Choose your setup
Tape Music Suite always has one hub: the app that holds your library and serves it. Everything else (your phone, a friend's hub, a TV) connects to a hub. Pick the setup that matches how you listen. You can change later; your library lives in your own folders.
Which one is for me?
| Setup | Best for | What you run | Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Computer + phone (most people) | Your music is on a Mac, Windows or Linux computer and you listen on your phone | Tape on the computer, the phone app | Getting started |
| B. A + away from home | You also want to listen outside your Wi-Fi | Same as A, plus the Personal Private Network (included) | Phone pairing & remote |
| C. Always-on server | Your music is on a NAS, home server or seedbox, or you do not want a computer left on | Tape as a Docker container; every device connects to it | Docker / NAS |
| D. Several devices at home | Family or several computers and phones using one library | One hub (a computer or a Docker server) that every device pairs with | How devices connect |
| E. Hub to hub | Share a playlist or a track with a friend who has their own hub | Two hubs, no uploads | Features |
Not sure? Start with A. It needs no server, no command line and no account.
A. Computer + phone
Install Tape on the computer that has your music, add the folders, and pair the phone with a QR code. Your phone plays on the same Wi-Fi straight away. The computer must be on (or asleep but reachable) for the phone to play from it.
B. Listen away from home
Remote listening uses a paid license on the hub (V1 or higher, see Licenses & modules) and the Personal Private Network, which is on in Settings → Remote. Update the computer and the phone app together before relying on it.
C. Always-on server (Docker)
Run Tape as a container on a NAS or Linux box. It exposes the same web UI and library, so the computer no longer has to stay on. This is for people already comfortable with Docker and file shares; if that is not you, setup A covers the same needs. Docker is a testing channel for now; feedback goes to Telegram (opens in a new tab) or WhatsApp (opens in a new tab).
curl -O https://tapemusicsuite.com/docker-compose.yml
docker compose up -dThen open http://<server-ip>:38472 from a device on the same network. Folders, ports (38472, UDP 42424) and pairing are in Docker / NAS.
D. Several devices at home
Every phone or computer connects to one hub, so the library, playlists and play history stay in one place. Put that hub on the machine that is on most often. How devices connect explains the hub and client roles.
E. Hub to hub
Two Tape owners can share a collaborative playlist or a single track directly between their hubs over the Personal Private Network. Nothing is uploaded to a third party. It is the Collaborative playlists module, included in V1 PRO and Lifetime.
Extras that work in any setup
- Modules (duplicates, analysis, enrichment, Catalog & Wishlist, collaborative playlists): Licenses & modules.
- Casting to UPnP/DLNA speakers and TVs: free, off until you turn it on.
- Plugins and automation: Plugins, AI & automation.