• AnyStream is having some DRM issues currently, Netflix is not available in HD for the time being.
    Situations like this will always happen with AnyStream: streaming providers are continuously improving their countermeasures while we try to catch up, it's an ongoing cat-and-mouse game. Please be patient and don't flood our support or forum with requests, we are working on it 24/7 to get it resolved. Thank you.

zero269

Well-Known Member
Thread Starter
Joined
Feb 2, 2007
Messages
514
Likes
285
See attached for a downloadable copy of the guide: Rev 1.4 (2022-02-19)

Note: It's a Word document so you can edit it to your own liking. It includes a Table of Contents for easier navigation as well. Press CTRL+F to open the Navigation Pane, then select Headings.


Table of Contents
  1. Purpose & Resources
  2. Installation & Updates
  3. General Settings
  4. Download Settings
  5. Provider Settings & Download Queue
  6. Log Messages, Log Files and Dump Files
  7. Find AnyStream Version
  8. Forum Support
  9. Provider Logins
  10. AnyStream Movies (aka Download Movies)
    • Netflix & Disney+
    • Prime Video
    • Hulu CONTENT PENDING
    • HBOmax CONTENT PENDING
  11. AnyStream Shows (aka Download Shows)
    • Prime Video
    • Disney+
    • Netflix
    • Hulu CONTENT PENDING
    • HBOmax CONTENT PENDING
  12. Simultaneous Downloads
  13. Abort Downloads
  14. Managing Your AnyStreams
  15. AnyStream + VPN Guide
 

Attachments

  • AnyStream User Guide (Unofficial) Rev 1.4.zip
    5.1 MB · Views: 111
Last edited:
Purpose & Resources

Purpose
I keep notes when I'm using new products and services. Software programs are no different. Most of this how-to guide is based on my notes. Rewritten for a different audience… you. I hope you get something out of it, and that this will serve as your Unofficial AnyStream User Guide.

The Big Question

A common question is this: "If I do this, can I AnyStream it?" (aka download)
The simple answer is this: "If you can stream it from an available Provider, then you CAN AnyStream it; even without the ads".

My Thoughts
Within most of the topics posted in this thread, you will see a section called My Thoughts; usually located below each major topic within a post, or near the bottom of each post, or both. This is where I expand on the features and functionality of AnyStream by sharing my opinions, experiences and advice.


Introduction
You are here because you are either considering a trial or purchase of AnyStream and would like to know how to use it from a User's perspective. I've been using this product since SEP 2020. After my first AnyStream (aka download), I immediately saw the value in this product and purchased my first license after my trial ended.

The most important thing to understand about this product is that it is a WORK IN PROGRESS. Why? Because of the complications that the developers need to remediate often that are out of their control, such as Provider DRM changes that the developers will work to remediate as soon as possible. This means on occasion that AnyStream may not have full functionality across all Providers. This requires patience on our end. If this doesn't make sense to you, then perhaps you need to look elsewhere.

Licensing/Upgrades
RedFox offers two different product versions and four different subscription options: AnyStream and AnyStreamPlus. See here for the most up to date features.

Personally, I recommend the AnyStreamPlus with lifetime subscription. It’s only 20 Euros more than the 3-year subscription.

To upgrade your AnyStream license to AnyStream Plus, please use the upgrade button within the AnyStream application.” See here for most up to date information.

Note: When you upgrade your AnyStream license to AnyStreamPlus, you are deactivating your standard AnyStream license, although your 6-character License number will not change.

Key Terms/Abbreviations
You will come across the following abbreviations used throughout this guide and the forum in general when it comes to representing AnyStream (AS) or the currently available Providers: APV | NF | D+ | Hulu | HMax

upload_2021-12-10_11-34-58.png

You may see different abbreviated variations of these three providers, but they will be very similar.

Expectations & Misconceptions
You will see people in this forum with different expectations than what the product advertises. It does not record video streams… it downloads them and places them inside an MP4 container (video file). You will never see a quality choice greater than 1080 between the Providers. However, currently D+ and Hulu only offer up to 720 content. If you are looking for a 4K solution, this is not the product for you due to HDCP copy protection protocols.

However, I should note that currently you can pull down a limited number of 4K titles from Hmax at this time. See here for a list of titles they currently offer. Please keep in mind that AnyStream does not “officially” support 4K content. Consider this an easter egg for the moment.

