Tunevine Media Server — Complete Setup GuideTunevine Media Server is a lightweight, open-source media server designed to stream music and audio files across your local network and to remote devices. This guide walks you through installation, configuration, libraries, transcoding, remote access, security, maintenance, and troubleshooting so you can run a reliable Tunevine server for home or small-team use.
What Tunevine does and when to use it
Tunevine focuses on audio-first media serving — music libraries, podcasts, and audiobooks. It provides:
- Library indexing and metadata handling (tags, album art).
- Streaming via HTTP and various client-compatible protocols.
- Transcoding of audio when needed to match client capabilities.
- Remote access features (optional) for listening outside your LAN.
- Lightweight resource usage, making it suitable for NAS, Raspberry Pi, or low-powered servers.
Choose Tunevine if you prioritize an audio-focused, minimal-footprint server rather than a full-featured video/media center.
Before you begin — requirements and planning
Hardware
- Minimum: 1 CPU core, 512 MB RAM (small libraries).
- Recommended for larger libraries: 2+ cores, 2–4 GB RAM.
- Storage: enough space for your music collection (HDD/SSD) plus room for thumbnails/caches.
Operating systems supported
Tunevine runs on Linux (Debian/Ubuntu/Raspbian, Fedora), macOS, and Windows. Many users deploy it on Raspberry Pi OS for low-cost always-on setups.
Networking & ports
- Default HTTP port: 8000 (confirm current default in your installed version).
- If enabling remote access, you’ll need to forward the server port on your router or use a reverse proxy or VPN.
- Static LAN IP or DHCP reservation recommended for stable access.
Accounts & access
Decide whether your library will be open on your LAN or require authentication. If multiple users share the server, plan usernames/permissions and separate playlists or library views.
Installation
Below are generic steps for common platforms. For distribution-specific packages, check Tunevine releases or your package manager.
On Debian/Ubuntu (generic Linux)
- Update packages:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y - Install dependencies (example):
sudo apt install -y python3 python3-venv python3-pip ffmpeg - Create a dedicated user and virtual environment:
sudo useradd -r -m -d /opt/tunevine tunevine sudo mkdir -p /opt/tunevine sudo chown tunevine:tunevine /opt/tunevine sudo -u tunevine python3 -m venv /opt/tunevine/venv - Install Tunevine (replace with actual package or pip location if available):
sudo -u tunevine /opt/tunevine/venv/bin/pip install tunevine - Create a systemd service file (/etc/systemd/system/tunevine.service) and start it: “`ini [Unit] Description=Tunevine Media Server After=network.target
[Service] User=tunevine Group=tunevine WorkingDirectory=/opt/tunevine ExecStart=/opt/tunevine/venv/bin/tunevine –config /opt/tunevine/config.yml Restart=on-failure
[Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target
Then: ```bash sudo systemctl daemon-reload sudo systemctl enable --now tunevine On Raspberry Pi (Raspbian)
Follow the Debian steps, but ensure arm-compatible packages and enable I/O performance tweaks if using spinning disks (e.g., tunevm).
On macOS
- Install Homebrew (if not present).
- Install dependencies:
brew install python ffmpeg - Install Tunevine into a virtualenv and run as a background service using launchd or a process manager like pm2 or launchctl.
On Windows
- Install Python and FFmpeg, add them to PATH.
- Use pip to install Tunevine into a venv.
- Create a Scheduled Task or use NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) to run Tunevine as a service.
Initial configuration
Tunevine typically uses a YAML or JSON config file. Example minimal config (replace paths and values to match your environment):
server: host: 0.0.0.0 port: 8000 library: paths: - /media/music scan_interval_minutes: 10 transcoding: enabled: true ffmpeg_path: /usr/bin/ffmpeg authentication: enabled: true users: - username: alice password_hash: "<bcrypt-hash>" - username: bob password_hash: "<bcrypt-hash>" logging: level: info file: /var/log/tunevine/tunevine.log - Set library.paths to where your audio files are stored.
