How to Install Emby Media Server on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Prerequisites

To get Emby Media Server running smoothly on Ubuntu 24.04, start by updating your system and installing necessary tools like ffmpeg and va-driver-all. These help ensure your videos play without issues.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install cec-utils libasound2t64 libatomic1 libc6 libegl1 libgcc-s1 libpulse0 libstdc++6 ffmpeg va-driver-all -y

We install ffmpeg and va-driver-all to help your server handle video playback smoothly using your computer’s hardware.

Download and install Emby

Installing Emby Media Server on Ubuntu 24.04 is straightforward; you’ll use a script to grab the latest version and then install it with a simple command. This process ensures you have the most up-to-date software.

URL=$(curl -s https://emby.media/community/index.php?/blog/rss/1-emby-announcements/ | grep -o 'https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Emby.Releases/releases/download/[^"]*amd64.deb' | head -n 1)
wget $URL
sudo dpkg -i emby-server-deb_*.deb

Once finished, start the server:

sudo systemctl start emby-server
sudo systemctl enable emby-server

Open your browser and go to http://localhost:8096 to finish the setup.

Create and admin account

Once Emby Media Server is installed on Ubuntu, creating an admin account is the next step. Follow the on-screen prompts to set up your main account, and consider turning on two-factor authentication and hardware acceleration for better security and speed.

• Two-Factor Authentication: Go to Users > Select User > Profile. Enable 2FA to keep your account safe from unauthorized logins.
• Hardware Acceleration: Go to Dashboard > Playback. Choose VAAPI or NVENC (depending on your hardware) to ensure your server uses the graphics card for faster streaming.

Set up a reverse proxy

Setting up a reverse proxy with Caddy allows you to access your Emby Media Server from anywhere using your own domain name. Caddy makes this easy by automatically managing security and SSL certificates for your connection.

Install Caddy, create a file named Caddyfile, and add this simple configuration:

yourdomain.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:8096
}

Caddy will manage all the security and SSL certificates for you automatically.

Conclusion

You now have a professional media server. Remember these steps:

• Keep your system updated with apt upgrade.
• Use hardware acceleration for better performance.
• Turn on 2FA to protect your account.
• Use Caddy for easy, secure remote access.

Your media is now ready to stream anywhere!