Download Tokens

Downloads are limited based on an initial quota of 100 at the time of license purchase. As you use your download tokens, they will refill by one every 36 minutes. The math indicates that you can achieve up to 280 downloads per week, which comes out to 1,120 per month. Be sure to read their Fair Use Policy on the Product page for the most up to date information regarding this topic; scroll to the bottom of the page.

You do not need to have the application running for your tokens to refill. Whenever you zero your quota it will take approximately 2.5 days to regenerate 100 tokens again. Note that the quota limit is 100, so you will never see more than 100 tokens any one time.

One thing to note is that errors can occur for a variety of reasons. Some errors will not cause you to lose a download token (credit), while others will. Currently, if you see the following error, you will lose a download token.

Error. Could not write stream to the output file. Cannot continue with the download.

See this forum post for any updates on this issue.

Resources

These are the resources that you will want to have at your fingertips when it comes to the product details, software downloads, and forum support and feedback.

upload_2021-12-10_11-38-49.png

Site Navigation
You can navigate between the main site and the forum using the links in the page headings:

From Main site to Forums:

upload_2021-6-11_23-6-45.png

From Forums to Downloads.

upload_2021-12-10_11-39-28.png

 
Last edited:
Installation & Updates


Installation

As with any RedFox product, AnyStream is very simple to install. Just download either the production release or beta version from the AnyStream Forum page and run the installer (Admin permissions required of course). Just follow the installation wizard and you're good to go.
  1. License Agreement: Click I Acceptafter reading of course:)
  2. Installation Options: I usually uncheck the Desktop icon
  3. Installation Directory: Click Install; change if you're feeling lucky!
  4. Watch the magic happen and click Close. Too easy!
Updates
There is no difference with updating the software and performing a standard installation covered above. Just download the installer and run it. This program does very well with installing over itself (so to speak) without needing to uninstall the previous version first.

Out of all the versions I've installed since OCT 2020, I've only needed to restart my system on one occasion. Keep in mind that if you uninstall > install AS, you might lose your preferred settings. Especially if you restart your computer before the install. If your system is giving you problems, then you'll want to look to resolving your computer issues for an overall better computing experience.

My Thoughts:
I pin my most often (daily) used programs to my Taskbar and less often (weekly/monthly) used programs to the Start Menu. I find having to minimize any open program just to get to a shortcut on my Desktop seems counter intuitive in my opinion. Be sure to check out the System Requirements if needed.

upload_2021-6-11_23-7-27.png
Always read the release notes (aka changelog) using the version number link on the Download page, or within the forum post for any beta releases. This will help you better understand how this new version is supposed to work, which will help you provide more relevant feedback in the forums when needed.

upload_2021-12-10_11-46-5.png

upload_2021-12-10_11-46-13.png

"A changelog is a log or record of all notable changes made to a project. The project is often a website or software project, and the changelog usually includes records of changes such as bug fixes, new features, etc."
 
Last edited:
General Settings

From the Menu bar, click File > Settings. The General tab is selected by default. The General settings are where you choose your Language, Region and Program settings.

upload_2021-12-10_11-51-29.png

Language:
The language setting is straightforward, so I will briefly touch on the other two.


Region:
You want to choose the Region that your accounts are located in. All of my accounts are registered as US accounts, so I need to choose United States for my region. This basically tells AnyStream what URL to load for you to login. A region of United States will load amazon.com, while the United Kingdom region will load amazon.co.uk. Obviously each region will load that regions URL.


upload_2021-12-10_11-58-3.png

Program settings:

upload_2021-12-10_11-59-4.png

Re-enable all "don't show again" messages
You will see a download completed dialog window appear after each completed download for both movies and episodes. You will have the option to check the box "Don't show this message again".

upload_2021-12-10_12-0-11.png

If you check the box (above), the re-enable setting (below) will become active; not grayed out.

upload_2021-6-11_23-51-51.png

Always create a log file along with the download

upload_2021-6-11_23-52-4.png

Check this box if you want a log file created for each download. The log files are stored in your Download media directory. See Download Settings.

Note: This is enabled by default with an initial installation. If you are upgrading the program, your settings will not change. See My Thoughts below.

Automatically check for updates
Enabled tells AnyStream to check for any available updates when you run the program. This only looks for production release updates, not beta versions. See My Thoughts below.


upload_2021-6-11_23-53-57.png

My Thoughts:

Region:
When you switch between regions within AS, you may have some login hurdles or other complications to deal with. They are likely not AnyStream issues. I cover this briefly in my
AnyStream + VPN Guide.

