DLNA server for home and family
Somehow it happened that the DLNA server tag is more often found in question posts than in answers. And if some user experience has been accumulated in matters of installing a Windows PC on a home PC, then it turned out to be difficult to decide on the choice of software for a home server / NAS and media center. Distributed in sandboxes people separately solve the problems of each program separately. But to understand what is worth of them and whether it is necessary at all - I personally did not succeed.
And now, I am armed with a link from Wikipedia. How to choose a DLNA server under Windows, Mac OS X or Linux - I tried almost everything that is under Linux.
Probably this path has already been passed by most - new media devices are appearing in the house, the number of family members consuming media content is growing, the base of films, music and photos swells.
In addition, each builds media infrastructure in its own way. Someone is a computer with TV-OUT, someone has a netbook or HTPC. Someone shares folders with NAS over NFS, someone connects the HDD to a media player, someone uses the features of Sony PS ...
Confusion appears in storage locations, formats, codecs, etc.
So, in my case it turned out:
In general, the only option to make friends with all this menagerie among themselves is to use a DLNA server.
Theoretically, it will reduce the content from different places to a single tree of folders, and the resolution will adjust and the compatibility of the codecs will be checked and, if necessary, recoded. Beauty…
')
A home computer is usually a Windows machine. Watching a movie with transcoding while someone is playing does not work out; 24/7 mode is not close. The role is not suitable. Therefore, I did not even consider the Windows versions of the programs.
DD-WRT / OpenWRT router - there are packages for these firmware and they work. Hardware resources are very limited - transcoding is unrealistic, the speed of access to the USB port and network folders is very limited. Nevertheless, it suits many people.
NAS or Linux home server is the most universal solution. There are a lot of programs. There are no restrictions on protocols. The performance of x86 processors 5 years ago (in my case, this is the Athlon X2-6000) is enough for simultaneous recoding of two films of any format on-the-fly.
These are different projects, but in essence they are one and the same. Lightweight and fast. The only function they perform is to provide network access to media files via the DLNA / UPnP protocol. All the rest of the player or TV should be able to do it yourself. DLNA is not fully supported and many devices simply don’t see these servers.
Very massive. Work everywhere. Packages exist for all sorts of Linux distributions, routers with DD-WRT / OpenWRT firmware and NAS. The installation procedure is the simplest and well-written on the profile forums. No GUI
If you, and only you (otherwise inevitable complaints of family members):
- then you can be limited to such a DLNA-server. Choose from them the one that is in the packages under your piece of iron and will be seen by the render.
The developers clearly write that "this is not a DLNA-server, it only supports some of its functions." Although there may be some compatibility issues, this is a completely worthy project.
There is already a GUI working through the built-in http-server - it can manage folders with content. Add new ones, create shortcuts to existing ones, set scanning intervals, etc.
It is well distributed - there is no problem to install in any Linux distribution kit, heavy dependencies do not pull by themselves. Configured by a single text file. Very stable in operation, not resource intensive.
You can use transcoding, but it is implemented in a prototype. So, the binding of profiles is carried out to the format of the input file, and not to the output device. The server does not distinguish at all who connected to it. Accordingly, there are no ready profiles for devices - everything needs to be configured manually:
In my case, I had to write a separate script to set the ffmpeg arguments based on the audio track format (DTS or AC3).
At the same time, when viewing a transcoded stream on the TV, rewinding and selecting audio tracks will not work. Screw subtitles - also a separate song.
In general, MediaTomb is a very brutal tool for true Linux users. You can’t call it universal, but you can adjust your hardware for yourself and your hardware perfectly.
Mass, there is almost everywhere. But it is very crookedly put into daemon mode (you need to write the init script yourself, create folders and users). It is part of the gnome project and pulls up gstreamer (or even pulseaudio). If anyone has KDE on the computer or something else, it is completely inconvenient. Icons for the video generates through the tumbler from the XFCE project, and then with nuances. Falls regularly.
My hands did not reach the study of transcoding features. My verdict is " not fit ."
Very old project. And although from its initial use: “Distribute movies / music from home PC Windows to Sony PS,” the project has evolved greatly. But the JAVA code and requirements for launching the X server turned me off from it.
DLNA server is there. But to keep this combine for the sake of only one module is stupid.
Moreover, it was from XBMC that a separate project of the Plex media server was born.
