NOVA

NOVA is a self-hosted, cross-platform media server alternative tailored for local audio and video streaming. Designed to offer a seamless experience for managing and playing your audio and video files across desktop and mobile devices, NOVA combines intuitive library management with powerful playback features.

Key Features

• Self-Hosted Streaming: Your media, on your terms, with privacy at the forefront.
• Cross-Platform Access: Available for various desktop and mobile platforms.
• Intuitive Media Library: Effortlessly organize and manage your media collections.

Getting Started

Installation

The NOVA app is available as a packaged application for desktop platforms. Here's how to get started:

1. Download the latest version of NOVA from the releases section.
2. Unpack the downloaded file and run the installer on your desktop.

Accessing on Mobile

To access NOVA on your mobile device, you need to perform a few additional steps:

1. Launch NOVA on your desktop and navigate to the settings.
2. Configure the IP address and port for the server within the app's settings. This will allow your mobile device to connect to the desktop app over your local network.
3. Ensure the configured port is open in your Windows firewall and router settings. This step is crucial for enabling access from your mobile device.
4. If your IP address is dynamic (changes regularly), you may need to update these settings frequently. Alternatively, consider using a dynamic DNS service like No-IP to maintain a consistent domain name for your desktop app.

Once set up, enter the provided IP address and port in your mobile device's web browser to access NOVA.

Usage

After installation, launch NOVA, navigate to the Settings screen (bottom cog icon) and add the folder where your audio/video files are located. It will take a moment to index them all.

Keyboard Shortcuts

NOVA supports a range of keyboard shortcuts to enhance your music listening experience, making it easier to control playback and rate your music without interrupting your workflow. Here are the shortcuts available:

Rating Tracks

• Rate a track: Use Alt + [1-5] to rate the current track, where 1 is the lowest rating and 5 is the highest.

Media Controls

• Play/Pause: MediaPlayPause toggles play/pause for the current track.
• Next Track: MediaNextTrack skips to the next track in your playlist.
• Previous Track: MediaPreviousTrack goes back to the previous track.

Ensure NOVA is focused or running in the background for these shortcuts to work effectively. These shortcuts are designed to integrate seamlessly with your media keys, providing you with quick access to NOVA's features directly from your keyboard.

NOVA Feature Roadmap

As NOVA grows, I'm focused on enhancing your experience with this self-hosted, cross-platform media server. This roadmap outlines the features I'm planning to introduce, aimed at enriching your audio and video streaming within NOVA.

Upcoming Features

Core Enhancements

• Mobile Access: Extend your NOVA experience to your phone with a web-based solution.

Planned Improvements

• Playlist Management: Tools for creating and managing playlists with ease.
• User Interface Tweaks: Enhancements like a right-click menu for quick actions and the ability to select multiple items easily.
• Video Support: Bringing video playback into the mix.
• Metadata Handling: Easy editing and updating of song metadata to keep your library organized.
• Exercise Timer: A timer feature for those who like to mix music with workouts.
• Media Key Support: Use your keyboard or headset buttons for hands-free control.
• Navigation Links: Quick links to artist and album views for faster library browsing.
• Drag-and-Drop Library Management: Easily add new content to your library.
• Selective Track Deletion: A feature to remove all tracks rated at a certain level from your library.
• Server Management: Directly control server operations from within NOVA.
• Format Compatibility: Support for a broader range of audio and video formats.

Additional Features

• Tagging and Lyrics: Better organization and immersive listening with lyrics display.
• Album Art: Visual enhancements for browsing your collection.
• Personalized Recommendations: Exploring the possibility of AI-driven content suggestions.
• Content Discovery: Considering integration with popular services for a richer library.
• Sharing and Social Features: Options to share playlists or songs, with privacy in mind.
• Custom Shortcuts: Tailoring NOVA to fit your workflow with customizable keyboard shortcuts.
• Audio Quality Improvements: Investigating audio normalization and other quality enhancements.
• Gesture Controls: Intuitive controls for mobile users and efficient navigation through tracks.

Future Direction

While aiming to make NOVA versatile, there are currently no plans for developing a native mobile app, focusing instead on ensuring broad access through a hybrid approach.

Support

Your feedback and suggestions are most welcome. While the source code of NOVA is not publicly available, your ideas for features or improvements are important. Please reach out through the issue tracker for any issues or feature requests.

NOVA is a freeware, developed out of a passion to create a versatile media solution. The development takes significant time and effort. If you find NOVA useful and wish to support its continued development, contributions are appreciated.

You can support NOVA through these channels:

• GitHub Sponsorship: Click the "Sponsor" button at the top of the GitHub repository to contribute.

• Patreon: Become a Patron to join the community and support long-term development.

• PayPal: For one-time contributions, support NOVA on PayPal. For recurring contributions, subscribe on PayPal.

Your support, through feedback, suggestions, or contributions, is invaluable. Thank you for considering supporting NOVA!

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the robust frameworks Vue.js and Electron, NOVA's development and user experience are continually evolving.