Program Settings:
There are times where I want the download completed reminder, and other times I do not. One example is when AnyStreaming a TV Show in NF. Due to the nature of the Playlist opening automatically afterwards (see AnyStream Shows), I do not want to see it. I do want the reminder for shows in APV and D+ though.


I do not like the log files being created after each download. It will not take long before it drives you nuts considering it's very rare that I needed to upload a log file to the forum. If you need to create a log file, see Log Messages, Log Files and Dump Files.

I like the updates reminder. Due to the nature of this program, it’s a necessary reminder. The only time I turned this off was when we needed to stick with a previous version until the most recent version was fixed. I turned this reminder back on since the fix.
 
Last edited:
Download Settings

This is where you choose your Download media directory, file name templates, download speed, return to season, surround sound preferred, and subtitle format options.

Media
Download media:
The default directory will be C:\Users\<username>\Videos\AnyStream. You can change this using the Browse button and selecting a different directory.

Note: This is where any automatic download log files are stored as well, if enabled. See Log Messages, Log Files and Dump Files.

File Name Templates:
This is where you choose a default filename template for movies and shows, or create your own.

Separate Movies & Shows:


You can specify a PATH in your Movie/TV Show name templates. Local and UNC paths will work. Some symbols, such as the dash (-) can be used when separating show-season-episode elements.

upload_2021-6-15_20-19-1.png

Movie Template

Click Edit movie templates > Add entry. Add your PATH followed by any available variables:

  • %p = provider name
  • %t = title
Example:
  • %p - %t will name the movie Amazon - Rocky.mp4
  • %t will name the movie Rocky.mp4
This example will save the movie in the specified PATH as title.mp4 when using the %t variable.
  • C:\Users\Public\Videos\AnyStream\Movies\%t Movie template
  • C:\Users\Public\Videos\AnyStream\Movies\Rocky.mp4 Output
TV Show Template
Click Edit show templates > Add entry. Add your PATH followed by any available variables:

  • %p = provider name i.e., APV, NF or D+, although I'm sure it spells it out
  • %n = show name i.e., Band of Brothers, Family Guy, etc.
  • %s = season number 01 and up
  • %e = episode number 01 and up
  • %t = title the title of the episode
Note: A leading zero is included with any single digit numbered seasons/episodes. Recommend using a naming convention compatible with your media server, such Plex, Emby or Jellyfin.

Examples:
This example will save the episodes in the specified PATH\SHOW NAME (%n) folder:
  • C:\Users\Public\Videos\AnyStream\Shows\%n\%n - s%se%e - %t TV Show template
  • C:\Users\Public\Videos\AnyStream\Shows\The Blacklist\The Blacklist - s01e01 - Pilot.mp4 Output
Credit goes to @Don922 for sharing his strategy in this post. This is a HUGE time saver and I'm upset I didn't think of it first. :cool:

This will create a folder for the SHOW NAME like before, and a Season ## folder using the 1st %s variable. The episodes will be placed into their respective Season folders.

  • C:\Users\Public\Videos\AnyStream\Shows\%n\Season %s\%n - s%se%e - %t TV Show template
  • C:\Users\Public\Videos\AnyStream\Shows\The Blacklist\Season 01\The Blacklist - s01e01 - Pilot.mp4 Output
Credit goes to @cartman0208 for the Season folders recommendation using: %n\s%s\%n - s%se%e - %t

Feel free to experiment with your naming to get it right.

Download Speed

upload_2021-6-11_23-8-45.png

You can choose any one of the following download speeds:

  • Realtime (x1) for those who like to drive with their flashers on and nowhere to go :sleep:
  • Double (x2) for those who like to pass those highway flashers but fear getting pulled over :unsure:
  • Fast (x4) for those who like to pass up a few cars but fear the far left lane :confused:
  • Unlimited for those who enjoy the real fast lane because they got things to do (y)
Return to Season

upload_2021-6-11_23-8-45.png

This one only works for NF at this time. After you download an episode for a given show/season, that Downloadable item(s) dialog window will open back up for you so you can then select the next episode.

Downloading Surround Sound

upload_2021-6-11_23-8-45.png

Leave this checked if you want to see surround sound (5.1+) options when choosing your audio for movies and shows. If you only want to see stereo (2.0) audio choices, then uncheck this box.

