VLClean Plain comparisons of self-hosted media tools

How small venue hosts can let guests request films for a shared screen

Set up a clear way for guests at a small venue to suggest films for a shared screen, with request rules, review steps and options to compare.

By VLClean ยท

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

Give guests a clear place to suggest films, then have the host choose what reaches the shared screen. Explain how to submit a title, who reviews it, and how guests will hear the decision.

OptionRequest methodCost details
AskarrRequest a movie or show on Askarr, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]Cost: the Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month; card payment fee: not published. [1]
Request formPeople submit film titles through the chosen form.Cost: not published; card payment fee: not published.
Shared request listPeople add film ideas to the chosen shared list.Cost: not published; card payment fee: not published.

What you need before you start

Decide which guests can send film requests and who will choose what appears on the shared screen. Prepare the titles or types of content that are allowed, so people know what kinds of requests fit the venue. Keep the request rules simple, such as whether guests can ask for any film or only films within a theme.

Check what is already available to play and how films are added to the venue's library. Have the existing library tools ready if they are part of that process. Decide who will review requests before anything is added.

Agree on the screen's schedule before inviting suggestions. Leave room for the venue's gaming sessions or other planned activities, and decide what happens when a suggested film would run beyond the available viewing time.

Choose where people will send requests. The choice can be a request tool, a form, or another method that gives guests a clear place to submit titles. Prepare a short note that separates suggesting a film from having it selected for the screen.

Step by step

  1. Pick a place where guests will send requests, such as a request form or a shared list, and tell everyone to use that place. Put the instructions where guests will see them before asking for a film. Make the same instructions available to people arriving after the event has started.
  1. Write down who looks at each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library. Decide how the host will handle requests that fall outside the viewing rules. Keep the decision about adding a film separate from the decision about showing it during an event.
  1. Write a short note for guests that says who can request, what kinds of films are accepted, and how they will hear the result. Include the deadline for suggestions if the host needs time to review them before the gathering. Explain what happens to requests that arrive after the viewing schedule has been agreed.
  1. Share the note and the request location with the guests who are allowed to submit titles. Explain how to identify the intended film, including its title and release year where needed. Ask guests to include preferences that affect the screening decision, such as language, rather than leaving the host to guess.
  1. Look through new requests at agreed times, approve the films that meet the venue's rules, and record the decisions. Check whether the selected film is available before announcing it for the screen. Tell guests which suggestions have been selected and which remain under consideration, using the communication method described in the note.
  1. Ask guests after the event what confused them, and edit the instructions to fix those points. Check whether requests went to the agreed location and whether guests understood how films were chosen. Remove outdated event instructions, review suggestions that were carried forward, and prepare the request process for the next gathering.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site, and it is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Askarr lets guests request a movie or show, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1]

You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. [1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr. [1]

When Radarr and Sonarr send updates back, the Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded. [1] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. [1] Askarr's plans include a record of requests with their current status. [1] Askarr can be tried with a temporary demo account and sample data without signing in. [1]

For a request form, ask guests to submit film titles through the chosen form. Decide which details the host needs to identify a film and review the suggestion. Keep instructions beside the form, and tell guests where to look for the host's decision. Check how form responses can be reviewed before sharing the form.

For a shared request list, ask guests to add film ideas to the chosen list. Agree on how titles should be written and how the host will record decisions. Check who can view or edit the list before inviting guests, and explain whether suggestions from an earlier event should remain there.

Before choosing a tool, check how it handles title searches, approvals, updates, and the way requested films reach the library. Compare those details with the venue's existing process and the information guests need.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Guests need to know what types of films can be requested and who decides what reaches the shared screen. State whether suggestions are for the current gathering or a later event.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it fits the current way films are added to the venue's library. Keep the process clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the screen, especially when different people handle those jobs.

Avoid forgetting to review requests after setup. Look through old suggestions, record decisions, and tell guests when a film has been considered. Keep the screening decision separate from the request record so a title's progress does not become an assumed promise to show it.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people. Ask for only the information needed to identify the film and pass back the host's decision.

Frequently asked questions

Can Askarr collect film requests for a shared screen?

Askarr lets guests request a movie or show, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1] Decide separately which requested films will be shown and when. Tell guests who makes that decision and how they will hear the result, so the request process has clear rules.

Does Askarr require anything to be installed?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. [1] Nothing is installed. [1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. [1] Before choosing a request method, check how films currently reach the venue's library.

How do guests find a film with Askarr?

Guests can request a movie or show on Askarr, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. [1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. [1] Ask guests to check the film's title and release year before submitting it.

How much does Askarr cost?

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. [1] Plus costs $3.99 a month for 50 requests a month. [1] Pro costs $6.99 a month for unlimited requests. [1] Choose a plan by comparing the request allowance with the venue's budget.

What should a request form ask guests to provide?

Ask guests for the film title and enough detail to identify the intended film, such as the release year. Include any screening preferences that affect the host's decision, such as language or suitable viewing times. Avoid collecting contact details unless they are needed to reply about the request.

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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