow.

4. No information about each podcast, no episode notes, no links to a website, nothing?

I also tried the route of getting audiobookshelf on my server and then pointing Emby at the folders and setting the media type to audiobooks, and it was also unsatisfactory as a podcast solution. Its actually better than the podcast plugin, but there's no way to control the sorting of episodes, and of course no feed with all new episodes combined (because this wouldn't make sense for audiobook chapters)

I really want podcasts on Emby to work well, because there's basically no podcast app out there that lets me cast to my Sonos speakers without having to go through the Sonos app (apart from like.. sp*tify) - but Emby can do this!

Edited September 6, 2025 by howllor

[NitroNine 29]

On 9/6/2025 at 1:18 PM, howllor said:

I got premiere mainly to try the podcast plugin and I was pretty disappointed.

1. Let me add an OPML file. Adding feeds one by one when you're a power user is... not acceptable.

2. There are no views/sections under the podcast library? All I get is a screen with my podcasts, and then I need to navigate into each one of them. That is *one* of the views that I think a podcast library should have, but here should also be at least one with all new episodes with the newest at the top. 

3. The feeds I as an admin enter are what's fed to the entire user base. No options to choose which podcasts to follow.

4. No information about each podcast, no episode notes, no links to a website, nothing?

I also tried the route of getting audiobookshelf on my server and then pointing Emby at the folders and setting the media type to audiobooks, and it was also unsatisfactory as a podcast solution. Its actually better than the podcast plugin, but there's no way to control the sorting of episodes, and of course no feed with all new episodes combined (because this wouldn't make sense for audiobook chapters)

I really want podcasts on Emby to work well, because there's basically no podcast app out there that lets me cast to my Sonos speakers without having to go through the Sonos app (apart from like.. sp*tify) - but Emby can do this!

After trying to years, there is no easy way to use one app for multiple things, emby is not at fault here, it happens no matter what server app you use.  Podcasts is just a plugin anyway, emby does not have any specific metadata or things for Podcasts specifically.   

 

I just added my audiobookshelf folder to emby, and I just see each podcast I listen to in order from newest to oldest. 

[howllor 26]

Oh i know Emby is not at "fault" and that no other server app will do any better. I just think this is another area that could set Emby apart from and ahead of any competition if it worked in a satisfying manner. And it's something I'd be willing to pay for, if it did work better. I am not a developer myself so I can't do anything to improve on it, but providing info about what I don't think works means that someone who does know their shit might be able to improve things 

[howllor 26]

12 hours ago, NitroNine said:

I just added my audiobookshelf folder to emby, and I just see each podcast I listen to in order from newest to oldest. 

I meant once I go into a podcast, I can't influence the sorting of episodes/chapters. Episodes with a number get put in order from low to high, but any other updates like announcements etc are separated from the rest of the feed.