Universal Media Server vs OSMC

Struggling to choose between Universal Media Server and OSMC? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Universal Media Server is a Video & Movies solution with tags like media-server, video-streaming, audio-streaming, image-streaming, transcoding, dlna.

It boasts features such as Streams video, audio and images to various devices, Supports a wide range of media formats, Transcodes media on the fly, DLNA/UPnP media server, Web UI for remote control and configuration, Supports subtitles, Live TV streaming, Chromecast support, AirPlay support and pros including Free and open source, Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux), Lightweight and easy to set up, Supports many devices and formats, Active development and community support.

On the other hand, OSMC is a Home & Family product tagged with media, entertainment, raspberry-pi, kodi, open-source.

Its standout features include Runs Kodi media center software, Optimized for Raspberry Pi and other low-power devices, Supports a wide range of media formats, Customizable interface using Kodi skins, Plays media from local storage or over a network, Supports common peripherals like remote controls, Active community support forums, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Easy to set up on a Raspberry Pi, Low resource usage, Large library of Kodi plugins and addons, Customizable with skins and themes, Active development and updates.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server is a free open source media server that allows you to stream video, audio and images to devices like smart TVs, gaming consoles, mobile devices and media players. It supports a wide range of media formats and allows transcoding on the fly.

Categories:
media-server video-streaming audio-streaming image-streaming transcoding dlna

Universal Media Server Features

  1. Streams video, audio and images to various devices
  2. Supports a wide range of media formats
  3. Transcodes media on the fly
  4. DLNA/UPnP media server
  5. Web UI for remote control and configuration
  6. Supports subtitles
  7. Live TV streaming
  8. Chromecast support
  9. AirPlay support

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Lightweight and easy to set up

Supports many devices and formats

Active development and community support

Cons

Lacks some advanced configuration options

Not all formats work perfectly

No mobile apps

Some stability issues


OSMC

OSMC

OSMC is an open source media center that runs Kodi on top of a Linux distribution optimized for low-power devices like the Raspberry Pi. It provides an easy way to convert a Raspberry Pi into a dedicated media center and Kodi box.

Categories:
media entertainment raspberry-pi kodi open-source

OSMC Features

  1. Runs Kodi media center software
  2. Optimized for Raspberry Pi and other low-power devices
  3. Supports a wide range of media formats
  4. Customizable interface using Kodi skins
  5. Plays media from local storage or over a network
  6. Supports common peripherals like remote controls
  7. Active community support forums

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Easy to set up on a Raspberry Pi

Low resource usage

Large library of Kodi plugins and addons

Customizable with skins and themes

Active development and updates

Cons

Limited hardware codec support on Raspberry Pi

Can be tricky to configure advanced features

Some addons may no longer be maintained

Requires tinkering for optimal performance

Not as polished as commercial media centers