Top 10 Best Multimedia Servers Meant for Windows Users
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mStream Express
Set up a music streaming server for you and your friends in mere seconds with the help of this smooth-running and user-friendly, Electron-based utility
Ever wanted to create a server for streaming services for you and your friends, but you've been put off by the sheer difficulty of such as task? If so, read on because this might just be exactly what you were looking for all along.
Dubbed mStream Express, this passion-fueled application is the result of a stubbornly-imposed challenge of creating a music server which could be got up and running in under a minute.
Creating music servers has never been this easy ever before
Safe to say, the developer actually pulled it off, as we're sure you will agree if you decide to give mStream Express a quick try-out. So, we have a smooth-running and modern-looking, Electron-based and NodeJs-written application that allows everyone to access music via a RESTful web UI.
That said, just run the app's automated installer, launch its main GUI, choose the music directory and the port number, enter a username and a password (used for logging in with the web client) and hit the "Boot Server" button from the lower part.
Well-sorted application, both regarding looks and functionality
It should not take too many seconds until you will be presented with a direct link to your server. It almost goes without saying that you need to input the previously-chosen username and password in order to log in. Other than that, it should be all smooth sailing from here onwards, as the web client follows the same design pattern as its server counterpart, with the same philosophy of simplicity.
And it's quite versatile, as well. It allows you to stream your music in browsers of the likes of Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer and even Safari, with a small mention that web clients for mobile devices are currently in the works. Other noteworthy features include the fact that you can save playlists, download then, and even instantly share them with others. There's also the option to choose their expiration date.
Turn your computer into a private music streaming server in just a couple of seconds
There you have it, mStream Express - a cross-platform (also works on macOS and Linux), modern, and very novice-accessible app that allows you to create a music server in under a minute without anything more than a couple of mouse clicks. You can download both the installer and portable versions of the program from this page.
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Serviio
A DLNA-compatible media server that you can rely on whenever you want to stream songs, clips or photographs to compatible devices
If you have numerous multimedia files on your computer and you want to stream them to your TV, smartphone, tablet, PlayStation 3 or XBox 360, you simply need compatible DLNA-compatible devices and a dedicated application like Serviio that can function like a dedicated server.
Serviio is a reliable software solution that can be used to easily stream multimedia contents within your home network, to any device you prefer. You simply need to make sure you have Java installed onto the host computer, then proceed and also install Serviio.
Once you manually start the UPnP/DLNA server, Serviio will automatically look for and detect compatible devices, then allow you to choose the one you want to use (depending on the target device, profile can be customized so as to maximize the app’s functions or to ensure all multimedia files can be correctly played).
The next step is to select the folders that you want to share and monitor for multimedia files, as well as specify the type of files you want to share for each directory, be they audio tracks, videos or images. You can also enable Serviio to retrieve description metadata for your files, then customize the type of information that should be available when the contents is streamed.
Furthermore, you can also add online sources to be streamed to your devices, as long as you specify its type (online RSS/Atom feed, Live stream or Web resource), enter the source URL and adjust the display name. This way you can be sure you get to enjoy your preferred podcast or TV program even if your PC is currently used by another user.
All in all, Serviio can come in handy to all those who feel they are wasting their multimedia files on their computers and want to broadcast them to other devices they use more regularly. A paid license will be required if you want to use the application and all its functions indefinitely.
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Jellyfin
Collect, manage, organize and stream all your favorite movies, TV shows and music using this simple and straightforward application
Jellyfin is a dedicated Software Media System that provides a simple way to manage all your media and share it with your friends and family.
You can run the tool as a reverse proxy behind another server
The installation is a quick and straightforward operation, especially since the project comprises of numerous pre-built binary packages. The tool supports all major browsers – and Chromecast if you prefer Google Chrome – and that is where you are going to be able to set up your server. It is worth mentioning that the app does not have built-in tracking features and there is no central servers collecting your data.
As you probably hinted, the clients that you install on other devices can automatically discover the server, especially if they are in the same network. In case you want to access it from outside the LAN, then you need to type in the complete IP address or domain name.
Since remembering all the port numbers is not always possible, the app can be run as a reverse proxy that enables an alternative server to handle all traffic and proxies them back to the app. An advantage of using it like this is that the integration of the SSL certificates is easier.
Provides an easy way to organize your media files
The idea behind this Software Media System is to help you collect and manage all media from the same location. Therefore, when you are setting the server up, you have the opportunity to go through all data collected in time and organize it properly.
