UPnP AV MediaServers

UPnP AV MediaServers store and share digital media, such as photographs, movies, or music. These media servers use the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocols to communicate with other devices. There are UPnP MediaServers available for most operating-systems and many hardware-platforms. UPnP AV MediaServers can either be categorized as software-based or hardware-based. Software-based UPnP AV MediaServers can be run on PCs (Personal-Computers), mainly on Microsoft Windows, Linux, BSD, Unix or Mac OS X. Hardware-based UPnP AV MediaServers may run on any NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices or any specific hardware for delivering media, such as a PVR (Personal Video Recorder). As of May 2008, there are more software-based UPnP AV MediaServers than there are hardware-based, but chances are that will change in the future.

UPnP AV MediaServer

oftware

* [http://www.tversity.com TVersity] , a free UPnP MediaServer with strong device support and on-the-fly transcoding.
*XBMC (Xbox Media Center), a cross platform open source software media-player/media-center which can be run on Microsoft's Xbox game-console with hardware modifications.
**XBMC built-in UPnP client and UPnP server code are from [http://xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/index.php?title=UPnP_Sharing Platinum UPnP C++ SDK] (open source under GPL)
* Windows Media Connect from Microsoft - free UPnP AV MediaServer and control point (server and client) for Microsoft Windows
**Windows Media Connect (WMC) version 2.0 can be installed for usage with Windows Media Player 10 for Windows XP
**Windows Media Connect (WMC) version 3.0 can be installed for usage with Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP
**Windows Media Connect (WMC) version 4.0 already comes pre-installed on Windows Vista with its WMP version 11
*FreeNAS, a free operating-system/software (based on FreeBSD), enabling you to turn any x86-based computer into a dedicated stand-alone NAS (Network-Attached Storage) device. (FreeNAS UPnP server code is from the [http://pupnp.sourceforge.net/ Portable Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) SDK] project)
*MythTV, an open source HTPC and PVR software for Linux, with a built-in UPnP AV MediaServer.
* [http://mediatomb.cc/ MediaTomb] , an open source (GPL) UPnP MediaServer with a web user interface and AV transcoding support.
*Musicmatch Jukebox, a commercial audio player for Windows with uPnP audio streaming support.
*GeeXboX, an opensource lightweight Media center has [http://ushare.geexbox.org uShare] for Linux.
* SimpleCenter, a Java based UPnP AV MediaServer for Windows.
* Elgato [http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyeconnect EyeConnect] , an OS X add-on for Elgato's EyeTV PVR application. It allows for UPnP streaming of recorded content.
* [http://fuppes.ulrich-voelkel.de/ FUPPES] , a free, open source, multiplatform UPnP A/V Media Server. FUPPES supports a wide range of UPnP MediaRenderers as well as on-the-fly transcoding of various audio, video and image formats. FUPPES also includes basic DLNA support.
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/x360mediaserve/ 360 Media Server] , a UPnP media server designed for streaming music to the Xbox 360. It is capable of transcoding many non supported audio formats including AAC, Ogg, Flac as well as the formats the 360 already supports (MP3 and WMA).
* [http://www.gnu.org/software/gmediaserver/ Gmediaserver] , a GNU project with command line interface. Currently in early development stage.
* [http://www.twonkyvision.com/Products/TwonkyMedia/index.html TwonkyMedia] , a cross-platform UPnP mediaserver.
* [http://www.networkedmediatank.com/download/myihome.html myiHome] , a free Java based UPnP AV MediaServer for Windows, Linux & Mac.
* [http://brisa.garage.maemo.org/ BRisa] , an open source python based media server for Linux. It will offer a plugin architecture enabling new services such as Flickr to be added as UPnP services.
* Vuze, an open source Java based BitTorrent client which contains MediaServer plugin.
* [http://www.conceiva.com/products/mezzmo/ Mezzmo] , a commercial home entertainment software package designed for Windows.
* [http://www.themediamall.com/ PlayOn] , a commercial media server for Windows, supports PS3/360 & includes a transcoder for streaming web video.

