One of the most popular uses for the low-cost Raspberry Pi computer is as a media center. While a Model A or Raspberry Pi Zero will work, you'll get the best results with a Raspberry Pi 3 or 4. A Raspberry Pi Zero 2 should also suffice if you want to make a low budget to power trade-off.

Although models offer superior performance, all models can deliver a compact, affordable, low-power, media center solution.

Several Raspberry Pi media server options are on offer. We're going to walk you through them below, looking at the features, advantages, and disadvantages of each.

Why Use a Media Server Distro for Raspberry Pi?

Various media server solutions are available for Raspberry Pi. These range from video only servers to audio-only solutions, with most handling all types of media.

We've rounded up the best media server solutions for Raspberry Pi:

  • ReadyMedia
  • Kodi
  • Mopidy
  • OpenMediaVault
  • Plex Media Server
  • HiFiBerryOS
  • Emby

All of these are suitable as a Raspberry Pi 3 media server or a Raspberry Pi 4 media center. But which media server application should you install on your Raspberry Pi's SD card?

1. Build a Raspberry Pi DLNA Server With ReadyMedia

Formerly known as MiniDLNA, ReadyMedia requires installing on the standard Raspberry Pi operating system. Start by mounting the disk drive(s) with the media data on, and then use the standard installation command:

        sudo apt install minidlna
    

Unlike the other examples here, some manual configuration is necessary, as described in the video.

Once installed, MiniDLNA/ReadyMedia is compatible with DLNA/UPnP-AV, which means that any DLNA-compatible device on the same network should be able to detect your Pi. Your Raspberry Pi DLNA media server will then stream media to the device.

Fast, lightweight, and easily configurable, this is the option to choose if you want a simple Raspberry Pi streaming server. For media indexing, consider other solutions.

2. Use a Raspberry Pi Media Center as a Media Server With Kodi

Perhaps the most recognized name in this list, Kodi is available for the Raspberry Pi.

While Kodi's best days are undoubtedly behind it, several Kodi builds for Raspberry Pi are available, including full distros such as LibreElec and OSMC. Both Kodi options can be installed on all Raspberry Pi models.

However, you can also install Kodi manually to an existing Pi operating system using:

        sudo apt install kodi
    

But wait a minute. Surely installing Kodi will give you a Raspberry Pi media center, not a media server? Well, you’re half right. Kodi adds both types of functionality, which is why it is featured in this list.

The inclusion of DLNA/UPnP means that Kodi (and its forks) can be used as a media server.

If you're already using a Kodi-based distro, then you don't need a media server as you already have one. To enable, open Settings > Services > UPnP. Here, enable Share video and music libraries through UPnP.

You can now stream content from your Kodi-based system to other devices on your network. For the best results, set up as a Raspberry Pi 4 media server.

3. Raspberry Pi Music Server With Mopidy

Looking for an audio-only media server solution for Raspberry Pi?

With support for custom extensions and Python, JSON-RPC, and JavaScript APIs, Mopidy is more than just a music server. Potentially the most powerful Raspberry Pi music server available, it can play tracks from:

  • A disk-based library
  • Spotify
  • SoundCloud
  • TuneIn
  • Mixcloud
  • YouTube

In the accompanying video, Mopidy is installed on a Raspberry Pi embedded in a retro cassette player. With the buttons and volume hooked up to the Pi's GPIO, audio playback is via a custom Mopidy extension. NFC tags in the cassettes prompt playback of specific Spotify playlists. This is just one way that Mopidy's extension support can enhance your audio enjoyment.

Download: Mopidy

4. Build a Raspberry Pi Streaming Server With OpenMediaVault

Admittedly closer to a NAS than a media server, OpenMediaVault is the smart choice for Pi owners wishing to access their media files from any device on the same network.

Setup is straightforward, but lengthy. You may run into initial problems mounting any hard disk drives that you have connected to your Pi. This should be quickly overcome, however, enabling you to configure the system correctly.

