Plex Media Software

Server Version#: 1.18.7.2457-77cb9455c Player Version#: 1.6.3.1009-57cf57c8 I reinstalled Plex after reinstalling Windows. When I logged into my account, it has no option to add my files. Going to Your Media, it just says 'Add your media to Plex Organize, beautify, stream, and share your personal collection of movies, TV, music, and photos anywhere, on all your devices. Media streaming software plex free download. TrucklistStudio TrucklistStudio is a light media playlist broadcasting software. You can easily broadcast videos pla. FreeNAS Plex Media Server Build. Now that FreeNAS Plex is running, it needs content. I use PlayOn to automatically & legally record content. Although Plex does have its own DVR feature, it requires a subscription-based access (Plex Pass). PlayOn is a one-time purchase (I got it for $19.99). To run the Plex Server from home, you will need a computer to store all your media files and run the software. Before buying a new server or setting up Plex with minimum requirements, begin by considering your desired usage situation. Plex is actually two things: It's free media server software that you run on a PC, Mac, or NAS drive in your home, and it's also a vast set of free client apps, that let you access the media.

We all are fond of music and videos and everybody has its own collection of media files both on computers and smartphones. But you can't carry every time your huge collection of movies, songs, and other media files with you. In such a situation, the home media server comes in handy. There are a bunch of best open source media server software available online that can set up on your own personal home computer. You can store all your media files at one place on the media server and can access it remotely or locally using the computer or smartphone. For example, you are out of town and want to access your movies or music, what you will do, just take out your smartphone enter your home media server address, and boom!! Using media servers you can create your own personal YouTube, Netflix, and Vimeo. Some Media servers based on lightweight Linux, which means to save electricity and other resources you can install them on Rasberry Pi.

Best Opensource Media server for Linux, Mac, or Windows

Here we have listed Free and Open source Media server software that can be work on both Linux and Windows.

PLEX Media Server (Freemium, not opensource)

We already have a done couple of articles on Plex and it really has some great features that allow it in our best media server list. The Plex Media Server is available for a variety of platforms such as Windows, Linux, Mac, Docker, and third-party NAS (network-attached storage device) Synology, Qnap, Netgear, Seagate, and more…

The Plex media server is not an open-source instead of a freemium software and offers some features on a subscription base only. However, still here because of easy to use and install capabilities.

Whereas the Plex player comes under both freemium and open source license GPL v2. Due to its vast range of devices support the Plex continuously gaining its popularity as a media streamer.

The Plex media server is based on a client-server model. It offers a wide range of client apps for different devices to support and stream its media server content easily. The Plex app is available for Android, Web, Windows, Kodi, Windows Phone, TiVo, SONOS, Android TV, Chrome cast, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Amazon Alexa, Roku, Nvidia Shield, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 & 4 and Smart TV.

Plex Media Server Features:

• Account management
• Support all format videos and audios
• iOS, Windows, and Android Mobile platform support
• Privacy and security
• Media Libraries Sharing
• No Storage Limit
• Online channels
• Live TV
• Plex cloud
• Mobile and Cloud Sync
• Parental control
• Audio Fingerprinting
• Remote Controls
• Media Optimizer and more…

If you are interested in PLEX, also see: How To setup Plex Media Server on Ubuntu Linux.

Kodi Open Source Home Theater Software

Kodi 100% Opensource Media center software that stores all your digital media files at one place like Plex and gives you a beautiful interface to access them. The Kodi was previously known as Xbox Media center or XMBC. Kodi provides a bit different media server software approach. It works more as a local media streamer rather functions a server-client relationship like PLEX. It was developed as an XMBC open-source media center and still distributed under open source licenses. It plays content from two sources one is locally saved content and secondly is via plugins.

Plex Media Software Download

Kodi Open Source Home Theater Software

It has a vast range of Addon for popular web services, applications, and script such as Pluto.TV, PS Vue, HDHomeRun, SoundCloud, Kodi Android Installer, Rooster Teeth, and more… It also provides an add-on to stream, video content from various sources like NBC, CBS, Funimation, and Crunchyroll. It is a perfect mixture of a media center PC/homer sever software. Kodi is also multi-platform support Media center/server software and supports Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and embedded devices like the Raspberry Pi.

Kodi Features:

• TV Shows library supports
• Supporting all the main video formats
• Kodi can play all your music including mp3, flac, wav, and WMA formats
• Import pictures and view in different styles such as slideshow
• Support Live TV recording
• JSON-RPC based remote interface
• Smartphone and Tablet Apps
• Add-Ons for popular web services, applications, and scripts.
• Works popular backends such as MediaPortal, MythTV, NextPVR, Tvheadend, and much more.

Emby Media Server

Emby is a great and best open source Media server similar to Plex in features and user interface. While the Plex is a closed source or freemium, Emby is totally open-source media server software. In comparison to Plex, the Emby is much easier to install for newbies and you can see our article: How to Install Emby media server, step by step installation process. Emby offers lots of customization, media management, and database options.

