Theyre both a great way of putting an old computer youre no longer using to good use. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. Thank you for helping us improve our articles. For instance, you might have your own library of photos as well one to which a friend or family member has granted you access, or maybe you have multiple TV libraries of your own. Searching is simple and can be done using titles, actors, and directors. If you want to share your Plex library with friends and family (who dont live with you), youll need to configure remote access first. Plex works well if you want to set up a server that isnt plugged into your main TV. Playing that track in a supported app will then resume from where you left off. To select new artwork, visit the web control panel of your Plex Media Server by logging into your account at Plex.tv or connecting to the local address of the server on your home network. Each item listed in the navigation sidebar can be reordered or unpinned by highlighting the item, selecting the entry, and clicking Reorder. Both are compatible with a huge range of devices, and both are capable ofmaximizing compatibility via DLNA/UPnP streaming. Every client device possesses different capabilities, which means each Plex client also possesses different capabilities. Many users experienced improved streaming services and speeds when they paired Kodi with a VPN. When you set up the Plex server and app, you'll be prompted to select from a big list of streaming services, including the major ones you're likely subscribed to, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max, and more. they can access. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. ago. A window will pop up with space to edit the title and other info. Because Kodi is open-source software, there are a fair amount of third-party extras available for it. Privacy Policy. Plex has much more detailed step-by-step instructions on this process here(Opens in a new window). Without a Plex Pass, all server transcoding is handled by the Plex software, but this option lets you use your PCs additional hardware power to assist in that task, making it much smoother. Similar in many ways to free, ad-supported services like the Roku Channel, Plex Free Movies and TV is both an add-on to your personal Plex experience and a standalone service. Download: Bring all your favorite movies or music with you. Relay adds an extra step to the chain and can slow down the connection. These short descriptions can give you an idea of what a movie or episode is about. Mobile sync: A must-have for commuters, this feature lets you wirelessly keep copies of your favorite media on your phone for offline playback. However, it's still good practice to keep every library in its own. How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. Add a Comment. If you have more than one streaming service, you know how frustrating it can be to find something good to watch. You will see the new Discover section in the menu on the left side of the Plex home screen. For the Plex Media Server, you will need to pick a device on which to install and run it. But in the past few years, Plex has also added a massive library of over 50,000 paid and free movies, over 250 free Live TV channels, and additional features that set it apart from most other streaming services. Intro PLEX - Add a movie collection to the home screen for yourself and/or your users for the Hoildays. If youd like to be able to access your library away from your home network, Plex makes it easy to do so. IPS vs VA vs TN: What Type of Computer Monitor Should You Get. Reorder the Playlist source from your Plex Media Server to be at the top of the sidebar. Youll find a constantly changing lineup of movies and shows to watch. You will now see /mnt/unionfs/Media/Movies in the text box (don't click "ADD LIBRARY" yet). recommend using a folder system like this: The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003).mkv. We will do a deep dive into Plex's many great features and offer a. But is there really any alternative? Name the library and choose the language to use for information gathered from the internet. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. For TV shows, things get a little more complicated. Heres Plexs support page that discusses the minimum requirements; its a good place to start. You can accomplish that by pinning the sources you care about in each app. Fortunately, Plex has a couple ways of getting around this. Jebusfreek666 1 yr. ago The streaming service conveniently allows users to search by general categories, but if you want to get even more specific, there's a trick to help you out. Though it too includes the ability to stream your library locally, it is best used on a dedicated HTPC or similar. But there are some important differences that you can use to guide your decision. As far as the Plex Client Player goes, you can run the client app on just about any device thats out there, so the odds are good that you already own a compatible one from web browsers to Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, or various smart TVs. You've already provided feedback for this article, thank you for helping us improve our articles. The recently-added Discover section in Plex shows you the new and trending content from all your streaming services, like Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, and more. Kodi doesnt work on Roku, Amazons Fire TV, or Apple TV without a significant amount of heavy lifting to install and use it. If youre unsure what you should use, the Plex user forums are a great place to ask questions and get advice. Take Screenshot by Tapping Back of iPhone, Pair Two Sets of AirPods With the Same iPhone, Download Files Using Safari on Your iPhone, Turn Your Computer Into a DLNA Media Server, Add a Website to Your Phone's Home Screen, Control All Your Smart Home Devices in One App. Step 2: The web app is your main way of configuring the Plex server, but it also doubles as a way to look at your library and play your files on your computer. We will do a deep dive into Plex's many great features and offer a step-by-step set of instructions to get you going. But not everyone wants to keep a powerful PC running continuously. From a music-discovery point of view, its a powerful system because its based on the music you love after all, you already own it. When a Plex client connects to the