Curve it some. Showed me the whole directory tree instead of the selected folder. Files opened only a few and regularly strewed errors in the console. I didn't understand transconding at all.
Very heavy due to JAVA code. You must have a running X server - you will not install it with a daemon. " Not fit. "
The project is abandoned. Attention is not worthy.
Simple and convenient implementation of the DLNA server. It is enough to select folders with files, rigidly set transcoding parameters, audio track, subtitles. No pofiley, settings. Besides, this is a GUI application, not to be installed by the daemon.
In my opinion, it is useless in this form - one of many and far from the best.
Perhaps the fastest growing project now. Regularly updated. Actively cluttered with plug-ins, profiles and applications for mobile OS.
This is a JAVA application running by a daemon. DLNA protocol support is complete. Quite skillfully scatters content in folders and categories. Able to create thumbnails to movies. Easily connect different channels on-line broadcast.
Transcodes with ffmpeg. The base of device profiles is already quite large (and continues to be replenished) - the server correctly selects the encoding parameters for any of the home hardware. What did not recognize - pick up a profile or write your own is not difficult.
Due to the fact that ffmpeg is used - the same problem as in mediatomb - there is no rewind in the transcoded stream and the audio track does not change.
All this is controlled either from a JAVA client, or a web-muzzle written in PHP, or a smartphone (there are applications for Android and WP).
Unfortunately not available as a .deb or .rpm package. You need to install manually: create folders, user, unpack, take an init-script on the support forum, set it to autorun. "There is a ready package for Synology NAS.
In general, it may well become a single point of access to media content at home. All that is needed - he knows how.
Not included in the Linux repository, and therefore rare. But it has a graphical installer and carries jre with it, and therefore will become almost any system. It is inconvenient because it is launched in two steps - first the utility in SystemTray, then the media-server itself. Without X and the demon will not go. Very simple and concise, but it loads the system very much (JAVA code).
It costs $ 30 (or monthly fee of $ 1.5 / month). Available as .deb and .rpm packages. It's not difficult to install in Ubuntu / Fedora - the built-in vlc and ffmpeg will surely find the missing libraries and refuse to work. I couldn’t find the vlc USE flags in Gentoo. It did not work at all, I had to redo the profiles, so that only ffmpeg would be used.
In general, transcoding profiles are his forte. You can set any logic and any parameters.
Managed through a nice WEB-face. It has a rich database of transcoding profiles. There are play files through the built-in http-server. It does not know how to generate thumbnails.
It works quickly and beautifully. Good candidate.
Set by unpacking tar.gz. or through the installer. It is not in the Linux repositories. Very fast code, instant start, convenient web-interface. Well and competently scatters content in folders. There are ready-made init scripts. Able to extract meta-data from files and generate thumbnails. All liked it. One misfortune is $ 19.95.
And yet: "I recommend ."
How to write the developers - "A complete Media Solution". I confirm.
This monster grew out of XBMC and can do anything and more. For movies will find posters, ratings and a bunch of data. Series to the same more and distributes by seasons and episodes. The music collection will order from any source type.
Transcoding makes everything out of everything. Parameters can be controlled directly from the on-screen menu of the TV. For smart devices like LG Smart TV and Apple TV, support goes far beyond the DLNA protocol.
There is support for its own cloud service, which allows you to watch home video remotely - the server adjusts the parameters of the video being sent according to the capabilities of the device and the communication channel.
There are separately written clients for mobile OS and Windows 8 tiles.
For Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS and mass NAS models there are ready-made packages. For everything else - set by simple unpacking. From dependencies requires only Avahi-daemon.
Unfortunately, the transcoding mechanism weakly allows for interventions in the work - the profiles can be corrected, but the possibilities are severely limited.
Able to solve any problems within the theme, while free, stable and oddly enough - fast.
I would very much like someone to add this list and / or make changes.
And now, I am armed with a link from Wikipedia. How to choose a DLNA server under Windows, Mac OS X or Linux - I tried almost everything that is under Linux.
DLNA - his place in the home network
Probably this path has already been passed by most - new media devices are appearing in the house, the number of family members consuming media content is growing, the base of films, music and photos swells.
In addition, each builds media infrastructure in its own way. Someone is a computer with TV-OUT, someone has a netbook or HTPC. Someone shares folders with NAS over NFS, someone connects the HDD to a media player, someone uses the features of Sony PS ...
