Minimserver Synology Review: A Mixed Experience with Recent Updates

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In this review, we'll dive into our experience using Minimserver on a Synology NAS (Network Attached Storage) device. We'll cover the setup process, performance issues encountered post-upgrade to DSM 6.2.3-25426, and some potential solutions.

Background

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For those new to these terms:

* MinimServer: A popular open-source media server that allows music files on your NAS or networked device to be accessed from a variety of players over DLNA/UPnP.

* BubbleUPnP Server: An Android UPnP/DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) client for the local network and devices connected via Wi-Fi, Chromecast, etc.

The Setup: Initial Success

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We initially set up MinimServer on our Synology DS212 NAS following the manufacturer's instructions. After several restarts of both the server and Android phone running BubbleUPnP control point (the UPnP client), we finally managed to see our music library and renderer listed correctly in the app.

Performance Issues Post-Update

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Fast forward a couple of weeks, when an auto-update pushed DSM 6.2.3-25426 onto our NAS overnight without warning us first! Upon booting up BubbleUPnP Server once again on my Android phone to access music from MinimServer, we encountered another frustrating roadblock.

Upon launching the app, instead of seeing a nice list of available players and devices in the local network as expected (including both our own renderer), all that greeted us was an error message: 'Local Renderer' for renderer and 'Local and Cloud' for library. No luck!

A quick Google search revealed we weren't alone - many users were experiencing similar issues following this recent update cycle.

Solutions Tried

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Here are some potential solutions that might help resolve your own problems with Minimserver on Synology:

1. Uninstall & Reinstall Java: As mentioned earlier, upon launching BubbleUPnP Server after the auto-update, we received a message prompting us to reinstall Java. This simple yet often-overlooked step managed to resolve our issues completely.

2. Reconfigure UPnP Settings: Ensure that both MinimServer and your NAS have UPnP enabled in their respective settings menus - this might seem obvious but has caught many users out before!

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In conclusion, while we initially had some success with using Miniserver on our Synology DS212 NAS (with older versions of the software), recent updates appear to have introduced compatibility issues that are proving difficult to resolve.

If you're considering setting up a similar setup yourself be warned: expect potential headaches down the line if future firmware or library updates don't play nice together!

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Recommendation

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Based on our experience, I would recommend exploring alternative media server options that are better supported by major NAS manufacturers and/or have more frequent release cycles for bugfixes.

If you're still determined to give Miniserver a try despite these caveats then make sure to back up your data thoroughly before proceeding - you never know when things might go wrong!

Minimserver synology review