Plugin: Home Screen Companion

[soderlund 162]

1 hour ago, Babatom said:

I’ve set up a home screen and now want to synchronise it with all users. I’m not sure about one rule. Will it be automatically adapted to each user? It would be great if each user only saw what they haven’t seen yet.

No it will not adapt to each individual user. For that you need to create a separate group for each user. 

The filter in you picture will give you all movies and series that NO user have watch. 
Even if you have 100 users, it's enough that only one of them have seen that movie and it will not end up on the list. 

So in simpler terms - this will give you a list with 50 items of movies and shows that no one has seen. 

What I suggest you do is use the playstatus for the home section. This will adapt to each user and if set to unplayed it will hide movies that the individual user has seen. 

Edited May 24 by soderlund

[Babatom 15]

That should work, shouldn't it?

Here's how I'd generally like to set it up: I configure the entire home screen once and then sync it with all users.

I've just realised that under the 'Tag & Collection' tab -> 'Home Screen', I set the play state to 'unplayed', save it and perform a full sync. The next time I go back into this setting, the playstate is back to 'any'.So it isn’t saved permanently.

[soderlund 162]

2 hours ago, Babatom said:

That should work, shouldn't it?

Here's how I'd generally like to set it up: I configure the entire home screen once and then sync it with all users.

I've just realised that under the 'Tag & Collection' tab -> 'Home Screen', I set the play state to 'unplayed', save it and perform a full sync. The next time I go back into this setting, the playstate is back to 'any'.So it isn’t saved permanently.

Those filters should be correct   Although, it is redundant to have the filter for media type=movie and show, since that is the default. But if you want to have them, go ahead! 

Regarding the error, I cant reproduce that. What server version are you running? This was an bug with Emby version before 4.10.0.9 or something if i remember correctly 

[Babatom 15]

21 minutes ago, soderlund said:

What server version are you running?

 4.10.0.12

thanks for your help! 

[soderlund 162]

5 minutes ago, Babatom said:

 4.10.0.12

thanks for your help! 

Okay.. I'm still on .11 and haven't tested with latest beta. 

Are you sure this comes after you have made a full sync? The setting is supposed to mirror Embys native menu directly on save (dosn't require a sync). 
Next step for troubleshooting would be to edit the settign via the native meny, (home screen in left menu). 
If it still goes back to any, try to create a new home section with the same settings in the emby native menu and see what happens. 

 

Thanks for reporting and help troubleshooting. 

[Babatom 15]

Oh, interesting – the filter is set in the native home screen menu, but it always resets in the plugin

[soderlund 162]

2 hours ago, Babatom said:

Oh, interesting – the filter is set in the native home screen menu, but it always resets in the plugin

Does it keep it in the native menu? Even after Full sync?

It might be a change in the latest beta that I need to incorporate with the plugin. I'll look into it when i get the time.
Until then i suggest to use the plugin to create and manage the tag, but use the native menu to set up the home section. 

[Babatom 15]

2 minutes ago, soderlund said:

Does it keep it in the native menu? Even after Full sync?

yes.

 

11 minutes ago, soderlund said:

I'll look into it when i get the time.

Thanks, it's only a minor thing; basically, it works

[soderlund 162]

13 minutes ago, Babatom said:

yes.

 

Thanks, it's only a minor thing; basically, it works

I updated my test-server and now i get the same bug. So something changed with the latest release.

Yeah as long as it sticks in the native menu it should work as intended. Even if its a minor thing I appreciate the bug report! 
I have already put Claude on in and I think it's solved already  

[soderlund 162]

New bug-fix release -  Version 4.1.1.1
Download .dll and full release notes: https://github.com/soderlund91/HomeScreenCompanion/releases/tag/v4.1.1.1

This update contains fixes to match Emby server 4.10.0.12.

IMPORTANT! 
Minimum required Emby server v4.10.0.12

Release notes

Fixes

• Home Section: Fixed an issue where "Playstate" setting didn't sync correctly in the plugin.

HomeScreenCompanion.dll

[Babatom 15]

I think I've found another small bug. I've created a Top List, and when I set the image type to 'thumb', the badges no longer appear (except on one cover).

 

[soderlund 162]

59 minutes ago, Babatom said:

I think I've found another small bug. I've created a Top List, and when I set the image type to 'thumb', the badges no longer appear (except on one cover).

 

Thanks for letting me know! You seem to be correct, I get the same results. Don't know why to be honest, I did some extensive testing with this feature for the previous release.. 
At one point I did fuck up and reverted to really old code, but thought I managed to restore back to the latest. This could be a result of my own doing.. 
 

Edit: Was a really quick fix, updated dll coming! 

