19 BEST Media Server Software in 2021

A Media Server is an application software that stores digital media like audio, video, and images and makes it available over a network. 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.

1) Plex

Plex is a media server software that enables you to take care of the large size of media collections. The application allows you to play TV shows, movies, personal videos, and many more. This software helps you to share videos with your family.

Feature:

• You can use it on Smart TVs, Android, Apple, and more.
• It has various movies and shows to choose from.
• This software stream your videos.
• It provides a live DVR and TV.
• The tool automatically syncs your media to mobile phones.
• You can upload media files from your camera.

Link: https://www.plex.tv/

2) Stremio

Stremio is a modern media server software that provides a solution for your video entertainment. It helps you to enjoy movies, live TV, and TV shows. This application can be easily used from any device.

Features:

• It allows you to organize your media content with ease.
• You can use Stremio to watch content from addons.
• It is open-source hence the code written using this tool can be edited.
• The software allows you to watch video content easily.
• Stremio can be used for smartphones, desktop PC, and tablets.

Link: https://www.stremio.com/

3) PlayOn

PlayOn is a computer application that helps you to watch TV. It arranges streaming websites and media servers for easily store photos, music, and video.

Features:

• You can stream shows from desktop, phone, or tablet.
• It allows you to record and download videos as MP4.
• Record episodes with just one mouse click.
• The app can automatically skip the advertisement when playback video.
• You can transfer the recording to your iPad, iPhone, and Android device.

Link: https://www.playon.tv/features

4) Emby Server

Emby Server is a media server tool that enables you to manage, video, music, and photo from one place. It automatically converts and streams any media so that you can play on any device.

Features:

• You can quickly sign in to play the videos.
• It enables you to watch live TV.
• The application enables you to manage content access for your children.
• It automatically organizes personal media into rich displays.
• Emby provides notification for any server activity.
• You can manage the media access time limit without any hassle.

Link: https://emby.media/

5) OSMC

OSMC is open-source and free media player. It enables you to play media from your local network. This tool allows you to play videos from a USB stick.

Features:

• It offers easy to use User Interface.
• You can quickly install this software.
• It provides software updates on a regular basis.
• You can manage any media files.
• The supported platform is Linux.

Link: https://osmc.tv/

6) Kodi

Kodi is free to use a player that is specially designed to play movies. This app offers an interactive full-screen interface. It supports a wide variety of media formats like MIDI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4.

Feature:

• It can be run on wide verities of devices, including desktop PC, Mobile, tablet, etc.
• Users can play media files from the network and your PC.
• This app can import browse and play collections of movies with ease.
• It enables you to change the appearance of the player completely.
• This tool offers TV shows library that supports seasons and episodes

Link: https://kodi.tv/

7) Jellyfin

Jellyfin is free media software. It helps you to stream any media from your server. This application allows you to collect and manages videos.

Features:

• You can collect your TV shows and organize by season.
• It enables you to enjoy your music party with ease.
• You can watch live TV.
• It can automatically record your TV.
• You can store media files securely.

Link: https://jellyfin.org/

8) Subsonic

Subsonic is a personal media streamer. It enables you to listen to music from any browser. The application supports MP3, AAC, and OGG audio-video format.

Features:

• Text search tool to find tracks quickly.
• It allows you to assign comments and ratings to albums.
• The tool helps you to create a playlist and share it with other people.
• You can add, remove, repeat, and rearrange audio files.
• This application is available in 28+ languages.
• It contains more than 30 different themes.
• Subsonic enables you to configure the user interface.
• You can stream audio directly from your mobile phone.

Link: http://www.subsonic.org/pages/index.jsp

9) Media Portal

Media Portal is a tool that enables you to connect PC directly to your TV and displays movies, TV series, and photo. It allows you to use remote to control your Home theater PC.

Features:

• You can listen to radio and music.
• It enables you to check the news, weather, and more.
• Media Portal can be accessed from the mobile device or web.
• The software can be used to schedule and record live TV.
• You can experience media on LCD, plasma, or projector.

