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What is Plex Media Server?
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Sep 17, 2024 · If you have a collection of media (or know someone else with one), Plex enables you to stream all that stuff from a computer or server onto your TV. And while you can...
Use Plex to organise, beautify and stream your personal collection of films, TV shows, music, and photos anywhere, on all your devices. And that’s just (film) facts. See what films and shows your favourite actors are in (and add them to your watchlist) without ever leaving Plex!
- Plex Lets You Build Your Own Streaming Service
- Plex Is Also an All-In-One Streaming Destination
- Plex Is Free, but a Membership Is Worth the Money
- What Do You Need to Set Up a Plex Server?
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At a glance, Plex can seem very complicated and confusing. It's a very unique service, and unlike Netflix or Hulu, it requires a bit of setup and patience.
But the general idea behind Plex is very straightforward; it lets you stream your personal media to any phone, computer, or smart TV. You provide the files, and Plex automatically organizes everything into a clean and easy-to-use interface. It's like building your own streaming service for movies, TV shows, and music. (You can even add unique categories to Plex, like a collection of concert videos, family videos, or sports recordings.)
Plex even offers some advanced features, such as the ability to stream and record antenna TV. And it's highly customizable if you're willing to put in the work. Of course, the big selling point is that you can stream Plex from anywhere---you can even share it with friends or family outside your home. (Though some of these features require Plex Pass, which we'll discuss later.)
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Related: How to Create Your Own Music Streaming Service with Plex
I should also mention playlists, which might be my favorite Plex feature. You can throw movies or shows into custom playlists to shuffle them randomly or play them in a specific order. For example, you might make a playlist of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, which aired back-to-back and often had overarching plot points or references.
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While Plex is best known for its personal media streaming capabilities, it's also an all-in-one platform for your streaming needs. The Plex Discover feature, which was introduced in 2022, allows you to search for content across all streaming service platforms. It can also find specific information about cast and crew, such as the full list of Gene Wilder's film credits.
Additionally, Plex provides a ton of free on-demand content and live TV channels. This ad-supported content is similar to what you'll find on Pluto TV or Tubi, but it's integrated directly into the Plex app (in a dedicated tab and on your Plex home page.) And yes, you can stream this free content without setting up a Plex Media Server.
Note that these additional features exist to supplement the Plex experience. Most people treat Plex as a personal streaming service and rarely touch Discover or the free Movies & Shows. If you want to disable these features, you can.
Plex
By default, Plex is a free service. The mobile app costs a few dollars, but if you only plan to stream on computers and smart TVs, you can set everything up without spending a dime. This makes it very easy to test Plex. But if you stick with this service, you will eventually sign up for Plex Pass.
A Plex Pass subscription only costs $5 a month, and lifetime memberships regularly go on sale for around $90. That may seem like a lot of money to spend on Plex (after all, you're streaming stuff you already own). But the perks included with Plex Pass are just too good---it's absolutely worth the price.
Here are some of my favorite Plex Pass features:
•Remote Streaming: If you want to stream Plex outside of your home, you need Plex Pass.
•Hardware Transcoding: Your server may need to process a video to make it compatible with a playback device (or slow internet). Hardware transcoding makes this task a lot less resource-intensive, which is especially useful when streaming large video files.
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Setting up a Plex Media Server can be a daunting task. But as I mentioned earlier, if you follow the instructions, you shouldn't run into any problems. The Plex Media Server software will try to guide you through setup, though you can find a ton of additional resources at the Plex website.
Now, there's no point in rewriting Plex's detailed installation instructions. But I will give you a gist of what you need (and what you can expect) when setting up a Plex Media Server. I'm going to approach this from a beginner's perspective, because I want you to test Plex for free before you spend a bunch of money on this stuff.
•A Computer: You can use any Mac or PC as your Plex Media Server, even if it's the computer you use every day. All you need is the Plex Media Server software. I wouldn't call this a permanent solution, as you need to leave your computer on when Plex is in use. But it's the best way to test Plex for free. (You can always uninstall Plex from your machine.)
•Ethernet Cable: Give your Plex Media Server a wired internet connection. It's faster and more reliable than Wi-Fi.
•Media Files: You need media files for Plex! If you don't own any digital content, you'll have to rip it from DVDs, CDs, and Blu-Ray discs. (Unfortunately, platforms like iTunes add DRM to their media to prevent unauthorized playback. To play DRM-protected content in Plex, you need to remove the DRM.)
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- Andrew Heinzman
- Editor
May 31, 2024 · Unlike your typical free streaming app, with Plex, watching is just the beginning. Once you set up your free account with Plex, you’re ready to experience what is truly the go-to entertainment platform for fans (like yourself) to discover movies, shows, fellow fans, and the joy of streaming, daily. First, like anyone arriving at a new ...
Plex is the key to personal media bliss. Once you download our free and easy-to-use software where you store your files (usually a computer or external hard drive), it takes care of the rest. Plex magically scans and organises your files, automatically sorting your media beautifully and intuitively in your Plex library.
5 days ago · Plex gives you one place to find and access all the media that matters to you. From personal media on your own server, to free and on-demand Movies & Shows or live TV, to streaming music, you can enjoy it all in one app, on any device.
Oct 19, 2022 · Plex Media Server (usually just called Plex) is a digital media player and organizational tool that allows you to access the music, pictures, and videos stored on one computer with any other computer or compatible mobile device.
