Jellyfin Finally Launches on Samsung TVs, Bringing Free Media Streaming to Tizen

After years of requiring technical workarounds, Jellyfin has finally launched its native app on Samsung Tizen TVs, bringing free, open-source media streaming to millions of Samsung television owners. The rollout is beginning with newer Samsung models, with older TVs to follow soon.

According to a post on Jellyfin's GitHub repository, the app is now available in the Tizen Store. Jellyfin developer Anthony Lavado confirmed the launch in a thread, noting that not all models are eligible yet and that some bugs weren't considered release-blocking for all platforms.

For years, Samsung TV owners who wanted to use Jellyfin had to enable developer mode and go through a multi-step process to get the app running. Now, the experience will be as simple as downloading any other app from the Tizen Store.

Jellyfin positions itself as a free alternative to Plex, which has been available on Samsung TVs for several years. However, Plex locks many features behind its paid Plex Pass subscription, including remote streaming, hardware-accelerated transcoding, and DVR support. Jellyfin offers all these features without requiring any payment.

This launch is particularly significant for users who prefer open-source software or want to avoid subscription fatigue. Jellyfin's model is entirely community-driven, with no premium tiers or hidden costs.

The staggered rollout approach suggests Samsung and Jellyfin are taking a cautious approach, likely to ensure stability across different TV models and firmware versions. Users with newer Samsung TVs should check their Tizen Store first, while owners of older models may need to wait a bit longer.

This development marks another step in the growing ecosystem of open-source media solutions finding their way onto mainstream consumer devices, giving users more choices beyond the traditional subscription-based streaming services.