For instance, when setting up the Movies category, you can specify the type of information you want displayed in the dashboard, such as Parental rating, Genres, Name, Studios, Tags, Overview, etc. The subtitles are embedded in the video file, but the tool supports files from external sources as well.
It's an open source fork of Emby Server
The project represents a continue development of the original Emby, which is no longer open source since December 2018. Even so, you should bear in mind that a direct migration of the database between the two application is not currently supported. Consequently, if you are thinking of trying it out, then the developer recommends that you start with a fresh database and library scan in order to enjoy the full features of Jellyfin.
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Universal Media Server
A highly configurable media server that supports devices which have received the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certification
The convenience of having a media server to share multimedia content (such as movies, pictures or music) with others is significant. Not only that distributing such content gets easier but, considering the very low costs of owning a media server, this option is definitely worth considering.
One of the options you can try out is Universal Media Server (or, in short, UMS), an open-source tool that works as a DLNA, UPnP and HTTP/S media server designed for sharing various media files over a dedicated server, without requiring complex configuration.
Distribute media content on any device
Powered by open-source tools in its turn, the Universal Media Server makes it possible to stream your media to various devices, whether we are talking about other PCs, mobile phones, consoles, audio receivers, and so on. The server supports various output devices and facilitates the communication between your PC and the target hardware by taking care of the transfer process and the transcoding operation.
The application tries to keep things as simple as possible, requiring minimum user interaction. Thus, it can automatically detect connected devices and initializes the transfer without prompting you to enter additional configuration options.
First-time configuration and settings
Upon first launch, Universal Media Server prompts you to go through a quick configuration wizard, but note that these settings can also be configured at a later time. What you should pay attention at this point is to instruct Universal Media Server to scan shared folders at each launch to make sure the media library is always up-to-date.
The main window displays information about the detected media renderers, the memory usage and details about the current and the maximum bitrate. The shared folders and files can be easily managed within the dedicated tab, while subtitles can be automatically disabled for every streamed video.
There are various options related to thumbnails, file sorting and naming and virtual folders. Universal Media Server features iTunes and AviSynth support and comes with a plethora of transcoding settings that you can freely tweak.
User-friendly web-based interface
The web-based interface of Universal Media Server makes it easily accessible from anywhere and any device. The web dashboard allows browsing the media library and managing folders without a lot of hassle. It also features an integrated subtitle translator.
An open-source media server fit for everyone
Universal Media Server allows fast browsing and sharing of your media library. It is a streaming server that helps you stream multimedia files without compromise on quality. Furthermore, it is released under an open-source license, which is another plus you can take into consideration when making your choice between the media servers available out there.
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Plex Media Server
Upload media content to a media center to stream movies, TV shows, music, photos and home videos from a web interface to other users
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Plex Media Server facilitates a simple solution for uploading local media files and streaming it online, thus creating a media server that can be accessed by you and your friends to enjoy movies, TV shows, music, photos and home videos, regardless of your location worldwide. All of this can be achieved from a web interface.
Accessibility via the system tray
After a quick and uneventful setup procedure, Plex Media Server creates an icon in the taskbar notifications at startup, thus allowing you to rapidly bring up the web interface and manage media content, regardless of the workspace you're currently working in.
Not mentioned in the installer is that the tool automatically starts at Windows boot, and this option can be disabled from the tray icon's context menu.
Attractive web interface
It may take a while for the media manager to load in the web browser. As far as looks goes, Plex Media Server is sleek and sophisticated, thanks to a dark theme and intuitively displayed buttons.
So, you can add a new library by selecting its type between movies, TV shows, music, photos and home videos, along with library name and language. It is possible to include folders with the containing media files, as well as to customize advanced settings in regard to the scanner and agent. The content can be optionally included in the dashboard.
Manage library content easily
It is possible to sort items by various criteria, edit general information such as year, tagline, genre and collection, add posters, banners and backgrounds, play media within the browser, put together a playlist with multiple media files and randomize them, synchronize library content to the local files, use a search location to locate a particular file, as well as track all activity performed you and other users with access to the media library.
Evaluation and conclusion
No error dialogs were shown in our testing, and the program did not hang or crash. It has minimal impact on computer performance, thanks to the fact that it runs on low CPU and memory. However, it sometimes takes a long while to load media. Other than that, Plex Media Server features an impressive set of intuitive features for all users who want to easily stream their local media files to a media center.
Plex Media Server Video Guide
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SageTV Media Center
A software application that permits you to enjoy all your favorite TV shows live or schedule to record them for viewing at a later date
SageTV Media Center provides a full-featured multimedia server with support for playing videos, music, or photo slideshows, and recording TV shows. Based on a client-server architecture, it enables you to access your personal multimedia library from multiple workstations.