Link: https://www.team-mediaportal.com/

10) Mezzmo

Mezzmo is a media server software for streaming TV shows, movies, music, and photos. The tool is easy to use as well as highly configurable. It works with all popular devices like browser, TV, home theater systems, and more.

Features:

• It provides metadata details like artwork, artists, titles, and more.
• The tool allows you to select the audio language.
• It enables you to organize your media collection with ease.
• Mezzmo provides full playback control, including play, stop, pause, seek, and more.

Link: http://www.conceiva.com/products/mezzmo/

11) TVersity

TVersity is a tool that enables you to stream web and personal media. It helps you to watch movies and videos from computer to TV or mobile.

Features:

• The application helps you to play premium internet content on your television.
• It provides fast browsing of your media library.
• TVersity offers a command line interface.
• It supports multiple devices simultaneously.

Link: http://tversity.com/

12) Serviio

Serviio is a free media server software that allows you to stream media files on TV and mobile phones. The tool is based on Java technology, and therefore it is platform-independent.

Features:

• You can control Serviio with the Alexa device and by your voice command.
• It offers a user-friendly user interface.
• The application supports RAW camera images.
• You can categorize video files into movies or series.
• It auto-updates media when you remove the media file.
• The tool supports video thumbnails, DVD posters, CD covers, etc.

Link: https://serviio.org/

13) OpenELEC

OpenELEC is a tool that enables you to play movies collections. It allows you to browse zoom and rotate your pictures.

Features:

• The tool is easily expandable with Add-ons.
• It offers a music player.
• You can manage your TV series and enables you to keep track of favorite episodes.
• OpenELEC can record TV and personal videos.

ink: https://openelec.tv/

14) JRiver Media Center

JRiver Media Center is a program that enables you to manage and watch movies and videos. You can control your media using iPhone, iPad, and more.

Features:

• It provides easy to use user interface.
• The tool offers a music player.
• It contains a media database for managing large collections.
• The JRiver Media Center provides a friendly community forum.

Link: https://www.jriver.com/purchase.html

15) OpenFLIXR

OpenFLIXR is a media server application for automatic downloading and serving media files. The tool supports auto-updating to keep it up to date. It is easy to use and can be installed quickly.

Features:

• You can control all the media devices at your home.
• The tool provides secure remote access.
• You can monitor a log file in real time.
• OpenFLIXR can organize your movies, series, and music.
• It can be run on any platform.

Link: https://www.openflixr.com/

16) madsonic

Madsonic is a media streamer and web-based audio, video, and photo library. The tool is based on Java and, therefore, supports all its features.

Features:

• It is easy to use an open-source tool
• You can manage more than 100,000 files in your music collection with no limitation.
• Madsonic software can resample the music to a suitable bitrate.
• You can set an upper limit of streaming music when you have limited bandwidth.
• The tool can be used for Windows, Linux, OS X, and Mac.

Link: https://www.madsonic.org/

17) imediashare

Imediashare is application to watch videos on the TV screen and mobile device without any interruption. It enables you to discover sports, news, and fitness classes with ease.

Features:

• You can adjust the volume from a mobile device.
• It is available for iPhone and Android phones.
• The tool has a simple and easy to use interface.
• It works with TV and audio systems.
• Imediashare supports push to play facility on Apple TV.

Link: http://www.imediashare.tv/

18) Ampache

Ampache is an open source tool that enables you to browse and manage music using easy to use web interface. It allows you to listen to your favorite songs on the website with HTML 5 player.

Features:

• It is open source.
• Listen to music on the phone, television, and tablet.
• The tool enables you to edit the music album without any hassle.
• You can search the entire music album.
• It enables you to browse audio-video library with ease.

Link: http://ampache.org/

19) Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server is a tool that enables you to organize and serves video, audio, and images to any device. The application can stream to any device, including LG, Sony, Samsung, and more.

Features:

• All media files can be played with ease.
• It provides security using HTTPS.
• You can manage plugins with ease.
• The application helps you to play video and audio to DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) devices.
• It is available for Apple, Windows, and Linux.

Link: https://www.universalmediaserver.com/

FAQ

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