Subsonic is a Java application which, as we all know, has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages is that it is available for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. To setup the service users need to install the computer program and check the Subsonic Music Streamer service to configure it further. Subsonic will automatically start its service which can be accessed by pointing the web browser to http://localhost:80/. Some users might run into troubles using that port which can be changed in the configuration.

The username and password admin will allow the user to add music to the program and change configuration settings. Subsonic does not come with a file browser which means that it is necessary to paste the path(s) to the music folder(s) manually into the interface.

The music is added automatically then which takes only a second to complete. Subsonic displays all band names in a left sidebar making it very easy to access the music collection. Songs can be played in the interface directly or in an external mp3 player which is configurable in the options.

Information about music including mp3 tags and album art are displayed directly on screen with links pointing to various popular sites like Last.fm, Wikipedia, Amazon and Google to look up additional information.

The admin can change many aspects of the application in the options. This starts with welcome and login messages, continues with user management and permission settings and ends with the ability to add podcasts and Internet radio.

Subsonic has to run on the local computer system before others can access it on a computer network or over the Internet. The number of users able to access it at once depends highly on the computer hardware and network speed.

Pulptunes is a iTunes music server that can stream mp3 and m4a files over the Internet. The music can then be accessed in any modern web browser including Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Opera. The user can then access the music that is stored on his local computer system over the Internet.

PulpTunes is not only available for Windows operating systems but also Linux and Macintosh. The software program tries to find the location of the iTunes XML file automatically which worked fine on the test system. Linux users and those where it was not found automatically need to add the path to the program manually.

Songs can be played directly in the web browser or downloaded with a right-click. All iTunes playlists and genres are available in the interface which makes it easier to locate albums or songs. A search is also provided to search the music collection.

Advanced options are available that include a basic user management so that only authorized users have access to the web service. Other options include:

• Displays cover art if found
• Generate direct links to songs or playlists to send to your friends
• iTunes DJ integration
• Command-line mode for server environments
• Adjustable buffer level

PulpTunes needs to be running on the local computer system so that users can connect to the service over the Internet.

Sockso is a multi-platform music server that can be run under Windows, Linux and Macintosh. Setup differs depending on the operating system. Windows users simply download the Sockso distribution from the website and unpack it into a directory on their hard drive. They then execute the windows.bat file which will load the Sockso server interface.

This is where the administrator adds music from the computer to the music server. All that is needed is to click on the Connection button and add folders to the server. The Collection Manager is also the place to create playlists that are then accessible in the web interface.

It is a good idea to test the music server both locally and on the Internet before sending the information to your friends. The default port is 4444 which means that you can fire up a browser and load http://localhost:4444/ or http://network ip:4444/ to test the music server locally.

Checking if the music server is working on the Internet demands knowledge of the current IP of the computer. If you do not know about it you can Check the IP here at Ghacks. Then load http://your IP:4444/ in a browser which should also display the web interface of the music server.

If that is working you can begin to send that link to your friends so that they can tune in and listen to your music. It is also possible to simply use this as a way to listen to your own music collection while on the road.

Sockso does work fine as a music server and it is usually only a matter of minutes before it is up and running. It does have some serious limitations though. There is no user administration which means that anyone can connect to the music server not just the invited friends. Users who receive a dynamic IP from their Internet Provider will either have to check their IPs regularly or use a service that gives them a static IP.

It’s probably the safest to run Sockso only on a local network. It can be configured to allow music uploads as well and it could become a popular application in University dorms or company networks.

Have not tried it but I suppose it could be possible to grab the music right from the stream but it does not really make sense to do it that way instead of using other means like ftp.

The Reble client has a size of 13 Megabytes and users have to create an account from within the software before they can start adding their music folders and friends to it. The only other requirement is Java 6 or newer.

Friends are added by clicking on the friends button on top of the application. They are then listed in the left pane which also contains the playlists of the user. Playlists can be created from own songs and from songs provided by friends.

Streaming means that songs can only be listened to if the friends are currently online. If they go offline the music cannot continue streaming. The developers are working hard to create a Macintosh client and additional features like selling music which seems to be the revenue model they are heading for.

This will be most likely music from the same era, music that sounds a lot like the Beatles. This is a great way to find new artists and songs that you like. Everything until now is done without a registration. If you register you will be able to save your custom music stations and even save songs to your favorites. They offer a free version which is based on ads that are displayed and pay services that disable the ads. Even if you don´t register, try it out, it´s great.

Update: It seems that you may only listen to a few songs, after that you are see a prompt that asks you to register at the site.