Serviio is a Java-based media server (like Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin). It works on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows. While it isn’t as feature-rich as Jellyfin, or as ubiquitous as Plex, it is an excellent media center for your Windows box. Here’s how to set it up on your Windows Server system.
How to install Serviio on Windows Server
You’ll need to download Serviio Server from the official website to install it. Head over to the official website, and click on the “Download” button. When you select the “Download” button, you’ll be taken to the downloads page.
On the downloads page, there’s a download link available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, QNAP, and Synology. Locate the “Windows” option, and download the latest EXE release. After downloading it, open up Windows Explorer, and select the “Downloads” folder.
Inside of the “Downloads” folder in the Windows Explorer app, locate the Serviio EXE file, and double-click on it to open it. When you double-click on it, the installer will open the “Welcome to the Serviio Setup Wizard.” Read the setup wizard’s paragraph. Then, click on the “Next” button to continue.
You’ll now need to agree to the Serviio “License Agreement.” Read it by scrolling through the agreement. Once you’ve read it, find the “I Agree” button, and click on it with the mouse. Selecting this button will move you to the next page in the installer.
After agreeing to the agreement, you must choose your destination location. The default location is “C:\Program Files\Serviio”. This location should work for a large majority of Windows Server users. However, if you wish to change it, you can by selecting the new location. Click “Next” when done to move to the next page.
Once the location is set in Serviio, you’ll have to choose the components that will be installed. By default, all components are selected. However, if you’re an expert, and you’d like to customize what Serviio installs, feel free to uncheck things. Click the “Install” button when done to move to the next page.
After selecting the “Install” button, the Serviio installer will configure the Windows Firewall to allow specific ports, enable the Serviio service to start at boot, and configure FFMPEG for media transcoding. This process should only take a couple of seconds to complete.
When the installation is complete, open up the Serviio Console via the Windows Server Start Menu. Or, browse to the following URL.
http://windows-server-ip-address:23423/console
How to add users to Serviio
For people to watch content on Serviio, you’ll have to add user accounts. To add a user, do the following. First, open up the Serviio Console app (or web page.) Once it is open, find the “Users” tab, and click on the “Add” button.
After selecting the “Add” button, enter the username and desired password. Also, if this account is to be restricted, check the “Allow only videos with this lower rating” box. Click the “OK” button to create the user.
To create multiple user accounts, repeat this process.
How to add media to Serviio
Adding media is done via the “Library” tab in the Serviio Console app. Launch the app, select “Library,” and choose “Shared folders.” After selecting “Shared” folders, find the “Add” button, and click on it with the mouse.
Check the “Video” box, if you are uploading videos. If you’re uploading images or audio, check those boxes instead. Then, click the “Browse” button, and browse for your media.
When you’ve added your media to Serviio, find the “Display” name, and enter the name of the media you are adding. For example, if you’re adding movies, type in “Movies.”
Once you’ve added a display name, go to “Users with access” and enable access for the users that you wish to access the content. Finally, click the “OK” button to add the media to the Serviio server.
How to watch your media on Serviio
Serviio doesn’t have an official app. Instead, if you wish to watch the content on your Serviio server, you’ll need to load up the Serviio Media Browser and log in with a user account.
Once you’ve logged in, browse for your media. When you’ve located your media, select something to watch to load it up in the Serviio media browser app. It’ll begin playing. Click on the “Fullscreen” icon to make the video playback full screen.
