Koel
A personal, self-hosted music streaming server designed for the modern web.

The open-ecosystem media server for seamless multi-device streaming and local content management.
Emby is a powerful, client-server based media management platform designed for users who prioritize control over their personal digital library. Architecturally, Emby utilizes a .NET-based backend that excels in high-performance hardware transcoding and metadata scraping. By 2026, it has maintained its market position as the leading alternative to Plex, specifically catering to the 'prosumer' segment that demands granular user permissions and offline media access without mandatory cloud authentication. The platform’s technical edge lies in its 'Emby Premiere' layer, which unlocks hardware-accelerated transcoding (NVENC/QuickSync), Live TV/DVR integration, and mobile sync capabilities. Unlike its competitors, Emby offers a more flexible plugin architecture and a robust API that allows for deep integration into smart home ecosystems like Home Assistant. Its 2026 roadmap emphasizes AI-driven metadata enrichment and improved containerization for headless Linux environments, ensuring it remains a staple in the self-hosted homelab community. The system supports a massive array of clients, from smart TVs and game consoles to mobile devices, ensuring high-fidelity delivery of 4K/HDR content across varying network conditions.
Utilizes GPU-based engines (Intel QuickSync, NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF) to convert high-bitrate video in real-time.
A personal, self-hosted music streaming server designed for the modern web.
The community-driven, open-source media streamer for ultimate audio autonomy.
The modular open-source WebRTC media server for sophisticated real-time video processing.
Verified feedback from the global deployment network.
Post queries, share implementation strategies, and help other users.
Configurable logic to play trailers and custom intros before the main feature.
Granular user-level permissions based on content ratings, schedule-based access, and specific library inclusion/exclusion.
Integration with HDHomeRun, Hauppauge, and M3U playlists for live streaming and recording.
A simplified discovery service that allows users to sign in and find their server without remembering IP addresses.
Transcodes and downloads media files to mobile devices for offline playback.
Extensible .NET assembly loading system for third-party metadata providers and utilities.
Accessing high-quality 4K movies while on hotel Wi-Fi with limited bandwidth.
Registry Updated:2/7/2026
Capturing broadcast sports without a cable subscription.
Restricting kids from adult content while sharing the same server.