Kodi is a powerful media center software interface that does many of the same things as Plex. Thank you for helping us improve our articles. 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. How to show my library directly on the Home (front) screen. Youll find all sources available under the More option in the sidebar. 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. This is an invisible title you can tweak to change how files are sorted. Access that using the Edit option in the sidebar. 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. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. More information is available in the Your Mediasection. For example, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End would be sorted before Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest despite coming after it in the series. Heres Plexs support page that discusses the minimum requirements; its a good place to start. Related Page: Cinema Trailers, Extras, & Related Albums. Could I use that instead? Unfortunately, many of the most popular titles for these consoles, like Pac Man, Space Invaders, Joust, and Donkey Kong are not among the available games at launch. As in, all artists showing. Doing so has two big advantages: First, Plex can automatically transcode any music files that Sonos cant play like hi-res FLAC files so you can enjoy your full music library. Click on the Settings icon in top-right corner of the Plex web interface. Theyre both a great way of putting an old computer youre no longer using to good use. Podcasts are the same idea, but for audio-only. Though Plex is ideal as a local media streaming solution, it also works remotely. Step 2: Next, configure your router to send remote access requests to the machine on your network that hosts your Plex Media Server. To create a library, launch the Plex Web App then: Tip! So it shouldn't be possible for anyone to snoop on what you're doing unless they gain access to your devices. Related Page: Video Preview Thumbnails. Note: Recently, Plex had a data breach. If so, a Plex Media Server might be just what you need. Youll first need to set some general information for the library. Step 3: Select Libraries under the Manage section. To solve this, Plex recently announced a new feature to help you find any content on all your streaming services in one place. 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. Step 6: If they dont look quite right at first, wait a few minutes, as it can take time for Plex to find all of the relevant info. Maybe you only want movie and TV content pinned on one device, but on a different device, youd prefer quick access to music and the free TV streaming Plex provides. Heres everything you need to know about the new Plex Discover, Universal Search, and Expanded Watchlist features, and how you can add your favorite streaming services to Plex now. With Plex, you can also access two other kinds of free streaming media: web shows and podcasts. 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! In the settings for your Plex Media Server, you can choose which particular rows related to that library will appear on a home screen. He has written for Ozy.com, Mobilesyrup, Driving.ca, and VentureBeat, and appeared as a guest tech expert on international TV and radio programs, including BBC Radio, CTV News Channel, and CBC Radio. 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. Choose the Agent to use with your library. In the main Plex screen (Home icon on the top left), click "+" next to "LIBRARIES". You will see the new Discover section in the menu on the left side of the Plex home screen. Agents take the information from the Plex Scanner, then search local media and internet sites for metadata about the media. In fact, you can even add unreleased movies to your Watchlist. 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. If you have access to multiple Plex Media Servers, you will then be prompted to select a preferred server as well as the initial sources to display in the Navigation Sidebar. You can fix this by setting up a direct connection. Plex: A Media Server for Streaming EverywhereKodi: A Media Center ApplicationPlex vs. Kodi: Which Should You Choose?Install Both for Free (or Try an Alternative Instead). Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. You've already provided feedback for this article, thank you for helping us improve our articles. If you have a Tidal subscription, you can add it to Plex. 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. How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files, How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac, What to Do When Your Apple TV Remote Stops Working, 20 Things You Didn't Know Your Google Chromecast Could Do, The Best Media Streaming Devices for 2023, Cast Away: How to Connect Your Android Phone to Your TV, How to Prepare Your Digital Life for Your Death, YouTube Music or Google Play Music? There's just one problem. The default Scanner is automatically selected when you create the library but you can change it if necessary. 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. Would you prefer to view everything all at once in a beautiful scrolling experience similar to Netflix? 