Confusion appears in storage locations, formats, codecs, etc.
So, in my case it turned out:
- Plasma in the living room is better to serve 720p than FullHD
- A Sony TV in a child’s Wi-Fi connection that is larger than 15Mbit / s is better not to feed, H.264 needs Profile 4.1 maximum, and it doesn’t see files at all in network storage.
- Openbox satellite receiver cannot play audio tracks in DTS, SMB doesn’t pull more than 30Mbit / s, NFS doesn’t display Cyrillic
- Nokia Lumia and the iPhone are generally limited everywhere.
In general, the only option to make friends with all this menagerie among themselves is to use a DLNA server.
Theoretically, it will reduce the content from different places to a single tree of folders, and the resolution will adjust and the compatibility of the codecs will be checked and, if necessary, recoded. Beauty…
')
What to put
A home computer is usually a Windows machine. Watching a movie with transcoding while someone is playing does not work out; 24/7 mode is not close. The role is not suitable. Therefore, I did not even consider the Windows versions of the programs.
DD-WRT / OpenWRT router - there are packages for these firmware and they work. Hardware resources are very limited - transcoding is unrealistic, the speed of access to the USB port and network folders is very limited. Nevertheless, it suits many people.
NAS or Linux home server is the most universal solution. There are a lot of programs. There are no restrictions on protocols. The performance of x86 processors 5 years ago (in my case, this is the Athlon X2-6000) is enough for simultaneous recoding of two films of any format on-the-fly.
Personal experience, program evaluation
MiniDLNA, uShare and xupnpd
These are different projects, but in essence they are one and the same. Lightweight and fast. The only function they perform is to provide network access to media files via the DLNA / UPnP protocol. All the rest of the player or TV should be able to do it yourself. DLNA is not fully supported and many devices simply don’t see these servers.
Very massive. Work everywhere. Packages exist for all sorts of Linux distributions, routers with DD-WRT / OpenWRT firmware and NAS. The installation procedure is the simplest and well-written on the profile forums. No GUI
If you, and only you (otherwise inevitable complaints of family members):
- watch / listen only from one omnivorous device (such as a Samsung TV)
- Your device cannot directly take files from network folders or does it too slowly (such as a Sony Bravia TV)
- store movies / music on a cheap NAS or router with a usb drive
- pre-select the content in the right format or do not be lazy to recode manually
- media files are already well sorted by folders or it doesn't bother you at all
- then you can be limited to such a DLNA-server. Choose from them the one that is in the packages under your piece of iron and will be seen by the render.
MediaTomb
The developers clearly write that "this is not a DLNA-server, it only supports some of its functions." Although there may be some compatibility issues, this is a completely worthy project.
There is already a GUI working through the built-in http-server - it can manage folders with content. Add new ones, create shortcuts to existing ones, set scanning intervals, etc.
It is well distributed - there is no problem to install in any Linux distribution kit, heavy dependencies do not pull by themselves. Configured by a single text file. Very stable in operation, not resource intensive.
You can use transcoding, but it is implemented in a prototype. So, the binding of profiles is carried out to the format of the input file, and not to the output device. The server does not distinguish at all who connected to it. Accordingly, there are no ready profiles for devices - everything needs to be configured manually:
- which formats to transcode and which ones to transfer directly
- set the encoder according to the situation: ffmpeg, vlc, mplayer or something else
- set the bitrate, the number of audio channels, H.264 profile and other encoding options
- apply a video filter such as crop cutting or crop
In my case, I had to write a separate script to set the ffmpeg arguments based on the audio track format (DTS or AC3).
At the same time, when viewing a transcoded stream on the TV, rewinding and selecting audio tracks will not work. Screw subtitles - also a separate song.
In general, MediaTomb is a very brutal tool for true Linux users. You can’t call it universal, but you can adjust your hardware for yourself and your hardware perfectly.
Rygel
Mass, there is almost everywhere. But it is very crookedly put into daemon mode (you need to write the init script yourself, create folders and users). It is part of the gnome project and pulls up gstreamer (or even pulseaudio). If anyone has KDE on the computer or something else, it is completely inconvenient. Icons for the video generates through the tumbler from the XFCE project, and then with nuances. Falls regularly.
My hands did not reach the study of transcoding features. My verdict is " not fit ."
