Recommendation for a simple upnp/dlna music server app

[dlovesmusic]

Hello, I am pretty new at this. I don't have too big of a digital library, maybe 1500-2000 albums in total, stored on an external ssd. I had tried as simple as installing minidlna/ReadyMedia (that does not provide too much library management), and jriver dlna media server (that seems to be pretty solid for library management), jellyfin..... They all seem to work pretty well.

I wonder if there is anything else out there that offers a simple/better to setup / use solution? I have seen others mentioned about minimserver and a couple others but wonder if that makes any differences other than maybe one comes with more features or easier to use ?

Thanks

Deric

 

[5-pot-fan]

Moodeaudio provides a decent streamer facility and is upnp/dlna compliant. I can access music files over my laptop (Foobar), Sonos 3, and Denon X3600 avr, as well as out to my standard stereo kit, with some flexibility in choosing the outputs as well.
My version runs on a Raspberry Pi 4 - all pretty inexpensive esp. as Moode is free.

 

[terryforsythe]

I use Logitech Media Server (LMS) for streaming upnp/dlna. I have it installed on my NAS, which is where I have my music stored.

 

[dlovesmusic]

I use Logitech Media Server (LMS) for streaming upnp/dlna. I have it installed on my NAS, which is where I have my music stored.

So I suppose LMS has a server app you install on your NAS and you use a LMS client app to access the LMS server?

 

[terryforsythe]

So I suppose LMS has a server app you install on your NAS and you use a LMS client app to access the LMS server?

You can use a client app, I tried a few - Squeezer and Orange Squeeze on Android and iPeng on iOS, but I prefer using the LMS web interface. So, I just use a web browser. On my tablet I added an icon to my home screen which opens the web browser to the IP address of my NAS at the port assigned to LMS.

Yes, LMS is a server app. I installed it on my Synology NAS in a Docker container following the instructions provided by the LMS community web site.

 

[dlovesmusic]

You can use a client app, I tried a few - Squeezer and Orange Squeeze on Android and iPeng on iOS, but I prefer using the LMS web interface. So, I just use a web browser. On my tablet I added an icon to my home screen which opens the web browser to the IP address of my NAS at the port assigned to LMS.

Yes, LMS is a server app. I installed it in a Docker container following the instructions provided by the LMS community web site.

Thanks. I would like to know if you might have compared with other dlna/upnp server apps and what do you prefer in LMS over others you have tried?

 

[terryforsythe]

I had a free trial to Roon for 90 days and tried it as well. I really like it, but it is a little expensive, especially if you purchase a lifetime license. So, I ended up going with LMS. It is not as feature rich as Roon, but it is free.

I briefly tried Jellyfin. I don't recall why I didn't stick with it. All I remember is that I preferred LMS.

If cost is not an issue, I recommend Roon. If cost is an issue, then I like LMS.

 

[terryforsythe]

I had a thread discussing this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/mconnect-hd-vs-roon-a-brief-overview.36815/

It is worth a read.

 

[JayGilb]

Plex is also a good dlna based music server that comes in cost free formats.

After setting up the basic information for my network, I just pointed it at my disk and it started to gather song/album information, downloaded album art and presented a fairly simple interface for my use. I also use it to serve video (ripped DVD) and it is light on cpu usage unless format changes are required for viewing.

 

[dlovesmusic]

I had a free trial to Roon for 90 days and tried it as well. I really like it, but it is a little expensive, especially if you purchase a lifetime license. So, I ended up going with LMS. It is not as feature rich as Roon, but it is free.

Jriver is pretty inexpensive for a one time license and have a pretty intuitive library management system. But I don’t think they have a direct support for linux…

 

[BenjaminB]

Seems you are looking for a server program. There are some different, depending on the intended use. Actually there are quite many!Rater popular are Plex and Kodi, they are combined server/player intended for use on a pc (Win, Mac, Linux). Plex does require some kind of membership, one has to pay to get all features.
The pc is often connected to a DAC which is connected to amp and loudspeakers - there are some possibilities.

The above mentioned Moodeaudio is a player. If one use a specific hardware player, as eg the Wiim pro (+), then the usual set-up consists of a server, the player and a control (usually an app, many times supplied by the player manufacturer, as eg Wiim Home).

There are many media-server programs, as in offering server functionality without player capability. You mention minDLNA, jriver etc. As noted miniDLNA is more or less just offering DLNA interface. jriver requires subscription. LMS is another alternative - other has posted on that one.

Not mentioned so often on this forum is the Universal Media Server, free, runs on almost any platform (Win, Mac, Linux, BSD, ...) , has a lot of possibilities. https://www.universalmediaserver.com .

