- Home Media Server Software For Windows
- Best Home Media Server Software Choices 2019
- Home Media Server Software
Every net surfer wishes to be able to stream audios, videos, photos, and music endlessly. And, it’s a bliss to be able to do so without any hiccups. We all have a collection of some kind of media (music, photos, or videos) on our computers and mobile phones those can be played later as per our convenience. So, to stream these stored media, a home media server does the job.
Media Server software can stream any media to NAS (Network Attached Storage), personal computers, Smart TVs, Android and Apple devices, etc. Following is a handpicked list of Top Media Server Software for home/office, with their popular features and website links. The list contains both open source (free) and commercial (paid) software. Plex is a media server software that enables you to take care of the large size of media. Now you are ready to start transferring media files to your home server, and set it up as a source in your media center software. Add media files to the FreeNAS You can transfer media files as follows depending on which operating system you use. – In Mac OS X FreeNAS will appear to your shares after activating the AFP share.
DLNA servers are the types of home media server that we are talking about. Best free audio capture software. Using these servers, you can stream or share media among multiple devices without needing any manual setup. Whether it’s your iPhone, game consolers, or Android phone, the DLNA server sets up a connection between these devices and allows you to share your favorite media. It basically transforms your PC into a powerful home media streaming center, allowing you to stream media across your home, wirelessly.
So, if you are wondering where to find the best DLNA server software for your needs, here’s a master list to start with.
Kodi Open Source Home Theatre Software
If you are looking for a software that can spruce up your entertainment space, then Kodi Open Source Home Theatre Software can be the best choice for you. The program offers unlimited features on a user-friendly and attractive interface that brings your stored media to life. Moreover, it also offers a support forum or a community that’s inundated with questions, answers, and tips from people all across the world.
What’s more? It also features a massive catalog of community add-ons that you have access to. You can further customize and adjust these catalogs to arrange a perfect entertainment framework. Whether you own a smart TV or a smartphone, you have entertainment at your finger tips with Kodi. It works with all major platforms that includes Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Android, Linux, and Raspberry Pi.
Price: free and open source
PLEX Media Server offers some great features and works with majority of the platforms such as, Windows, Linux, Mac, Docker, Synology, Qnap, Netgear, Seagate, etc. The software allows you to stream your favorite live TV, web shows, podcasts, video news along with your personally saved media, on mobile device or computer screen.
The software gets all your media into one place and lets you stream them to all your devices. Among its other features are:
![Server Server](https://www.southwestsolutions.com/media/k2/galleries/639/gemtractapecdvideohighdensitystoragecabinets.jpg)
Home Media Server Software For Windows
- live TV and DVR that allows you to watch live and recorded TV shows on all your devices;
- offers access to Tidal’s huge collection of tracks (59 million), 250,000 music videos and other original media;
- allows access to podcasts, web shows, news, and more all in single app;
- organizes your personal media that can be streamed on any of your device, anywhere.
Price: 30-day free trial available; upgrade starts from $4.99
PlayOn
Streaming, recording, and casting your favorite media is smooth as silk with PlayOn. It allows you to record movies and TV shows that you can add to your watchlist to be watched later. It also allows you to stream to any device like PlayStation, Roku, Xbox, etc. Among its other major features are:
- offers free mobile app allowing to record or watch a show anywhere in the world;
- allows you to play back the recorded show without ads;
- automatically records fresh episodes of your preferred shows;
- allows you to record a series in just one click;
- enables you to set recording hours in advance;
- automatically sends recordings or a series to iTunes in a single click.
For added assistance, it offers a great support team that’s available to help you out with any concerns.
Price: 7-day free trial available; upgrade available for $1.99/month
Serviio
Serviio allows users to stream various media files, for instance, photos, videos, and music to multiple devices that includes TVs, smartphones, games console, or Bluray player within your home network. While the free version offers connectivity to multiple devices, the pro version offers advanced possibilities of sharing media across your household.
The best part about Serviio is that it’s compatible with different devices within your household such as, smartphones, TV, tablets, Xbox, Playstation 3, and more. It aims to boost the potential of the devices and/or reduce the deficiency of support for the media format playback by providing support for profiles for specific devices.
