Media Server Software

I started experimenting with server softwares first time when I bought my first DMR (digital media receiver) from D-Link. The model was wireless media player MediaLounge DSM-320:
http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=318
and server software D-Link MediaServer was included in the box. Software is freely downloadable brom D-Link website. I tested MediaServer version 1.07. I don't describe througly this product. Instead, I write how I found software meeting my needs.

Media Server Evolution

As I told, I started with D-Link Media Server. In the nutshell my server software evolution is following:

D-Link Media Server -> MS Media Connect 2.0 -> MS Windows Media Player 11 Beta -> MS Windows Media Player 11 -> TwonkyMedia 4.1

D-Link Media Server - relatively slow in screen operations and music vas interrupted randomly for 0.5 - 1 sec using my old Celeron server;

MS Media Connect 2.0 - very same problems as D-Link;

MS Media Server 11 - It uses Media Connect 3.0 version, but no actual development in speed or usability. For the comment, that Vista uses Media Connect 4.0 version, but I haven't tested it yet.

Read more about Media Connect: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Media_Connect

And the Winner is

TwonkyMedia ver 4.1 is clear winner, despite its a tad complicated web-interface setup. It has several very good usability features, hanling large music collections, lika Arist Index, Album Index etc. Plus, it has excellent technology, it stresses servers CPU minimally, uses cache-s to speed up recurring queries. Result is user-friendly functionality and very good speed moving around huge collections.

Main characteristics of the MediaServer

• Easy to setup,


• support for major media formats,


• convenient navigation on large media collections,


• very short response time,


• multiple language support,


• highly customizable (including navigation structure),


• easy handling of thousands of media items,


• Internet radio,


• interfaces to 3rd party applications like iTunes, Winamp, Adobe Photoshop Album,


• search actions allow you to easily find a specific piece of content (depending on client support)


• supports a large variety of UPnP streaming clients (see our device compatibility list)


• integrated client adaptation layer to support special media player capabilities,


• available for all operating systems and embedded devices like NAS, STBs and PVRs*,


• small footprint and very small memory consumption,


• stable code base deployed in various products and tested at UPnP and DLNA plugfests

Look also: http://www.twonkyvision.de/