[SOLVED] Streaming music from Ubuntu server - like a "radio station" for my LAN

Hello good people. I've searched here (and elsewhere) to no avail for information on setting up a streaming service on my Ubuntu server. I want to stream music to my local area network. Right now I have miniDLNA running on it and it works fine but that's not what I want. I want streaming music so it can play the same thing on whatever client is listening to it - sort of like "Muzak". I have a very robust wi-fi network here - two routers, one acting as an access point. I envision using one of them via a "guest network" to stream the music. Is this even possible?

The server is a headless one and is running the 64-bit Ubuntu LTS release 20.04.1. Would Ampache be the ticket for me?

Thanks in advance for any info you might have.

Dave

Originally Posted by 2aprepper Would Ampache be the ticket for me?

No idea, but it looks like it. What's stopping you trying it?


Otherwise, VLC has streaming built-in, and has a well documented CLI.

Originally Posted by boughtonp No idea, but it looks like it. What's stopping you trying it? Otherwise, VLC has streaming built-in, and has a well documented CLI.

I was just wanting to know if this would work for what I need. If I can avoid spending hours on end trying to configure something only to find out it doesn't meet my needs then that's great.

From what I can tell, VLC wants the library to be added in separated files. I have over 10k songs in my library. I would rather not have to specify every one of them individually.

Found Ampache via this thread. Did the docker. Loving it. Most of my lan listens to music, Kodi being a bit heavy for that. Through browser is a slam dunk.

Originally Posted by 2aprepper I was just wanting to know if this would work for what I need. If I can avoid spending hours on end trying to configure something only to find out it doesn't meet my needs then that's great.

So you're basically asking us to read the Ampache website for you?

If the website isn't clear on whether it does what you want, raise an issue to address that with the authors.

From what I can tell, VLC wants the library to be added in separated files. I have over 10k songs in my library. I would rather not have to specify every one of them individually.

The VLC GUI can accept recursive directories, so the CLI almost certainly can too, but even if it couldn't it would be scriptable.

However, VLC isn't the best for playlists / media libraries, so now you've added that detail I wouldn't recommend it.

Looking at the Ampache screenshots, the playlist functionality there looks promising...

Originally Posted by boughtonp So you're basically asking us to read the Ampache website for you?

Thanks for your insight. It is extremely useful and so very appropriate. I apologize for thinking this place was different, somehow, than the stack exchange experience.

Have you considered using the Plex Media Server for what you want.

It is easy to use and works well for both audio and video, including allowing remote access when away from home if you wish. Free to use but also has a Plex Pass feature that allows additional movie and audio streaming from other sources.

The plex library config only needs the directory path so your comment

I have over 10k songs in my library. I would rather not have to specify every one of them individually.

is already handled by plex.

I was able to import my entire music path in one shot on my docker install just this morning. easy as pie.

Originally Posted by 2aprepper Thanks for your insight. It is extremely useful and so very appropriate. I apologize for thinking this place was different, somehow, than the stack exchange experience.

The sarcasm is unneeded. You want someone else to do the work for you. That is a common problem these days. Sadly it's pointless and the sooner people learn that the better. Even if someone else researches and trys it only YOU can be sure it is or isn't what you need. Until you actually get your hands on it other people's opinions are nothing but that, an opinion. Has no bearing on whether it is good or not for you.

In the time you've likely been waiting for hours to get opinions you could have already had it up and running and exploring it 20 times over. It took me all of 5-10 minutes to get it working by following their instructions.