Smart TVs give viewers a lot of possibilities. The main one is the selection of interesting content via the Internet and the formation of your own playlist, which does not depend on the broadcasting network of various channels. Moreover, films and programs do not need to be downloaded first, transferred to a USB flash drive, etc.
For this, there are special media servers, the most popular of which is Plex Media Server. This article will show you what it is and how to use it.
What is the program for?
Plex is used to form and organize the files that are supposed to be viewed on the TV, that’s what this program is. It is available for different operating systems : Windows, Android, Linux, iOS and is controlled with their help.
You can add individual videos, photos, music or entire channels to the library. The server communicates with cloud storage : if you connect them, the files will be available offline. For each individual product, the program automatically searches and adds subtitles, information about belonging to any album or series, year of release, annotations, existing posters, covers, etc.
It is possible to share your selections with other people registered on the Plex Media Server so that they also watch the videos, programs and TV channels you found.
How to set up and use correctly
If this is your first time hearing about Plex Media Server, the setup may seem daunting at first glance, but it really isn’t. Let’s try to figure it out in stages:
- First, you need to register on the server. Go to the official website, enter your details, come up with a username and password (be sure to remember them so as not to run into problems). Here you can also select the required version of the application, pay for additional functions (provided that you need them) and download the installer.
- Install the program by double clicking on the downloaded package. Wait for the success message.
- Open your antivirus configuration window and specify port 32400 as an exception to which the system defender should not react negatively.
- If you work on Windows, then keep in mind that the Plex application is launched not by clicking on the icon on the Desktop, but through the shortcut below, where network settings, sound level, Bluetooth, etc. are usually located.
- On Linux, before running the program, you need to activate the QNAP Turbo NAS. To do this, open sequentially: “Control Panel” – “Application Servers” – “Web Server”, check the box next to “On.” and save your changes.
- You can start selecting media and creating a library. On Linux, launch Plex and click on the “+” sign at the top left. Select the type of content (movies, TV shows, music, photos), give it a generic name and specify your preferred language. Open the “Folders” – “Add a folder” tab, specify the path to it. In the case of Windows, everything is simpler: when you click “Add folder”, a directory of all that is in the system opens, you do not need to address their location.
- From this point on, the program will begin to work hard to find information about the specified films: load covers, subtitles, etc. While the process is going on, you can start setting up your TV. Which buttons on the remote to press, you need to read in the user manual for a particular model. In any case, you will be prompted to enter the server’s IP address, name the user, and come up with a password. After these manipulations, the TV must be turned off and on again, and then check if the “Plex” has been added to SmartHub.
Now you can start using the library: specify the playlist that will be played and enjoy your own entertainment program.