Among the features with OMV are support for a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) and stats to assist in system monitoring. There is also EXT3/EXT4/XFS/JFS file system support and RAID can be set up for HDD mirroring.

SSH, FTP, TFTP, SMB and RSync are all supported for direct connection to your OMV device. You'll typically access it via a web browser, however, by opening the IP address.

Various plugins are also available for OMV, such as a USB backup feature and other tools to extend functionality. Once fully installed and configured, you'll have your own Raspberry Pi home media server ready for use.

Download: OpenMediaVault

5. Use Plex as a Raspberry Pi Media Server

Plex support for the Raspberry Pi has evolved over the years, with client-only builds making way for more advanced options. Thanks to the power of the Raspberry Pi 3 and 4, it is now possible to build a Raspberry Pi media server with Plex.

Thanks to Plex's popularity, you'll be able to enjoy media streamed from a Raspberry Pi via Plex on various devices. Mobile apps are available for Android and iOS. Meanwhile, media streamers such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and many Smart TVs also have Plex clients.

You'll even find clients for current and last-gen consoles, Windows, macOS, and Kodi---not to mention the RasPlex client for older Raspberry Pi models.

Note that Plex demands that your files are named in a specific format. This enables the software to pull the appropriate metadata from the web. If you do this, Plex will provide details about the media files in your library, like album or DVD covers, track listings, and so on.

This support page on the Plex website explains file organization and naming.

As things stand, Plex should be your first choice of Raspberry Pi media server. Use the Plex Media Server build for Raspberry Pi for the best results. And remember, you can also subscribe to Plex Pass for even more features. Learn more in our guide to turning a Raspberry Pi into a Plex media server.

6. Build a Raspberry Pi Music Server With HiFiBerryOS

A smart alternative to the now-discontinued Pi MusicBox, HiFiBerryOS is designed to run on Raspberry Pi 3 and Raspberry Pi 4 devices. It will run on the Pi 0W and the Raspberry Pi 2, but is untested on these devices.

The benefit of using the Pi 3 and Pi 4 is the inclusion of Ethernet, which is more reliable for music streaming. Of course, they’re also more powerful than older models, with the CPU and RAM enhancements crucial to smooth performance.

With HiFiBerryOS installed, you’ll add Airplay, Bluetooth (unavailable on the Raspberry Pi 3B), DLNA, Logitech Media Server/Squeezebox, MPD, Snapcast, Spotify, Roon, and web radio station functionality. That’s quite a hi-fi experience, held together with a slick user interface based on Bang & Olufsen Beocreate, a separate project by the high-end electronic music engineers.

With the tools to create a Raspberry Pi music server, HiFiBerryOS can also be used with HiFiBerry DSP and other DAC (digital-to-analog converter) boards available from the HiFiBerry shop.

Download: HiFiBerryOS

7. Use Raspberry Pi as a Media Server With Emby

Set up Emby Theater on Raspberry Pi

Emby is a media server solution with support for photos, videos, and music. Apps stream your data to Android, iPhone, iPad, and Windows tablets, Android TV, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Roku, consoles, and even another Raspberry Pi!

Parental controls can be set up with Emby, making this the perfect family-based home media server for Raspberry Pi. Emby fulfills the multiple roles of Raspberry Pi photo server, video server, and audio server.

Emby also adds DLNA support to Raspberry Pi for simplify the streaming of content to and from your server.

Several options are available to install Emby. The simplest solution is to use the DietPi low-footprint Raspberry Pi distribution. With this installed, you can simply select the Software Optimized menu option then Emby Server.

Learn more about Emby at emby.media, and see our guide on how to turn your Raspberry Pi into a media server with Emby.

Download: Emby for Raspberry Pi

Build a Media Server With Raspberry Pi 4 and Below

We've presented you with seven options for setting up your Raspberry Pi as a media server, capable of delivering movies, photos, and music to devices around your home at the touch of a button.

Set up for each solution is fast. You should have a Raspberry Pi media server up and running in minutes, ready to stream files across your home with ease. It's just one of the great uses for a Raspberry Pi---whatever the model.