- For authentication, prefer hashed passwords. Many installations support creating users via the tunevine CLI to avoid storing plain passwords.
Library organization and metadata
Organize files for best results:
- Recommended layout: /Artist Name/Album Name/TrackNumber – Title.ext
- Use consistent tag formats (ID3v2 for MP3, Vorbis comments for FLAC).
- Embed album art in file tags or place cover.jpg in album folders.
- Run a metadata fixer (MusicBrainz Picard, beets) to clean tags and ensure proper album grouping.
Tunevine’s scanner will read tags and file names to build the library index. If albums or tracks appear duplicated, re-run tagging and trigger a full rescan.
Transcoding and codecs
Tunevine uses FFmpeg for transcoding. Common use-cases:
- Convert FLAC to MP3/AAC for low-bandwidth clients.
- Downsample to 128–192 kbps for mobile/remote streaming.
- Re-encode sample rates or channel layouts for compatibility.
Example transcoding profile in config:
transcoding: profiles: mobile_mp3: codec: libmp3lame bitrate: 128k samplerate: 44100 Be mindful of CPU usage: real-time transcoding of many streams requires more cores.
Remote access options
- Port forwarding: forward the Tunevine port on your router to your server. Use HTTPS if exposing to the internet.
- Reverse proxy: run Nginx or Caddy with TLS and proxy requests to Tunevine; this lets you use domain names and automatic TLS with Let’s Encrypt.
- VPN: connect remote clients into your home network (WireGuard, OpenVPN) — most secure.
- Tunneling: use an SSH tunnel or a service like Tailscale for encrypted, private access without port forwarding.
If using direct exposure, enable HTTPS and strong authentication. Limit access via firewall rules and consider rate-limiting.
Clients and playback
Tunevine supports web-based playback and a variety of third-party clients depending on protocols implemented (HTTP streaming, DLNA, AirPlay, or custom apps). Web UI typically includes library browsing, playlists, search, and playback controls.
Mobile clients: use the web UI or compatible apps. For DLNA, enable the DLNA server feature and configure network discovery.
Backups and maintenance
- Back up your music files and Tunevine config regularly.
- Export playlists and database snapshots periodically.
- Schedule full rescans during low-usage windows.
- Rotate logs and monitor disk usage (thumbnails, caches can grow).
- Keep FFmpeg and the system updated for codec/security fixes.
Security best practices
- Use HTTPS for remote connections.
- Enable authentication if any external access is allowed.
- Run Tunevine under a non-root user.
- Keep the OS and Tunevine updated.
- Limit firewall exposure and use VPN/Tailscale when possible.
Troubleshooting — common issues
- No audio in player: check file permissions and confirm Tunevine process can read media paths.
- Slow library scans: exclude large non-audio folders, increase scan interval, or use SSD for metadata DB.
- High CPU during streaming: reduce transcoding bitrate, add CPU cores, or pre-encode popular formats.
- Missing album art: ensure cover images are embedded or present as cover.jpg in album folders.
- Remote access fails: verify port forwarding, DNS, and firewall rules; test with curl from outside your network.
Example real-world setups
- Raspberry Pi + external HDD: great for small home libraries; use USB 3.0 enclosure and a Pi 4 for better performance.
- NAS (Synology/QNAP) + container: run Tunevine in Docker on NAS for centralized storage with RAID redundancy.
- Dedicated server + reverse proxy: use Nginx/Caddy with Let’s Encrypt and systemd service for always-on remote access.
Appendix — useful commands
Start/stop (systemd):
sudo systemctl start tunevine sudo systemctl status tunevine sudo journalctl -u tunevine -f Force library rescan (example CLI):
/opt/tunevine/venv/bin/tunevine-cli rescan Generate bcrypt password (Python):
import bcrypt print(bcrypt.hashpw(b"yourpassword", bcrypt.gensalt()).decode()) Tunevine is a compact, audio-focused media server that can be tailored from tiny Raspberry Pi setups to more robust servers with remote access. With proper organization, secure access, and sensible transcoding settings, it delivers reliable streaming for personal and small-group use.
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