Emby Media Server

The Emby Media server is available for Windows, Linux, Nas Devices, Mac OS, Docker, and FreeBSD. Like Plex, the Emby is also has a dedicated Linux installer for Debian, Ubuntu, Arch Linux, OpenSUSE, Fedora, and CentOS. If you are looking for 100% open-source Media server for your office or home then Emby is the best one.

Web-based Management System of Emby to install plugins, edit metadata and subtitles, Sync and more…

Emby also offers Apps for the mobile operating system: Emby Web client, Android, iOS, Windows 10, and Windows Mobile. Apart from the Emby Apps, it also has a good collection of TV Apps as follow:

• Android TV
• Amazon Fire Tv
• Shield Android TV
• Apple TV
• Chromecast
• Roku
• Emby Theatre HTML5
• Emby Theatre for Windows
• LG Smart TV
• Samsung Smart TV
• PS4
• Xbox One
• Windows Media Center
• Xbox 360
• Kodi
• PS3

Emby Media Server Features

• Emby Server automatically converts and streams the media
• Stream Live TV to any device
• Web-based tools to edit metadata and subtitles
• Easy DLNA
• Parental Controls
• Easily control content access
• Cloud Sync
• Chromecast

MediaPortal

MediaPortal is a well-featured open-source HTPC media center and similar to Kodi. It does not have features like Emby and Plex but still, it's very good open-source media server software. Using it you can watch, schedule, and record live TV like TiVo, streaming media, radio, and TV to any HTPC connected to your network., Check the weather, news, slideshow of pictures & videos, and more. It can access easily the web or mobile device. It also based on Client/Server Architecture.

See:How to Install and Configure the MediaPortal Media server on Windows 10 PC

MediaPortal

Media Portal Features

• Watch TV, Videos, and DVD
• Watch Online Videos
• Listening Music, Radio, and Web Streams
• Schedule Recordings
• Client/Server Architecture
• Skin System
• Plug-in System
• Check Weather Forecast
• Picture and video slideshow Viewer
• Multiple Tuner Support
• Time Shifting, Pause and Record TV/Radio
• Read RSS Feeds

OpenFLIXR Media Server

OpenFLIXR 2 is the easiest free all-in-one home Media server that offers all media solutions in one package. OpenFLIX Media server software download, install updates of media programs automatically. This home media server is a combination of all well-known open-source projects out there including Plex Media Server.

OpenFLIXR Media Server all-in on video streaming server

Software used in OpenFLIXR are:

• CouchPotato + Radarr for Movies
• SickRage + Sonarr for automated TV show downloading
• Headphones- Automated music downloader
• Mopidy-Music Server
• Ubooquity-Comics and Ebooks & Web-based Reader
• Subtitles- AutoSub, Sub-Zero, Sickrage
• HTPC Manager
• Plex Media Server to organizes movies, series, music, and photos
• SABnzbd, NZBge, qBittorrent
• Netdata + Monit for monitoring
• Home-Assistant
• And More…

The OpenFLIXR media server needs a virtual machine to install since it is a virtual application

OpenELEC

OpenELEC is a lightweight Linux operating system built to create a media server like Kodi. The full form of the OpenELEC is Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center. Due to its lightweight, it can be easily installed on Raspberry, Apple TV, or low configurations systems.

Features of OpenELEC are:

• TV Show Management
• Movie Organizer and Player
• Music and Audiobook Player
• Freescale iMX6 ARM builds for Cubox-i, CuboxTV, and Hummingboard boxes
• TV and Personal Video Recorder
• Addon available to expand its feature
• Picture Browser

OSMC Media Center

OSMC Media center is last on our list. It is an open-source media center with a simple design and intuitive navigation system. The OSMC media center is based on Kodi and Debian. It also offers paid hardware kits and other accessories to enhance the OSMC user experience such as the Vero 4K. It is a hardware device with OSMC that supports 4K, HEVC, 10-bit content, and HD audio. It supports almost every type of media file. OSMC Media center is available for Linux, Windows, Mac OS, Rasberry Pi, Vero, and Apple TV.

OSMC Media Center

A verdict on Best Free & Opensource Media Server Software Options

Although Plex, Emby, and Kodi are the best and most popular media servers. But that doesn't mean that other media servers are not good some of them like OpenFlixr are worth trying. We have put everything we know on this list, now it's all upon you which you want to use. If you want to install a media server along with a NAS server then you can go for open-source NAS software like FreeNAS.

You might also like to see:

Plex Media Center For Windows

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.

HiDrive Cloud Storage with IONOS!

Based in Europe, HiDrive secures your data in the cloud so you can easily access it from any device!

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.

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.

Plex Media Software Developer

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A tabular comparison of the best Plex alternatives

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.