Plex Media Server - An All-in-One Media Solution

This story from 2013 talks about the Plex media server and what it's useful for.


Published: May 29, 2013 9:00 AM /

By:


The Plex logo with a backdrop of movies that you could watch via the service

I've been personally been using Plex for months, and have come to the conclusion that it is the best solution for anyone looking to view their media collection on any device, both on and off their home network.

Plex allows you to instantly view your videos, photos, and music instantaneously on any device. With a server application for Windows, Mac, Linux, and NAS Devices, Plex also allows you to host your media at a central location for viewing at any time.

Pair it with any combination of devices, such as computers, smartphones, TVs, game consoles, or a Roku, and you have your movies, music, or photos on demand. On top of that, you can even share your library with other Plex users and expand what you have access to.

A view of the main Plex window

By far the best feature that Plex has is its ability to organize your video content. Say you have a terabyte of movies and want to share them across your network. Yes, that will work with Windows File Explorer, but Plex automatically scans the directories that you point it to, and then downloads metadata and organizes and categorizes the videos that you have.

If you use programs like SickBeard, CouchPotato, or SABnzbd to download your movies and TV Shows, Plex can also automatically update your library.

After configuring it, you can also connect to program to Hulu and various other online media outlets, allowing you to expand your library to the online services you know and love.

Without delving into it much more, Plex is the perfect media solution for someone who has a digital library. With the ability to store your digital library and view it on any device, Plex Media Server is a great solution to allow you to watch a show or movie on your PC, then move to your Roku box in the bedroom.

Keep an eye out for our walkthrough of how to configure Plex next week!

Want more information, or want to try it out? Visit the Plex website.

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


Rutledge Daugette
| CEO and Founder

Rutledge Daugette is the Guides Editor & Founder of TechRaptor. Rutledge's degree in Game Programming ultimately led him to found the site in 2013, with… More about Rutledge