Good Luck!

 

[dlovesmusic]

I am currently using jplay iOS on my iphone 15 as my upnp control app. Its cheaper than Roon at $62 per year but does not come with all these features from Roon that I do not need. Its rock solid that it detects all my dlna/upnp devices and supports Qobuz connect, Tidal connect... UI is rock solid and snappy.

So I am just looking for a upnp/dlna server app that jplay iOS will connect to and stream to my 4 systems in different rooms.

 

[dlovesmusic]

Seems you are looking for a server program. There are some different, depending on the intended use. Actually there are quite many!Rater popular are Plex and Kodi, they are combined server/player intended for use on a pc (Win, Mac, Linux). Plex does require some kind of membership, one has to pay to get all features.
The pc is often connected to a DAC which is connected to amp and loudspeakers - there are some possibilities.

The above mentioned Moodeaudio is a player. If one use a specific hardware player, as eg the Wiim pro (+), then the usual set-up consists of a server, the player and a control (usually an app, many times supplied by the player manufacturer, as eg Wiim Home).

There are many media-server programs, as in offering server functionality without player capability. You mention minDLNA, jriver etc. As noted miniDLNA is more or less just offering DLNA interface. jriver requires subscription. LMS is another alternative - other has posted on that one.

Not mentioned so often on this forum is the Universal Media Server, free, runs on almost any platform (Win, Mac, Linux, BSD, ...) , has a lot of possibilities. https://www.universalmediaserver.com .

Good Luck!

Thanks for the insights. Much appreciated. Yes I am looking for a solid media server program with dlna/upnp capabilities. I am using jplay iOS as the upnp control app so it will access to the dlna/upnp media server, sort them so I can combine both Qobuz and my local library and controlled by my iphone. I am currently using jriver (since I bought their MC31 version mainly for movies) but wonder if there are better server apps out there that are light on resource and I can just run it off a Raspberry pi or something. I will read more on LMS and Universal Media Server.

Thanks again

 

[Chazz6]

Minimserver with its companion program Minimstreamer is free the first year, then inexpensive.
* It has a simple command interface to ffmpeg, which means you can write equalization commands.
* It can transcode from one codec to another, for example, .mp3 to .wav, on the fly.
* It has a basic recording ability, so you can simultaneously record one or several streams into files while you are not listening or while you listen to some other stream or file.

 

[dlovesmusic]

So I installed the starter edition (free) minimserver on bookworm last night, that works well there isn't much else you can do with it other than just sharing a folder as upnp. I suppose I will need to sign up for the trial license later on to see what additional features are available in terms of library management, metadata edits...

 

[Chazz6]

there isn't much else you can do

The following features are available in Starter Edition:
Intelligent Browsing (see this section)
Automatic translation of the control-point browsing interface into multiple languages
Basic support for profiles (select, view and reset)
A configuration web page that enables you to configure all features of MinimServer from a web browser
Remote management (rescan, restart, etc.) and configuration using the MinimWatch application
Default settings for the indexTags property
Limited configurability using the contentDir, displayName, startupScan and delayStart properties
Full support for scripting and the Web API
https://minimserver.com/licensing.html

 

[dlovesmusic]

The following features are available in Starter Edition:
Intelligent Browsing (see this section)
Automatic translation of the control-point browsing interface into multiple languages
Basic support for profiles (select, view and reset)
A configuration web page that enables you to configure all features of MinimServer from a web browser
Remote management (rescan, restart, etc.) and configuration using the MinimWatch application
Default settings for the indexTags property
Limited configurability using the contentDir, displayName, startupScan and delayStart properties
Full support for scripting and the Web API
https://minimserver.com/licensing.html

Thanks for that. Having previously used jriver, that does the tagging and library management and upnp server all in one, I didn’t know that MinimServer does not do tagging … guess will have to read up a bit more

 

[dlovesmusic]

Update.

I have now setup my "UPNP hub" with upmpdcli as the upnp renderer and minimserver for the media server as follows:

A UPNP renderer/media server connected to a SSD (digital library) that takes instructions from jplay iOS upnp control point and stream to my main Hqplayer desktop PC for upsampling, DSP, convolution, out to any of my NAA (network end points) in 4 different systems in my house.

The "upnp hub" comprise of
- 1) Device A - a raspberry pi 4, connected to a SSD and with upmpdcli as the renderer and minimserver as the media server
- 2) Connect Device A by usb to Device B - second raspberry pi as a input network adapter that takes the digital signals from Device A, switch USB mode from host to peripheral, detect sample rate information and communicate to Hqplayer desktop PC through ethernet.

Cheers