Subtitles

upload_2021-6-11_23-8-45.png

You have the following three choices:

  • Embedded the default setting
  • SRT file downloads as separate file
  • TTML file downloads as separate file
My Thoughts

Download media:
I use my NAS (Network Area Storage) for my Download media directory. It's a little slower on the download process, but faster/easier overall. I do not have to Robocopy them to the NAS, and then purge them from my local storage (NVMe) drive. Solid State storage wears out quickly when you constantly write/delete data, then rinse and repeat excessively. The NAS is the final resting place, and I want to prolong the life of my NVMe drives.

Note: If you are someone who has a USB drive connected to your Router, and decides to use that as your Download media directory… it will be a very slow and painful process for you. Test before you commit.

File Name Templates:
I use the lowercase s and e to make it more readable in Windows Explore when looking for any missing episodes; especially when there are a ton of them. In this view, I'm looking at numbers, and not the s and e's. Compare that with Capitals, and you'll quickly see how much harder it is to quickly verify any gaps in episodes.

upload_2021-6-11_23-8-45.png

Download Speed:
Joking aside, unless you live in a country ruled by tyrannical sycophants, feel free to select the unlimited. Why? Because your browser will cache that entire movie long before you could ever watch it in real-time; that's why. Once the caching is done, now you're just torturing yourself. You cannot possibly download a movie any faster than your content provider allows. That's a fact. Your ISP sees "streaming", nothing else.

Note: The more accurate term for what I described as cache is called read-ahead buffering.

Most plans have streaming up to 4 devices simultaneously and unlimited. AnyStream away is my advice... you'll thank me.

Oh, and if your streaming provider contacts you and tells you to stop streaming so much, please let me know. (y)

Return to Season:
You may need to choose the correct season again and scroll down to the next episode. Rinse and repeat until your carpal tunnel syndrome kicks in. See AnyStream Shows > NF.

Subtitles:
I use Embedded. It's what I'm use to with my BD/DVD conversions using Handbrake over the years. I know there are some subtitle enthusiasts out there that like them separate for reasons unknown to me. If you do not know how to manage them separately, and not sure of the benefits, then leaving this as embedded is likely your best option. I think the main driving factor is how you store your media.
 
Last edited:
Provider Settings & Download Queue

upload_2021-12-10_12-3-5.png

Select your providers

This one is the easiest of the bunch.

  • Check the box for the Providers you intend to use.
  • Uncheck the boxes for the providers you do not intend to use… or have no active subscription with.
Available Providers are limited to your product license:

upload_2021-12-10_12-8-13.png

I have not played with the new proxy settings; however, for those familiar with using them may want to experiment with this feature. If you are not sure what a proxy is, then you may want to overlook this feature for now until you learn how to use it affectively.

Download Queue
This is an AnyStreamPlus license feature

Use the slider to choose how many Provider queues you wish to use. The number will be dependent on the number of Providers you have checked on the Providers tab.

upload_2021-12-10_12-10-40.png

In the main program window, click Show download queue in the upper right:

upload_2021-12-10_12-10-57.png

Notice how I only have 3 selected above, but the queue shows all 5 Providers; I checked them all to show this comparison.
I am currently unable to verify this, but I assume that once you start building your Provider queues, you will only be able to populate three of the 5 shown.

Once one of the Providers are complete, then you should be able to populate another provider, assuming it’s one of only three total queues.
I’ll have to revisit this once I subscribe to either Hulu or HMax.

Moving Downloads

This could go by a few names, such as sorting or reordering titles in your Download Queues.

If you click and hold a title in your queue that is in a waiting status, you will see your mouse pointer turn into a hand which grabs the selected title. You can now move that title up or down the list as needed. Just let go of the mouse button to release the title when you’ve dragged it to your desired order.

This comes in handy when you want to adjust your priorities based on a variety of reasons.

My Thoughts

For Providers that I use only frequently, I turn them off when I have no active subscription, and on with an active subscription.

One benefit here with staying logged in is that you can browse their libraries and build an offline Watchlist using Excel, or JustWatch. For example, with D+, if you login through your browser, you cannot browse the library without an active subscription. When you reactivate your subscription, you can use that list and start populating your Watchlist within a regular browser or mobile app.
 
Last edited:
Log Messages, Log Files and Dump Files

Log Messages

You can view the log messages if you suspect something wrong, or simply want to observe what’s happening under the hood. This may help you better understand what's happening, and if you see something wrong, you can compare that with what's being displayed in the log messages window. You can use the scrollbar for the log messages to move around as needed.

