Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server is a free media‑serving application that streams audio, video, and images to a wide range of devices, including TVs, smartphones, gaming consoles, computers, and audio receivers. It implements DLNA, UPnP, and HTTP(S) protocols, allowing clients to discover the server automatically and request media over a local network. The software runs on macOS, as well as Windows and Linux, and can be installed via direct download or package managers such as Homebrew and Docker.

The server offers a web‑based interface that provides instant browsing of the media library, dynamic metadata lookup, and integration with online databases like TMDB, Discogs, and MusicBrainz. Users can filter content by attributes such as genre, year, or artist, and can add YouTube channels, online radio streams, podcasts, and RSS feeds for unified access. All actions are performed locally without telemetry, and external connections use secure HTTPS.

When a device cannot natively play a file, Universal Media Server uses FFmpeg to transcode the media on the fly, otherwise it streams the original file unchanged. It also supports direct access to physical discs and disc images, enabling playback of CDs, DVDs, and Blu‑ray media without additional steps. The application is maintained as a stable, open‑source project with regular updates and a community‑driven development model.