Keep an eye on your inbox! This is an invisible title you can tweak to change how files are sorted. We will do a deep dive into Plex's many great features and offer a. Once the wizard has completed, we can move on to the . Download: Bring all your favorite movies or music with you. Installing the server software on a PC or NAS can turn your home or office into a connected hub that can stream all kinds of. 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. However, some smart TVs and Roku devices wont be able to open streaming services from Plex directly, but you will still see where the content is available. (Plex Pass required), When enabled, extras that are not trailers will be skipped. Read more Jordan Gloor is Technical Editor at How-To Geek. : While these settings are exposed for the library, the selected values will take effect for all libraries using that agent. For more information, please see our Both Plex and Kodi broadly support the same types of media, enjoying excellent compatibility with most major video and audio formats. Plex User Guide - How to Add/Get Movies to Plex Library - WinXDVD Under Settings, click "Remote Access." If you see a check mark, remote access is enabled. Choose the folder to add then click Next. Use the Edit option in the sidebar to allow you to pin and unpin (or reorder) the sources. Plex has a wide range of client applications to choose from. Fortunately, Plex has a couple ways of getting around this. As in, all artists showing. The philosophy behind this redesign focuses on a reimagining of the way the Plex apps are structured. Step 2: Click the Settings icon to get more settings options. The simplest solution is an automatic feature known as Relay(Opens in a new window). Plex allows you to add a single library to multiple folders, a handy way to add movies across several hard drives. 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. 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. If your server machine isnt powerful enough to handle this conversion process, you may be told that the movie cannot be played. Choose the Scanner to use with your library. Plex Pass currently costs $4.99 per month, $39.99 per year, or $119.99 for a lifetime subscription. Though Plex is free to download, some features require Plex Pass or a one-time fee. 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. Therefore, we recommend Plex for those of you who want to organize and retrieve your media. Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning. You can specify one or more content locations. This option requires that iTunes be installed in the default location on the computer running Plex Media Server. It will ask you to create a new Plex account and then take you through a setup wizard that mostly involves helping the server track down your media files. 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. You can find details about how Plex prefers you name your files here(Opens in a new window). Here's how to clean up your Plex media library to make sure everything is in order. PLEX - Add a movie collection to the home screen for yourself and/or 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. 2015 Shield TV, 2015 Shield TV Pro, and 2019 Shield TV Pro but not the 2019 Shield TV. Click Next, add the folders with the media files. Related Page: Library 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. But since they come from third parties, you can end up with spoilers in your descriptions. 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Once you update Plex to the latest version, you will be presented with a list of streaming services that you can add. Enabling this option will attempt to import your music playlists from iTunes. To change the Scanner, click the dropdown and select the one you want to use. While it once seemed like a gimmick, co-watching content online is now a much-in-demand activity. When this option is enabled, album reviews from Gracenote will be gathered when available. Both will scan and organize your media for you, download covers and descriptions, and present it in an eye-catching manner. The default Scanner is automatically selected when you create the library but you can change it if necessary. 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. In our case, we select "TV Shows", the library that . 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). Kodi is a powerful media center software interface that does many of the same things as Plex. (Plex Pass required). 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. When you click "Add Library" you'll need to nominate a media type (like Movies or TV), then click on the "Add Folders" button. 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. 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 also use Plex via a web interface using a standard browser if youd rather. Kodis interface is beautiful and functional out of the box, but its also highly customizable with downloadable skins. Intro PLEX - Add a movie collection to the home screen for yourself and/or your users for the Hoildays. Though if you have Plex Web settings sync enabled in any instance it will save that to new browsers signed into your account. After you have done that, press the Add Library button and select Movies and press Next. But every once in a while a movie will be missing a poster, or a TV show will get split up. 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. Youll first need to set some general information for the library. Choose "Select Type" on the left side of the screen, if it isn't selected by default. Cookie Notice There's also a seven-day free trial period. To mitigate the damage, the Plex server lets you set limits on how much of your bandwidth streams can use. Digital Trends Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites. When Plex scans your library, it uses specific naming conventions to look up data about your movies. All Rights Reserved. How to Fix Plex's Broken Offline Downloads Feature Though both are solid choices, there are some notable differences that can help you decide between them. In the Kodi versus Plex battle, there are some big differences. Searching is simple and can be done using titles, actors, and directors. (Plex Pass required), When a red band trailer is available, use that when adding a trailer to your library. 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. However, in order to pull this information into your library, your files will need to be formatted and organized properly. 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. Beyond that, there are several useful tricks and tools you can find buried in the server application's settings that can help you keep things organized, make sure your computer runs well while it's in use, and even protect you from anyone who might try to peek into your stream. Thats accomplished by managing the recommendations for that particular library. There are no premium passes required to unlock functionality but, by the same token, this functionality is a bit more limited. Before you start streamingor sharing your library with otherstake a moment to refine your collection. Use Code EEROINSTALL, The best streaming services to replace your cable, the best streaming devices for any budget, Disney Plus Day Announced with Special Deals and New IMAX Mode, YouTube TV Now Supports 4K, Offline Downloads, and More, Low-Cost Ways To Save Money on Your Electricity Bills, How to Make Your Ring Video Doorbell Battery Last Longer, The Best Free Apps for Your Fire TV Stick. The free, ad-supported service has a growing catalog of content from sources such as Paramount, Warner Brothers, MGM, Legendary, Magnolia Pictures, Lionsgate Films, and Crackles library of content. Since Kodi must be installed on a device thats plugged directly into your TV, youll be able to use this device for different things. 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. Thank you for helping us improve our articles! When you hover over the thumbnail, you'll see a pencil icon in the lower-left corner. To sum it up, pick Kodi if youre looking for a single media center application to run on a computer or device thats connected directly to your TV. Step 3: A Watch Together session will now appear on the top of your app's home screen. 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. 