Show Log Messages:

You open and close the log messages from the Menu bar, click File > Show log messages.

upload_2021-6-11_23-9-50.png upload_2021-6-11_23-9-50.png

The log messages window will display at the bottom of the screen, but above the progress bar.

upload_2021-6-11_23-9-50.png

To close the messages, just repeat the steps: File > Show log messages.

Log Files:

Log files are necessary when reporting issues or requesting help in the support forum. They can be created using one of two methods: automatically and manually.

Automatically:
We discussed this earlier in General Settings.

General Settings > Program settings > Always create a log file along with the download

If the above setting is enable, a log file will be created automatically with each download and stored in the Download media directory, or your custom Naming Template you set for your Movies/Shows.

Manually:
If you have the automatic setting disabled, you can create a log file only when you need one using the following steps:

From the Menu bar, click File > Create log file…

The Save log file dialog window open asking you to choose a file name and location to save the file. You can then upload that file when you report your issue in the forum.

upload_2021-6-11_23-9-50.png

Dump Files:

These are created automatically when AnyStream crashes and closes automatically. Windows Explorer will usually open automatically where you can get the file and upload it for support if needed.

The dump files are created in Local App Data Temp directory: %LocalAppData%\Temp
The file name will start with AnyStream and uses the file extension: .astdmp

Note: Do not report the issue with a single crash. It may be caused by your system. If it's a bug in AnyStream, then repeat the steps you were preforming earlier that caused the crash. Save that dump file as well. Try again. After three times, then you likely have found a bug that needs to be reported. Report the issue in the forum, and upload all three dump files with a detailed description as to what you did to cause the crash.

My Thoughts:

Log Messages:
These are great for your viewing, and not a substitute for a log file when requesting forum support. A screenshot of a message that caught your eye is still nice to share but be sure a log file is included with your post. Let the screenshot serve as a secondary piece of evidence, not the only piece.
 
Last edited:
Find AnyStream Version

When you are reporting issues with AnyStream, you will need to provide the version number and a log file.

Note: You need only provide the version number; not a screenshot of it as shown below. You can simply provide the version number with or without using dot notation.
  • v1.1.5.2 with dot notation
  • v1152 without dot notation
If you create the log file using the steps provided in Log Messages, Log Files and Dump Files, then you will see the version number in the Save log file dialog window:

upload_2021-6-11_23-10-30.png

Alternatively, you can click the question mark (?) symbol on the Menu bar, then About.

upload_2021-6-11_23-10-30.png

This will open the About AnyStream dialog window where you will find the version number, your registration and license information.

WARNING: DO NOT SHARE THIS INFORMATON!
Someone could use your Serial number to fraudulently use AnyStream thus using your download credits.


upload_2021-6-11_23-10-30.png

My Thoughts
  • Heed the WARNING above to protect your license.
  • Always provide a log file with support requests in the forum.
  • If you find a thread that already reported the same issue you have, do not create your own thread. Just go in theirs and add your findings and log files to the conversation.
 
Last edited:
Forum Support

Although I've covered this in small parts in the previous topics (above), I will try to summarize here.

  1. When requesting forum support for an issue or to report a bug with AS, it's best to first look for any existing posts related to the version you are using; the most current one is preferred.
    • See my Changelog/Release Notes subsection under Installation & Updates to identify reported changes with each software version.
  2. If you are not using the latest version, that will be pretty much everyone's advice for you because the latest version may have resolved the issue you are just now reporting.
  3. Always include your version number with any initial support requests.
  4. Always include a log file with your initial post for support, and any subsequent log files for any additional testing that you were asked to perform.
  5. Always clearly explain what you did that led up to the problem, to include the provider, and any steps that you took to recreate the issue and if it was intermittent or not. Upload any relevant log files with your findings.
  6. Use the [ CODE] and [ /CODE] bbcode tag (without leading spaces in brackets[]) for recommending new Providers and provider links.

upload_2021-6-12_15-11-27.png

Network Latency Issues:
Due to the nature of how AS works, it’s not as forgiving as other common programs we run on our systems as noted by [COLOR=#b30000]@DQ[/COLOR] in this post. For this reason, we may encounter issues with AnyStreaming content from any or all providers. It’s always a good idea for those using their systems on a Wi-Fi connection to take this into consideration before reporting an issue. Try switching over to a wired connection and see if the problem persists.

System Performance
System performance is another thing to rule out. Many people do not maintain their systems and when they experience application issues, the first culprit to blame is the application(s)… not their computer.

