- Plex media player for mac v server how to#
- Plex media player for mac v server full#
- Plex media player for mac v server software#
Installing the Plex Server differs depending on whether you're using a NAS or a desktop computer/laptop, but we'll take you through all of the methods and the relative benefits of using each type of server. It's this convenience that makes Plex a lot different to the bog-standard DLNA media server your may already have. Your phone or tablet talks to the Plex server and requests the video in a format that's viewable by the Chromecast or Apple TV, so when you Cast or AirPlay it everything works seamlessly. One solution is to convert all of your videos into a compatible format, but this can be time consuming, particularly if you've got a large media collection. But if the video is not a supported format you won't see anything on your TV, regardless of whether your phone or tablet can play the content. In both cases, the Chromecast or Apple TV takes over the stream, connects to the original content and starts playing it. To use these devices with a media server you need a compatible app to access the content, which you then Cast to Chromecast or AirPlay to Apple TV. However, transcoding is extremely important when using Chromecast or Apple TV as both devices have extremely limited video format support.
Plex media player for mac v server full#
Both types of devices are fast enough to play Full HD videos and it's easy enough to get apps that will play practically any video format. This isn't that useful when considering just mobiles and tablets. The combination of the Plex server and client means that any file can play on any device without first having to re-encode them manually. If the video that you're requesting isn't a supported format the Plex server can take the file and re-encode it live into a format that the client understands. When the client connects to the server it can describe which video formats it can play. However, it's the client that makes it act differently. Plex works and acts like any DLNA server you may already have, such as the one built into your NAS. The server is completely free and is also DLNA compliant, which means that any DLNA device (TV, smartphone, games console, etc) can connect to it and start streaming content. Plex is actually a combination of two things: a server where all of your media sits and a client, which you use to access your data. Plex Transcoding and how it differs from a DLNA media server
Plex media player for mac v server how to#
In this article we'll show you how to set up Plex on your home network and start streaming over your home network using your PC, Mac, tablet, smartphone, Chromecast, Apple TV and even Smart TV. Of course, it supports music and photos, too.
Plex media player for mac v server software#
Using this software you can play any video on your Chromecast or Apple TV, for example. Unlike traditional DLNA media servers, Plex has built-in transcoding, which means that it converts videos on the fly to play on any device running the Plex Media Client. If it doesn't, you'll need to convert the video into a different format, which can be time consuming, or use the Plex media server. One of the big problems about streaming videos over your home network is making sure that the receiving device has support for the format.