Hardware

*Linksys NAS200 NAS 2x 3.5" Serial ATA HDD, LAN 10/100, average throughput 4MB/s
*Linksys NSLU2, a hacked/modded version running [http://ushare.geexbox.org ushare] (a free open source UPnP MediaServer for Linux), (connect USB 2.0 drives to the NSLU2 and share)
*Buffalo network-attached storage series (Terastation/Linkstation) a HomeServer (HS) variant runs a uPNP compatible media server; the device can also be hacked with an open-source or commercial Linux software package
*Conceptronic CHD3NET NAS 3,5" Serial ATA HDD, LAN 10/100 Mbit/s.
*Conceptronic CH3WNAS NAS 3,5" IDE HDD , 10/100/1000 Mbit/s Gigabit LAN, wifi 802.11b/g.
*Conceptronic CH3SNAS NAS 2 x 3,5" Serial ATA HDD Raid max 1.5 TB (2 x 750GB), 10/100/1000 Mbit/s Gigabit LAN.:All Conceptronic devices: GNU GPL source code available.

*Netgear ReadyNAS NV+ NAS 4 x 3,5" Serial ATA HDD Raid max 4 TB (4 x 1TB), 10/100/1000 Mbit/s Gigabit LAN.
*Netgear ReadyNAS DUO NAS 2 x 3,5" Serial ATA HDD Raid 500/750/1000 GB, max 2 TB (2 x 1TB), 10/100/1000 Mbit/s Gigabit LAN.
*D-Link [http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=509 DNS-323] 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure.
*Linksys [http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1175245928479&packedargs=site%3DUS&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper WRT610N] gigabit Wifi-N router supports UPnP with a USB hard drive, as a Storage feature: "The media server even automatically scans particular folders, or the whole NAS device, for newly added multimedia files to add to the shared list, so that these files can be picked up by other media players in the network, such as a Sony PlayStation 3 or iTunes software." ( [http://review.zdnet.com/routers/linksys-wrt610n-simultaneous-dual/4505-3319_16-33132573.html ZDNet] )

ee also

List of NAS manufacturers – there are many uncatalogued NAS devices with UPNP.

UPnP AV clients (ControlPoint)

UPnP MediaServer ControlPoint is the UPnP-client (a 'master' device) that function as digital audio/video players, which can auto-detect UPnP-servers on the network to browse and stream media/data-files from them.

UPnP control points and player software

Java

* [http://www.Cidero.com Cidero] Control Point, written in Java

MacOS X

* VideoLAN Network Client (VLC), a free, open-source and cross-platform media player that has a UPnP-client (via the CyberLink UPnP plugin)
* [http://oss.linn.co.uk/trac/wiki/Kinsky Kinsky] is a free, open-source and cross-platform UPnP control point

Linux

* VideoLAN Network Client (VLC), a free, open-source and cross-platform media player that has a UPnP-client (via the CyberLink UPnP plugin)
* BRisa UPnP Framework, a free and open-source UPnP framework that allows the development of UPnP devices, as well as provides three implementation reference of UPnP applications: the BRisa Media server, the BRisa Media Renderer and the BRisa Control Point. [http://brisa.garage.maemo.org BRisa Official Website]
* [http://oss.linn.co.uk/trac/wiki/Kinsky Kinsky] is a free, open-source and cross-platform UPnP control point