Edited May 24 by soderlund

[soderlund 162]

New bug-fix release -  Version 4.1.1.2
Download .dll and full release notes: https://github.com/soderlund91/HomeScreenCompanion/releases/tag/v4.1.1.2

Bugfix release

IMPORTANT! 
Minimum required Emby server v4.10.0.12

Release notes

Fixes

• Top-list: Fixed an issue where thumbs didn't get the number overlay

Note:
If a poster or thumb is not updated with the number overlay, it indicates that no usable image was available in the original library/movie. Ensure downloading of posters and thumbs is enabled beforehand.

HomeScreenCompanion.dll

[bonuscheese 1]

I'm loving this plugin so far, after only a few days. Thanks for putting this together and improving it frequently.

The AI lists are great. With the old smart playlist plugin I tried making rule-based playlists of like "World Cinema" before and it was too janky to get working like I wanted. This plugin just smashes that.

I'm curious if there are limitations to the AI integration or if this can be expanded at all? I'd love to be able to have multi-input data to customise this to get a more "Netflix Algorithm" feel to recommendations. Example:

Top Picks For You - source 1 is a taste profile, source 2 is a pool of unwatched items to recommend based on taste profile
Source 1: Favourite list (or specific playlist/tag)
Source 2: Unwatched items (even if derived from playlist)

I've tried out a prompt with the current settings but find the max 100 recent items (I assume also includes all TV episodes) is too partial of a footprint for this. After adding an "unwatched" filter to the 20-30 items returned, it may only have 4-5 items in the collection.

I could achieve this by baking favourites in the prompt, but achieving this for multiple accounts and libraries or genres might get a bit difficult to manage.

Edited May 26 by bonuscheese

[soderlund 162]

On 5/26/2026 at 2:46 AM, bonuscheese said:

I'm loving this plugin so far, after only a few days. Thanks for putting this together and improving it frequently.

The AI lists are great. With the old smart playlist plugin I tried making rule-based playlists of like "World Cinema" before and it was too janky to get working like I wanted. This plugin just smashes that.

I'm curious if there are limitations to the AI integration or if this can be expanded at all? I'd love to be able to have multi-input data to customise this to get a more "Netflix Algorithm" feel to recommendations. Example:

Top Picks For You - source 1 is a taste profile, source 2 is a pool of unwatched items to recommend based on taste profile
Source 1: Favourite list (or specific playlist/tag)
Source 2: Unwatched items (even if derived from playlist)

I've tried out a prompt with the current settings but find the max 100 recent items (I assume also includes all TV episodes) is too partial of a footprint for this. After adding an "unwatched" filter to the 20-30 items returned, it may only have 4-5 items in the collection.

I could achieve this by baking favourites in the prompt, but achieving this for multiple accounts and libraries or genres might get a bit difficult to manage.

Great idea! I think I understand what you are asking for, and it's certainly possible from a technical point of view. But right now I don't feel I have the time to make such a big implementation (recently got another kid so my free time is very limited..).

Could this be achieved with already existing functions? 

Set up one group/tag with favorite items, another with unwatched, and a third with whatever. Use these tags just as a helper and then create a new tag that combines these and use as a "combined multi-input tag" as below picture:

 

This will take all the tags (must be existing) and combine them them under a new tag (or collection). 

Edited May 29 by soderlund

[soderlund 162]

New patch release -  Version 4.1.2.0
Download .dll and full release notes: https://github.com/soderlund91/HomeScreenCompanion/releases/tag/v4.1.2.0

Bugfix and updates release

IMPORTANT! 
Minimum required Emby server v4.10.0.12

Release notes

Updates

• AI-source: Added support for Claude
• AI-source: Added ability to select model used for all providers (prefilled with current working models). This allows the user to update the model if the current one becomes obsolete, or if the user wants a specific one.
• UI: UI overhaul of the top-list page to better follow the main theme, and also to clarify/simplify creation and managing of top-lists.
• UI: General cosmetical updates

Fixes:

• Top-list: Fixed an issue where all users where given access to the top-list library. Now only selected users get library access.

HomeScreenCompanion.dll

Edited May 31 by soderlund

[RCMedia 0]

I really love this plugin, it’s well designed and super flexible.

I’m using MDBList-backed collections and the collection membership seems to be syncing correctly. The logs show items being added and removed from collections during Tag & Collection Sync, so that part looks like it’s working as expected.

What I’m trying to figure out is whether I can sync or rebuild the item order within a collection based on the source list.

For example, if an MDBList is sorted by Popularity, Trending, or Random, the collection membership in Emby updates, but the order of items shown in the collection doesn’t seem to change. Even when using an MDBList with Random sorting, running multiple syncs doesn’t appear to affect the collection order.

