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This is a duplicate of 11.04 - UPNP Media server? - Ask Ubuntu, but its answer is over a decade old.

Specifically, we currently have a Windows laptop with WMP acting as a server to a Yamaha RX-A780 receiver (and to other devices). Configuration was as simple as clicking on a button to allow sharing, but it can be slow to respond (and I prefer not to use Windows anyway).

Instead, I want my Ubuntu desktop to be the music server for a large /data/Music directory.

I tried kodi, and it works, but:Tour - Software Recommendations Stack Exchange

  • it is massive overkill (I don't need movies, games, weather reports, etc.)
  • its graphics interface isn't intuitive.
  • how to find the specific parts that I want within all the other parts that I don't want isn't obvious.

And more significantly:

  • it continuously burns 10% of my CPU 24 hours a day, even when not in use.
  • it doesn't automatically notice when new albums are added to the directory.

Is there something available for Ubuntu that's much more lightweight, not doing much more than serving up the music when requested?

NOTE:

I have since noticed that there is a Software Recommendations Stack Exchange site.
That would have been a more appropriate place for me to have asked this question.

Ray Butterworth
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  • This ^^^ Without specifics it's hard to suggest anything especially to someone who thinks Kodi, a media center as simple and user friendly as it can be "takes forever to learn how to use it"... I would suggest Emby because it can "run as service" and in that respect better than Kodi that has to load a full desktop just to act as a server, but I hesitate because Emby also has learning curve for the initial setup and is arguably harder to learn than Kodi. – ChanganAuto Sep 23 '22 at 17:42
  • @Nmath asks "What features do you need? How will other devices connect?*" — All I need is something to stream the music onto the local network when asked for; no special features required. ¶ "*Why do you need media center software as opposed to just using media players on the clients to play music files shared on a local network?*". — That's my point, I *don't* need a big media center. And I *do* want media players on the clients to play music shared on a local network. ¶ What I'm asking for is that my Ubuntu system be where the music is served from. What's the simplest way of doing that? – Ray Butterworth Sep 23 '22 at 18:11
  • @ChanganAuto, by "takes forever" I meant that in order to do what I want, which is effectively nothing more than the equivalent of starting up a daemon process, I have to learn how to use a new application, and in this case one that has a very non-standard graphical interface. – Ray Butterworth Sep 23 '22 at 18:13
  • As simple as a MEDIA CENTER interface can be and there aren't and never were any "standard" for those anyway. Acting as a server is a secondary feature so, yes, you'd better choose a dedicated "server" software. There are a few already available in the Ubuntu repositories and there's Emby. Regardless of your choice you'll have to learn how to configure it and it may not be easy. If something so simple as Kodi is a challenge I can't imagine what will happen with any of the others... – ChanganAuto Sep 23 '22 at 18:17
  • @Nmath, I know how to share files. But the receiver looks for music streaming servers. – Ray Butterworth Sep 23 '22 at 18:47
  • @ChanganAuto says "*If something so simple as Kodi is a challenge I can't imagine what will happen with any of the others...*". You suggested Emby, so I installed and configured it in only a few minutes. It's up and running now, and barely using any CPU. That's what I needed. Thanks. – Ray Butterworth Sep 23 '22 at 19:19
  • Glad to have you onboard with Emby. – ChanganAuto Sep 23 '22 at 19:50
  • Glad it worked for you, do you want to accept the answer? – Crighton Sep 24 '22 at 09:16
  • @Crighton, will do. (I always wait 24 hours to give all time zones a chance). – Ray Butterworth Sep 24 '22 at 13:29

1 Answers1

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minidlna would appear to satisfy your requirements.
it auto scans the directories it is serving and magically appears as a UPNP source on relevant devices. You do need to configure the directories it serves in a file but this is well documented and can be done with symlinks too
sudo apt-get install minidlna
you will then need to configure it - the answer here : How to set up a DLNA server on Ubuntu 14.04? is comprehensive with good links.

Crighton
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  • Less than five minutes to download, install, edit the configuration file, and run. Then two minutes to go to my audio equipment and get it playing music. Now **that's** what I was looking for. Thanks. – Ray Butterworth Sep 24 '22 at 00:29
  • I've used minidlna in the past. I wasn't thrilled about how it handled video, but it wasn't awful. For music it was great. – MDeBusk Sep 24 '22 at 00:45