Multi-step configuration wizard to set up the media center
Upon launch, you will have to go through a configuration wizard to set up the server in detail. While it might seem tiring to take so many steps before accessing the media center, keep in mind that this is a one-time configuration. The upside is that you can always go to the ‘Setup’ part of the menu and change what you have previously selected.
SageTV Media Center is designed to load in fullscreen mode, which hides the outdated Windows XP-like interface displayed in window mode. Overall, the media center is quite easy to use, seeing that all available actions are displayed in the main screen, as a list.
Browse online videos, or watch and record TV shows
SageTV Media Center makes browsing for shows on the Internet extremely easy. In the main menu, there is an option called ‘Online Services’ that allows you to land on all the most used and popular video websites, but also numerous pages of news, weather and entertainment (American Idol, Cool Hunting Video, etc.) and so on.
You can access the program guide for the current day on numerous channels detected for your country, or you can schedule to record some of the shows that you are not going to be able to see live.
Multimedia center with integrated search options
The program also features a ‘Media Center’ where you can import music, photos, and videos. SageTV is compatible with various multimedia formats, allowing you to enjoy watching clips and playing slideshows.
If your library gets large, then you can use the built-in search function of SageTV to look for videos, music, photos, or TV airings.
A multimedia center based on a client-server architecture
SageTV Media Center makes it possible for you to watch TV when you want to, and browse videos from the Internet, or movies and music from your computer. And thanks to the client application, you can also share multimedia content on multiple Windows devices.
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Emby Server
A media server that you can use to organize your entire video, audio and photo collection and access it remotely from multiple devices
Previously known as Media Browser Server, Emby Server facilitates the communication and data transfer between your PC and DLNA-compliant devices in your network, enabling you to enjoy videos, music and photos on any platform.
Stream multimedia content over a network
With its help, you can stream multimedia content to a compatible device that has a dedicated client installed, such as Emby Theater, Media Browser Classic or XBMC (now known as Kodi), which require an API key in order to initiate the connection.
Furthermore, the developers provide media clients or plugins for Roku, Samsung Smart TVs and MediaPortal, allowing fast access to the media library. And thanks to the available mobile apps for devices running on iOS, Android, Windows Phone or Windows 8, you can pick up exactly where you left off, regardless of your location.
Effortlessly organize your media library
The server offers a secure and comfortable way to organize and manage your multimedia library, as well as keep an eye on the initiated connections. Moreover, it takes care of the file transfers and the transcoding process, ensuring compatibility with the target device without requiring prior conversion.
Media Browser Server features a web-based interface that requires any modern web browser to run. From the dashboard, you can easily change the server configuration, create and manage users, add media to the library and delete existing files, download and attach subtitles, artwork and metadata information to the media folders, extract chapter images and many more.
Allows media sharing and streaming
Media Browser Server allows media file sharing and streaming between multiple devices and platforms. It is a UPnP media server that allows data sharing over the network, without requiring advanced configuration.
Thanks to the path substitution technology, clients can be allowed direct access to the server, which facilitates direct playback, without additional resource usage to transcode content.
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PicApport
Create your own photo server and connect devices to it with this powerful application that allows you to view either picture thumbnails or slideshows
PicApport is meant to help users establish remote connections to their very own photo server. The program creates a local picture server that loads the designated images folder.
Create a local hub to share favorite photos
The software is built around a client-server architecture. This allows setting up private remote connections with all sorts of modern gadgets, like tablets and smart phones.
The really nice feature is that, unlike alternative solutions, none of the private contents are transferred to third-party sites!
Once users specify their pictures folder, the software automatically generates a remote HTTP or HTTPS server. The port used to connect to it can be customized by users.
Sorting and creating slideshows is supported
Upon completion, browsing through the files is possible. The software not only lists files, but can also sort them.
For example, a name ascending filter can be applied in order to view only certain files. A random method of sorting is also available, which can be quite fun, more-so when coupled with the program's “Slideshow” function.
As the name suggests, this generates a photo album that browses through the uploaded catalog and displays files according to the defined sorting filters. An interesting note is that users can control the transition speed.
The interface is really intuitive and new-comers will find operating the utility a breeze. For the more technologically-advanced users, a whole range of server customization options is available. And, just in case things get tangled, a detailed help is on demand to save the day!
A great resource for photo sharing
In conclusion, PicApport is a very simple to use, yet powerful and comprehensive utility for all your picture-sharing needs.