Does the plugin currently:

1. Sync only collection membership (adding and removing items)?
2. Preserve and apply the ordering from the MDBList source?
3. Have an option to rebuild or reorder collections during each sync so the Emby collection matches the source list order?

If this isn’t supported right now, is there a recommended way to handle collections that are meant to follow a changing order from MDBList instead of just keeping the same membership?

Thanks.

Edited Monday at 09:51 PM by RCMedia

[soderlund 162]

On 6/8/2026 at 11:49 PM, RCMedia said:

I really love this plugin, it’s well designed and super flexible.

I’m using MDBList-backed collections and the collection membership seems to be syncing correctly. The logs show items being added and removed from collections during Tag & Collection Sync, so that part looks like it’s working as expected.

What I’m trying to figure out is whether I can sync or rebuild the item order within a collection based on the source list.

For example, if an MDBList is sorted by Popularity, Trending, or Random, the collection membership in Emby updates, but the order of items shown in the collection doesn’t seem to change. Even when using an MDBList with Random sorting, running multiple syncs doesn’t appear to affect the collection order.

Does the plugin currently:

1. Sync only collection membership (adding and removing items)?
2. Preserve and apply the ordering from the MDBList source?
3. Have an option to rebuild or reorder collections during each sync so the Emby collection matches the source list order?

If this isn’t supported right now, is there a recommended way to handle collections that are meant to follow a changing order from MDBList instead of just keeping the same membership?

Thanks.

Thanks, glad you enjoy the plugin  

 

For collections I haven’t really thought about the ordering. The plugin should use the same order as MDBList already, and the sorting order is there when building top-list. The question is how to apply this to a collection.. There is a thing called “collection order” when sorting a collection in Emby, but I can’t find anything in the metadata for this. 
It seem as collection order just sort from release year and ascending. I think I read somewhere from Luke (Emby developer) that collection order can’t be set and doesn’t really do anything.. 

 

Im going to do a bit of investigating and see if this can be achieved. 
 

 

[crusher11 1205]

The only options for sorting collections are release date and title, I believe.

[RCMedia 0]

On your home page settings when exposing a collection you have many options including Collection Order, so I had hoped that if in MBList the list order changes or new things are added the collection it would rebuild in the new order when the syncs occur.

[soderlund 162]

55 minutes ago, RCMedia said:

On your home page settings when exposing a collection you have many options including Collection Order, so I had hoped that if in MBList the list order changes or new things are added the collection it would rebuild in the new order when the syncs occur.

Yeah, I get that it might be a bit misleading. What the plugin does is only to mirror Embys own settings. 
 

One easy fix could be to add an option for a top-list to not use the number overlay. That way you will get the order from MDBList but it would look like a regular home section row. 
I believe this would give you the end result you are looking for. 
 

You could also request (or search forum if already existing) from Emby devs to better support manual sorting for collections (aka make some real use of the “library order” option) 

 

Im still gonna see if I can find something, on rare occasions there are som old/hidden features to leverage for a plugin. 

Edited Wednesday at 08:50 PM by soderlund

[RCMedia 0]

Yea. Ideally, if the home page sorting had even a “random” option for collections that would allow for reasonable movement on the home page so it it doesn't feel so stale, and at least would simulate decent discovery when using lists.. What got my hopes up with your plugin was the thought that between it and the ability to pull collections in as home page rows, if I left my home row configuration intact, and used collection order, then ran your sync jobs, the plug-in would pull the updated mdblist with the new order, rebuild it, and my home page would reflect that new order. This is how it works with Agregarr for a media server I shall not name (see attached). Decent home screen discovery is the last thing for me to make Emby my only media server. The lack of discovery doesnt pass the WAF in my house or with a lot of my family, unfortunately. 

 

Edited Wednesday at 10:46 PM by RCMedia

[crusher11 1205]

The way I handle random collection sorting is by using the 'plug-in to tag everything in the collection, then using that tag to create the home screen section. 

[RCMedia 0]

Thanks @crusher11, once I added  the tags, and changed Section Type to Dynamic Media (Tag), then changed Sort By to Random, it seems to be working. Not sure if this is considered a workaround, or by design but it seems to work. I suppose I just expected it to work similarly just using Section Type: Single Collection. @soderlundOne bug I did notice is that in the plugin’s home screen tab > Target Users, if the list is long there is no scroll bar in that box, making it impossible to select users past a certain point. 

Thank you both for all the help!

[crusher11 1205]

Yes, “Random” really does need to be a sort option for collections, but it isn't and this workaround suffices in the meantime.