Guide for Media Server Setup and Best Streaming Devices
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Beginner’s Guide on How to Setup a Media Server
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There are several systems that can benefit from a media server, whether it is the best free media server or not. You might be tired of burning your AVI, MPEG, etc. or even your movies to DVD. Do you wish you had a way of streaming these files instead of having to burn or convert them? Here is a quick beginner’s guide on how to setup a media server.
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Setup your Media Library: By opening your windows media player, you can add different media which you want to share. However, you might need to build your library before you share the media. Selecting this media can be from different locations, either from an external source or locally.
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Setting up the media server sharing stream option: You can do this by simply selecting the video library listing. From this point, you can sort the videos in your desired order depending on the length, size, title, and so on. You will now be required to click on the stream menu which allows your devices to automatically play the media.
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If you have a firewall, you might be required to disable it. However, if you do not want to disable the firewall, you can simply permit the firewall to allow for media player streaming.
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Setup the media server for different stream devices: This can be done by simply going to the main menu, then to the video section. You can find your media server by carrying out a scan to find different media servers. You can then select your media server as soon as you find it.
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Best Free Media Servers for Your Home
A lot of people are not happy with the fact that there are only a few streaming options for services like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. Here is a list of the best free media servers you can make use of at home.
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Plex: This is probably the most popular and one of the best free media servers available for streaming. With Plex, a highly flexible system, as well as an easy setup that can be used to manage your media is offered. There is no limitation to the type of hard drive used. The process involved in setting up a Plex server is automated.
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Universal Media Server: This is also among the best free media servers for streaming in your home. This is a fully free and open source media solution. Even though it is a bit more complex than Plex, the Universal Media Server is also reliable and stable. However, it should be noted that this software works best on PC open-source software.
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Subsonic: Subsonic is also a popular media server that can be used at home with ease. It offers the advantages which include a moderately easy setup, a fantastic support that can contain a large music library, and a support for podcasts.
There are several free media servers, most of which are the best free media servers that can be used at home. Others include Serviio and even PlayOn
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The Best Streaming Devices for 2019
There are a lot of streaming devices today with Amazon Fire Tv Cube regarded to be the best streaming device for 2019. Some of the streaming services that can be accessed with this streaming device include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. These streaming services can be controlled with the use of a streamer’s integrated voice assistant (known as Alexa). Some of the best streaming devices, as well as their ratings, are shown below.
Amazon Fire Tv Cube:
This is the overall best streaming device with a rating of 5 out of 5
Roku Streaming Stick+:
This happens to be the best available stick, and it has a rating of 4.5 out of 5
Roku Ultra (2019):
With a rating of 4 out of 5, this is the best premium streamer
Roku Express (2019):
This is the best available budget streamer, and it also has a rating of 4 out of 5.
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Nvidia Shield Tv Pro (2019):
Gamers love this streaming device because it is the best streamer for gamers even though it does not currently have a rating.
Apple TV 4K:
Users and lovers of apple devices will love this streaming device. It is the best streaming device for apple lovers, and it has a rating of 3 out of 5
Google Chromecast 3rd Gen:
This is the best Casting device, and it has a rating of 3.5 out of 5.