Top FREE Universal Plug and Play Media Streamers: Best Options for Windows 11 & macOS Mojave

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Best Free UPnP Player for Windows 10 and Mac

Posted by Kaylee Wood | Last update: April 28, 2020

Here we will help discover the best free UPnP player software for you to enjoy video streams on TV or elsewhere.

As increasingly more people (at about 10% increasing speed) prefer watching videos and shows on big connected TV set instead of mobile and computers, according to a 2018 report from Conviva, DLNA/UPnP can finally embrace the ripe time to help those escalating smart home lovers and home theater builders to beam local contents for better and larger screen enjoyment. To best utilize this protocol, a free UPnP player software is in need.

Do you know that over 200 global multi-industry companies have actually joined DLNA? And that the promoter members include AT&T, Broadcom, CableLabs, Cisco, Comcast, DIRECTV, Dolby Laboratories, DTS, Ericsson, HP, Huawei, Intel, LG, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Technicolor, Toshiba, Verizon, etc. So, as long as you own one or two devices from the above companies, which is totally possible, you might be very much likely involved in the net woven by DLNA/UPnP streaming!

Content:
1. How to Identify a Good UPnP Player for Windows/Mac?
2. Why is 5KPlayer the Best UPnP Player for Windows/Mac ?
3. Other Can-do DLNA/UPnP Player Software

How to Identify A Good DLNA/UPnP Player?

A media player tagged with UPnP/DLNA support does not necessarily make itself a robust UPnP player, since the use of UPnP/DLNA protocol has at least three orientations - server, renderer and controller. And thus, we classify those DLNA/UPnP supported players as below 3 levels:

Three DLNA/UPnP Media Player Levels

Silver level - UPnP player/renderer
Gold level - UPnP player/renderer + UPnP server
Platinum level - UPnP server+ UPnP player/renderer + UPnP controller

A basic silver level UPnP player/renderer can be anything - CXN, PS4/PS3/, XBOX, top-box, smart TV, networked computer that can perform the actual audio or video rendering and playback. They receive UPnP streams and provide the audio/video outcome through connected monitor/speakers.

The gold level UPnP renderer/player plus UPnP server will do more than a stream receiver player. It hosts its own UPnP Media server with content files and allows users to access contents listed from that server, acting as a home media source provider.

The Platinum level UPnP player, on top of level-two, ads UPnP controller (UPnP client) utility, also called a control point to detect other UPnP servers, stream to and control playback of UPnP Av Media Renderers. This is most complete UPnP utilization for an UPnP player, which can moonlight as a wireless source provider, a stream sender/controller, and a receiver/player. And this is where 5KPlayer ranked at.

Open source Silver level UPnP player - VLC UPnP player

VLC UPnP player , a free, open-source and cross-platform media player lets the user access the contents listed from an UPnP Media server. Though a very complete media player in itself, it does not provide any UPnP Control Point capabilities, nor can the player be controlled as a UPnP compliant Media Renderer.

Closed source Gold level UPnP server player - Plex UPnP Player

Plex UPnP Player is a cross-platform and a closed source media server and entertainment hub, available for macOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, as well as mobile clients for iOS, including Apple TV (2nd gen) , Android, and Windows Phone. The desktop version of the media player can only serve as server and player.

5KPlayer is your second to none DLNA/UPnP player software for Windows 10/8/7 and Mac. Beside supporting DLNA/UPnP, this streaming player also supports AirPlay mirroring tech and screen recording. It can also live stream RTSP/3mu8 videos. A must have streaming media player you shouldn’t miss!

5KPlayer - Your Platinum-level DLNA/UPnP Player Windows 10/Mac

5KPlayer is your most complete free UPnP media player application for Windows 10/Mac. With support for hardware acceleration and 4K 8K HDR playback, the DLNA/UPnP streaming ability just ads brilliance to its already powerful media playback competence.

1. UPnP Player/Renderer for Windows 10/Mac- stream mobile to PC/Mac: 5KPlayer mounted computer can easily receive UPnP streams from UPnP controllers.
Beam media contents from your UPnP-compatible controller device like a tablet, mobile phone or Android to 5KPlayer installed PC/Mac, and you can enjoy videos/audios wirelessly on bigger screen without moving the original file. In the meantime, your mobile phone/tablet are set free for any incoming calls, whatsapp messages, video calls etc, and control the playback on 5KPlayer.

2. DLNA/UPnP media Server for Windows 10/Mac - turn PC/Mac into a media server:
5KPlayer equipped computer can now serve as a media server via UPnP protocol. It opens a portal for UPnP compatible devices to access its media library. All your downloaded online videos, ripped movies, unlocked iTunes purchases in the 5KPlayer library can all be accessed from TV sets/tablets/mobile phones via UPnP/DLNA search app.

3. DLNA/UPnP Controller for Windows 10/Mac - stream PC/Mac to device and fetch from media server: 5KPlayer is a free UPnP media player with built-in UPnP-client that provides UPnP Control Point capabilities as a controller. It sends audios and videos to DLNA/UPnP compatible renderer devices and controls the playback there wirelessly. It also detects other DLNA/UPnP servers to extract files for playback from PC/Mac end.

4. By far the most user friendly DLNA/UPnP player that supports video/audio DLNA/UPnP playlist streaming and playback in loop.

Other Can-do DLNA/UPNP Players to Choose from!

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