Overview: Playlists and media references

Playlists and media references describe locations or playback organization rather than storing the complete referenced media.

A small text file can select tracks, describe an ordering or point a player toward another source. Its contents may depend on paths and resources outside the file itself. M3U, PLS, CUE and STRM topics explain those different reference roles, which helps when a playlist opens successfully but the item it points to cannot be reached.

• M3U playlists
  An M3U playlist is a text file that lists media locations and can add descriptive information for each entry.

• PLS playlists
  A PLS playlist uses numbered text fields to list media locations, titles, and optional durations.

• CUE sheets
  A CUE sheet describes track boundaries and metadata for referenced disc-image or audio files.

• Media pointer files (STRM)
  A STRM file is a small text pointer that lets Emby associate a library item with a media URL or file path.