Windows

* VideoLAN Network Client (VLC), a free, open-source and cross-platform media player that has a UPnP-client (via the CyberLink UPnP plugin)
* CyberLink PowerDVD, a commercial DVD-Video and video-files playback software for Windows
* InterVideo WinDVD, a commercial DVD-Video and video-files playback software for Windows
* Musicmatch Jukebox, a commercial music player for Microsoft Windows
* Winamp, a free media player for Microsoft Windows, using the commercial [http://www.on2share.com/ On2Share UPnP plug-in]
* Windows Media Player 11, when used on Windows Vista
** This feature is supplied by Windows Media Connect (WMC) version 4.0 which comes pre-installed with Vista
** In all other cased the commercial [http://www.on2share.com On2Share UPnP plug-in] has to be used, since previous versions of Windows Media Connect (WMC) (as used on Windows XP) only offer UPnP AV MediaServer and no client
* Yahoo! Music Jukebox, a free music player for Microsoft Windows
* [http://oss.linn.co.uk/trac/wiki/Kinsky Kinsky] is a free, open-source and cross-platform UPnP control point

Windows Mobile

* [http://oss.linn.co.uk/trac/wiki/KinskyPda KinskyPda] is a free, open-source and cross-platform UPnP control point

Other

* GeeXboX, an open source lightweight Media center Live CD, no installation required
* Nokia N800 and its native MediaStreamer application. This client can also control other hardware renderers such as the Roku Soundbridge
* Playstation 3 game-console with OS version 1.8 or later through the Cross Media Bar cite web| url = http://www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/400| title = Latest PLAYSTATION3 Firmware Update Adds Upscaling for PlayStation/PlayStation2 Games and DVD Movies| accessdate = 2007-05-24| publisher = [http://www.us.playstation.com/ Sony Computer Entertainment America] | year = 2007]
* Xbox 360 client form Windows Media Connect
* Nokia N95 has client and server, both DLNA certified.
* XBMC (Xbox Media Center), a free, open-source software media-player/media-center for Microsoft's Xbox game-console
**XBMC built-in UPnP client and UPnP server code are from [http://xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/index.php?title=UPnP_Sharing Platinum UPnP C++ SDK] (open source under GPL)

UPnP control point hardware

* Philips Streamium range of products

UPnP media render hardware

* Archos Generation 5 All Archos models of the 5th Generation like 605 and 705
* Archos TV+ Like the 5th gerneration models
* Buffalo LinkTheater HD players; http://www.buffalotech.com/products/multimedia (and the older PC-P3LWG/DVD which also includes a DVD player)
* eGreat NMT Full HD player with support MKV. http://www.egreat.nl
* Freecom Musicpal Internet radios and upnp server, speakers included. http://www.freecom.com/ecproduct_detail.asp?ID=3593&CatID=400
* ISTAR Mini Full HD player with support MKV. http://www.istarhd.com/
* HDX 900 Full HD player with support MKV. http://hdx1080.com
* HP MediaSmart LCD High Definition Televisions
* Linn Klimax DS (Digital Stream) - Digital Music Player
* Linn Akurate DS - Digital Music Player
* Linn Majik DS - Digital Music Player
* Linn Sneaky Music DS - Digital Music Player
* Loewe Connect LCD High Definition Televisions. http://www.loewe-uk.com/index.php?seite=loewe_connect_de
* TerraTec Noxon iRadio - Internet Radio & Digital Music Player. http://www.my-noxon.net
* TerraTec Noxon iRadio for iPod - Internet Radio & Digital Music Player. http://www.my-noxon.net
* TerraTec Noxon 2Radio for iPod - Internet Radio & Digital Music Player. http://www.my-noxon.net
* Netgear MP101
* Popcorn Hour A-100 Full HD player with support MKV. http://www.popcornhour.com
* Playstation 3 Sony games console from home screen
* Olive OPUS music servers and players, Olive MELODY players
* Onkyo TX-NR905 AV receiver with built in UPnP client.
* Roku SoundBridge and SoundBridge Radio (also sold under the Pinnacle Systems brand)
* Xbox game-console with XBMC (Xbox Media Center) software, which is a free open-source software multimedia-player.
**XBMC built-in UPnP client and UPnP server code are from [http://xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/index.php?title=UPnP_Sharing Platinum UPnP C++ SDK] (open source under GPL).
* Xbox 360 game-console through the Xbox 360 Dashboard

References