Advanced Content Discovery

Master SeaFin's actual search and discovery capabilities! This guide covers realistic search techniques, filtering options, and content discovery methods based on standard Jellyfin functionality.

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Search Fundamentals

How Jellyfin Search Actually Works

Search Bar Location: Top of the interface (magnifying glass icon)

What Jellyfin Search Can Find:

• Movie/Show Titles: "The Matrix", "Inception", "Breaking Bad"
• Actor Names: "Tom Hanks", "Leonardo DiCaprio", "Meryl Streep"
• Director Names: "Christopher Nolan", "Steven Spielberg"
• Partial Title Matches: "Matrix" will find "The Matrix"

What Jellyfin Search CANNOT Do:

• ❌ Genre searches: Searching "comedy" won't return comedy movies
• ❌ Year searches: Searching "2021" won't filter by year
• ❌ Advanced filters: No complex search operators
• ❌ Content descriptions: Doesn't search plot summaries

Effective Search Strategies

Exact Title Searches:

"The Matrix"
"Breaking Bad"
"Inception"

Why this works: Most reliable way to find specific content.

Partial Title Searches:

"Matrix" → finds "The Matrix", "Matrix Reloaded", etc.
"Spider" → finds "Spider-Man", "Spider-Verse", etc.
"Office" → finds "The Office", "Office Space", etc.

Why this works: Jellyfin matches partial text in titles.

Actor Name Searches:

"Tom Hanks"
"Leonardo DiCaprio"  
"Scarlett Johansson"

Why this works: Jellyfin searches cast and crew metadata.

Director Name Searches:

"Christopher Nolan"
"Quentin Tarantino"
"Steven Spielberg"

Why this works: Jellyfin includes director information in search.

Understanding Search Results

Handling Duplicate Results

What You'll See: Same title appearing multiple times

Why This Happens:

• Different libraries (Clean vs Offline)
• Different quality versions
• Different audio/subtitle options

Best Practice Strategy:

1. Try Clean libraries first (Clean.Movies, Clean.Shows)
2. If issues arise → Try Offline versions
3. Note which version works for future reference

Search Result Types

• Exact matches: Direct title matches
• Partial matches: Contains your search term
• Actor/crew matches: Content featuring searched person
• Genre matches: Content tagged with searched genre

Sorting Options

Standard Sort Methods

Sort by Name:

• A-Z: Alphabetical order
• Z-A: Reverse alphabetical
• Best for: Finding specific titles quickly

Sort by Date Added:

• Newest first: Recently added to SeaFin
• Oldest first: Long-time library content
• Best for: Discovering new additions

Sort by Release Date:

• Newest: Latest movies/shows
• Oldest: Classic content
• Best for: Finding current or vintage content

Sort by Rating:

• Highest rated: Community/critic favorites
• Lowest rated: "So bad it's good" content
• Best for: Quality-focused browsing

Sort by Random:

• Surprise me: Random content selection
• Best for: When you can't decide what to watch

Sorting Best Practices

For New Content Discovery:

1. Sort by "Date Added" → See what's new
2. Sort by "Random" → Discover hidden gems
3. Sort by "Rating" → Find acclaimed content

For Specific Searches:

1. Sort by "Name" → Find exact titles
2. Sort by "Release Date" → Find specific era content
3. Sort by "Rating" → Prioritize quality

Filtering & Browsing Options

How to Actually Filter Content in Jellyfin

Genre Browsing (Not Search):

• Browse by clicking genre categories in libraries
• Available genres depend on content metadata
• Common genres: Action, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Documentary

Year/Date Filtering:

• Use sort options to organize by release date
• Browse "Recently Added" for newest content
• No direct year search functionality

Content Rating Filtering:

• Available in some Jellyfin interfaces
• Depends on server configuration
• Typical ratings: G, PG, PG-13, R, Unrated

Library-Based Filtering:

• Clean.Movies vs Offline.Movies
• Clean.Shows vs Offline.Shows
• Anime Movies vs Anime Shows
• Downloads for unique content

Realistic Discovery Strategies

Family Movie Night:

• Browse to Clean.Movies library
• Look for Family/Kids genre section
• Sort by highest rated
• Check content ratings manually

Finding Recent Content:

• Check "Recently Added" section on dashboard
• Browse libraries and sort by "Date Added"
• Look for newer release dates in metadata

Actor-Based Discovery:

• Search for favorite actor names
• Browse their filmography in results
• Note which libraries have their content

Quality-Focused Browsing:

• Sort libraries by "Rating"
• Look for highly-rated content
• Check multiple libraries for same title

Library-Specific Discovery

Clean Libraries Strategy

Best for: General browsing and discovery Advantages:

• Best organized content
• Proper metadata and descriptions
• Most comprehensive collections

Discovery Approach:

1. Start with genre browsing
2. Use rating-based sorting
3. Try random sorting for surprises

Offline Libraries Strategy

Best for: Reliable viewing when online content fails Advantages:

• Guaranteed availability
• Popular and requested content
• No streaming issues

Discovery Approach:

1. Check for content that failed in Clean libraries
2. Browse for guaranteed favorites
3. Look for locally requested content

Downloads Library Strategy

Best for: Unique and rare content Content Types:

• YouTube videos (downloaded by admin)
• Obscure TV shows
• Special documentaries
• Hard-to-find content

Discovery Approach:

1. Browse by date added
2. Look for unique titles not in main libraries
3. Explore documentary sections

Anime Libraries Strategy

Best for: Animated content discovery Organization: Separate from main libraries

Discovery Approach:

1. Browse by popularity/rating
2. Filter by movie vs series
3. Sort by release date for latest anime

Search Troubleshooting

When Search Doesn't Work

Symptoms: No results or search bar unresponsive

Solutions:

1. Refresh page/restart app
2. Try simpler search terms (just title, not title + year)
3. Browse libraries manually instead of searching
4. Use Jellyseerr search as alternative
5. Clear browser cache

When Results Are Unexpected

Symptoms: Getting irrelevant results or missing expected content

Why This Happens:

• Jellyfin searches metadata, not just titles
• Actor/director names can return unexpected matches
• Partial matches may include unwanted results

Solutions:

1. Use more specific titles ("The Office" not "Office")
2. Try exact actor names (full name, correct spelling)
3. Browse libraries directly instead of searching
4. Check different libraries (Clean vs Offline vs Downloads)
5. Try alternative titles (sequels, international names)

When Content Seems Missing

Symptoms: Can't find content you expect to be available

Systematic Search Strategy:

1. Search in all libraries - Check Clean.Movies, Offline.Movies, Downloads
2. Try partial title searches - "Matrix" instead of "The Matrix"
3. Search by main actor - Sometimes easier to find
4. Browse genre sections manually
5. Use Jellyseerr to verify availability and request if missing

Discovery Best Practices

Daily Browsing Routine

1. Check "Recently Added" for new content
2. Review "Continue Watching" for unfinished content
3. Browse random selections for discovery
4. Explore different genres regularly

Weekly Exploration

1. Try new search combinations you haven't used
2. Explore specialized libraries (Downloads, Anime)
3. Sort by different criteria than usual
4. Check different rating categories

Content Request Strategy

1. Search thoroughly first - content might be in unexpected libraries
2. Use specific titles and years in requests
3. Check Jellyseerr for existing requests
4. Request strategically - quality over quantity

Mobile vs Desktop Discovery

Mobile Interface Tips

• Swipe navigation between sections
• Touch-friendly filter buttons
• Pull to refresh content lists
• Voice search (if available on device)

Desktop Interface Tips

• Keyboard shortcuts for faster navigation
• Multiple tabs for comparing content
• Larger view for detailed browsing
• Mouse hover for quick previews

Advanced Tips & Tricks

Power User Techniques

1. Bookmark working versions of content with issues
2. Note which libraries work best for different content types
3. Use multiple search terms for comprehensive results
4. Combine browsing and searching for best discovery

Content Organization

1. Use favorites to create personal collections
2. Note patterns in content availability
3. Track requests through Jellyseerr
4. Build viewing lists for different moods/occasions

Troubleshooting Discovery Issues

1. Try different devices if search isn't working
2. Use web interface if mobile app has issues
3. Clear app data if persistent problems
4. Report search issues via Jellyseerr if needed

Quick Reference Guide

What Works in Jellyfin Search:

✅ Exact titles: "The Matrix", "Breaking Bad"
✅ Partial titles: "Matrix", "Office"
✅ Actor names: "Tom Hanks", "Leonardo DiCaprio"
✅ Director names: "Christopher Nolan"

What Doesn't Work:

❌ Genre searches: "comedy", "action"
❌ Year searches: "2021", "1990s"
❌ Complex queries: "action 2020", "Tom Hanks comedy"

Best Discovery Strategies:

Finding New Content: Check "Recently Added" section
Quality Browsing: Sort libraries by "Rating"
Surprise Discovery: Sort by "Random"
Specific Titles: Search exact title
Actor Content: Search actor name, browse results
Genre Browsing: Use library genre sections, don't search
Reliable Viewing: Check Offline libraries for guaranteed availability
Unique Content: Browse Downloads library manually

When Search Fails:

1. Browse instead of search - Use library navigation
2. Check all libraries - Clean, Offline, Downloads
3. Try partial titles - "Matrix" not "The Matrix"
4. Use Jellyseerr - Alternative search and request system

Remember: Jellyfin search is basic - browsing libraries directly is often more effective! 🔍✨