Without going to a movie theater or needing any other equipment, you can watch TV shows and movies, listen to music, and look at images on your smartphone. This is where media streaming server comes in handy.
As more and more things go online, more and more conveniences and entertainments are within reach without having to leave the house. With an internet connection and the right gear, you can watch live streaming of sports, news, and other events no matter where you happen to be physically located.
One such option is the media streaming server, which eliminates buffering and other interruptions when watching videos and other media.
What is a Media Server Software?
A media server is a computer that stores and serves digital media files including movies, music, and pictures through a computer network. It can send digital content to a wide variety of devices, including NAS, smart TVs, PCs, Apple and Android smartphones, and more.
A cloud server, a computer, and media server software are all necessities for managing digital content. The software’s clean design and user-friendly interface make it a breeze to import and sort through media.
In addition to your coworkers and acquaintances, you can share these files with your loved ones. The Amazon Fire Stick, the Google Chromecast, and many others are all supported by a wide variety of media server software.
Why is it recommended to use media server software?
The use of media server software has many practical applications in both the home and the workplace. Since it supports simultaneous playback on several devices, you can view the content whenever you like. Simply bring your laptop, speakers, and/or headphones from home to the company conference room, sit back on your couch, and play the media for your coworkers. The advantages of using media server software are as follows:
Robust servers
Thanks to cutting-edge technology and sophisticated software, media servers can store and serve all of your media. You can also get information about the songs you own, the musicians who sang them, where and when they were performed, who directed the movies, etc. Because it exemplifies the mutual assistance of server and client within the program, it can be used to both professional and private use.
Minimal to zero maintenance
Normal hardware should not cause you to lose any of your important data due to mechanical failure. These issues may be avoided. And your data can be kept safe with little any upkeep, thanks to the cloud. And fanless technologies used in today’s servers.
Strengthened data privacy and protection
When you have your own server, you can decide where your information is stored. And how much control you want to have over it. Enterprises can benefit especially greatly from this. As an added measure, you can set up a data protection technique to ensure no unauthorised access to sensitive information occurs.
Improved accessibility
Don’t let technical difficulties or interruptions spoil your pleasure of your favorite shows. Most media servers are trustworthy and provide data accessibility with little to no downtime.
10 Best Media Streaming Server for Personal and Business Use
Next, when looking for media streaming server software, you have many options. To help you out, we’ve collected a list of the best media streaming server programs available. Look into these and see what resonates with you.
1. Plex
Regardless of where you are or what device you’re using. Plex will allow you to stream your live TV, recorded shows, favorite online shows, podcasts, and news. You may watch over 130 stations without paying a dime. And if you upgrade, you’ll have an incredible TV experience with the ability to record and watch local sports, news, entertainment whenever you choose.
You can watch over 20,000 free TV episodes. And movies on demand from major studios including Warner Brothers, Lionsgate, MGM, Crackle, and more can be seen. Your personal media library, songs, TV shows, photos can be accessed and viewed from any device. And if you want the best entertainment possible while simultaneously contributing to a great cause, you may sign up for their Premium plan.
The partnership between Atari and Plex has also resulted in the release of Plex Arcade. It’s a place where you can take your personal collection of emulator and ROM games, as well as your favorite devices, and play some of the best Atari games ever made.
2. Stremio
Stremio is a state-of-the-art media streaming server solution for constant amusement, enabling users to easily find, organize, and watch video content. This is a one-stop-shop if you want to watch shows, movies, sports, web channels, or live TV.
Stremio may be downloaded via the App Store and Google Play for iOS and Android devices, as well as for Windows, Linux, and Mac. It’s easy to set up on any gadget and gives you access to an endless supply of your preferred videos.
All that’s left to do after installing Stremio is to create an account and then use it to access the addon catalog, where you can install any of the fifty-plus available addons. Then, to watch videos, head to the Board or Discover areas. As an open-source project, Stremio has been proven to be a trustworthy piece of software. It’s open-source nature means you can examine its code yourself or have someone else do it.
To register and sync your account, they only need the minimum information possible. Intriguingly, they also have a mode called Guest Mode that doesn’t require registration. And doesn’t contact their servers. Unfortunately, this option does not allow for library synchronisation between multiple devices.
Stremio is compatible with Chromecast, so you may cast from your Android phone or computer using any app that supports casting. It’s compatible with a wide variety of Android-based devices, such as the Amazon Fire Stick and the NVIDIA Shield. And may be expanded upon outside of the add-on marketplace. Additionally, Stremio works with HTTP links, magnet links, and torrent files.
3. PlayOn
PlayOn Desktop provides a fresh perspective on television viewing and is packed with features you’ll love. This powerful PC program provides access to the best streaming sites in one simple interface. PlayOn is an extensive media streaming server that stores and arranges all of your media files in one convenient location. An advanced Digital Video Recorder (DVR) in the form of a Streaming Video Recorder (SVR) is available as an add-on to your subscription.
