Prota Box already has a broad spectrum of apps: open source software, apps that can control your smart gadgets and web apps that can integrate popular web-services to your daily home automation stories. In this blog post, we will review 5 existing Prota apps, which can enhance your media experience.

1. DLNA app

If you happen to have a DLNA-enabled audio or TV system, with this DLNA app you can transform Prota into your personal media server. The app will help you to cast any media stored in Prota Box itself or an external hard drive connected to Prota. Also, you can pick a client app  for iOS or Android yourself. Choose from many alternatives.

Key features:

• Multi-user support
• Access to cloud storage
• Multiple client apps

What can you include into automation stories:

• N/A.

2. Transmission app

Transmission app is an open source P2P service client for Prota (similar to uTorrent). With the Transmission app you can turn your Prota into a file sharing server where you can exchange media with your friends. Once you download a file, it will be stored in an external drive connected to Prota via USB.

Key features

• P2P server.

What can you include into automation stories:

• When a single file is downloaded, do <..>.
• When all files are downloaded, do <..>.

3. NFS (Network File System)

Thanks to NFS app you can access any external storages connected to Prota via the same Wi-Fi network. NFS app makes Prota similar to NAS server.

For example, Synology has NAS products. And while typically existing NAS products require a web UI, with Prota no additional web UI or configurations are necessary. Prota is already media server that can manage data files.

Key features

• Access any external storage from any device.
• Extend network storage.
• Alternative to NAS.
• Create your own cloud storage.

What can you include into automation stories

• When the file is saved, do <..>.
• If <..>, then append text to a specific file.

4. Volumio

Volumio is a fantastic app for music streaming. It hosts or streams music from online radios or cloud servers. When Prota users save their audio files to Prota as a media server, they can play them through speakers connected to Prota Box. Volumio app can be accessed remotely using any device that is connected to the same WiFi network.

Key features

• Use Airplay on  iOS.
• Stream online music.
• Stream from external hard drive.

What can you include into automation stories

• If <..>, then play music.
• If <..>, then stop music.
• If <..>, then play next track.
• If <..>, then play previous track.

5. Bittorrent Sync

Bittorrent sync stores and syncs user’s data seamlessly to Prota as a media server. Once Bittorent Sync app is installed, Prota can detect the presence of a device that has been synced with it and from there it will sync the device data to a storage connected to Prota. This service is somewhat similar to iCloud synchronization which starts when a user connects to a WiFi network. However, Prota data syncing process is much safer, because every data synchronization action requires a code and only user is able to check that when he/ she logs into Prota.

Key features

• Sync seamlessly.
• Extend storage.
• Create your own cloud storage.
• Securely manage your data.

What can you include into automation stories:

• N/A.