Plex server, it tells the server what those capabilities are. Update Your Plex Media Server: It's easy to fall behind on Plex updates and bug fixes. This way, you can search for something to watch without switching back and forth between different apps. The most common way to fix library mistakes is to rename your files. Downloads for Windows, macOS, Linux Desktop, Direct Play, Direct Stream, Transcoding Overview, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information / Opt-out of Targeted Advertising. In the settings for your Plex Media Server, you can choose which particular rows related to that library will appear on a home screen. Can Power Companies Remotely Adjust Your Smart Thermostat? Plex allows you to access all your streaming services with Plex Discover. Theres no harm in trying both to see which suits your usage best. Related Page: Cinema Trailers, Extras, & Related Albums. Choose the Agent to use with your library. Fortunately,Plex has a bounty of client applications available for most modern systems. Albert Bush 414 subscribers Subscribe 251 views 5 months ago Learn how to feature any. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. Plex is simple-to-use software that brings together all your different types of media, and it also is pretty easy to install. Its really just meant as a way to check that the file will indeed play. Most of the time it works as intended, but every once in a while you may find a movie that's missing its poster art, has been misidentified, or references the wrong video file. Now use the "Browse For Media Folder" button to add any relevant folders you want included in that collection. If you're the one running the server, it can start to eat up your computer's resources or become a chore to manage. Scan this QR code to download the app now. A custom app for remote server monitoring. Our mobile apps allow you to easily modify what appears on your Home screen, which sources of media are available, and how to arrange the available sources. Whereas you might run Plex on a server thats tucked away in a cupboard, Kodi works best on a dedicated home theater PC (HTPC) or similar. To add a movie or TV show to your Watchlist, select a magnifying glass icon in the top-left corner of Plex and search for it. The unofficial add-ons can also leave you vulnerable to undesirable third parties, including malware, hackers, and snoopers. Step 3: You can store your movies, music, and other files anywhere you like, in as many different folders or hard drives (both locally or on network shares) and Plex will keep everything organized. Create, organize, and store your collections. These are available for the major desktop operating systems but also most smart TVs, set-top boxes like the Apple TV and NVIDIA Shield, mobile platforms like Android and iPhone, and even VR headsets. Using theentry you can pin new items to appear in the main navigation sidebar area (By default, new items will be placed at the end of the list). Choose the library type from the selection. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. Kodi is free forever, while Plex has a generous . These allow you to access your Plex library and browse information about what youre watching (like movie descriptions and ratings) using the signature Plex UI. Your subscription has been confirmed. However, this can take up a lot of processing power. With the free app, you can build your own personal media server and stream any videos from your computer to your TV or smartphone, no matter where you are. If youre thinking of buying a new streaming device anyway, we recommend the Roku Streaming Stick 4k, Apple TV 4K, or Nvidia Shield TV for the best Plex experience. To create a library, launch the Plex Web App then: Tip! But an even bigger benefit for music fans is the way Plex integrates Tidal with your personal music library. You can also just select the Start button to start immediately. and our However, theres one small catch: Plex has a preference for how different file types are named. For example, if you want a 720p version of a movie that can be streamed even over crappy hotel Wi-Fi, then you can create one before you leave on your trip. But every once in a while a movie will be missing a poster, or a TV show will get split up. Scanners analyze the folder structure and filename of your content for information about that particular item. Within that screen, you can add additional users for the people who live with you, as well as giving access to friends via the Shared Libraries option. Tim Brookes is a technology writer with more than a decade of experience. If you run your own Plex Media Server, you likely want to have all your own personal media libraries pinned. By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If youd rather stream from a single local server to numerous local or remote devices, Plex is the better choice. As the name suggests, it's a gaming service, but unlike similar products from Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Nvidia, Plex Arcade is focused (for now) on giving subscribers access to classic Atari console titles from the 1980s. mgithens1 . Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. There's just one problem. From the navigation sidebar, youll be able to choose which source to view, if you have access to more than one. And while the selection is nothing like what youd find on a paid service like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, there are some great B-movies, Hollywood classics, and hidden gems to be discovered. For example: Importantly, you don't need the episode title in every file name, so long as you have the show name and the format of the episode. What about Kodi versus Plex? However, it doesn't always get it right. However, it's still good practice to keep every library in its own folder. And if that isn't enough, Plex also operates its own ad-supported, free streaming video service known as Plex Free Movies and TV, which can be accessed alongside your personal media, as well as live TV and DVR features you can access with the Plex Pass subscription. Kodi is an endpoint for your media that needs to run on a device thats connected directly to your main TV (or projector). The server will remember where you left off in a track. If you have a lot of files, renaming them doesnt have to be a manual process: macOS has a great, built-in file-renaming function, as does Windows 10. Step 