Decouple Advanced Media Extensions from Media Server

[radioblaster]

Hello,

I'm currently running dsm 7.0 on my DS220+ and want to upgrade to 7.1. However, 7.1 wants me to sign in with a synology account so that I can accept the new license agreement for the AAC and HEVC codecs (advanced media extensions package). I have zero interest in creating a synology account nor do I require these two codecs since clients always do the decoding. I do however rely on Media Server since I consume all my content (photos, home videos) via DLNA. My plan was to simply uninstall the advanced media extensions package and upgrade to 7.1 but it seems that uninstalling the media extensions requires uninstalling the media service application. I can't fathom why these two are coupled together, especially since DLNA almost always requires the client to handle the supported codecs. I know media server has an option where you can transcode on the server, but I have that unchecked so there should be no reason to require the installation of codecs that I don't care about.
Does anyone know of a way to run media server without the advanced media extensions package?

Thanks kindly for any input.

 

[Telos]

Unfortunately not. Synology pulled this crap with Photo Station as well. For years PS was just fine, then a Synology PS update forced AME on Photo Station. As I react poorly to "big brother" intervention, I uninstalled PS/AME/and PHP 7.4, as PS hasn't provided me with any deep joy.

I doubt you will be able to drop AME, but I fully understand your point. AME should be optional.

 

[radioblaster]

I'm curious, with 7.1 can you disconnect your nas from your synology account (basically can you toggle it on and off once you have authenticated with your synology account)? Ie. can I connect my nas, perform the update from 7.0 to 7.1 and get the new version of AME's, and then unauthenticate or whatever from the synology account. Quite frankly I have no interest in creating an account at all so I probably won't go down this road but I'm curious if you can.
In the meantime I will likely play around with running UMS in docker as an alternative to the synology media server. Hopefully that will work out fine and then I won't have to worry about this problem

 

[radioblaster]

Actually, a friend of mine pointed out that VLC can access smb shares, so I probably don't need DLNA at all. I can view my photos with Synology photos and my home videos via VLC on my client devices. I do remote access with wireguard anyway so the DLNA multicast won't even work without something to do static multicast routing and thus smb is probably a better alternative anyway.

 

[radioblaster]

Haha, turns out media server is decoupled from the codec pack in 7.1. So, you can uninstall media server and the codec pack, then update to os 7.1, and then reinstall media server. I'm back up and running without having to create a synology account. Huzzah!

 

[fredbert]

If the playback device (DLNA render/media player) can play the media format then I guess you don't need the AME codecs (e.g. AAC). Not something I've spent much time investigating because I try to keep the formats I want to use and try to avoid transcoding, especially on the LAN.

Advanced Media Extensions Technical Specifications | Synology Inc.

Centralize data storage and backup, streamline file collaboration, optimize video management, and secure network deployment to facilitate data management.

www.synology.com

 

[Tom_296]

Haha, turns out media server is decoupled from the codec pack in 7.1. So, you can uninstall media server and the codec pack, then update to os 7.1, and then reinstall media server. I'm back up and running without having to create a synology account. Huzzah!

I have a similar issue. I don't use any synology tools though (Media Server, Video Station, Photo Station,...). I look at my photos on a Windows PC or an my Android Phone. I listen to my music on a Windows PC and I use Logitech Media Server (on Docker) with different devices. Will I have a problem updating on 7.1 with Docker and LMS, if I do not update AME?

 

[radioblaster]

It's difficult to say. I wouldn't anticipate too many issues since client software can often decode most formats. That being said I don't think windows media player will decode the AAC codec so you'll have to use VLC media player. No idea about LMS.