What Is Plex and How Does It Work? – Review Geek

Plex, Paket/Shutterstock.com

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

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

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

But the general idea behind Plex is very straightforward; it lets you stream your personal media to any phone, computer, or smart TV. You provide the files, and Plex automatically organizes everything into a clean and easy-to-use interface. Its like building 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, such as the ability to stream and record antenna TV. And its highly customizable if youre willing to put in the work. Of course, the big selling point is that you can stream Plex from anywhereyou can even share it with friends or family outside your home. (Though some of these features require Plex Pass, which well discuss later.)

I should also mention playlists, which might be my favorite Plex feature. You can throw movies or shows into custom playlists to shuffle them randomly or play them in a specific order. For example, you might make a playlist ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer andAngel, which aired back-to-back and often had overarching plot points or references.

In order 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 that you already own as a Plex Media Server, though I suggest buying a dedicated device that can stay online 24/7, such as an NVIDIA Shield TV Pro, a NAS device, or a small Intel NUC computer.

You dont 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 wont run into any problems. (When people have problems with Plex, its usually a matter ofpoor file organization. Even the most inexperienced computer users can avoid this problem by patiently reading the instructions.)

While Plex is best known for its personal media streaming capabilities, its 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. It can also find specific information about cast and crew, such as the full list of Gene Wilders film credits.

Additionally, Plexprovides a ton of free on-demand content and live TV channels. This ad-supported content is similar to what youll find on Pluto TV or Tubi, but its integrated 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.

Note that these additional features exist tosupplement the Plex experience. Most people treat Plex as a personal streaming service and rarely touch Discover or the free Movies & Shows. If you want to disable these features, you can.

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 will 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 may seem like a lot of money to spend on Plex (after all, youre streaming stuff you already own). But the perks included with Plex Pass are just too goodits absolutely worth the price.

Here are some of my favorite Plex Pass features:

Clearly, Plex Pass is a necessity for anyone who wants to stream Plex outside their home. But it also improves the overall Plex experience. Im 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 at the Plex website. Note that Ive only listed my favorite Plex Pass featuresthis subscription unlocks plenty more!

Setting up a Plex Media Server can be a daunting task. But as I mentioned earlier, if you follow the instructions, you shouldnt run into any problems. The Plex Media Server software will try to guide you through setup, though you can find a ton of additional resources at the Plex website.

Now, theres no point in rewriting Plexsdetailed installation instructions. But I will give you a gist of what you need (and what you can expect) when setting up a Plex Media Server. Im going to approach this from a beginners perspective, because I want you to test Plex for free before you spend a bunch of money on this stuff.

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

And at some point, youll need hard drives to store your growing Plex media library. I suggest buying hard drives that are specifically made for NAS devices, as theyll last a lot longer than typical hard drives. (If youre tempted to use an SSD in your Plex server, dont bother. You wont see any major benefit.)

To be clear, this stuff can get expensive if youre obsessive. But a simple and cheap Plex Media Server might be all you need. Lets say you buy a two-bay NAS device and a 4TB NAS HDDthatll set you back about $250, but youll have enough storage to hold hundreds of movies, TV shows, and albums. Do a bit of math, and $250 is what you might pay for 10 months of Netflix Basic and ad-free Hulu. Plex pays for itself!

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What Is Plex and How Does It Work? - Review Geek