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Wowza Streaming Engine
A media server that can help users simplify multimedia streaming by helping them create remote connections and watch remote videos
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Wowza Streaming Engine is a flexible media server you can rely on when you want to stream high-quality multimedia contents to any remote device.
When running locally, the server needs a browser and Java
Before you get to enjoy its functions, you need to make sure you have Java installed on your host machine. Otherwise, you cannot deploy the media server.
When running it for the first time, you are required to choose a username and a password that will later need to be entered whenever accessing the server. This is the moment to specify that the only way to run Wowza Streaming Engine locally is via your default browser (or any other browser you prefer).
If the web-based dashboard is not automatically opened, you can access it manually by entering this address: http://localhost:8088/enginemanager/login.htm.
Get an overview of all current connections and test players
The main window of Wowza Streaming Engine offers various details regarding the server uptime, as well as the status of the incoming and outgoing connections. Moreover, you can view a graph with the CPU and Memory usage for the PC and the server.
If you are not very familiarized with streaming, you can take some time and test the available players so as to make sure their quality meets your expectations.
Create Live or VOD applications
When you are ready to customize the server to your liking, you can create a new application, either a live or a VOD (video-on-demand) one, and assign it a relevant name.
From this point on, you can define the playback types by selecting among MPEG-DASH, Apple HLS, Adobe RTMP, Adobe HDS, Microsoft Smooth Streaming or RTSP/RTP. You can choose the streaming file directory and the closed caption sources while also getting the possibility to restrict the number of player connections.
Once the app is up and running, you can monitor the uptime for each of its connections, as well as the recorded bandwidth speeds. Adding a new stream file or configuring encoders and camcorders can be performed with ease.
All in all, Wowza Streaming Engine is a robust solution for all those who want to stream multimedia contents to remote devices and are not scared of browsing through a hefty documentation first.
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PlayOn Home
A powerful media server that you can use to broadcast images, songs and movies across multiple devices, fixed and mobile in a few steps
Marketed as a "robust PC application for the new way you watch TV," PlayOn is, at heart, a tool for organizing your streaming media.
It's part media player, part media downloader, part online organizer, and part media server. So what does it do? In short, it aggregates all your streaming websites into one easy-to-use GUI, with a bit of extra functionality such as the option to download and record streaming media.
App generalities
Before anything else, you should know that PlayOn comes in two flavors: PlayOn Desktop (available for Windows only, and the one we're talking about here ) and PlayOn Cloud.
There are also two versions (Free and Paid) with a pretty massive gap between them in terms of functionality, but we'll cover that a bit later.
Probably the most impressive aspect of PlayOn is the massive support for a plethora of devices. You can stream, cast, and download streaming content to TVs, PCs, tablets, or mobile devices.
It's also compatible with various gaming consoles such as PlayStation (3 and 4), Wii, Wii U, Xbox (360 and One). Furthermore, Chromecast, Google TV, Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Roku, and WDTV are supported as well.
When it comes to mobile devices, you can benefit from support for Android phones, BlackBerry 10 smartphones, iPads, and iPhones, as well as Kindle Fire devices. Last but not least, PlayOn also works with Kodi and DLNA Smart TVs.
Please note that you can't benefit from all the features on all devices. For example, on some devices, you can only stream, while others offer the full range of options (stream and cast). For more details, visit the dedicated Devices section.
App GUI and other interesting features
Regardless of your computer knowledge, you will find PlayOn a very streamlined app. While not being much of a reason to write home about, the GUI is pretty decent for such an app.
The app sports a somewhat dated interface with an intuitive layout. You are provided with quick access to the most important sections such as Notifications, Subscriptions, Media Library, Recordings, and so forth.
So, you can record pretty much anything from most streaming platforms, you can stream and cast content to various devices with relative ease, and you can record and download content as MP4s.
In addition, you're also provided with various nifty little features such as AdSkip (which automatically skips the ads when you playback your recordings), and something called Off-Peak Recording (basically, you can program the app to record shows only between certain time intervals).
Conclusion
While using PlayOn, we couldn't stop thinking about the app's relevance in today's context is. This is mostly due to the fact that most streaming platforms offer offline viewing in one form or another.
Nevertheless, PlayOn can become particularly helpful for all those who are dealing with multiple platforms at once and want to not only organize but to record multiple shows for offline viewing.
While PlayOn is a very decent app/platform, backed up by some pretty useful features, the Free plan is not offering your much. That said, if you want to benefit from everything that PlayOn has to offer, you'll have to pay up.
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