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Air Video Server HD vs Universal Media Server: catalog facts
Air Video Server HD	Universal Media Server
Paid The Air Video HD app is a single purchase covering all of a user's iOS devices; the server…	Free The open-source software is available without a license fee. Hosting, hardware and…
Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted
Streams without converting or transferring files Supports subtitles, 1080p and 5.1 surround via Apple TV	Transcodes on the fly for devices that cannot play a format natively Speaks DLNA, so old TVs and consoles work without an app
Playback client is only for Apple devices Listed system requirements are old, suggesting infrequent updates	Transcoding is CPU-heavy on modest hardware DLNA browsing is clumsier than a dedicated client app
Downloadable app	Downloadable app, Self-hosted
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-2.0
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.