22K views 3 years ago Video showing how to set up Plex so that you have all of your movies and TV shows in place with all of your other media. Plex, the company that helps people organize and access all of their movies, TV shows, and music using media server software, has announced its first subscription streaming service, Plex Arcade. Episode titles are metadata that Plex can pull from various sources. For Plex Media Server: PC, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD computer, Nvidia Shield/Shield TV, Netgear Nighthawk router, or supported NAS, For Plex Client Player: Any supported streaming device. 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. Best of all, your Plex library can also be shared with other Plex users, making it an ideal way to give friends and family members access to your media without having to upload all of it to a third-party cloud service like Google Drive or iCloud. Once the wizard has completed, we can move on to the . But is there really any alternative? 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. Plex covers all the major players, like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and many of the smaller, niche services, too, so you should have no problem adding your favorites. If youd rather stream from a single local server to numerous local or remote devices, Plex is the better choice. The Discover section will now appear on the left menu, under the home navigation. This is how it can tell the difference between Aladdin (1992) and Aladdin (2019) and give each the proper artwork. You can find details about how Plex prefers you name your files here(Opens in a new window). Your media is stored on and streamed to devices you control, and traffic is encrypted along the way. Lastly, Kodi is a completely free and open-source solution. The default Agent is automatically selected when you create the library but you can change it by clicking the dropdown and selecting the one you want. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. Bear in mind that these solutions are not guaranteed to work. 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. These short descriptions can give you an idea of what a movie or episode is about. Plex Media Library. Typically, users group them by movies and TV shows, but you can divide them up however you want. Though some limitations need to be considered, such as the power of your Plex server and the bandwidth of your internet plan, it can be a great way to include others. If youre not a fan of maintaining a highly connected, centrally managed media library that clients stream from, then Kodi is for you. Select your E: drive and select the Movies folder. Repeat for the TV Shows library and folder. Fortunately,Plex has a bounty of client applications available for most modern systems. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. Want quick access to your playlists? Those with Dolby Atmos home theater systems may want to read our how to know if youre getting Dolby Atmos sound guide, as it contains some considerations for Plex users who want to ensure they get Dolby Atmos support. Hosting a Plex server can be taxing on your internet service. Keep in mind, playing a movie this way wont necessarily show you what it will look like on a device like an Apple TV or Roku. If youre looking for an all-in-one media center and emulator, Kodi is hard to beat. Kodi doesnt work on Roku, Amazons Fire TV, or Apple TV without a significant amount of heavy lifting to install and use it. data: {"slug":"63nwkYZAn5","url":"https:\/\/vdist.aws.mashable.com\/cms\/2019\/8\/6668d220-bce1-feb6\/mp4\/1080.mp4","transcoded_urls":["https:\/\/vdist.aws.mashable.com\/cms\/2019\/8\/6668d220-bce1-feb6\/hls.m3u8","https:\/\/vdist.aws.mashable.com\/cms\/2019\/8\/6668d220-bce1-feb6\/dash.mpd","https:\/\/vdist.aws.mashable.com\/cms\/2019\/8\/6668d220-bce1-feb6\/mp4\/1080.mp4","https:\/\/vdist.aws.mashable.com\/cms\/2019\/8\/6668d220-bce1-feb6\/mp4\/720.mp4","https:\/\/vdist.aws.mashable.com\/cms\/2019\/8\/6668d220-bce1-feb6\/mp4\/480.mp4"],"title":"Video Streaming Services: What You Should Know","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/blueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/video_uploaders\/distribution_thumb\/image\/92250\/aa1ed1c3-4355-4d9e-9ada-50eb321c353c.jpg"} Note, this will create a separate video file that will exist on your server. If you want to share your Plex library with friends and family (who dont live with you), youll need to configure remote access first. Since the Plex Media Server does the lions share of the work involved in organizing and playing back your media, a sufficiently powerful device is important for the best experience. However, it's still good practice to keep every library in its own folder. Looks like you already left that comment. However, it can get in the way of your Plex server working correctly. Thats accomplished by managing the recommendations for that particular library. In layman's terms, that means it will convert any media in your libraries into a format that's compatible with the client device. Plex allows you to add a single library to multiple folders, a handy way to add movies across several hard drives. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks. Since Kodi must be installed on a device thats plugged directly into your TV, youll be able to use this device for different things. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. Update Your Plex Media Server: It's easy to fall behind on Plex updates and bug fixes. Here are seven steps to get Plex up and running in the platform of your choice. {{navSearchSanitizedItem( item, 'title' )}}. Adjust the order of the sources in your sidebar to help make sure the content you want easy access to is near the top of your Home screen. Additionally, there isnt a customer support option, so if you run into any issues, theres nobody to help with troubleshooting, so you have to figure it out on your own. No Internet is required. There are plenty of other pieces of data you can change, but these are likely to be the main ones you'll mess with. Add a Comment. Follow him on Twitter or Instagram. Now use the "Browse For Media Folder" button to add any relevant folders you want included in that collection. Get a Plex Pass: http://lon.tv/plexpass (affiliate link) - For this month's sponsored Plex post we take a deep dive into the Plex mobile app and find ways to. Best shows on Netflix How to Check If the Docker Daemon or a Container Is Running, How to Manage an SSH Config File in Windows and Linux, How to View Kubernetes Pod Logs With Kubectl, How to Run GUI Applications in a Docker Container. If you have a device that lacks a dedicated client app Plex includes DLNA/UPnP streaming which expands streaming capabilities to a huge number of devices that support the standard (particularly older smart TVs). Youll find a constantly changing lineup of movies and shows to watch. Open app.plex.tv and click the "Activity" button in the top right corner of the interfaceif an update is available, it will tell you so. When this option is enabled, album reviews from Gracenote will be gathered when available. How to Use Cron With Your Docker Containers, How to Use Docker to Containerize PHP and Apache, How to Pass Environment Variables to Docker Containers, How to Check If Your Server Is Vulnerable to the log4j Java Exploit (Log4Shell), How to Use State in Functional React Components, How to Restart Kubernetes Pods With Kubectl, How to Find Your Apache Configuration Folder, How to Assign a Static IP to a Docker Container, How to Get Started With Portainer, a Web UI for Docker, How to Configure Cache-Control Headers in NGINX, How to Set Variables In Your GitLab CI Pipelines, How to Use an NVIDIA GPU with Docker Containers, How Does Git Reset Actually Work? The clients are typically free, but occasionally, Plex charges a small amount to download them. Alternatively, you can run some combination of the two since there's an official Plex add-on available for Kodi. You should now be familiar with how to use Plex. To vote if this article was helpful, please sign in with your plex account. If you cant access the new Plex features, check out our list of the best streaming devices for any budget. There is no way for you to synchronize settings from one device to another easily. Select the icon associated with the type of content you want to add. Plex has a wide range of client applications to choose from. Step 2: Once the Watch Together session is going, you can then select the friends you wish to join you. Plex will automatically pull this information into your library, making it easy to browse titles without leaving the app. You may need to restart the app if you both just accepted the friend request. Many users experienced improved streaming services and speeds when they paired Kodi with a VPN. Plex Arcade costs $5 per month, but Plex Pass subscribers get a $2 discount, bringing the price down to $3 per month. Plex is focused tightly on the media experience and includes a library of movies and TV shows that are ready to stream. Though both are solid choices, there are some notable differences that can help you decide between them. If you pin the Playlists to the home page, they do get arranged like the Continue Watching row, where the last one you used is first. Move her approved movies to a folder, make a library from that folder, and then add the new folder to your existing library for you to use. Many popular NAS devices, such as QNAP, Synology, Netgear, Drobo, and. Mobile sync: A must-have for commuters, this feature lets you wirelessly keep copies of your favorite media on your phone for offline playback. Each library has a language that controls the information gathered from the internet. 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 allows you to add a single library to multiple folders, a handy way to add movies across several hard drives. Poster/Background: There are two images that will show up in your librarythe poster for the movie/episode, and a background image that will appear in some apps. Plex Pass provides unhindered access to streaming via mobile apps, hardware transcoding, local downloads, themes, additional users, the ability to use Plex as a DVR, local Plexamp offline music listening, lyrics, and more. It will cause problems. But not everyone wants to keep a powerful PC running continuously. Many of these web shows and podcasts can be found on other services, like YouTube, but having them accessible within Plex is a little more convenient. 1996-2023 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. And sharing your library with other people can also slow down your home internet speeds. Plex allows you to access all your streaming services with Plex Discover. 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. Choose the folder to add then click Next. The simplest solution is an automatic feature known as Relay(Opens in a new window). When a Plex client connects to the Plex server, it tells the server what those capabilities are. The order of pinned items in your home sidebar will control the order of the content on your Home screen. If you specify multiple locations, content will all be consolidated together for your library. How do I play Plex files on my TV or other devices? Though Kodi doesnt use a separate server and client structure, you can still stream your library around the house by enabling DLNA/UPnP streaming within your Kodi settings. If youd like to be able to access your library away from your home network, Plex makes it easy to do so. If you want to have one collection of movies you share, and another you don't, give them separate folders. recommend using a folder system like this: The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003).mkv. window.videoEmbeds = window.videoEmbeds || []; The first option on this page . When this option is enabled, genre information from Last.fm will be used instead of embedded metadata. You will generally find the one for your specific device in the online download store for that platform. Download: Bring all your favorite movies or music with you. Alternatively, you can run some combination of the two since theres an official Plex add-on available for Kodi. Eric Ravenscraft is a freelance writer and tech nerd working out of the geek capital of the world, Atlanta, Georgia. You candownload and install Plex Media Serveron a large number of devices, including desktop computers (Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD) andnetwork-attached storage drives. Step 3: Then, configure your Plex Media Server to respond to those remote access requests. 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. Plex works well if you want to set up a server that isnt plugged into your main TV. With the right add-ons, you can do more than simply play local and stream remote media with Kodi. Jellyfin is one such free and open-source streaming solution thats worth a look. All you need to do is log in with your Plex username and password and pick what you want to stream. Fortunately, Plex also gives you the tools you need to dive into your library and clean it up. 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. Related Page: Library When that happens, there are things you can do to make sure your library looks clean. Best. Do you subscribe to a number of streaming services? However, since this feature is still in beta, it might not be available on your device yet. As you browse and search, you just add titles to your watchlist, and as they become available, leave one service, and show up on another, you'll always know where you can watch them. It takes a bit of fiddling to get this set up correctly because youll need to adjust your routers firewall settings, but once its configured, youll be able to use the Plex client on your phone or tablet to stream your personal media library from anywhere in the world including live TV and recorded shows, if you have that enabled. Plex says the new Discover section and other features will be available on Roku, Apple TV+, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, iOS and Android mobile devices, smart TVs, game consoles, and at www.plex.tv. Naming schemes depend on what type of media you're naming. He is currently a full-time contributor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section. 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. The most common way to fix library mistakes is to rename your files. Click this and a small window will pop up with boxes you can edit. Edit them out. Care about music, but not as much as your other stuff? Plex is a media server solution that is hosted on a single machine, somewhere on your local network. Do you have a lot of movies, photos, and audio files on your computer? You can expand this selection with a broad selection of plugins. Step 1: When you start the Plex client, it will ask you for the same Plex account you created when you installed the server. When enabled, trailers and extras will automatically be retrieved for your movies when available. 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. If a librarys language is set to French, for example, the French plot summary, etc., will be downloaded when available. There's also a seven-day free trial period. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. 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. 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. An Apple TV 4K, for instance, only plays video files encoded in H.264, or MPEG-4, using the .m4v, .mp4, and .mov formats. to the Plex. Plex Pass currently costs $4.99 per month, $39.99 per year, or $119.99 for a lifetime subscription. Read more Jordan Gloor is Technical Editor at How-To Geek. What is a Plex Media Server? If you already know what you want to watch, the Plex Universal Search feature will now show you which streaming services have the content youre looking for. Under Settings, click "Remote Access." If you see a check mark, remote access is enabled. These can be locally attached internal or external drives or network locations like Windows SMB shares and NASdevices. The individual files should then be named with the show name, plus SXXEYY, where "XX" is the season number and "YY" is the episode number. 