Keep your media array spun down, quiet, and cool — without waiting 12 seconds every time someone hits Play. HeadStart preloads the opening seconds of every movie and episode onto your NVMe drive, starts playback in about 0.3 seconds instead of waiting for spin-up, wakes the sleeping hard drive in the background, and hands off the stream seamlessly.
https://www.deadstick.net/headstart/headstart.plg
curl -fsSL https://www.deadstick.net/headstart/install.sh | bash
curl -fsSL https://www.deadstick.net/headstart/install.sh | sudo bash
Version 1.1.0 (plugin 2026.11.03) · 100% Free · Zero Telemetry · Strictly Read-Only. By downloading or installing, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Simple file-warming scripts stall on modern 4K HDR and Dolby Vision Remuxes because media players check multiple parts of a file before rendering the first frame, forcing your server to wait on a sleeping hard drive anyway. HeadStart preloads everything the player needs to start immediately and bridges the handoff to the spinning drive without a stutter.
Instead of using a one-size-fits-all cache size that under-buffers high-bitrate 4K Remuxes and wastes SSD space on smaller episodes, HeadStart sizes each preload to the video's true bitrate (from Plex's library database) alongside its subtitles. Without a Plex database it uses a fixed-size preload.
HeadStart keeps a complete catalog of every folder on every drive, so library browsing never wakes a sleeping drive and never hides a file that has not been preloaded yet. Only when someone actually presses Play does HeadStart wake that single target drive in the background and hand off the stream once it is up to speed.
Using your NVMe drive for downloads or daily cache staging? HeadStart monitors your free space continuously. If a large download batch needs room, HeadStart automatically frees up low-priority preload data so your downloads never slow down, then rebuilds it when space recovers.
HeadStart prioritizes your newest movies and active TV shows first and harvests across a few drives at a time so the rest of your array stays spun down, quiet, and cool.
Plex is detected automatically. For Jellyfin or Emby, set your server's container name in the plugin settings and HeadStart builds its preload plan from a filesystem scan. Every client of that server — including Infuse — benefits with zero client configuration.
HeadStart is strictly read-only and never modifies, moves, or renames a single file on your media array. Stopping or removing the plugin — or HeadStart exiting unexpectedly — immediately returns your server to its standard setup without restarting it. Because the overlay is read-only, Plex DVR recordings, “Optimize” versions, and media deletion cannot write into folders HeadStart serves.
Supports Unraid 6.12+ and Docker-based media servers on Ubuntu and Debian. Attaches to your media server's container without restarting it, re-attaches after container updates and reboots, and detaches automatically if HeadStart ever stops.
--uninstallConnecting from Windows, macOS, iOS, or Apple TV? HeadStart includes built-in read-only WebDAV and HTTP streaming endpoints alongside its live web dashboard. The Windows build runs the preloader with WebDAV/HTTP streaming only — it has no kernel mount, so Windows-hosted Plex, Jellyfin, or Emby libraries do not use it directly.
We build focused, local-first software with no accounts, no telemetry, no ads, and no company cloud servers in the middle. Every tool is engineered to keep your data on hardware you own.
Professional invoicing, receipt capture, and client balances for contractors and service pros — stored on your device by default.
Explore BillingBird →
A calmer Mac menu bar. Pin your everyday icons, tuck the rest behind the DeadStick yoke, and keep your workspace clean — 100% free.
Download free for Mac →
A private encrypted tunnel directly between devices you own — one-time QR pairing, no account, and no commercial VPN company in the middle.
Learn more →
Create encrypted external APFS drives on macOS designed for cross-platform Mac and Windows workflows, with keys kept in your own Keychain.
Learn more →
Scan storage, review cleanup items, large files, and exact duplicates on your Mac — with a safe Recovery holding area before permanent deletion.
Learn more →
Private document scanner and long-term on-device vault with smart crop, OCR search, translation, and PDF export for passports, IDs, and records.
Learn more →HeadStart is developed by DeadStick Digital LLC and provided 100% free with no account registration, subscriptions, analytics, or external network calls. All preloaded data stays strictly on your local server hardware.
Read the HeadStart setup & troubleshooting guide, app-specific privacy policy, and Terms of Service. Need help? Email [email protected].