Why I built cipherStream?

I started building cipherStream because, quite honestly, I wasn’t fully satisfied with the existing media server solutions available.

There are some great options out there, but I felt there was still room for something different, particularly when it came to privacy, security, playback performance, and the overall user experience.

As a software engineer, I’ve always enjoyed building things that solve real problems. With cipherStream, I wanted to create a self-hosted media platform that puts privacy at the heart of its design without sacrificing the features and convenience people expect from a modern streaming experience.

One of my biggest priorities was encryption. I wanted media streams to be protected beyond standard HTTPS, which is why cipherStream uses application-layer encryption on top of TLS. I also wanted to eliminate the need for server-side transcoding, allowing even relatively modest hardware to serve media while supported client devices handle playback.

But I didn’t want cipherStream to be just another media server.

I wanted it to be something people genuinely enjoy using, whether they’re organizing their movie collections, listening to music, watching with friends through synchronized watch parties, or controlling their TV from their phone.

cipherStream is developed by IoTSoftworks, a small independent startup. We’re still growing, and there’s a lot more I want to build.

What Feedback Would Help Me Most?

At this stage, honest feedback is incredibly valuable to me, especially from people who already use Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, or other self-hosted solutions.

I’d particularly appreciate feedback on:

First impressions and setup: Was installing the server and connecting your devices straightforward? Was anything confusing or unnecessarily complicated?
Playback experience: How does cipherStream perform with your media library? Have you encountered buffering, subtitle issues, unsupported formats, or playback problems?
User interface: Does the app feel intuitive? Are there areas where navigation, organization, or the overall experience could be improved?
Missing features: What functionality do you rely on in your current media server that you’d like to see in cipherStream?
Privacy and security: Does our approach address your concerns? Are there additional controls or protections you’d find useful?
Overall experience: What do you genuinely like, dislike, or think needs improvement?

I’m especially interested in hearing about the little frustrations that people have simply learned to live with in other applications. Sometimes those are the most interesting problems to solve.

If you encounter a bug, knowing your device, operating system, media format, and what happened would help enormously.

And please don’t feel the need to sugarcoat your feedback. I’d much rather hear constructive criticism than receive compliments that don’t help me improve the product.

I don’t expect cipherStream to be perfect, and I’m not claiming it is. I’m building something I believe in, and I want it to keep getting better.

If you decide to give cipherStream a try, I’d genuinely love to hear what you think.

Thanks for taking the time to check out something I’ve put a lot of work into.

Ashvin
Founder & Developer, IoTSoftworks

https://cipherstream.iotsoftworks.com