What is Plex and how does it work? – Review Geeks

Plex allows you to create a personal streaming service using your own content. Most people buy dedicated hardware for Plex, but you can try it out using your desktop or laptop without spending a dime.

The days of cheap streaming are gone. Services like Netflix are prohibitively expensive and offer much smaller libraries than a few years ago. A personal collection of DVD and Blu-Ray discs can alleviate this problem, but if you want to stream the media you own, you need a service like Plex.

Plex lets you create your own streaming service

At a glance, Plex can seem very complicated and confusing. It’s a unique service, and unlike Netflix or Hulu, it requires a bit of setup and patience.

But the general idea behind Plex is very simple; lets you stream your personal media to any phone, computer, or smart TV. You provide the files, and Plex automatically organizes everything in a clean, easy-to-use interface. It’s like creating 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, like the ability to stream and record aerial 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 of your home. (Though some of these features require Plex Pass, which we’ll discuss later.)

I also have to mention playlists, which might be my favorite Plex feature. You can put movies or shows in custom playlists to shuffle them randomly or play them in a specific order. For example, you can make a playlist of buffy the vampire slayer Y Angelwhich aired back-to-back and often had general plot points or references.

To use Plex, you need to set up a Plex Media Server. This is a device that runs the Plex software, handles all your files, and processes video for streaming. You can use the computer you already own as a Plex Media Server, though I suggest buying a dedicated device that can stay online 24/7, like the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro, a NAS device, or a small Intel computer. NUC.

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to put together a Plex Media Server. The Plex software guides you through this process, and if you follow the instructions correctly, you won’t have any problems. (When people have problems with Plex, it’s usually poor file organization. Even the most inexperienced computer user can avoid this problem by patiently reading the instructions.)

Plex is also an all-in-one streaming destination

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. You can also find specific information about the cast and crew, such as the full list of Gene Wilder’s film credits.

Also, Plex offers a lot 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 built 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.

Please note that these additional features exist for supplement the Plex experience. Most people treat Plex like a personal streaming service and rarely touch Discover or Free Movies & Shows. If you wish to disable these features, you may do so.

Plex is free, but a membership is worth it

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’ll 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 might seem like a lot of money to spend on Plex (after all, you’re streaming stuff you already own). . But the benefits included with Plex Pass are just too good – well worth the price.

Here are some of my favorite Plex Pass features:

• remote transmission: If you want to stream Plex outside your home, you need Plex Pass.
• hardware transcode: Your server may need to process a video to be compatible with a playback device (or slow internet). Hardware transcoding makes this task much less resource intensive, which is especially useful when streaming large video files.
• free mobile apps: You don’t need to pay for Plex mobile apps if you have Plex Pass.
• offline streaming– Save media to a device for offline viewing or listening.
• Content Restrictions: Prevent your kids from viewing inappropriate content on Plex.
• skip intros: Plex Pass gives you the option to skip TV show intros.
• Trailers and Extras: Your Plex server will automatically find trailers and bonus clips to accompany movies, sort of like DVD extras.
• Watch and record live TV– Connect an OTA receiver to your Plex Media Server to stream and save TV broadcasts over the air. Plex can even remove ads from DVR recordings.
• Multiple film cuts: Keep multiple cuts of the same movie, such as theatrical and director’s cuts aliens.
• music features: Unlock the Plexamp music player, automatic lyrics, extra music controls, offline listening, and an optional Tidal discount.

Clearly, Plex Pass is a must for anyone who wants to stream Plex outside of their home. But it also improves the overall Plex experience. I’m not sure how I could live without the ability to skip intros, stream antenna TV, and use the Plexamp music player.

You can learn more about Plex Pass on the Plex website. Please note that I have only listed my favorite Plex Pass features – this subscription unlocks many more!

What do you need to set up a Plex server?

Setting up a Plex Media Server can be a daunting task. But as I mentioned above, if you follow the instructions, you shouldn’t have any problems. The Plex Media Server software will try to guide you through the setup, although you can find many additional resources on the Plex website.

Now, there is no point in rewriting Plex’s detailed installation instructions. But I’ll give you a general idea 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 try Plex for free before spending a ton of money on this stuff.

• to computers: You can use any Mac or PC as a 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 fix, since you have to leave your computer on when Plex is in use. But it’s the best way to try Plex for free. (You can always uninstall Plex from your machine.)
• Ethernet cable: Provide your Plex Media Server with a wired Internet connection. It is faster and more reliable than WiFi.
• media files: You need media files for Plex! If you don’t own any digital content, you’ll need 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 on Plex, you need to remove the DRM.)
• Patience: Follow the Plex installation instructions, paying special attention to file organization.
• To smart TVs: Install the Plex app on your smart TV and start streaming your personal media library!

The steps above will help you test drive Plex without spending any money on hardware. That being said, hardcore Plex users tend to have much more elaborate setups. If you find that you enjoy Plex, I would highly suggest purchasing an NVIDIA Shield TV Pro or NAS device to use as your media server. Both options consume very little power and are quite compact.

And at some point, you’ll need hard drives to store your growing library of Plex media. I suggest purchasing hard drives made specifically for NAS devices, as they will last much longer than typical hard drives. (If you’re tempted to use an SSD in your Plex server, don’t bother. You won’t see any major benefit.)

To be clear, these things can get expensive if you’re obsessive. But a simple and cheap Plex Media Server might be all you need. Suppose you buy a two-bay NAS device and a 4TB NAS HDD; that will set you back about $250, but you’ll have enough storage to store hundreds of movies, TV shows, and albums. Do some math, and $250 is what you could pay for 10 months of ad-free Netflix Basic and Hulu. Plex pays for itself!