Stackarr Field Notes / Issue 2026

Operate the homelab you meant to build.

Clear, source-backed guides for private infrastructure, media, automation, and the systems that keep a home server dependable.

Technical diagram showing a Jellyfin media pipeline routed through an Intel Quick Sync chip to playback.FIELD NOTE
Media & Entertainment

Make Jellyfin Transcoding Predictable with Intel Quick Sync in Docker

Map an Intel render device into Jellyfin, choose the right Linux acceleration backend, and prove a real transcode before relying on it.

Read article Jellyfin

Latest dispatches

12 articles
A violet route map linking Restic snapshots, integrity checks, and an isolated restore target.TUTORIAL
Infrastructure & Networking

Schedule Restic Integrity Checks Without Reading Every Backup at Once

Build a repeatable Restic check cycle, restore into an isolated directory, and preview retention before any destructive maintenance.

Read article
Technical route map showing a host ROM library, a Docker bind mount, and the RomM scanner view.TROUBLESHOOTING
Gaming & Emulation

Fix a RomM Scan That Finds No Platforms

Correct a RomM Docker bind mount, prove the library tree is visible, run a focused scan, and roll back safely if the route is wrong.

Read article RomM
Diagram showing a protected host secret file mounted into database and application services but denied to an unrelated worker.SECURITY
AI & Automation

Move Docker Passwords Out of Environment Variables with Compose Secrets

Move one Docker Compose password into a file-backed secret, limit service access, test allowed and denied paths, and keep a safe rollback.

Read article
Technical diagram showing an existing photo archive routed through a read-only mount into an Immich index.TUTORIAL
Data & Photos

Index an Existing Photo Archive in Immich Without Copying It

Add an existing photo archive to Immich with a read-only Docker mount, verify both indexing and denied writes, then keep a safe rollback path.

Read article Immich
Diagram showing an admin device, tailnet policy, and tagged server linked by a controlled SSH path.SECURITY
Infrastructure & Networking

Restrict Homelab SSH with a Least-Privilege Tailscale Policy

Limit homelab SSH by group, tagged host, and local account, require periodic re-authentication, and prove both allowed and denied paths.

Read article
A private AI server accepts a violet local route while an external route stops at a glowing network boundary.SECURITY
AI & Automation

Run a Private Ollama API with Docker and Prove It Is Not Public

Deploy a pinned Ollama container with host-only and container-only access, then prove that LAN and internet paths stay closed.

Read article Docker
A home floor plan links a controller, border router, network backbone, and low-power Thread devices.TUTORIAL
Smart Home

Build a Reliable Matter-over-Thread Network in Home Assistant

Create one preferred Thread network, commission Matter devices correctly, test isolation failures, and keep a safe recovery path.

Read article
A rooftop antenna feeds a network tuner, router, home server, and television through violet signal paths.TUTORIAL
Media & Entertainment

Build a Reliable Plex DVR for Over-the-Air TV

Connect a network TV tuner to Plex, map local channels, record a test program, and verify that guest-network clients cannot reach the tuner.

Read article Plex