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. This works with almost any movie or TV show, even if its not on Plex or one of your streaming services. Since Kodi is a self-contained solution, youll need to put in a bit of extra work to sync your library across different instances. Simple guide to making (and sharing) a Plex streaming movie library You will generally find the one for your specific device in the online download store for that platform. Looks like you already left that comment. Step 4: Click Add Library, select the library type and name the library. However, it can get in the way of your Plex server working correctly. Depending on what device you are using, selecting a streaming service will open the app or website directly, so you can start watching it right away. PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownerships. That means you will have to set up each Kodi device as though it were the first time. Select the folders where your content is located. 1996-2023 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. 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. Selecting the file you want to play brings up an info screen with descriptions and more links, plus the Play Now button. How to Use Plex Media Server | Tom's Guide 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. The Poster tab here will let you pick which thumbnail and background image you'd like to use. Tim Brookes is a technology writer with more than a decade of experience. Note: Recently, Plex had a data breach. It will cause problems. An Apple TV 4K, for instance, only plays video files encoded in H.264, or MPEG-4, using the .m4v, .mp4, and .mov formats. What is SSH Agent Forwarding and How Do You Use It? Free access to Plex client apps: Never pay for another client app again. If you dont see this option on your home screen, you might need to update the Plex app to the latest version. Can Power Companies Remotely Adjust Your Smart Thermostat? Its next to the compass icon. The best thing you can do to make sure your Plex library looks good is to name and organize your files in a way that Plex likes. Name the library and choose the language to use for information gathered from the internet. For this guide, we'll assume you're familiar with the basics of how to set up your own Plex server and share libraries with your friends. There is no way for you to synchronize settings from one device to another easily. 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. When available, those popular tracks are displayed on the artists page. Heres everything you need to know about how to use Plex. This allows you to use its beautiful interface and ability to function as a game launcher and emulator box. How to use Plex Media Server to watch all of your media 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. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Theres no harm in trying both to see which suits your usage best. 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. On top of this, Plex comes with content thats completely free to access. 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. Head to the official Plex website and download the version you want. (Plex Pass required), When available, include additional extras that have subtitles matching your librarys language. Click Add Library. 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. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. This setting determines whether content from this library will be included in global search or not. Click, Once youve added all the source folders for this library, click, Enable the main setting under Settings > Server > Library. Click on the Settings icon in top-right corner of the Plex web interface. Now use the "Browse For Media Folder" button to add any relevant folders you want included in that collection. For questions and comments about the Plex Media Server. Fortunately, Plex also gives you the tools you need to dive into your library and clean it up. 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. The clients are typically free, but occasionally, Plex charges a small amount to download them. You may need to restart the app if you both just accepted the friend request. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. If youd like to be able to access your library away from your home network, Plex makes it easy to do so. 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. Join 425,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, geek trivia, and our feature articles. Plex is simple-to-use software that brings together all your different types of media, and it also is pretty easy to install. Plex allows you to choose . The easiest way to do this is to open up the Plex Web App(Opens in a new window) and find the piece of media you need to fix. Do you subscribe to a number of streaming services? 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 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. It will also prioritize streaming services that you are subscribed to, with free options listed before any paid or rental options. For Roku, its considered a downloadable channel. You will now see /mnt/unionfs/Media/Movies in the text box (don't click "ADD LIBRARY" yet). This way, you can search for something to watch without switching back and forth between different apps. Settings to control actual playback are available in the Plex apps themselves. Bestmovies on Netflix. 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. 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. Click "BROWSE FOR MEDIA FOLDER". Once youve selected the library type, youll be able to change the name and language. But an even bigger benefit for music fans is the way Plex integrates Tidal with your personal music library. This will adjust the playback for all users in the Watch Together session. Select your E: drive and select the Movies folder. Alternatively, check out some of the best Plex alternatives. You should now be familiar with how to use Plex. Every client device possesses different capabilities, which means each Plex client also possesses different capabilities. Step 5: Put your movie files in a folder and back to Plex. Plex is software that you can use to store, locate, and access all of your media in one place. Including, but not limited to: Title: Editing a film or series title will change the name of the movie as it's displayed in your library. 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. Youll find a constantly changing lineup of movies and shows to watch. Podcasts are the same idea, but for audio-only. As a standalone experience, you can stream Plex Free Movies and TV from the web using just your browser and a free Plex account. Plex comes with its own transcoder. 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. Tip! 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. Customizing Plex Web | Plex Support Locally, Plex allows you to add your own movies, TV shows, music, photos, and home videos. Do not use the root of your drive as a folder location. Kodi vs. Plex: Which is Best For You? - How-To Geek How to Organize Your Plex Media Library | PCMag When that happens, there are things you can do to make sure your library looks clean. These include ad-supported and public domain content, plus a large number of streaming live TV channels. However, it doesn't always get it right. How to show my library directly on the Home (front) screen. You can see what these users are watching in real time, as well as being able to see a history of what theyve watched, within the Activity Dashboard for your server. Picking one system over the other doesnt necessarily mean youre going to miss out on a huge number of features. To create a library, launch the Plex Web App then: Tip! Click the check box next to Manually specify public port, keep the default value of 32400 and select RETRY and APPLY. The server is used to both store and stream media to other client devices on the network. Plex is focused tightly on the media experience and includes a library of movies and TV shows that are ready to stream. As long as your playback device and the Plex server are on the same home network, it should only take a moment for the client to display the same catalog of media files as you saw in the web app to show on your device. 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. You may be able to get away with a less powerful PC with this option enabled. Install the app. Plex's search function brings in results from across your streaming services and ones you don't subscribe to as well.