Additionally, it allows you to access files on the go with the pro version, and also lets you control it simply using your voice. Based Java, it works with all the major platforms such as, Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Price: free version available; Pro available for $25
Subsonic
Packed with features, Subsonic can be accessed via browser. It allows you to access music from any location with an internet connection around. Some of its major advantages are:
- it’s an open source software;
- the playlists created by it can be shared with others;
- offers on-the-spot re-sampling where bitrates can be minimized on-the-spot using ffmpeg encoder;
- allows you to build a playlist and cache the tracks on the mobile phones in advance;
- works as Podcast receiver, Chromecast, Sonos, in jukebox mode, multiple frontends, and so on.
Works with all the major platforms such as, Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.
Price: $1 per month.
Universal Media Server, a DLNA compatible UPnP media server, was initially based on PS3 media server. It works with all major operating systems that includes Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. What’s interesting is, that the software can stream several different media formats with minimum or without any configuration.
UMS is run by MEncoder, FFmpeg, tsMuxeR, and more, that blends to provide support for a variety of media formats. It works with different devices such as, PS3, Xbox, TVs, Smart phones and so on.
Price: free and open source
Ampache
For the music lovers, the free and open source Ampache is a great catch. It’s a web-based application n offering services in audio/video streaming. It’s also a file manager using which you can access your music and videos from any location and on any device, that’s supports internet connection. Among its major features are:
- allows you to browse and manage your collection of music on your PC using a simple web interface. Using this interface, you can even sync native and remote catalogs to an exclusive and persistent collection;
- lets you stream your selected tracks to your favorite player, manage it using Localplay, or directly listen to the tracks on the webpage using HTML5 player;
- enables you to listen to your favorite numbers from any device such as, smartphones, TVs, or tablets.
Price: free and open source
Emby Media Server
Emby Medi Server helps you carry your music to any device with ease. It brings all your media collection (music, photos, and videos) together into a single place, where it automatically converts your media on the go on any device and streams it right there. Some of its major features include:
- makes it easier to take full advantage of your personally saved media in any location. It does not involve the hassle of using the IP address and rather, you can just sign in and start playing;
- offers support for Live TV and streams it to any device, control your DVR, and take full advantage of your collection of recordings;
- allows you to control access for your children, easily by letting you monitor and remote control their sessions as per your choice.
Moreover, it automatically organizes your personal media into elegant and attractive displays. Best of all, it keeps you notified of server activity depending on events and actions that are crucial to you.
Price: starts from $4.99/month
PS3MediaServer
PS3MediaServer is a DLNA server written in Java that helps you stream or transcode any media file format, with little or no configuration. The program is supported by Mplayer and FFmpeg packages. The best part is, it does not require codec packs for installation, requires no folder configuration and pre-parsing or any such annoyance.
All the media folders on your PC are directly browsed by the PS3. It refreshes automatically, and offers real-time video transcoding through MEncoder.
Price: free
MediaPortal
MediaPortal claims to offer the best media experience by converting your PC in virtually a complete media solution. The program is powered by basic hardware that connects straight away to your TV and shows all your photos, music, movies, and TV shows in a much compelling manner. You can even use the program with your projector for enhanced experience.
Some of its significant features are:
- allows you to watch, schedule, and record Live TV for free;
- lets you play movies, DVDs, videos, and Blu-Ray discs;
- allows you to listen to radio and your favorite music;
- lets you enjoy photos, home videos, or even create slideshows for fun;
- enables you to stream media, TV, and radio to any other PC linked to your network;
- helps you use a remote control sitting from your bed;
- allows you to get detailed updates with news, on weather, and more;
- lets you access the software from mobile phones or directly on web.
It also offers plenty of plugins and skins for advanced activities like, monitoring your HTPC, stream web TV or YouTube videos, and more.
![Home media server software Home media server software](https://www.rapidpcs.co.uk/media/raw/TD-W9970a.jpg)
Price: free and open source
MediaTomb
MediaTomb is another great open source DLNA server based on UPnP media server that’s accompanies with a pretty good web interface. It enables you to stream your personal media using your home network connection and then watch or listen them on several different UPnP based devices.
As a user, you can stream your persona media to devices such as, PlayStation 3. Given it’s Ubuntu based software, you may need to look for alternatives to be able to stream to different devices.
Price: free and open source
MEEDIOS
Those looking for a free and open source DLNA server software, MEEDIOS can be a great option. It’s especially designed to manage and show all your digital media in one detailed package. The program offers complete media support, unlimited customizability, and a rich interface that can be used by the entire family. Some of the media that it supports include Photos, Music, TV Shows, Online Media, Web Browsing, games, and so on.
