--- {"title": "How to connect media services for homelabs", "description": "Learn how automation-focused homelab users can connect media services with lists, links, and tools that fit different workflows.", "url": "https://vlcleanplayer.com/how-to-connect-media-services-together-for-automation-focused-homelab-users/", "date": "2026-10-12"} --- Learn how automation-focused homelab users can connect media services with lists, links, and tools that fit different workflows. Connecting media services starts with deciding which services should share information, preparing the needed accounts or tools, and choosing a connection method that matches the workflow. | Option | Connection method | Cost details | |---|---|---| | Watcharr | Paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [^1] | Hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] | | Manual list workflow | Use a chosen list or process to move titles between services. | not published | | Custom workflow | Build a connection method around the services that need to exchange information. | not published | ## What you need before you start Automation-focused homelab users need to know which media services should exchange information and what each service should receive. Prepare the accounts, access details, and lists that are part of the workflow before connecting anything. Decide whether the connection should move movie titles, show titles, or both. Check whether the services support the type of information that needs to move between them. Have Radarr and Sonarr ready if they are part of the process. Radarr and Sonarr can be used as part of a workflow that adds movies and shows to a library. Choose where the source list comes from and whether it should stay private, be shared with a household, or be used only for personal automation. Review each tool's permissions before giving it access to another service. ## Step by step 1. Map the services that need to connect. Write down the source of titles, the service that receives them, and what should happen after a title is found. 2. Choose the connection method. This can be a list-based connection, a direct service connection, or another method supported by the tools involved. 3. Prepare the source data. Keep movie and show lists organized so the receiving service can process the titles correctly. 4. Connect the services using the access method each tool requires. Review what information is shared before finishing the connection. 5. Check the results after the first connection. Confirm that titles move to the expected place and that skipped or unmatched items are handled in a way that fits the setup. 6. Create a maintenance routine. Review lists, access settings, and service connections when the homelab changes. 7. Add household sharing rules if multiple people use the setup. Decide who can change lists, who manages services, and how updates should happen. A good connection workflow keeps each service responsible for its own job. The source list should be easy to manage, and the receiving service should have a clear way to process the information it gets. ## Tools that can do it Watcharr is made by VLClean, the team that publishes this site. Watcharr lets users paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [^1] Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [^1] A bookmark inside Radarr or Sonarr can add the list using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. [^1] Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, and a title that is on two lists is added only once. [^1] Other connection methods can include a manual list, a custom workflow, or another tool that matches the services being connected. Check each option's supported sources, permissions, and update process before choosing a connection method. Watcharr runs as one Cloudflare app with a Cloudflare database, plus a GitHub job that reads IMDb. [^1] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and older versions remain under MIT. [^1] ## Common mistakes to avoid Avoid connecting services before deciding which information should move between them. A clear workflow makes it easier to find where a problem starts. Avoid giving a tool more access than the workflow needs. Review account permissions and connection settings before enabling automation. Avoid assuming every title will match automatically. Check how a tool handles missing or unmatched information before relying on it for a large library. Avoid skipping maintenance. Lists, services, and access settings can change over time, so review the setup when the homelab changes. ## Frequently asked questions ### How can Watcharr connect IMDb lists to Radarr and Sonarr? Watcharr lets users paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. [^1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. [^1] ### Can Watcharr use different types of IMDb lists? Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. [^1] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. [^1] ### Does Watcharr need installation before connecting media services? The hosted version of Watcharr needs nothing to install and no account. [^1] Watcharr runs as one Cloudflare app with a Cloudflare database, plus a GitHub job that reads IMDb. [^1] Check whether the hosted option or another setup matches the way the homelab is managed. ### How does Watcharr handle shared media lists? Signed-in Watcharr users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, and a title that is on two lists is added only once. [^1] This can help when multiple lists are part of one household workflow. ### What should be checked before choosing a media automation tool? Check the supported list sources, permissions, update behavior, and how titles are handled before choosing a tool. Watcharr tells users which shows it skipped when it cannot match them, so users can review which titles were not included in the connected workflow. [^1] Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. [^1] - [Visit Watcharr](/go/start-watcharr) ## Sources [^1]: Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start-watcharr)