MedienServer

A MedienServer is a server application or appliance that stores, organizes, and streams multimedia content—video, audio, and images—to client devices over a local network or the Internet. It maintains a library, scans folders for media files, and uses metadata to classify content; many systems can transcode files to suit the receiving device.

Key features include automatic metadata retrieval, organized libraries with posters and descriptions, and user access controls. They typically stream via DLNA/UPnP or HTTP(S) and provide web or mobile clients, with options for remote access and shared libraries.

Software architecture usually comprises a media indexer, a transcoding engine, a library database, and a web API. Transcoding, caching, and on-the-fly format adaptation enable broad compatibility.

Deployment ranges from network-attached storage devices and personal PCs to single-board computers. Storage planning is important for large libraries, and efficient hardware affects performance and power use.

Prominent implementations include Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby. Plex is commercial with a free tier; Jellyfin is open-source community software; Emby offers mixed licensing. The category also includes generic DLNA servers and other open-source projects.