This SVR allows you to watch movies and TV shows online or download them to watch later. PlayOn Desktop lets you capture content from the most popular streaming services, such as Netflix, Disney Plus, YouTube, Amazon Prime, HBO GO, Hulu, and HBO Max.
You can easily cast and stream videos with your streaming device. PlayOn allows you to make unlimited video recordings to MP4 files. You can subscribe to a series and have new episodes automatically recorded. Or you can record an entire season with a single click.
When listening to recordings, AdSkip will automatically skip over any distracting commercial breaks. The only thing you have to do to avoid using your computer or bandwidth at peak times is to schedule your recording for a time when those things are less busy. Videos can be copied to an iPad, iPhone, or Android device for offline viewing.
PlayOn Desktop makes it easy to find great videos and offers expert recommendations. PlayOn’s monthly selection of recommended movies and TV shows for streaming, casting, and recording. 50 GB of storage, 100+ SD hours are given. And 10 recording credits are included in their cheapest monthly plan that costs $2.99.
4. Emby
With Emby, you can watch your favorite movies and TV shows regardless of where you happen to be. It quickly and easily compiles all of your personal media—movies, photos, and music—into a central repository, from which you can start transcoding and streaming to your mobile device.
Emby Connect allows you to access your home media collection from anywhere in the world, without the need to memorize and enter complex IP addresses. All that’s needed is an Emby account and the willingness to press the play button. It lets you access your records and DVR settings from anywhere, stream live TV, and watch TV on any device.
Parental controls allow you to restrict your children’s access to inappropriate material by keeping tabs on their activity, limiting their screen time, and blocking them from visiting certain sites. Emby can be used immediately once the server is installed and configured with the help of the straightforward installation process.
Emby is available as a free download for a wide variety of mobile platforms, including iOS (iPad and iPhone), Android, Windows Tablets, and Windows Phone. Now is the time to head to the dashboard and start planning your binge-watching session by exploring the various media at your disposal.
Emby now has apps for the Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox, Chromecast, and Home Theater PC, so you can stream videos from your computer to your TV.
Emby is able to detect Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) devices on your local network, giving you greater control over your private media library. Included in the premium Emby Premiere subscription are cover art, mobile sync. Also cloud sync, and a selection of free Android apps.
5. OSMC
OSMC stands for Open Source Media Player, and it is a free and open-source media player designed to deliver exceptional fun. Music, pictures, videos, movies, and TV shows are all available here, along with details about them such release date, cast, genre, composer, and director.
OSMC is not only easy to use, but also looks great. It’s reliable and secure because it’s based on open source. In addition, Kodi Media Center and Debian Linux serve as the foundation for OSMC.
By browsing the OSMC App Store from anywhere in the world, you may remotely modify your media center setup to suit your own tastes. It’s compatible with a wide variety of streaming protocols and devices. Also supports a wide variety of video types, including MP4.
The OSMC flagship device Vero 4K+ also offers full 4K compatibility, 10 bit content. And also HD audio, and HEVC decoding, so you can play anything you want.
6. Kodi
Once known as XBMC, Kodi is now an open-source media player that anybody may download and use for free. The non-profit technology collaboration Kodi/XBMC Foundation developed it. It’s compatible with a wide variety of computer architectures and operating systems.
Kodi’s 10-foot interface works with standard remotes and screen sizes. It makes it easy to watch movies, listen to podcasts, and listen to music stored online or on a local device.
You can fine-tune and personalize the settings for optimal enjoyment with any of the nearly 985 available add-ons. Kodi’s extensive features, on top of its beautiful and intuitive UI, multiply your fun by a factor of four.
Kodi can run on any platform, including Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi, Android, tvOS, OS X, and iOS. Kodi allows you to organize your music collection like never before, with support for practically all formats, party mixes, playlists, and more.
Add cast genres, artwork, and other features to your movie collection in place of simply stacking DVDs on a shelf. If you’re looking for a tool to help you watch multiple episodes of a show in one sitting, Kodi is it! Instead of scattering your pictures all over your device, you can organize and show them off in slideshows or on a big screen.
Install their PVR addon to record and view TV episodes at a later time. And customize the look of Kodi with a new skin. Kodi can also be used to listen to and manage internet radio stations remotely.
7. Jellyfin
Volunteer-developed program Jellyfin can help you organize your media more effectively. It gives you the freedom to share videos from your server to any device, in any way you see fit. The flexibility of Jellyfin allows you to easily amass and organize your media collection. Also stream your favorite shows and movies, and enjoy them.
Simply launch your Jellyfin server on your gadget to gain access to this cost-free entertainment option. Posters come in a wide variety of styles, perfect for archiving your whole film collection. Select the seasons you’d want to watch and have the movies and shows organized for you.
You may make your own playlists from your whole music collection and take them with you everywhere you go. Automatic recording allows you to stream live TV and save recordings to your library. It works with many platforms and browsers, including Android, iOS with AirPlay, Fire TV, Android TV, Roku, and more.