Moreover, it also supports the playback of these media on majority of the formats and mediums that include, physical, digital, and web-based formats.
Price: free and open source
LXiMediaCenter
LXiMediaCenter is DLNA based server that streams or transcodes your favorite media (photos, videos, music, and TV shows) to different DLNA compatible televisions and media players like, PS3, Xbox 360, and Streamium.
What’s interesting is, that the program also provides support for subtitles and audio language choices. It allows you to play your favorite digital media on any of the device you wish.
Price: free
OpenFLIXR Media Server
OpenFLIXR Media Server is a comprehensive media server that automatically downloads and serves media files. Be it any app (Couchpotato, Plex, or SickRage), it brings all your media to display. The best part is, whether it’s a TV, PC, or mobile phone, it streams to any device you can think of. It’s a completely web-based software that includes tools for monitoring and management.
While it can keep all your media files updated and ensures that they run smoothly using smart auto-updating, it can also be run on any platform given it’s a virtual app.
Price: free and open source
OSMC Media Center
OSMC Media Center is a free and open source media server based on DLNA that’s designed for people, by the people. It’s a simple and easy to use software that comes with an attractive look. It’s based on Debian Linux and Kodi Media Center. Additionally, it offers an app store that allows you to customize your experience with the program according to your taste, and all using the remote.
The program plays almost all major media formats available from several different devices and streaming codes.
Price: free and open source
Conclusion
Choose from the comprehensive list of best DLNA server software above and boost your streaming experience.
I find passion in writing Tech articles around Windows PC and softwares
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Media centers are the perfect place to store collections of images, music, and videos that people create on their computers, smartphones, or other devices. Their primary function is to store this media, such as your latest vacation photos or your favorite film. However, you may find your patience being tested if you start searching for a particular file, only to realize that nothing is organized properly.
If you’re looking for a suitable management platform for your media files, you will no doubt come across Plex eventually. Launched as a freeware project in 2007, Plex has an impressive range of features and is undoubtedly one of the best media centers of all time. Thanks to various streaming portals and services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, or Vevo, Plex users can play online content directly through their media center interface. However, Plex does have some formidable alternatives.
What should a good alternative to Plex be able to do?
The primary function of a media center is to organize all media files (audio, video, and image) on the selected computer system in a clearly arranged format. The user interface should make it easy for you to find and play back the content you want.
Plex alternatives (as well as Plex itself) should not just allow playback on the original device, but should also be able to play through external devices. Streaming your own media content on a TV should be a standard feature, which is why most media center interfaces are also designed to be used with smart TVs.
The best Plex alternatives should also be able to stream video and information services. Of course, your personal interests are most important here: Netflix and YouTube are more widely supported than other services because of their popularity. However, if you are not interested in these mainstream platforms, streaming links will be irrelevant to you as a user. It is therefore advisable to check the additional features in advance (often available as optional add-ons) that can be used as a respectable alternative to Plex. It is also important that the selected media management option allows multiple devices to access the library at the same time. If you want to enjoy a film while a roommate or a family member is streaming music, your chosen Plex alternative must always be usable by several people at the same time.
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What are the best alternatives to Plex?
In addition to the range of functions, cost and compatibility play an important role when it comes to choosing the best media center. The latter does not just deal with which systems the media center should be created on, it is also about what platforms you can access the media center from. You should also consider how up to date the Plex alternative is when making your decision: since many media centers are interconnected with web services, timely updates to close security holes are particularly important.
To make finding a suitable Plex alternative easier, here are some interesting examples of the best media centers and a guide to their advantages and disadvantages.
Mezzmo
On December 20th 2007, the Australian-based software company Conceiva released their home entertainment product Mezzmo. The software was initially available as a paid program for Windows, but Conceiva now relies on a freemium model: you can download and use the basic model for free, while the pro edition (which includes a web interface so that you can access using standard browsers) has lots of extra features and requires a subscription fee. There is also a paid Android app which was released in 2014. The app is mainly used as a remote application to retrieve content stored on the local Mezzmo media server on Android devices. Thanks to an integrated digital media server (DMS), you can also stream files stored on the device itself with the app.
