Table Of Content
-
serviio.org
-
Why do you need a Media Server?
-
What is Serviio?
-
Why should you use Serviio?
-
Great Compatibility
-
Transcoding & File formats
-
Metadata & Thumbnails
-
Media Browser
-
How to access Serviio?
-
Design
-
Header
-
Hero Section
-
Body
-
Footer
-
Inner Pages
-
Installing & Learning about Serviio
-
Suggestions I have for Serviio
-
Conclusion
serviio.org
Most open-source media server software allow for plenty of customization options. Users love them because they are more than a platform where you can stream media. Part of having a customized streaming network is that you have complete control over it. However, it takes quite a shift to understand how to set-up and do it properly, but there's no denying that streaming server software can elevate your content viewing experience.
Serviio is a great media server software that I have used for a long time. It has helped me organize my digital media collection in the best possible way. Among the various services that I have used, Serviio is one of my favorite media server software alongside Plex. Windows Media Center ran out of fuel, so services like Serviio, Kodi, and Plex have become a mainstay.
Since nearly two decades ago, users have been using software like Serviio on their computers to keep all their data in one place. Plenty of techies over the years have used network-attached storage (NAS) to run their own server quietly. With a little maintenance and a computer's hard drive, anybody can host media on their own servers.
Why do you need a Media Server?
If you're looking for a media server that will let you share content with a wide range of devices, then Serviio is an excellent choice. Serviio is particularly great for users who have access to Chromecast and Dropbox, because it offers a lot of freedom that most modern-day firmware or software don't. So if you're looking for a media server that can do something unique, then Serviio is definitely worth checking out.
What is Serviio?
Serviio is a free media server that lets its users stream media files onto their devices. So, you can stream videos, music, and images to your devices such as TV, bluray player, gaming consoles, or even your mobile phones. Once both the server and device are connected to one another, you're good to go. What makes Serviio great is that it is compatible with a wide range of devices including gaming consoles such as Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. Since the platform is written in Java, it runs on all major platforms such as Windows, Linux, Mac and even embedded systems such as NAS.
Why should you use Serviio?
Serviio can improve the overall media management for you because it has many features that make it easy to manage your media. Let's take a look at some of the reasons why I love using Serviio.
Great Compatibility
You can choose between the free and pro versions of Serviio, but regardless of which you choose, the fact remains that it offers incredible compatibility. You can use it with Mac, Windows, Linux, and a wide range of other devices to stream SD and HD videos. You can even use it to hear audios - even if they were in ASIO format or watch an image connected to the DLNA device.
Transcoding & File formats
Serviio offers support for a variety of file formats, including WMA, MP3, ACC, Flac, OGG. You can try transcoding files in real-time to change their format. For example, if you want to convert an AVI file to MP4. Serviio also supports subtitles in the SRT format.
Metadata & Thumbnails
I like how Serviio provides detailed information about album arts and intricate details. The in-depth coverage of various album arts and details are peculiar features of media server software. I like how you get all the crucial information such as the title, director, genre, year of production, and other important details in one place. This allows Serviio to provide up-to-date content data due to its ability to extract information from the website. This allows the software to categorize the content in endless ways. This is the feature that makes searching for content really easy.
Media Browser
I felt that this particular feature - which is part of the Pro version - deserved to be included. MediaBrowser, which is an amazing feature, works perfectly through the browser. Considering that there are plenty of devices out there that don't have DLNA for remote viewing, having a media browser just adds depth to the existing service. With the Pro version, you can also control access to folders and other third-party apps.
How to access Serviio?
To access Serviio, simply search for the term on the internet and find it on the first page of results. Once you've found it, click the Serviio screenshot to quickly access the website directly. You can download the software by heading to the download section and locating it based upon your computer's platform. The software is typically around 150-170 MB in size, depending on your computer's operating system.
Design
As compared to MediaPortal and JRiver, Serviio does have a visually appealing website. The homepage banners are filled with well-designed sections. The White/grey combination with simple black text looks elegant. What I like about this website is that all of the pages are well-designed, and they're all in sync.
Header
If you have questions or need help, you can go to ?Support? and find someone who can help you out. Finally, if you want to communicate with Serviio's team, be sure to check out the ?News? and ?Forum? sections.
Hero Section
The Hero Section on Serviio has a clean, modern design with a static banner and headline "Access your content anywhere?" The only visual aid on the homepage are the news section and brief description to the right.
Body
The body section is compact and packed with information. Towards the left you'll find information links to the latest software versions. On the right you have two static tabs - "On the Go?" and "Control with your voice?", I guess these are several features that the developer wants to point out. Right above the footer section, you can also find the "About Us" section.
Footer
The footer section on this website has four main categories: Quick Support, Developers, Pro Edition, and Contact Us. Under Quick Support, you can find options such as Getting Started?, FAQ?, Online Content Management?, and Users Knowledge Base. Under Developers, you have Reset API?, Online Plugin Developer Guide?, Online Plugin Developer Forum?, and Help Translating. Under Pro Edition, you have options such as Buy Pro Edition?, Free vs Pro?, MediaBrowser?, and Alexa Skill. And finally, you have the Contact Us option where you can reach out to the developer.
Inner Pages
You can access any of the inner pages by clicking on the categories or menus of the homepage. On one particular inner page that I liked, you'll find all the crucial pointers under various headers such as "Features?", "Supported renders?", "File Formats?", and "Supported Media Files?".
Installing & Learning about Serviio
Setting up your own home server with Serviio is a walk in the park, but it does require some rudimentary understanding of technology. However, we will be solely focusing on the user interface and customization options that this application offers. Let's take a look at some of the important features of the console.
There is a Status tab where you can check all the running devices. The library helps you access all the folders. You can use settings to change remote access, transcoding or adding subtitles. The remote feature allows external viewing and by using console settings you can play with language and updates.
You can choose a variety of playback devices from a list of devices. For example, there are media players, TVs, DVD players, and gaming consoles. Additionally, you can choose profiles that fit the device best.
Don't forget to install the ServiiDroid and ServiiGo apps for watching and managing content on your server. These apps have been in the beta phase earlier, but now they seem to work fine. Still, it's not as great when you compare it to Plex or Kodi.
Suggestions I have for Serviio
Despite liking a lot of things about this app, I would recommend the developers to continue working on it. It feels lackluster and makes the platform come off as opaque. Other than that, Serviio has everything that you would expect from a great media server.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a complete media server capable of providing a wholesome experience, you don't need to look any further than Serviio. Sure, it doesn't have the best app yet, but apart from that, you can totally check out this free service.
Popular search queries