I’ve always expected IT professionals to “know their environment”. This can certainly to anyone using computers really. It will save you time and money by understanding some of the basics. Here are some steps you can follow to “know your environment” that I originally posted here.
  • Disk Cleanup - take out the trash
  • Check Disk - check storage drive health
  • sfc /scannow - check operating system health
  • Memory Diagnostics - check memory health
  • CrystalDiskMark app - used to benchmark your hard drives; it's free in the Microsoft Store.
    • Slow = Slow; Fast = Fast.
  • Speedtest app (by OOKLA) - also in the Microsoft Store. Run this with and without your VPN connections to check performance before using AS.
    • For example, I only run AS and Speedtest through NordVPN using the Split tunneling feature. I connect to a country and run the test. I record my results, so I know what countries I'll see good, acceptable or bad performance.
There are obviously other resources and videos that cover the above topics... enjoy!

There is quite a bit more to add here, so I'll have to revisit this portion later on and add more as I think of anything.
 
Last edited:
Provider Logins

You will need to login to any of the Providers that you intend to use. Just click on the Providers tab and follow the prompts to login. The only one that I need to comment on is APV, because it is by default the first provided that is loaded.

Amazon Prime Video (APV)
If this is your first time using AS, you will get a message telling you to log in. Click OK and login as normal.


upload_2021-6-11_23-11-31.png

If you're quick enough, you might be able to click the yellow Sign in button before it disappears.

upload_2021-6-11_23-11-31.png

Don't panic. If you miss that window, then you will login the same way you would in any web browser. Just click on Hello, Sign in and enter your login credentials.

upload_2021-6-11_23-11-31.png

If you don't want to login each time you use this program, be sure to check the box below the password field to Keep me signed in.


upload_2021-6-11_23-11-31.png

Netflix (NF)

Login as normal

upload_2021-6-11_23-11-31.png

Note:
Netflix can be a bit finicky at times and fail to login even though you verified your credentials are correct by using the SHOW password option. If a second attempt doesn't work, try clicking the NF link in the upper left. You will be prompted for just your email. If entered correctly, it will prompt for your password.


upload_2021-6-11_23-11-31.png

Disney+ (D+)
Login as normal


upload_2021-6-11_23-11-31.png

Note: The following Providers require an AnyStreamPlus license.

Hulu
I do not have an account at this time; will update later.

HBOmax (Hmax)
I do not have an account at this time; will update later.

Note:
If you have login issues with D+, use the show password option and doublecheck everything. If you have no connectivity issues with the other providers within AS, then create a log file and report the issue. I've seen this mentioned sometime after D+ was added, but I personally didn't have any login issues that I can recall.
 
Last edited:
AnyStream Movies (aka Download Movies)

Downloading movies and shows is simple once you're logged in and know how to search for and select a movie that is available for you to stream as part of your subscription service, purchased or rented title. Just select the Provider tab, search for a title, and follow the prompts. NF and D+ work the same way. APV requires one additional – yet simple – step which I will show you shortly.

Note: When I say watchlist, this is just a generic term that applies to any content provider regardless of what each one calls it.

Netflix & Disney+

Once you select the NF/D+ provider tab, allow the page to fully load. You can use either the search field, or browse for a title using the provided categories, or select something in your watchlist. See My Thoughts below.

upload_2021-6-11_23-12-6.png

Select the title you want. This will open the Downloadable item(s) dialog window that displays a thumbnail and description of the title. Confirm your selection by clicking Download.

upload_2021-6-11_23-12-6.png

When the Download configuration dialog window opens, you can choose your preferred settings before clicking the Download button which will then download the title.

A progress bar will appear at the bottom of the screen, and you will be notified (or not) when the download completed. See Download Settings.

Note: Not all titles are available in 1080. AS will attempt to select the highest quality available for both audio and video. It's about 95% accurate which is pretty damn good in my opinion.


Wish Dragon (2021) which was just released today (2021-06-11) on NF is only being offered at 960x540 within AS (LEFT Image), although you will get 1920x1080 in a regular browser. Home (2015) is being offered at 1920x1080 in AS (RIGHT image).

upload_2021-6-11_23-12-6.png upload_2021-6-11_23-12-6.png

Amazon Prime Video (APV)

As we saw with NF and D+, when you click on a title it opens a Downloadable item(s) dialog window. In APV this does not happen when you select a title. It loads the title page only. You will need to click the GREEN Downloadable videos button near the top of the screen to bring up the Downloadable item(s) dialog window.

upload_2021-6-11_23-12-6.png

Just follow the same steps I discussed earlier for NF & D+: Click Download to bring up the Download configuration dialog window and choose your audio/video/subtitle settings and then click Download. Now just sit back and relax… :)


Hulu

Content pending...



