Sickbeard Review | Still Relevant or Obsolete?

Key Takeaways

• Sickbeard organizes your digital show library
• Automates downloads and tidies collections
• Compare its old-school style with current alternatives
• Decide if Sickbeard suits you or if it’s outdated

Features

Here’s a table with Sickbeard’s features:

Feature	Description
Price	Free & open-source
Platform Availability	Windows, Mac, Linux
User Engagement	Active forum, IRC support channel
Compatibility – Download Clients	Integrable with SABnzbd, NZBGet
Compatibility – Media Servers	Integrates with media servers like Plex, Kodi for library syncing
Compatibility – Mobile Apps	Compatible with mobile apps for remote management like NZB360, NZB Unity, NZBManager, MediaDog
Dashboard	Web-browser interface, customizable

Sickbeard can be used in conjunction with NZB360. NZB360 is a popular mobile application designed for managing and monitoring various Usenet services. It supports integration with Sickbeard, allowing users to remotely control and receive updates from their Sickbeard setup directly through their mobile device.

This integration provides a convenient way to manage royalty-free TV show downloads and automate media management tasks while on the go.

Ease of Use – Interface

Sickbeard’s interface is accessible via a web browser, offering users the convenience of managing and automating license-free video downloads from a centralized location. Despite its somewhat complex setup for new users, the program provides an FAQ page with detailed instructions, including video links, to assist in configuration and navigation.

The interface allows for customization of server information, general settings, and search providers through its Configuration tab, ensuring that users can tailor their Sickbeard experience to their preferences.

Supported Services

Here’s a list of the supported services by Sickbeard:

Setting up Sickbeard

Installing Sickbeard is a breeze, whether you’re on Windows, Linux, or OSX, and you’ll need Python and the Cheetah module before you get started. Here’s how you do it:

1. Install Python and Cheetah Module: Ensure you have Python installed. Install the Cheetah module, which is necessary for Sickbeard.
2. Install Git: If not already installed, set up Git on your system as it’s required for cloning the SickBeard repository.
3. Clone SickBeard Repository: Use the command git clone git://github.com/midgetspy/Sick-Beard.git to clone the SickBeard repository.
4. Run Setup: Navigate to the SickBeard directory and run python setup.py to start the installation process.
5. Configure Sickbeard: Once installed, open Sickbeard and configure the general settings like language, download quality, and post-processing options.
6. Integrate with Usenet Client: Connect Sickbeard to a Usenet client like SABnzbd or NZBGet by entering the relevant details in Sickbeard’s settings.
7. Set Up NZB Search Providers: Add your NZB search providers in Sickbeard for finding content. Input details for any NZB indexers you use.
8. Add TV Shows: Go to ‘Add Shows’ to start adding your non-copyrighted TV shows, specifying the path for downloaded episodes.
9. Configure Notifications (Optional): Set up notifications for alerts on new copyright-free episode downloads.

Usage

Sickbeard is utilized primarily as a personal video recorder (PVR) that automates the searching, downloading, sorting, and renaming of files from Usenet and, to a limited extent, torrents. It seamlessly integrates with popular download clients such as SABnzbd and NZBGet, streamlining the process of managing users’ content downloads.

Despite its complexity and the learning curve for new users, Sickbeard supports multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux, and offers an active online forum and IRC channel for real-time support and troubleshooting.

A list of some mobile apps and web interfaces commonly used for remotely managing and receiving notifications from Sickbeard:

1. NZB Unity
2. NZBManager
3. MediaDog
4. SABMobile
5. NzbDrone (Sonarr)
6. CouchPotato Mobile

Membership & Userbase

Sickbeard itself does not offer a traditional membership structure, as the software is completely free to use. However, users are encouraged to become part of the Sickbeard community by participating in some of the active forums, which serve as a platform for user engagement, troubleshooting, and sharing tips for optimizing the use of the software.

Support & Community

Sickbeard, being an open-source PVR application, does not offer traditional customer support services. Instead, users typically rely on community-based support, such as technology forums, Usenet community discussions, and platforms like GitHub for troubleshooting and user guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions