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. 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. This works with almost any movie or TV show, even if its not on Plex or one of your streaming services. Plex's search function brings in results from across your streaming services and ones you don't subscribe to as well. Pin individual playlists to home screen? : r/PleX - Reddit This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. But since they come from third parties, you can end up with spoilers in your descriptions. How to Set Up Plex (and Watch Your Movies on Any Device) Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. What is Plex Pass, and why should I get it? This is how it can tell the difference between Aladdin (1992) and Aladdin (2019) and give each the proper artwork. It will also prioritize streaming services that you are subscribed to, with free options listed before any paid or rental options. Plex is simple-to-use software that brings together all your different types of media, and it also is pretty easy to install. Read on to discover how to unlock your favorite local streams. Plex has always given you the ability to customize your library, but today we're rolling out an update for iOS and Android that gives you even more control over your overall experience. When you find a movie or TV show that you want to stream, just select one of your streaming services from the list under Watch from these locations. 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. ID3 tags for MP3 files.). Plex adds game-streaming as paid add-on, completely botches the landing 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. The library type in Plex is listed as 'Other Videos' since Plex won't recognize it as a TV Shows folder. 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. Click, Next, add the folders with the media files. 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. 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. When this option is enabled, genre information from Last.fm will be used instead of embedded metadata. You can expand this selection with a broad selection of plugins. 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. Your subscription has been confirmed. Kodi is an endpoint for your media that needs to run on a device thats connected directly to your main TV (or projector). 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. Premium music and photo libraries: Get extra info added to your music (like lyrics that you can use for karaoke) or photos (location data) for a richer experience. To create a library, launch the Plex Web App then: Tip! By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Thank you for helping us improve our articles! Related Page: Library If your server machine isnt powerful enough to handle this conversion process, you may be told that the movie cannot be played. The guide provides a thorough understanding of the possible legal ramifications of using those third-party add-ons. (Plex Pass required). {{navSearchSanitizedItem( item, 'title' )}}. When enabled, trailers and extras will automatically be retrieved for your movies when available. While it once seemed like a gimmick, co-watching content online is now a much-in-demand activity. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. Both are compatible with a huge range of devices, and both are capable ofmaximizing compatibility via DLNA/UPnP streaming. How do I play Plex files on my TV or other devices? Tip! However, it doesn't always get it right. Clicking a title brings up all kinds of info on it, including the services it's available on, as well as the ability to add it to your watchlist. It will also pull in results from your own personal media library, Plex's AVOD library, trailers, theatrical releases, and more. 2 yr. ago. Maybe you move it toward the bottom of the sidebar. Note: The Scanner and Agent settings are not available when using a Premium type music library. Continue through the prompts as Plex asks you how to customize your home screen. For Apple TV, for instance, its in the App Store. mgithens1 . And sharing your library with other people can also slow down your home internet speeds. He's invested in the Apple ecosystem, with experience covering Macs, iPhones, and iPads for publications like Zapier and MakeUseOf. 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. 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. Plex has a wide range of client applications to choose from. Select the library the media you wish to update is located in from the left hand navigation panel. 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. window.videoEmbeds.push({ Though Plex is ideal as a local media streaming solution, it also works remotely. If you wish to have video preview thumbnails for a particular library: Similarly, if you want video preview thumbnails generated in general but not in a particular library, then you can disable it for that specific library. To vote if this article was helpful, please sign in with your plex account. Since Kodi must be installed on a device thats plugged directly into your TV, youll be able to use this device for different things. In cases where you choose not to pin a particular source, you can still access it whenever you want. You will now see /mnt/unionfs/Media/Movies in the text box (don't click "ADD LIBRARY" yet). As weve mentioned, there is a Plex client for just about every device on the market. It can automatically add and remove TV episodes as you watch them. Plex is simple-to-use software that brings together all your different types of media, and it also is pretty easy to install. 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. : If adding a new library to an existing server, you may need to restart a client/player app to pick up the new library. Movies that consist of only a single file can all be in the same folder, but TV shows, or any movie that comes with extra datalike posters or subtitlesshould be given their own subfolders. 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. Read more Jordan Gloor is Technical Editor at How-To Geek. Lastly, Kodi is completely free and open source. This option requires that iTunes be installed in the default location on the computer running Plex Media Server. {{navSearchSanitizedItem( item, 'title' )}}. But there are some important differences that you can use to guide your decision. Many advanced options are common between library types. 