TwonkyServer is an affordable home media management software application that can run on both Windows PCs, Macs and Linux. The software allows you to stream media easily to and from your computer, gaming console, television (via a networked device), compatible smart phones and handheld devices and wifi-enabled digital frames. However, the Windows-only TwonkyManager version offers a few more options and leaves Mac and Linux users in the cold. Therefore, the somewhat limited TwonkyServer lands in third place on our list and wins our TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award.
Installing TwonkyServer home media management software is fairly simple, regardless of the operating system you’re using. After that, users will be able to set up the network and start adding compatible devices. We recommend checking out Twonky’s website, which has a link to YouTube tutorial videos that are excellent at explaining how to set up the home network, Twonky and more.
Once the home media management software has been installed and the server has restarted, check the Media Receivers List to see if your compatible devices are showing up and being read by the server. From there, check your media content (videos, photos and music) via the web browser and ensure it will play back or display properly.
Even if your television doesn’t have Wi-Fi built in, you can connect it to a Playstation 3 or XBOX 360, which can connect with the TwonkyServer home media management app. Alternatively, find a DLNA- (Digital Living Network Alliance) or UPnP (Universal Plug and Play)-compatible device to connect to. These can include Blu-ray or DVD players, video or still cameras, gaming consoles, mobile or handheld devices and more. Check out their respective websites and forums for more info on DLNA and UPnP.
Some digital frames for photos come Wi-Fi-enabled, so you’ll be able to stream even more images to be displayed in the frame. If you mobile phone or handheld device is compatible, content can be streamed to it.
What’s also great about this home media management software is that you don’t need to be at the computer to stream out your digital media content. The compatible devices use their own menu system and user interface to browse and play back all those videos, music and photos.
TwonkyServer is an ideal home media management software app, as it can support and stream pretty much any type of video, audio or image format. Video formats include high definition (HD) up to 1080p and standard definition (SD) up to 480p, and the quality holds up. Same goes for audio and music, and images.
However, if the device itself can’t support the specific video, audio or image format, that’s where there could be a problem with playback. Check to see if your compatible device can support the various content you’ll be streaming to it via TwonkyServer.
You can’t directly buy or rent movies, TV shows or music from any services via TwonkyServer; however, you can do your buying and renting from your computer, then stream that content over to your devices.
As mentioned above in “Video and Sound Quality,” TwonkyServer can support HD and SD video up to 1080p. Audio-wise, it will stream any format, such as MP3, AIFF, WAV and more. There are many image formats that are supported, such as JPEG, TIFF, PNG and BMP.
To reiterate one important note, if the device you’re streaming to doesn’t support a specific format properly (such as a 720p or SD television connected via a gaming console), you won’t get the full benefits of that format. You’ll still be able to watch 1080p content on an SD TV, but it won’t be in glorious high definition.
If the device won’t support a format at all, such as a protected audio or video file, it won’t play back on the device. Double-check the compatible device’s manual, or search online, to see which video, audio and image formats are supported. Older devices can have issues with some of the newer formats coming out, especially when it comes to video, which is always evolving as more and more HD codecs are created.
One of the biggest reasons to invest in a home media management software app is to access and stream internet content onto other devices, such as YouTube videos on your television, or internet radio sites on your compatible handheld or mobile device. TwonkyServer does stream internet video, music and photo sites, but not directly from the internet to your devices.
What you need to do is share the desktop of the main computer, e.g., if you’re surfing the web and checking out YouTube, Pandora, Vimeo, Flickr, etc. on your computer, you can share that with your devices. In Basic Setup, you will choose the Sharing menu, which will stream what you’re watching or listening to with your devices.
While there isn’t a phone number to call, or even live chat, users can email support or access their user forums to get answers. We got some tech answers within a few hours of emailing, and they were very thorough with their help. Twonky’s FAQs/Knowledge Base is good, but a bit sparse on information, which is also a problem. A user manual is also available, as are video tutorials on YouTube, which are excellent.
Overall, TwonkyServer is an ideal and affordable home media management software app to stream your digital media content to compatible devices. Help & support is a bit weak, and TwonkyManager for Windows has more options, but TwonkyServer is a great app to consider when setting up a home media network.