HBOmax (Hmax)

Content pending...



My Thoughts

User Profiles:

  • Change your Profile if needed. Because I'm not the primary NF subscriber, I need to change the Current Profile to mine in NF. I need only change it once. It will remember the next time I use AS.
  • I would recommend creating/using one just for AS to keep your watchlist and watch history separate from your normal profile. I do this with APV; not NF because the limit is 5 and I have three kids... :D
Watchlist:
  • Make life easier for yourself and build your watchlist using either your preferred browser, or mobile app. You can then work off the watchlist within AS.
  • I usually remove them from the watchlist before an APV download, but after a NF or D+ download. I can remove the title from my APV watchlist within AS, but I need to remove them using my mobile device for NF and D+.
Quality Offerings:
  • You'll want to shop around for a better quality of a given title. Although a given Title may only be available is SD with one Provider, you may find the same Title elsewhere in 1080. APV premium channels seem to offer the most 1080 content. NF is hit or miss, even with new releases as we just saw with the above example.
 

Attachments

  • upload_2021-6-11_23-12-6.png
    upload_2021-6-11_23-12-6.png
    7.5 KB · Views: 399
Last edited:
AnyStream Shows (aka Download Shows)

AnyStreaming Shows can be a bit fun… and painful. Mostly painful until a Download Queue is implemented.

You must read the previous topic for AnyStream Movies first, because everything you learned in that topic applies here. This topic will focus only on the season/episode aspect of the download process.

The main difference between a movie and a show is that you will need to keep track of the seasons/episodes to avoid duplicates or gaps (missing episodes).

I will share my technique with you, and you can implement something similar… or perhaps better. I will demonstrate with both APV and NF to compare their differences.

Amazon Prime Video (APV)
Note: I'll be using South Park for this example. Although I'm in the US, I have a dedicated linked VM setup just for UK content with APV which at this time includes Seasons 1 - 23.

upload_2021-6-11_23-12-37.png

Once I select South Park from my Watchlist and switch to Season 10, we can see that we have 12 downloadable videos. Click the Downloadable videos button to bring up the Downloadable item(s) dialog window.

upload_2021-6-11_23-12-37.png

Once the Downloadable item(s) dialog window opens, you will see the 12 episodes that are available for download. I'm starting with episode 1, so I'll click the Download button for episode 1.

upload_2021-6-16_1-10-9.png

Once the Download configuration dialog window opens, you can select your audio/video/subtitle options like before and then click Download.

Once the download completes, you will be notified of the completed download depending on your settings. See General Settings > Program settings.

upload_2021-6-11_23-12-37.png

Repeat this process for each episode. Switch to the next Season when you're ready.

Disney+ (D+)

NF and D+ are fairly identical as you've seen in the AnyStream Movies topic. The one main difference is that the Downloadable item(s) dialog window will not reopen automatically with D+; only NF. Other than that, it's the same.

Netflix (NF)
Just like the Movies, find your title and select it. Download your episode and when it completes, it will automatically reopen the Downloadable item(s) dialog window so you can just select the next season and episode > Download.

upload_2021-6-11_23-12-37.png

Hulu
Content pending…

HBOmax (Hmax)
Content pending…

My Thoughts

Setup your TV Show template to automatically organize your Shows for you. See Download Settings > TV Show Template on how to set it up.
 
Last edited:
Simultaneous Downloads

Multi-Provider AnyStreams

Yes, you can download simultaneously between your Providers.

If using an AnyStream license, you can download one title per Provider simultaneously.

If using an AnyStreamPlus license, this applies as well. The main difference is that your queue will continue automatically.
 
Last edited:
Abort Downloads

If you abort a download, you will still lose a download token. It does not get restored.

I just did a test where I was starting with 100 downloads. Once you initiate a download, the token count will drop by one immediately.

Unfortunately, as of December 10, 2021, aborting a download will still cost you a download token.

Hopefully RedFox will resolve this issue in the future.
 
Last edited:
Managing Your AnyStreams

I’ll share briefly how I manage my AnyStreams.

There are two different Watchlists that I’ll be referencing: JustWatch and Providers. By Providers, I mean APV, NF, D+, etc.