10 Best Plex Plugins That Are Worth Using in 2023 - PUREVPN This will adjust the playback for all users in the Watch Together session. 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). 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. You've already provided feedback for this article, thank you. What is a Plex Media Server? Plex Pass can be bought on a monthly ($5), annual ($40), or lifetime ($120) basis, and it entitles you to the following features: Live TV plus DVR: If you have an HD antenna and a compatible OTA receiver, you can watch and record live TV from within Plex. Plex's Watch Together feature allows users to watch their favorite movies and TV shows with friends. There's just one problem. You can also do things like share your library or watch content with other people over the internet. Here's how to clean up your Plex media library to make sure everything is in order. 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. 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. He watches way too many movies and definitely has one to recommend that you haven't seen. This information comes from a variety of sources including IMDb, The Movie Database, The Internet Video Archive, and even Wikipedia. The server will remember where you left off in a track. The Plex Media Server is smart software that makes playing Movies, TV Shows and other media on your computer simple. The options available will vary depending on the type of library you selected. You can even upload your own if you prefer an alternate poster. We will do a deep dive into Plex's many great features and offer a. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. Privacy Policy. Just like Plex, Kodi can scrape the web and build a detailed library of content including cover images, descriptions, ratings, and more. Make an appropriate folder and put your media in that, such as D:/Movies. 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. 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. Access and search all your streaming services with Plex Discover, How to enable remote access and library sharing. He is currently a full-time contributor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section. Most of the time, however, you'll want to format movie files with their name first and release year in parentheses. 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. Once you select it, you will see the new Add to Watchlist button or just a bookmark icon below the title and description. But an even bigger benefit for music fans is the way Plex integrates Tidal with your personal music library. If you have a data cap, as an increasing number of home internet users do(Opens in a new window), you could hit that limit quickly. Keep an eye on your inbox! Plex Users Can Now Customize Their Visual Experience - Digital Trends However, this can take up a lot of processing power. Then choose your subscriptions and select Done or Save Changes if it appears at the end. The media sources you have pinned in the sidebar are the main thing that determines what appears on your Home screen. Previously known as Xbox Media Center and later XBMC, Kodi places great emphasis on making its UI fluid and presenting your media in a slick and functional way. If you want to set up a personal media server to house all your files, there are a few more steps. Best. Whats the Difference Between a DOS and DDoS Attack? 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. Editing a film or series title will change the name of the movie as it's displayed in your library. Both Plex and Kodi broadly support the same types of media, enjoying excellent compatibility with most major video and audio formats. How to use Plex Media Server to watch all of your media If you run your own Plex Media Server, you likely want to have all your own personal media libraries pinned. You may or may not want to pin libraries to which a friend has granted you access. 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. So your most frequently watched playlists are generally early on the list. Customizing Plex Web | Plex Support To vote if this article was helpful, please sign in with your plex account. Settings related to the current Agent may also be exposed here. How to Organize Your Plex Media Library | PCMag The Plex Media Server is an awesome package enjoyed by millions. Since we launched in 2006, our articles have been read billions of times. Step 4: Click Add Library, select the library type and name the library. The default Scanner is automatically selected when you create the library but you can change it if necessary. Plex allows you to add a single library to multiple folders, a handy way to add movies across several hard drives. 1996-2023 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. Bear in mind that these solutions are not guaranteed to work. If you've got a Roku streaming device, or if you're considering picking one up, the popular gadget offers several backdoor portals to some of the greatest local-area content, including news, weather, sports, and more. In the settings for your Plex Media Server, you can choose which particular rows related to that library will appear on a home screen. Would you prefer to view everything all at once in a beautiful scrolling experience similar to Netflix? Plex has relatively low system requirementsfor servers, though performance will be impacted by the speed of your network and your decision to use wireless networking or not. We'll take it from here. Camera upload: Wirelessly sync the photos you take on your mobile device to Plex so that theyre a snap to view on all of your Plex clients. Let's dive in. Select Libraries under the Manage section of the settings menu. Thank you for helping us improve our articles. In minutes, your media collection goes from being a series of files and folders to a Netflix-like experience that you control. 