Mezzmo is very easy to set up: after installing the program, it automatically searches and organizes all the movies, video clips, music, photos, and stored subtitles saved on the system being used. These files can subsequently be played back on all devices in the network that support UPnP or DNLA, or that have the app installed (Android only) – Mezzmo transcodes the media content in real time to ensure optimal streaming quality. You can access the media collection simultaneously with multiple devices at any time, so that sharing the media center is no problem. If you are having technical problems with Mezzmo, you can contact Conceiva with a ticket or through the user forum.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Multi-user capability | Media center cannot be used on macOS/Linux systems |
Android app with its own media server | Web interface is only available in the paid pro edition |
MediaPortal
In February 2014, Erwin Becker launched the GPL-licensed open source programMediaPortal, which is now managed by the MediaPortal team. A core feature of MediaPortal is that it supports TV cards so that you can watch TV through your media center. Additionally, the free-of-charge Plex alternative combines FM and internet radio with TV stations, information services (weather, news, etc.), and all media files stored on the computer in a single user interface. It’s up to you to decide how content should be categorized: you can sort songs by artist, album, or genre, and video clips and movies by cover, actor, or genre.
MediaPortal is an open source application and therefore benefits enormously from collaborating with the community: plugins developed as a supplement that provide additional functions that can be installed and integrated just as easily as skins to give the user interface a new appearance. This Plex alternative is only available for Windows and there are no separate apps for smartphones, tablets, or smart TVs – but there are extensions that allow remote access to your MediaPortal library from these same devices. All skins and plugins are available at any time from the official download page.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Supports standard TV cards | Media center can only be used with Windows |
Customizable user interface with skins | Complex installation and setup |
Kodi
One Plex alternative, originally designed primarily as a media player solution for the Microsoft console Xbox, is Kodi. Published as ‘Xbox Media Center’ (XBMC) in 2004, the media center kept this name even when it became available for other platforms. In 2014, it decided to rename the open source application, distributed under the GNU-GPL license, to Kodi. This made it clear that it was no longer primarily aimed at consoles. However, the media software is not really an alternative to Plex: the Kodi project – or it’s Linux version, to be more precise – formed the basis for Plex. Strictly speaking, Plex is an XBMC separation code.
Kodi delivers all the central features of a good media center: you can organize all your media content easily and play it back through the user interface, which supports a variety ofaudio, video, and image formats. Implementing new formats and technologies (like video acceleration) is handled by the Kodi team in real time. The Plex alternative automatically retrieves metadata from the web to provide additional information about archived content. Kodi’s greatest strength, however, is that the software is platform independent. There are not only installation packages for Windows, Linux, and macOS, but also for Android, iOS, and Raspberry-Pi. Remote control apps for iOS and Android complete the range of options.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Platform independent | Complicated multi-user setup (focused on one device by default) |
Can also be used with alternative hardware like the Raspberry Pi | |
Experienced developer team |
Stremio
The Bulgarian startup Stremio launched an exciting alternative to Plex in 2015 with their application of the same name, which was quickly met with enthusiasm from film and TV fans. The open source media center, which is easy to use, focuses entirely on organizing video content, and integrates video-on-demand services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. in an interesting way: add-ons allow content from different providers to be combined with the Stremio interface. Video clips, shows and movies on your own device are also taken into account when creating the library. Thanks to the integrated calendar function, you can also always keep track of new episode releases or highly anticipated films.
By integrating various streaming providers, Stremio not only provides an excellent overview of when and where content is available, but also offers a good price comparison. In terms of compatibility, the open source platform is just as well set up as Kodi: desktop versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux are available, as well as free apps for Android and iOS. Additionally, the developer plans to release a web application for the Plex alternative, which will then allow them to manage and access their own library as well as the existing clients for desktop PCs and mobile devices.
Third-party add-ons that allow free streaming of paid video content are illegal and should not be used or installed.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Very easy to set up and use | No function for organizing music and image files available |
Calendar features help to keep track of new movie releases, series, or episodes | Number of official developer add-ons is very manageable |
Universal Media Server
The Universal Media Server is also an example of an open source program, written in Java. The spin-off program from PS3 Media Server was developed in May 2012 by the developer SubJunk, who had previously played a decisive role in the media server for Sony’s game console. As an alternative to Plex, the software is particularly impressive because of its broad device compatibility: both DNLA (Digital Living Network Alliance) and UPnP (Universal Plug & Play) are supported, so that music, videos, and images can be streamed easily on all devices that work to these standards (this includes PS4, Xbox 360, iPhone, Android devices, and various smart TVs). Universal Media Server runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS, thanks to its multiple versions.
