Universal Media Server

First time I was looking for a media server - the most popular one that I found a few years ago was Plex. It was what most of my friends were using - mainly for their movie collection.

Nowadays, you have other options such as Universal Media Server (UMS) which can do the same: stream your media collection to any device on your network without the subscription fees or some feature restrictions.

UMS is a DLNA-compliant media server that will handle almost everything from movies, TV shows, music, photos etc.

You can use it across all devices: TV, console, smartphone, even on a tablet etc.

UMS is cross-platform meaning it runs on multiple popular operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux while giving you great compatibility across the DLNA/UPnP protocols.

Description

Universal Media Server allows you to use any computer and transform it into a central media hub. You point it to your media folders, and it will automatically organise and streams content to compatible devices.

It will handle transcoding on-the-fly, converting incompatible formats so they play smoothly on your target device - unlike commercial streaming services which will limit your content choices. You can say that UMS gives you complete control over your digital library.

UMS supports

• all major video formats: MKV, MP4, AVI, and WMV
• all major audio formats: MP3, FLAC, AAC, and more.
• most common formats: JPEG, PNG etc.

The latest version 14 of UMS introduced enhanced user management with individual playback tracking and content restrictions based on device or user groups.

Overview of Features

Most important	Description
DLNA/UPnP streaming	You can stream to any compatible device
Format transcoding	Convert files automatically for device compatibility
Web interface	Access media using your favourite browser
User accounts	Individual profiles with playback tracking
Content restrictions	Access control by device or a user group
Live subtitles	Auto-download subtitles from OpenSubtitles
Direct TMDB integration	Edit metadata using a movie database
Security controls	Block or allow specific devices or networks
Cross - platform	Windows, macOS, Linux support
Zero cost	UMS is free with no premium tiers

User Experience and Interface

UMS has a straightforward desktop application that scans your media directories upon first launch.

The initial setup wizard will guide you through a basic configuration, asking about your devices and preferred settings. Once configured, the server runs in the background making your content available to network devices.

The web interface gives you a browser-based access to your media library.

You can browse by folders, recently added content, or media type.

The interface is functional - it gets the job done without unnecessary distractions. Navigation is the same across various devices.

Device management happens through the main interface where you can see connected devices and control their access.

The security features in version 14 allows you a more granular control over who sees what content. You can create user groups like “Kids” or “Adults” and restrict certain folders to appropriate audiences.

Performance is a bit different depending on your hardware, especially for transcoding. A more recent system should handle multiple simultaneous streams without any issues, but older computers might struggle with demanding format conversions. UMS comes with bandwidth control to prevent network related issues such as a congestion during heavy usage.

Universal Media Server Alternatives

Media Server	Cost	Key Strength	Platform Support
Plex	Free/Premium	Polished interface, cloud features	Excellent
Jellyfin	Free	Open source, privacy-focused	Very good
Emby	Free/Premium	Family features, robust transcoding	Good
Kodi	Free	Highly customisable, local playback	Excellent
Serviio	Free/Premium	Simple setup, good device support	Good

Kodi was the most popular media server - being released under a different name back in 2002/2003. It works differently - as a media player rather than a server, and it requires an installation on each playback device.

Although it was the first media server I found back in the days and the second one released after Kodi, Plex offers the most polished experience but locks hardware transcoding (probably the main reason why it lost so many users) behind a paid subscription. It reminds me of Nero vs CDBurnerXP to make an analogy.

Jellyfin provides similar functionality to UMS but they differ in several ways. Jellyfin emphasizes privacy and control while UMS is a basic DLNA-focused media server with a broader range of supported devices. I think Jellyfin managed to gain popularity by attracting more Plex and Kodi users.

Emby sits between free and premium options, offering advanced features for paying customers. A good product but not really an alternative if you’re looking for an entirely free media server.

Serviio is also a good alternative but it is a freeware product and just like Emby while it is free to stream your media files to renderer devices on your connected home network you will need a professional license in order to stream to 3rd party applications.

UMS distinguishes itself through its completely free feature set and excellent device compatibility. Plex might require payment for certain transcoding features while UMS provides them at no cost. The DLNA focus gives an advantage (IMHO). Long story short: any network-capable device can connect without needing special apps.

Final Conclusion

There is a small learning curve but once configured, it reliably serves media to any device that supports Digital Living Network Alliance. Check out the UMS Knowledge Base.

What Universal Media Server gives you is a robust media streaming without the complexity or money required by its commercial alternatives. The strong point of UMS is device compatibility and format support.

Yes, the interface doesn't look so modern when compared to other alternatives such as Plex or Jellyfin but again, what matters to me most is the functionality over beauty.

Once again, there are no subscription fees or feature restrictions.

The recent version 14 updates address security and user management concerns that previously limited its appeal for certain users.

If you value compatibility over a slightly modern user interface and want streaming without ANY costs, Universal Media Server provides an amazing value. I mean, what else do you want from a totally free product? If you like Universal Media Server, a donation would be greatly appreciated, especially when most alternatives charges you for certain features.

This release stops sample files showing up in the Media Library, improves filename parsing, and fixes a ton of bugs!

Thanks to everyone who reported bugs to us, we have been getting a lot of great testing from you and we really appreciate it.

The first v15 alpha with lots of user interface improvements is near, we are working hard and already have a lot of the features done!