JustWatch is a site that is free to use. If you register for an account, you can use it to track Movies and Shows. They have four options to tag a title: Watchlist, Seen, Like and Dislike.

upload_2021-12-10_19-59-8.png

When on the title page, you will see these options shown like above. When browsing a page of titles, you will need to hover your mouse over the title to reveal these options; they will be at the top of the cover:

upload_2021-12-10_20-0-14.png

Because they don’t have an option for Own or Rented, I use this mostly for tracking my AnyStreams.

How I use their tagging system:
  • Watchlist = I want
  • Seen = Seen the movie (see comments below)
  • Like = What I Have, or added to my providers Watchlist for AnyStreaming (title is confirmed available to me)
  • Dislike = Do Not want; I dislike or simply not interested in.
Comments:
  • Watchlist + Like = Have it, but want a better quality (have 480, want 1080) or version (Unrated, Extended, Director's Cut, etc.).
  • Seen only = Seen & liked, but do not want in Plex library
  • Seen + Dislike = Seen & Disliked it and will not add to Plex library
I use JustWatch to build my Watchlist based on known titles, or I’ll peruse New titles by filtering the providers.

upload_2021-12-10_20-1-59.png

I can then filter my Watchlist by Providers. Click Filters to open the Filter pane (Left). All selected by default. If you click Netflix, it will deselect all the others. You can select more than one, but I usually work with one at a time. Click Done.

I can build my Netflix Watchlist, and then move on to a 2nd Provider when needed.

upload_2021-12-10_20-2-15.png

If I’m logged into the Provider in a separate Tab, this makes it so much easier.

upload_2021-12-10_20-2-36.png

Once you have your JustWatch Watchlist filtered by your selected Provider, you can then use the Watch now button for each title. This will open the Provider in a new Tab for that title.

upload_2021-12-10_20-2-59.png

If you are logged in as mentioned previously, you can simply add the Title to your Providers watchlist, and then close out that tab, but leaving your original Provider tab open so you don’t get logged out.

upload_2021-12-10_20-3-15.png

Once the title is added to my Providers watchlist, I will switch back to JustWatch and mark the title with a thumbs up (meaning I’ve added to my Providers Watchlist or already have it) and then remove it from the JustWatch Watchlist.

Repeat this process as needed.

Once I’m done building my Watchlist for the available titles, I can then switch over to AnyStream and access my Providers (APV, NF, D+, etc.) Watchlist, add them to the Download Queue and let the magic happen.

System Cleanup / Troubleshooting

There are times that applications do not behave as expected. One common culprit besides corrupt storage or memory can be system clutter; a ton of temporary or browser cached files that cause issues, especially with browser-based applications like AS.

Clear browser history for Edge, Chrome, Firefox.

In some cases, clearing your operating system temp files is a must. I’ve attached a zip file to the Managing Your AnyStreams post that contains a PowerShell script that can be used to customize and run the built-in Disk Cleanup utility (cleanmgr.exe).

Customize cleanup parameters:

You will want to customize it to only clean up what you want it to. Place a pound sign (#) in front of anything you don’t want to cleanup before running the script. It’s recommended that you don’t delete these lines just in case you deiced to clean those items in the future. Just uncomment the line(s) before running the script the next time.

upload_2021-12-26_23-53-52.png

Note: Many of the items in the list require running with admin permissions.

The sources for this cleanup script are in the heading of the script. Just download, extract and then right-click on the .ps1 file and choose Edit. This will open the script in PowerShell ISE.

Once satisfied with any changes, close and save the script.

If you are not sure how to best run a PowerShell script, check out this 6 minute video.

Personally, I would recommend opening PowerShell ISE as an Administrator first, then open the script using File > Open from the Menu bar. Then press F5 to run the script.
 

Attachments

  • DiskCleanup.zip
    1.2 KB · Views: 12
Last edited:
Updated some things in Download Settings regarding the custom Name Templates for Movies and Shows. I removed my lengthy strategy with managing Shows in place of the custom naming template. It's SOOO much easier now! (y)

I attached a downloadable version in the Table of Contents above for those who would like an offline version.

As changes are made, or new techniques are discovered, and features are added, I will try to keep both the Thread and downloadable guide up to date every so often.

Keep in mind you can always reply to any given TOPIC above to add your own tips and tricks and advice for other Users to benefit from. (y)
 
Updated topics:
 
Last edited:
Back
Top