4: Inside the settings for your Plex Media Server, youll find a section called Users and Sharing. You can specify one or more content locations. Plex's search function brings in results from across your streaming services and ones you don't subscribe to as well. Alternatively, you can run some combination of the two since theres an official Plex add-on available for Kodi. I can add this library to the home screen using the Plex app for TVos but I greatly prefer Infuse, but cannot seem to add this folder to the favorites list. support page that discusses the minimum requirements, how to know if youre getting Dolby Atmos sound guide, Simply download the appropriate installer, How to watch Amazon Prime Video on your Chromecast, How to build the ultimate Zoom setup for all your Thanksgiving video calls, Plex adds a new artwork-centric option to its visual experience, Plex now lets you skip the credits on movies and TV shows, The best places to watch free movies online, Locast shutters operations heres how to keep watching your local channels, You can now watch Peacock on all Fire TV devices, ahead of Tokyo Games, How to connect Alexa to your home speakers. Plex Media Server runs on all computers running the major operating systems as well as NAS devices: Whichever one you choose, a wired network connection for both your server machine and your client device is recommended. Watch Together is supported on the following devices: Step 1: To start Watch Together, select a movie or show you want to watch in your Plex app, and then select the Three dots / more button, followed by Watch Together. Select the icon associated with the type of content you want to add. We've all experienced the problem of content overload, when you have an idea of what you want to watch but you just can't quite narrow it down with so many options available. If not, click the option and then . I cannot seem to get my library on the Home screen. Choose whether or not video preview thumbnails will be generated for this particular library if the main setting is enabled for the Plex Media Server. You can also do things like share your library or watch content with other people over the internet. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. This information comes from a variety of sources including IMDb, The Movie Database, The Internet Video Archive, and even Wikipedia. Related Page: Library If you are considering installing Kodi, we recommend looking over our Kodi explainer to learn how to safeguard against cyberattacks or any other potential problem that might occur with third-party add-ons. But large libraries can be cumbersome if they're not properly organized. When you stream a movie from your computer at home to your phone, it eats up data. To choose which source you wish to view/access, you simply choose from the navigation sidebar if the item has been pinned to your sidebar (if the source has not been pinned, it can be found by selecting More from the sidebar). There is also a huge library of community-maintained add-ons that add all sorts of features, from online streaming services to music visualizations and beyond. Setting up an iPad for our daughter and I'd like to pin a few of the movies she always likes to the home screen rather than having her search. Click on the Settings icon in top-right corner of the Plex web interface. Not all TV shows fit neatly into the above format, so Plex has naming conventions for other formats(Opens in a new window), like miniseries, specials, or date-based late night talk shows. Plex pulls multiple versions of each that you can choose from, or you can upload your own if you don't like any of them. You should see your movies, music, and any other media you added during setup beginning to populate, along with their respective poster or album art. You should now be familiar with how to use Plex. Do you subscribe to a number of streaming services? There are plenty of other pieces of data you can change, but these are likely to be the main ones you'll mess with. Step 5: To quickly check that everything is as it should be, click the Home button in the web app interface. Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like whole-home music systems, true wireless earbuds and headphones, 4K HDR TVs, and surround sound technologies like Dolby Atmos. Plex adds a new artwork-centric option to its visual experience By Simon Cohen August 19, 2021 Plex, the company that gives folks a way to easily manage and access their personal library of. With an ever-growing library of content, there's plenty to watch on Netflix -- as long as you can find something that interests you. Intel CPUs Might Give up the i After 14 Years, Windows 11 Has More Widgets Improvements on the Way, WordTsar Is Reviving the 80s WordStar Writing Experience, 2023 LifeSavvy Media. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. If you find one particularly troublesome user on your server hogging the bandwidth, you can check your server's dashboard to see who's causing it and maybe politely ask them to ease off a touch. Step 1: Simply download the appropriate installer and follow the instructions. When you click "Add Library" you'll need to nominate a media type (like Movies or TV), then click on the "Add Folders" button. If you find something you want to watch on Plex, but you dont have time right now, you can save it to the new expanded Watchlist. This feature allows you to create "optimized" versions of your media in a lower quality or a different format that can quickly be streamed over limited connections. 2015 Shield TV, 2015 Shield TV Pro, and 2019 Shield TV Pro but not the 2019 Shield TV. After you have done that, press the Add Library button and select Movies and press Next. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. Bear in mind that these solutions are not guaranteed to work. 1996-2023 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. That sounds great, but transcoding isn't without its downsides. You can download and run Kodi on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Raspberry Pi, and with a bit of work closed Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Its next to the compass icon. window.videoEmbeds.push({ Follow him on Twitter or Instagram. The Plex Media Server is an awesome package enjoyed by millions. The Discover section will now appear on the left menu, under the home navigation. To create an optimized version of a file, click the drop-down menu in the Plex web app for any movie or show and choose "Optimize" From there, you'll see a window like the one above. This means you only need to run a single server somewhere on your network, even on a computer you already use that lives in your study or is completely hidden from view like a NAS device. Plex is a great way to manage your media, but you'll have to organize files and folders. This is how it can tell the difference between Aladdin (1992) and Aladdin (2019) and give each the proper artwork. elemId: 'video-container-63nwkYZAn5', This setting determines whether content from this library will be included in global search or not. What Is a PEM File and How Do You Use It? This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. The server is used to both store and stream media to other client devices on the network. Agents take the information from the Plex Scanner, then search local media and internet sites for metadata about the media. There's also a seven-day free trial period. However, since this feature is still in beta, it might not be available on your device yet. So if youve gotten into the habit of running your media through a converter like HandBrake (Windows, Mac) to make it compatible with your software, you can do away with that step. He's invested in the Apple ecosystem, with experience covering Macs, iPhones, and iPads for publications like Zapier and MakeUseOf. The philosophy behind this redesign focuses on a reimagining of the way the Plex apps are structured. In our case, we select "TV Shows", the library that . Many popular NAS devices, such as QNAP, Synology, Netgear, Drobo, and. Each library has a language that controls the information gathered from the internet. Step 3: Then, configure your Plex Media Server to respond to those remote access requests. Plex is focused tightly on the media experience and includes a library of movies and TV shows that are ready to stream. Enjoy Deep Control of Rows from Personal Libraries For folks who run their own Plex Media Server, you can have even more control over which rows will appear on an app home screen for a particular pinned personal media library. Thanks for your feedback, add a comment here to help improve the article, Plex Now Lets You Add All Your Streaming Services In One Place, Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, Save $99 on eero Pro 6 + Install. Plex has two choices for setup. How to show my library directly on the Home (front) screen. There is no way for you to synchronize settings from one device to another easily. When that happens, you can manually edit metadata. Plex allows you to add a single library to multiple folders, a handy way to add movies across several hard drives. I found the option to edit the home screen, but when I "pin" my library, it just shows "added recently", instead of the whole library. (Most users will prefer to not have this enabled.) If you only want to see titles that are available, you can filter your list using the Available to stream filter. Highlight a Row Using Conditional Formatting, Hide or Password Protect a Folder in Windows, Access Your Router If You Forget the Password, Access Your Linux Partitions From Windows, How to Connect to Localhost Within a Docker Container, How to Run Your Own DNS Server on Your Local Network. He writes on everything from Windows to Linux and from cord-cutting to generating art with AI. In cases where you choose not to pin a particular source, you can still access it whenever you want. (Available when using the Plex Premium Music agent.). The default Scanner is automatically selected when you create the library but you can change it if necessary. ), theres a Plex-preferred naming style. In the Kodi versus Plex battle, there are some big differences. Secondly, if you have two Sonos systems in different homes, Plex lets you access your personal music library in both locations something Sonos cant do on its own. The first option on this page . Weve been able to play 4K HDR files with Dolby Atmos on a Shield TV from a Plex server running on a WD My Cloud Mirror Gen 2 a NAS with less computing power than even the cheapest PC. How do I play Plex files on my TV or other devices? It can find matches from among all of your connected libraries, subscriptions, and services, including your movies, music, and TV shows, free content from Plex Movies and TV, web shows and podcasts, and Tidal. Since Kodi must be installed on a device thats plugged directly into your TV, youll be able to use this device for different things. Hosting a Plex server can be taxing on your internet service. We'll take it from here. Let's dive in. Tim Brookes is a technology writer with more than a decade of experience. Plex is a media server solution that is hosted on a single machine, somewhere on your local network. You can fix this by setting up a direct connection. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Episode titles are metadata that Plex can pull from various sources. Still, Kodi can be a good Plex alternative if you like to tweak software settings. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. Select your E: drive and select the Movies folder. If you have an existing account but haven't logged in recently, when you next log in, you will be required to update your password. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. If disabled you can only search the library when in the libraries screens. ID3 tags for MP3 files.). You could, for example, use Steams Big Picture Mode to play games in your living room (run them natively or connect your gaming PC using Steam Link) or use an app like Playnite to bring launchers like the Epic Game Store and GOG together under one TV-friendly interface. That. You can find all the movies and shows saved in your Watchlist by navigating to the Plex home page and selecting Watchlist at the top of the screen. However, if you're already using a VPN for other purposes, this can help you make Plex play nicely with it. How to watch local channels on your Roku device, How to use Netflixs secret category codes to find what you want to watch, Plex Arcade brings classic Atari console titles to your TV for $5 per month. To solve this, Plex recently announced a new feature to help you find any content on all your streaming services in one place. {{navSearchSanitizedItem( item, 'title' )}}.
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