VLClean Plain comparisons of self-hosted media tools

How to get notified when requests are ready for expat families

Learn how expat families can get notified when requests are ready, with setup steps and tool options to compare.

By VLClean ยท

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Expat families can get notified when requests are ready by choosing one request place and one way that ready notices reach everyone. Askarr is one option, and its site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [1]

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrRequest a movie or show on Askarr, and the owner's own Radarr and Sonarr add it. [1]The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] The Plus plan costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] The Pro plan costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1]
Request formPeople submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.not published
Shared request listPeople add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.not published

What you need before you start

Expat families often have one or two people who ask for movies and shows, and others who want to hear when those titles are ready. Before you start, decide who should be told, and agree on which kinds of titles are allowed so every request means the same thing.

Pick one place where requests go and one way that ready notices reach people, such as a phone message, an email, or a shared chat. Whoever manages the library needs to see new requests and know who to notify.

A family spread across several time zones should write down when people can expect notices, so nobody waits for a message that has already arrived. Keep the rules to a few short lines that everyone can read in one minute.

Step by step

  1. Choose the one place where requests are sent and where ready notices will arrive, and tell everyone to use only that place.
  2. Write down who checks each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added.
  3. Decide how a notice reaches each person, whether by message, email, or chat thread, and write that down too.
  4. Write a short note for the family that says who can request, what kinds of titles are accepted, and how people will hear that a title is ready.
  5. Send the note to the family members you want to include, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it.
  6. Check the request list once a week, approve what you want, and remove what you do not.
  7. After the first few requests, ask two or three relatives what was unclear, and update the note to fix those points.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site, VLClean. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] A request on Askarr leads the owner's own Radarr and Sonarr to add the title. [1] There is no app to install; you add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr as a list they read your requests from. [1] A bookmark you run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there for you. [1]

Radarr and Sonarr tell the site when a title is added and downloaded. [1] Titles can also be found by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. [1]

Askarr's Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] The Plus plan costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] The Pro plan costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1] You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [1]

Two other options are a request form and a shared request list. Cost and details are not published for either. Check how each one lets the person who asked know that a title is ready, and whether it fits the notice method you chose.

The facts available for this page do not cover other named tools, so compare any tool on how it reports ready titles, how it handles approvals, and what it costs.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sending requests to several places. When a title comes in from three directions, nobody knows which one is being handled.

Avoid ignoring time differences. A notice that arrives in the middle of the night for one relative may be missed, so agree on when notices are sent.

Avoid sharing the owner's login or access codes with family members. Keep those private, and give each person only the request place.

Avoid skipping the weekly check. Old or duplicate requests collect quickly, and a long list makes it harder to see what is actually new.

Avoid promising a date. A title may not be ready when someone asks, so set that expectation in the note.

Frequently asked questions

How does Askarr notify expat families when requests are ready?

Choose one request place and one way for ready notices to reach people, then write both down for everyone in the family. Pick a message, email, or chat thread that each relative already checks. Agree on a set day for the weekly review so notices do not depend on who happens to be online that day. Keep the rules to a few lines so they are easy to remember and follow.

Does Askarr show when a requested title is ready?

Radarr and Sonarr send status updates to the site, so Askarr shows when a title is added and downloaded. [1] A bookmark you run on your Radarr or Sonarr page saves the list and webhook there for you. [1] There is no app to install; you add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr as a list they read your requests from. [1]

Can Askarr be tried before anyone pays?

You can try the dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. [1] The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] Compare that limit with how many titles your family expects to request before choosing a paid plan.

How much does Askarr cost for a larger family?

The Plus plan costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] The Pro plan costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1] Each friend who signs up through your link adds 10 requests a month to your limit. [1]

Does Askarr work with an existing Radarr and Sonarr setup?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] It never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives the codes that would let it control them. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. [1]

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1]

Try Askarr

Sources

  1. Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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