How to manage family viewing options for home theater builders

Learn how home theater builders can organize family viewing choices with clear request methods, review steps, and tool checks.

By VLClean · 2026-10-14

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

Home theater builders can manage family viewing options by choosing a request method, setting clear rules, and reviewing how titles move into the library workflow.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]	The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]
Request form	People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.	not published
Shared request list	People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.	not published

What you need before you start

Home theater builders need a clear idea of who can request movies and shows, who reviews requests, and which types of titles are allowed.

Make sure the home theater setup already has the movies and shows that viewers can watch, and decide which family members should be able to send requests.

Prepare simple rules for requests, such as whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows. Keep the process easy to explain so family members know what happens after they send a request.

Radarr and Sonarr are free helper programs that many media server owners run to find and add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr) to their library. Have them ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added to the library.

Choose where family members will send requests and decide how updates about requested titles will be shared.

Step by step

Pick one place where family members will send requests, such as a request website or another shared method, and tell everyone to use only that place.

Write down who looks at each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library.

Create a short note for viewers that explains who can request, what kinds of titles are accepted, and how they will hear that a title was added.

Share the request location with the family members who should use it. Include simple instructions for searching for a title and sending a request.

Review new requests on a regular schedule, approve the ones that fit the rules, and remove requests that do not fit.

Check the process after people start using it. Update the instructions if family members are unsure about where to request or what happens next.

Review account access and privacy settings before sharing a request method with other people. Check what information a tool asks for and what access it uses.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site.

Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr can be used by searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]

You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read your requests from it. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1]

A request form can give family members a place to submit movie or show titles, but check how it handles reviews and updates before choosing it.

A shared request list can give family members a place to collect movie or show ideas, but check how requests move into the library workflow before choosing it.

Before choosing a tool, check how it handles title searches, approvals, updates, and the way requests move into the library workflow.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Family members need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it fits the current way movies and shows are added to the home theater library. The request process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the system.

Avoid forgetting to review requests after setup. A request list can become harder to manage if old or unwanted requests are left without attention.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people.

Frequently asked questions

How can home theater builders manage family viewing options?

Home theater builders can choose a request method, decide who can submit titles, and explain what happens after a request is sent. The main parts are giving family members a clear place to request movies and shows and keeping the review process easy to follow.

Can Askarr help family members request movies and shows?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Family members can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]

Does Askarr require changes to the home theater server?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] This can be checked against the current library workflow before choosing a request method.

How can family members find titles with Askarr?

Family members can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1]

What should home theater builders check before choosing a request tool?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows. Askarr plans include a request history with live status. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the home theater system is managed before choosing a request method.

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

Try Askarr

Sources

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