If you’re tired of streaming service price hikes, constant changes in plans, and strict rules against password sharing, establishing your own home media library via Plex remains a beneficial option.
Having personal media storage lessens the chance of losing access to your preferred shows and movies because of licensing problems. Plex enables you to create a server to stream your media library to various devices and allows sharing with friends. Compared to other platforms like Jellyfin, Plex is simpler to implement. Still, it does require some essentials including a PC or NAS with robust processing capacity, multiple terabytes of storage, the ability to keep the device on and online continuously so you can access your media anytime, and good upload speeds for streaming.
To start a Plex server, you need a physical server, which can be a PC or Mac, or a Network-Attached Storage (NAS) unit.
When setting up a Plex server using a computer, you can choose a desktop PC, a MacBook, or a mini PC ideal for a living room. The specific type of computer doesn’t matter as long as it satisfies the requirements of Plex. You can even configure a Plex server on devices like a Linux machine, an Nvidia Shield, or a Netgear Nighthawk X10 router, showing that the setup criteria are not very restrictive.
At a minimum, you’ll want an Intel Core i3 processor, at least 4GB of RAM, and Windows 10 or newer or macOS 10.13 High Sierra or newer. Storage requirements aren’t specified, but if you plan on streaming a lot of 4K HDR content, we recommend several terabytes of storage and a minimum of 2TB. In my case, I set up Plex on my desktop PC and found that it works great.
Just keep in mind that if there are other users streaming your content, you’ll need to leave the PC on and connected to the internet at all times. This can be set up from the power settings menu. It’s also worth noting that when one person starts streaming 4K content, it can impact the performance of your online games if they’re running simultaneously, so do some work to manage your bandwidth.
Setting up Plex on a NAS is a good idea if you want to share content with many users in different locations and time zones. Unlike a PC, which may need to be restarted or powered down periodically, network storage can be left running indefinitely. It’s also beneficial since it’ll prevent shared users from impacting your gaming performance.
PCMag’s top pick for the best media server NAS is the Asustor Drivestor 2 Pro (AS3302T), a two-bay NAS that offers solid performance with multi-gig Ethernet and a nice selection of apps. If you plan to save a lot of media content, a five-bay NAS like the Synology DiskStation DS1522+ has plenty of storage.
To begin using Plex for managing and sharing your media, first create an account. Following this, download the Plex Media Server from their official site. The software is available for diverse operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD, plus for NAS systems from brands like Synology, Seagate, Netgear, and TerraMaster.
Understand that the Plex Media Server operates in the background without a graphical user interface and is essential for streaming your content. To interact with your media, use the Plex app available through plex.tv, or download it from the Microsoft Store or the App Store.
Upon launching the Plex app, the home screen will display various services and collections you can utilize. To set up your libraries, create a file system and configure its path in Plex. The main categories such as Home, Live TV, Movies & Shows, Discover, Watchlist, Music, Rentals, and Downloads are prominently featured. You can add more libraries at the bottom and pin them for convenience.
To add a library, navigate to Settings, ensure you’re connected to the desired Plex Media Server, especially if using multiple devices. Go to the Manage section, select Libraries > Add Library, and choose the type of library you want to create, be it Movies, TV Shows, Music, Photos, or Other Videos.
Name the library, select the language from the drop-down menu, and click Next. Then, click on Browse for Media Folders to guide Plex to where your media files are stored. Alternatively, you can type the path directly. You can organize files in any folder structure, although Plex advises against using the root directory, like C:/, to avoid issues. Personally, I store my collections under the Downloads folder and maintain separate subfolders for Movies and TV Shows.
To incorporate new items into your server, simply transfer them to the appropriate directory and select Libraries > Scan Library Files from the navigation to update your media library. This can also be performed from the homepage by clicking the three-dot menu beside your collection and choosing Scan Library Files.
To automate this process in Plex, activate Scan my library automatically found under Settings > Library. Moreover, you can set the system to scan at designated intervals, be it hourly, daily, or every 15 minutes.
One of Plex’s standout features is its ability to automatically collect metadata for all your movies and TV shows, providing detailed descriptions, posters, options for subtitles and languages, and audience ratings.
Once you have set up the necessary libraries, you can begin sharing content with others. It is advisable that the other party also creates a Plex account beforehand. To initiate sharing, navigate to Settings and locate Manage Library Access listed under your account name. Here, click on Grant Library Access, input the username or email associated with the person’s Plex account. Choose the libraries you wish to share access to, press Continue, and commence sharing.
As the administrator, you possess the capability to limit access to certain Libraries for guests, ensuring privacy for sensitive content. To monitor the devices accessing your Plex server, proceed to Settings > Authorized Devices. This section provides an overview of every device logged into your server and the last access time. Should you spot any unrecognized devices, you can terminate their access by selecting the red X.
The Plex app is compatible with abroad array of devices, embracing TVs, mobile phones, tablets, smart home devices, streaming gadgets, gaming consoles, and desktops. Installing the Plex app on these platforms enables direct access to your libraries, provided the media server is operational.
If offline viewing is desired, a subscription to Plex Pass is mandatory, available at $4.99 monthly. This plan enriches user experience with facilities like downloads, hardware transcoding, and skipping of introductions or credits, adding comfort to the otherwise free version.
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Ajay has worked in tech journalism for more than a decade as a reporter, analyst, and editor. He got his start in consumer tech reviewing hundreds of smartphones and tablets at PCMag as a Mobile Analyst, and breaking the hottest Android news at Newsweek as a tech reporter.
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