A developer has submitted a new app called Arth to TestFlight, aimed at people who run more than one media server and want a single native client on Apple devices. In the announcement post on r/jellyfin, the author explains the motivation plainly: they wanted all of their media servers plus their IPTV subscription inside one app that feels native to Apple platforms. Arth targets iOS and tvOS and connects to Plex, Emby and Jellyfin servers.
What the app offers
According to the post, the main selling points are:
- Direct play first. Arth is described as direct playing remux files and supporting the common media containers, so transcoding should not be needed in normal cases.
- FEL playback (experimental). Titles with a FEL layer are said to play, though the author flags this as experimental.
- Live TV with adjustable buffering. Depending on the provider, you can pick a smaller or larger buffer to ride out high-demand periods. The author also claims the iOS live TV player stays cool, and that server playback does too unless it is a remux.
- Sports Hub. You can follow teams, get alerts before games and see which of your teams' matches are currently on.
- Tracking and requests. Trakt, Simkl and Mdblist are supported for keeping track of plays, and missing media can be requested straight from seerr.
- Library management. Large libraries are said to load fast, and you can choose which libraries and IPTV categories to show or hide.
The author notes that more than a month went into the Sports Hub and that some further UI ideas were dropped because of licensing issues. The post does not mention pricing, a release date or a public App Store version; testing is being organized through Discord and TestFlight.
Who this affects
It matters most to self-hosters running a mix of servers, for example Jellyfin at home plus an Emby or Plex instance elsewhere, who would rather not juggle three apps on an Apple TV. It is also relevant to anyone who pairs their own library with a licensed IPTV subscription and wants both in one place.
Commentary for self-hosters
A polished native client that speaks to all three major servers is a welcome addition, and the direct play focus is the right priority: fewer transcodes means less CPU load on the box in the closet. Keep expectations measured while it is in TestFlight, and test it against your own files before relying on it. Two practical points: the FEL support is explicitly experimental, so verify playback rather than assuming it; and only feed the IPTV side with a subscription you are licensed to use, since the app is only a player. If you also run Jellyfin plugins alongside your server, our Jellyfin products may be worth a look while you evaluate the client.