The media center is regularly updated by the developer team. Recent updates are often available as a beta version for download – however, users must expect that the software may not always work properly in these pre-releases. The Plex alternative has an optional web browser interface and is expandable with plugins. This can be used, for example, to integrate a link to SoundCloud. Further information on the development status and useful links to interesting Universal Media Server websites can be found in the official directory for the project on Github Github.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Platform independent thanks to broad device support and an optional web interface | No separate client applications/apps for accessing the media server |
Time consuming, uncomfortable to start with, and not easy to connect devices |
Emby
If you’re looking for a good alternative to Plex, you will no doubt come across the Emby. The largely royalty-free application (GNU-GPL), which has been maintained by Emby LLC since 2015, provides all the features you might need for the multi-device organization of your media files, starting with a free-of-charge media server available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as NAS and docker platforms. Configuration for the Emby server takes place independently of the chosen system through the very complex web interface. The server is automatically recognized by all DNLA-capable devices – but the developers also offer various proprietary (and partly chargeable) apps for mobile devices (iOS, Android, Windows) as well as for smart TVs and consoles (Samsung, LG, PS4, Xbox One).
If you start the Emby server after installation, the web dashboard will automatically open, allowing you to configure all the necessary settings for your personal media server. This is not just about filling the library, but also about finding the perfect setup for transcoding the content. It is also possible to create different user profiles, including access authorizations. This way you can ensure that adult content is not accessible to children, for example. If you subscribe to the monthly Emby Premiere package, you can use numerous additional features like cloud and folder synchronization, a cover configurator, and a backup function. In addition, you can stream videos and music to individual devices, as well as save them when you take out a subscription so that they can be played without a network connection.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Excellent user account management | Limited extensions available |
Apps for various platforms/devices available | Some features are only available in the paid premiere subscription |
TVersity
TVersity is a proprietary Plex alternative from TVersity Inc. Their paid media server package uses DNLA/UPnP technology to enable users to stream content from their own PCs to a wide variety of devices (content can also be accessed through standard web browsers). If the format/codec on the target devices is not supported, the TVersity server will transcode the corresponding files in real time. Indexing photos, songs, and videos happens automatically in the background, ensuring that your collection is always up to date. When it comes to server operation, unfortunately this Plex alternative only runs on Windows.
Best Home Media Server Software Choices 2019
There is a free version of TVersity, but it only supports a small portion of the formats and codecs. In addition, there is no real-time transcoding in the free output, which then limits streaming capabilities considerably.
TVersity combines your personal media collection with useful web content like free video streams, RSS feeds, or podcasts that can be retrieved from the client on the chosen device. If you’re looking for a specific file, you’ll benefit from the media center’s outstanding performance, which is sure to impress even large libraries with more than 100.000 entries. A large part of their fast, uncomplicated file retrieval system is the powerful search mask and integrated cache function, which caches transcoded content. The Plex alternative has a REST API that allows you to integrate the media center into other tools easily.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Platform independent web app available | Server application is only available for Windows |
A tabular comparison of the best Plex alternatives
Media center | Release year | Developer | License | Media library platform | Payment model |
Emby | 2015 | Emby LLC | GNU GPL, proprietary (Apps) | Windows, macOS, Linux, Docker, NAS | Freemium |
MediaPortal | Team MediaPortal | GNU GPL | Windows | Free | |
Mezzmo | 2007 | Conceiva | GNU GPL, LGPL | Windows, Android | Freemium |
Kodi | 2004 | Kodi Team | GNU GPL | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Raspberry Pi | Free |
Stremio | 2015 | Stremio | GNU GPL | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Free |
TVersity | 2005 | TVersity Inc. | proprietary | Windows | Paid Pro edition, free basic edition |
Universal Media Server | 2012 | SubJunk and others | GNU GPL | Windows, macOS, Linux | Free |
Plex is one of the most popular applications for organizing your own multimedia collection on PCs, smartphones, and other devices, but there are a number of good alternatives that don’t have to hide behind the mainstream media centers when it comes to functionality and streaming quality. This article explains exactly what characterizes software that manages and plays back audio, video, and image files, and what Plex alternatives are available.