Configure Indexers

This guide explains how to add and configure indexers in Cinephage. Indexers are sources that provide information about available media releases.

Goal

Add content sources (indexers) so Cinephage can search for and find media releases.

Prerequisites

• Cinephage installed and running
• Accounts with indexers you want to use (if required)
• API keys or credentials for private indexers

Time Estimate

5-10 minutes per indexer

Understanding Indexers

Cinephage uses a YAML-based indexer system. Unlike traditional *arr applications with built-in indexer definitions, Cinephage loads all indexer configurations from YAML files. This provides flexibility and makes it easy to add custom indexers.

Supported Protocols

Cinephage supports three types of indexers:

Protocol	Description	Examples
torrent	BitTorrent trackers	1337x, RARBG alternatives, private trackers
usenet	NNTP newznab indexers	NZBGeek, DrunkenSlug, DogNZB
streaming	Direct streaming sources	Various STRM providers

Part 1: Add a Newznab Indexer (Usenet)

Newznab is the standard API format for usenet indexers.

Step 1: Get Indexer Details

You need:

• Name: Descriptive name for the indexer
• URL: API endpoint URL
• API Key: Your personal API key
• Categories: Supported categories (Movies, TV)

Example from NZBGeek:

• URL: https://api.nzbgeek.info/
• API Key: Found in your profile settings

Step 2: Add to Cinephage

1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Indexers
2. Click Add Indexer
3. Select Newznab from the dropdown
4. Configure:

Basic Settings:

• Name: NZBGeek (or indexer name)
• URL: https://api.nzbgeek.info/
• API Key: Your API key
• Categories: Select Movies and/or TV

Advanced Settings:

• Priority: 25 (lower = higher priority)
• Timeout: 30 seconds
• Retries: 3
• Rate Limit: Leave default

Step 3: Test Connection

Click Test to verify the connection works.

If successful, the indexer status shows Healthy.

Step 4: Save

Click Save to add the indexer.

Part 2: Add a Torznab/Jackett Indexer (Torrent)

Torznab is a Newznab-compatible API for torrents, typically provided by Jackett or Prowlarr.

Option A: Using Jackett

If you have Jackett running:

1. Open Jackett web UI
2. Add your desired trackers to Jackett
3. Copy the Torznab Feed URL for a tracker
4. In Cinephage, add indexer:
   • Select Torznab type
   • Paste the Jackett URL
   • Add Jackett API key

Option B: Direct Torrent Indexer

For public torrent sites, use a YAML definition.

Example: Adding 1337x

1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Indexers
2. Click Add Indexer
3. Select YAML Definition
4. Use this template:

id: 1337x
name: 1337x
protocol: torrent
categories:
  - movies
  - tv
enabled: true
priority: 25
settings:
  baseUrl: https://1337x.to
  search:
    path: /search/{{query}}/1/
    selectors:
      rows: tr
      title: .coll-1 a:nth-child(2)
      magnet: .coll-1 a[href^="magnet:"]
      size: .coll-4
      seeders: .coll-2
      leechers: .coll-3

5. Click Validate to check the YAML syntax
6. Click Test to verify it works
7. Click Save

Part 3: Add a Streaming Indexer

For STRM file sources:

id: my-streaming-source
name: My Streaming Source
protocol: streaming
categories:
  - movies
  - tv
enabled: true
priority: 10
settings:
  baseUrl: https://api.example.com
  apiKey: your-api-key
  timeout: 30

Part 4: Configure Indexer Priority

Priority determines search order (lower number = higher priority):

1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Indexers
2. See list of configured indexers
3. Click Edit on an indexer
4. Change the Priority value:
   • 1-10: High priority (preferred)
   • 11-25: Normal priority
   • 26-50: Low priority (fallback)

Priority Strategy

Recommended setup:

• Usenet indexers: Priority 10-15 (faster, more reliable)
• Private trackers: Priority 15-20 (good quality)
• Public trackers: Priority 25-30 (fallback)
• Streaming: Priority 5-10 (instant availability)

Part 5: Enable/Disable Categories

Configure which content types each indexer searches:

1. Edit an indexer
2. Under Categories, check/uncheck:
   • Movies - Enable for movie searches
   • TV - Enable for TV series searches

Example:

• A movies-only indexer: Check Movies, uncheck TV
• A TV-focused indexer: Check TV, uncheck Movies
• General indexer: Check both

Part 6: Test Search

Verify your indexers work:

1. Go to Discover
2. Search for a popular movie
3. Click on it
4. Go to the Search tab
5. Click Search button
6. Results should appear from your configured indexers

If no results appear:

• Check indexer status in settings
• Verify categories are enabled
• Test individual indexer connections

YAML Indexer Reference

Required Fields

id: unique-id # Unique identifier
name: Display Name # Human-readable name
protocol: torrent # torrent, usenet, or streaming
categories: # Content types
  - movies
  - tv
enabled: true # true or false
priority: 25 # Search priority (1-50)

Protocol-Specific Settings

Torrent:

settings:
  baseUrl: https://site.com
  search:
    path: /search?q={{query}}
    selectors:
      rows: .torrent-row
      title: .title
      magnet: .magnet-link
      torrent: .torrent-link
      size: .size
      seeders: .seeders
      leechers: .leechers

Usenet (Newznab):

settings:
  apiUrl: https://api.indexer.com/
  apiKey: your-api-key
  categories:
    movies: 2000
    tv: 5000

Streaming:

settings:
  baseUrl: https://api.provider.com
  apiKey: your-key
  timeout: 30

Troubleshooting

Indexer Shows "Failed"

Problem: Status shows failed or error

Solutions:

• Check API key is correct
• Verify URL is correct
• Test from Cinephage settings page
• Check indexer site is online
• Verify your account is active

No Search Results

Problem: Searches return no results

Solutions:

• Verify categories are enabled for that indexer
• Check indexer supports the content type
• Try a more popular/searchable title
• Verify indexer is enabled

Rate Limited

Problem: "Rate limit exceeded" errors

Solutions:

• Reduce search frequency
• Increase rate limit delay in indexer settings
• Check indexer terms of service
• Consider upgrading to premium account

Authentication Failed

Problem: 401 or auth errors

Solutions:

• Regenerate API key on indexer site
• Check key is copied correctly (no spaces)
• Verify account is in good standing
• Check if IP is whitelisted

Best Practices

Diversify Indexers

Use multiple indexers for better coverage:

• At least one usenet indexer
• One or two torrent indexers
• Different priority levels

Regular Testing

Test indexers periodically:

• Check status in settings
• Run test searches
• Remove broken indexers
• Add new ones as needed

Respect Rate Limits

• Do not exceed indexer API limits
• Use reasonable monitoring intervals
• Consider VIP/premium for heavy usage

Security

• Never share API keys
• Use read-only keys when available
• Rotate keys periodically
• Monitor account usage

Next Steps

Now that indexers are configured:

• Set Up Quality Profiles to filter results
• Search and Download to find content
• Configure Subtitles for multi-language support

See Also

• YAML Indexer Format Reference
• Search and Download
• Troubleshooting