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. Plex is software that you can use to store, locate, and access all of your media in one place. But is there really any alternative? https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-organize-your-plex-media-library. In the Remote Access section of Plex's settingsthe same place where you found the upload speed limitsclick Show Advanced and you can find your public facing IP address, which you can use to configure outside access. With Kodi, theres no server software all of its functions are self-contained in an app you download and install on a compatible device. What is SSH Agent Forwarding and How Do You Use It? If youre not a fan of maintaining a highly connected, centrally managed media library that clients stream from, then Kodi is for you. Before you start streamingor sharing your library with otherstake a moment to refine your collection. When available, it can be displayed on the artists page. Searching is simple and can be done using titles, actors, and directors. Note: Using this option will reset all customization changes made in the app, including source/home screen ordering. But not everyone wants to keep a powerful PC running continuously. How To Change Your Plex Home Screen - YouTube Plex Media Library. Many users experienced improved streaming services and speeds when they paired Kodi with a VPN. 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. recommend using a folder system like this: The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003).mkv. You can sign up for a free account, or just use a guest account and start streaming now. and our 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. Mobile sync: A must-have for commuters, this feature lets you wirelessly keep copies of your favorite media on your phone for offline playback. This setting determines whether content from this library will be included in global search or not. Both Plex and Kodi are available to download and try out for free. 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. 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. This page is community-driven and not run by or affiliated with Plex, Inc. Thats where the ability to customize things comes in. Once the wizard has completed, we can move on to the . On top of this, Plex comes with content thats completely free to access. Using a VPN is just good practice on the internet these days. Fortunately, Plex has a couple ways of getting around this. 3. Though both are solid choices, there are some notable differences that can help you decide between them. Plex is a different kind of streaming service. Looks like you already left that comment. Plex has two choices for setup. Head to the official Plex website and download the version you want. 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 candownload and install Plex Media Serveron a large number of devices, including desktop computers (Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD) andnetwork-attached storage drives. Locally, Plex allows you to add your own movies, TV shows, music, photos, and home videos. In the "Add Library" window, select "Movies" and click "NEXT". PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Click "BROWSE FOR MEDIA FOLDER". Many of Plexs best features are available for free, but there are some premium features that you can only access if you have a Plex Pass subscription. Cookie Notice Step 2: Once the Watch Together session is going, you can then select the friends you wish to join you. Unfortunately, that includes a big collection of unofficial add-ons that can cause you all sorts of problems, including unknowingly accessing copyrighted material. You can adjust the order of pinned content while editing the sidebar. First, while it's not strictly necessary, it's often best to create nested folders for every show, season, and possibly episode, if the episode is broken up into multiple files. Digital Trends Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites. Technically, yes. 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. While this feature makes streams faster, it can also fill up the storage on your computer at home more quickly, so pick which movies to optimize carefully. To play a file, simply mouse over the thumbnail and click the Play button. (Most users will prefer to not have this enabled.) The library will keep track of what youve watched and organize content by season. This way, you can search for something to watch without switching back and forth between different apps. 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. How to Use Plex Media Server | Tom's Guide These days, the cost of even the most basic provider plans is enough to stir any stomach. 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. Unlike iTunes, Plex can read just about every media file format you can think of. Its a versatile application that includes free streaming content, syncs across your devices with a simple login, and has relatively few limitations, like the shortlist of incompatible file types. Alternatively, check out some of the best Plex alternatives. 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. Do you have a lot of movies, photos, and audio files on your computer? Selecting the file you want to play brings up an info screen with descriptions and more links, plus the Play Now button. To change the Scanner, click the dropdown and select the one you want to use. Plex Arcade is now live as a paid add-on service, and it promises to let you stream your existing, classic gaming library from a home PC to a variety of Plex-compatible devices. Choose the folder to add then click Next. You can also manually specify a public port if you need to enable port forwarding. (Plex Pass required), When enabled, extras that are not trailers will be skipped. Plex works well if you want to set up a server that isnt plugged into your main TV. Agents take the information from the Plex Scanner, then search local media and internet sites for metadata about the media. Plex Media Server One-Click App | Marketplace | Linode You may be able to get away with a less powerful PC with this option enabled. 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. 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. STH Project TinyMiniMicro the Plex Server Setup Guide Navigate to /mnt/unionfs/Media/Movies, and then click the "ADD" button. In the Plex web app, hover over an item in your library and click the pencil Edit icon. All Rights Reserved. However the moment your needs become more demanding, youre probably going to want to run your server on a desktop or laptop. 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