PS3 Media Server
Very old project. And although from its initial use: “Distribute movies / music from home PC Windows to Sony PS,” the project has evolved greatly. But the JAVA code and requirements for launching the X server turned me off from it.
Xbmc
DLNA server is there. But to keep this combine for the sake of only one module is stupid.
Moreover, it was from XBMC that a separate project of the Plex media server was born.
Universal media server
Curve it some. Showed me the whole directory tree instead of the selected folder. Files opened only a few and regularly strewed errors in the console. I didn't understand transconding at all.
Very heavy due to JAVA code. You must have a running X server - you will not install it with a daemon. " Not fit. "
GMediaServer
The project is abandoned. Attention is not worthy.
Lximedia
Simple and convenient implementation of the DLNA server. It is enough to select folders with files, rigidly set transcoding parameters, audio track, subtitles. No pofiley, settings. Besides, this is a GUI application, not to be installed by the daemon.
In my opinion, it is useless in this form - one of many and far from the best.
Serviio
Perhaps the fastest growing project now. Regularly updated. Actively cluttered with plug-ins, profiles and applications for mobile OS.
This is a JAVA application running by a daemon. DLNA protocol support is complete. Quite skillfully scatters content in folders and categories. Able to create thumbnails to movies. Easily connect different channels on-line broadcast.
Transcodes with ffmpeg. The base of device profiles is already quite large (and continues to be replenished) - the server correctly selects the encoding parameters for any of the home hardware. What did not recognize - pick up a profile or write your own is not difficult.
Due to the fact that ffmpeg is used - the same problem as in mediatomb - there is no rewind in the transcoded stream and the audio track does not change.
All this is controlled either from a JAVA client, or a web-muzzle written in PHP, or a smartphone (there are applications for Android and WP).
Unfortunately not available as a .deb or .rpm package. You need to install manually: create folders, user, unpack, take an init-script on the support forum, set it to autorun. "There is a ready package for Synology NAS.
In general, it may well become a single point of access to media content at home. All that is needed - he knows how.
Skifta
Not included in the Linux repository, and therefore rare. But it has a graphical installer and carries jre with it, and therefore will become almost any system. It is inconvenient because it is launched in two steps - first the utility in SystemTray, then the media-server itself. Without X and the demon will not go. Very simple and concise, but it loads the system very much (JAVA code).
TVMOBiLi
It costs $ 30 (or monthly fee of $ 1.5 / month). Available as .deb and .rpm packages. It's not difficult to install in Ubuntu / Fedora - the built-in vlc and ffmpeg will surely find the missing libraries and refuse to work. I couldn’t find the vlc USE flags in Gentoo. It did not work at all, I had to redo the profiles, so that only ffmpeg would be used.
In general, transcoding profiles are his forte. You can set any logic and any parameters.
Managed through a nice WEB-face. It has a rich database of transcoding profiles. There are play files through the built-in http-server. It does not know how to generate thumbnails.
It works quickly and beautifully. Good candidate.
Twonkyserver
Set by unpacking tar.gz. or through the installer. It is not in the Linux repositories. Very fast code, instant start, convenient web-interface. Well and competently scatters content in folders. There are ready-made init scripts. Able to extract meta-data from files and generate thumbnails. All liked it. One misfortune is $ 19.95.
And yet: "I recommend ."
Plex
How to write the developers - "A complete Media Solution". I confirm.
This monster grew out of XBMC and can do anything and more. For movies will find posters, ratings and a bunch of data. Series to the same more and distributes by seasons and episodes. The music collection will order from any source type.
Transcoding makes everything out of everything. Parameters can be controlled directly from the on-screen menu of the TV. For smart devices like LG Smart TV and Apple TV, support goes far beyond the DLNA protocol.
There is support for its own cloud service, which allows you to watch home video remotely - the server adjusts the parameters of the video being sent according to the capabilities of the device and the communication channel.
There are separately written clients for mobile OS and Windows 8 tiles.
For Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS and mass NAS models there are ready-made packages. For everything else - set by simple unpacking. From dependencies requires only Avahi-daemon.
Unfortunately, the transcoding mechanism weakly allows for interventions in the work - the profiles can be corrected, but the possibilities are severely limited.
Able to solve any problems within the theme, while free, stable and oddly enough - fast.
I would very much like someone to add this list and / or make changes.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/188362/
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