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. Both will scan and organize your media for you, download covers and descriptions, and present it in an eye-catching manner. Whats the Difference Between a DOS and DDoS Attack? It's worth pointing out that you don't need to use a VPN exclusively for Plex traffic. You can use Settings > Manage > Libraries to add a row of library specific playlists to the homepage. In our case, we select "TV Shows", the library that . You can plug the gap with DLNA/UPnP streaming on older devices or use the Plex web interface, but the server arguably works best if your client has a dedicated app available. There are no premium passes required to unlock functionality but, by the same token, this functionality is a bit more limited. 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. But every once in a while a movie will be missing a poster, or a TV show will get split up. If the file youre trying to play doesnt correspond to one of those file types, the Plex server will need to transcode it into one of the formats that the Apple TV 4K understands. We'll take it from here. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. What about Kodi versus Plex? How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. Summary: These short descriptions can give you an idea of what a movie or episode is about. (Plex Pass required). These days, the cost of even the most basic provider plans is enough to stir any stomach. Tip! He's invested in the Apple ecosystem, with experience covering Macs, iPhones, and iPads for publications like Zapier and MakeUseOf. Plex's search function brings in results from across your streaming services and ones you don't subscribe to as well. : If adding a new library to an existing server, you may need to restart a client/player app to pick up the new library. 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. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-organize-your-plex-media-library. One limitation here is that there are only a few types of compatible devices. You've already provided feedback for this article, thank you. Cinema Trailers, Extras, & Related Albums, Direct Play, Direct Stream, Transcoding Overview, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information / Opt-out of Targeted Advertising, Ensure that the correct Plex Media Server is selected within the settings menu, Select Libraries under the Manage section of the settings menu, Choose the library type from the selection, Name the library and choose the language to use for information gathered from the internet. Join 425,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, geek trivia, and our feature articles. That would cause the row of playlists to appear right below Continue Watching. If you have a huge library of TV shows and movies, Plex is one of the best ways to manage and stream it to all your devices. The philosophy behind this redesign focuses on a reimagining of the way the Plex apps are structured. If you know that you will mostly want to play your files on a single TV at home, buying a more powerful client device that can handle lots of file types on its own without needing the server to transcode is a great alternative to a more expensive server machine. There are a vast number of emulators and game launchers available as add-ons including MAME, DOSBox, and Libretro (home of the multi-emulator system Retroarch). There are a few ways you can influence what appears on your Home screen and where it appears. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Open ports on Plex with PureVPN's Port forwarding Add-on If you would like to completely reset your sidebar navigation and home screen configuration, this can be done by: Selecting this option will direct you back to the Plex Web Setup screen, where you will be prompted to select a server, media providers, and customize your navigation sidebar. You need to already be friends to invite someone, but you can simply send them a friend request on Plex. In the Kodi versus Plex battle, there are some big differences. However, it's still good practice to keep every library in its own. On top of this, Plex comes with content thats completely free to access. and our Cookie Notice Choose any quality and bandwidth limitations you want to put on the new version. He watches way too many movies and definitely has one to recommend that you haven't seen. This can include the title, release year, cast list, description, trailers, and movie poster for the movie. The Nvidia Shield TV and Shield TV Pro can play virtually every media file type, effectively eliminating the need for the Plex server to perform transcoding. Thank you for helping us improve our articles! You can sign up for a free account, or just use a guest account and start streaming now. With an ever-growing library of content, there's plenty to watch on Netflix -- as long as you can find something that interests you. Step 2: Click the Settings icon to get more settings options.
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