If you already have Kodi or Chromecast installed, you can use those instead. Jellyfin is open and accessible, thus your data is safe from being monitored or controlled. They only collect information from people who voluntarily provide it, such as crash reports, account information, and so on.
What’s even better is that there are no subscription fees or other hidden costs associated with running a Jellyfin server. Use it for whatever you like, whether that’s for fun or for work. You are free to modify, study, produce, and distribute this open-source software as long as you adhere to the terms of the GNU General Public License.
8. Subsonic
Subsonic is an intuitive and easy-to-use music player for your computer or mobile device. It gives you access to your media library from anywhere, on any device, with the use of either the Subsonic app or a web browser.
We spent a lot of time making sure the interface was optimised for swiftly navigating huge libraries of content. You may quickly find your preferred tunes with the open-ended search bar. It also shows album covers, including those from ID3 tags.
You have the option of creating a playlist and then sharing it with others. You can leave comments and star ratings for your favorite albums, songs, and artists. To top it all off, you may manipulate the playback order and its contents by adding, removing, repeating, shuffling, saving, and loading songs.
Subsonic is compatible with a wide variety of audio and video formats, including those that are streamed through HTTP. Playlists saved in M3U, XSPF, or PLS formats can be imported or exported with ease.
It works with any network-capable media player, such as iTunes, Winamp, VLC, XMMS, Windows Media Player, MusicMatch, and Flash players. It uses the SHOUTcast protocol, displays metadata like artist, song, etc., and is compatible with HLS video streaming.
Tags in MP3, FLAC, OGG, APE, and WMA files can be edited and parsed with the help of the Jaudiotagger library. Experience music in any of your chosen genres, with an avatar tailored just to you, in any of 28 different languages, using any of 30 different visual styles, with a completely customizable interface.
The server address can be changed to something like yourname.subsonic.org. Subsonic can be used by multiple people at once, and it can connect to other online services to improve the listening experience.
It also supports account encryption via LDAP and HTTPS. Bonus features include the ability to play media on UPnP/DLNA-compatible devices, such as Sonos and Chromecast, as well as download podcasts, manage radio and online TV stations, and more.
9. MediaPortal
If you switch to MediaPortal, your computer will become a cutting-edge media center. The system requires no special hardware, allows for direct TV connection, and displays your shows, photos, movies, music, and more in real time.
Enjoy your favorite shows and movies on a big screen in the comfort of your own home with a plasma, LCD, LED, or projector TV. Like a TiVo, you can watch, record, and schedule live TV at no cost. It can play audio and video formats like DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, and movies.
Slideshows can be made out of the saved photographs and videos. While comfortably seated on the sofa, you can adjust the playing selection with the press of a button on the included remote. MediaPortal allows you to access the latest headlines, forecasts, and more from your mobile device or the online.
You can use one of the many available skins or plugins to keep an eye on your home theater PC, check scores and showtimes, watch and record web TV, play YouTube videos, Apple trailers, internet radio, and whatever song or genre you’ve selected from a predefined playlist.
Streaming, downloading, and playing media is a breeze with MediaPortal because of how intuitive the interface is. Start your journey with them at no cost and take in a wide range of media while munching on popcorn.
10. Serviio
Are you looking for a way to watch free videos on your computer, phone, or tablet? Serviio is a free media streaming server that enables you stream your photos, videos, and music to many different devices, such as TVs, game consoles, mobile phones, Blu-ray players, Xbox 360, iPads, MusicPal, ROKU, and Xbox One.
As a result of Serviio’s profile support, users may maximize their devices’ capabilities and suffer less from a limited selection of supported media formats, resulting in a more satisfying media-viewing experience (via transcoding). The only reason Serviio works on Mac, Linux, NAS devices, and Windows is because of Java.
The Pro version adds features that make it easier to collaborate and use across devices. As an alternative, you can utilise voice commands using an Alexa-enabled device. Just tell Serviio what you want to see. Then it will start playing. Internet content such as live audio/video, web page content, and RSS feeds can be streamed with the use of plugins.
Serviio not only allows for subtitles to be inserted, but it also updates your media library whenever new media files or metadata files are added or withdrawn. You have access to a wide variety of local library resources and can store RAW images. On a wide variety of devices, Serviio provides access to user-editable renderer profiles. As well as automatic device detection and profile assignment.
Various types of metadata, including local metadata, embedded tags, internet metadata, Swisscenter, XBMC. And MyMovies, can be extracted from media files with its help. Furthermore, Serviio is able to display video previews, DVD posters, and CD covers. Because of its advanced technology, you can save time by uploading multiple files at once and marking those that have already been seen.
It’s compatible with a wide variety of audio, video, image, playlist, and subtitle formats, including MP3, MP2, WMA Lossless, OGG, ALAC, DSF, WAV, and many more!
Conclusion
The primary function of media streaming server is to allow you to stream the media files of your choice. Compare the costs and features of the several media streaming server listed above to choose the one that works best for your specific situation.