It’s essentially a place where you’ll store your recorded shows, movies or music files.Ī basic Plex Media Server can be a desktop PC with a WD MyBook external hard drive.Ī Plex client can be an Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku or even a smartphone – essentially anything you would use to watch a movie or listen to music. Your Plex Media Server can be created by assigning an external hard drive or just some space on your current desktop. There are a couple of terms you should know if you’re not familiar with servers and clients. WD MyBook external hard drive (right) can be used to store movies and music. I’m currently using a WD MyBook 4TB external hard drive to store most of my movies and music. Plex can help you put all of those old CDs and DVDs under one virtual roof, and won’t charge you a dime for using its software. You might love to have all your favorite movies and music that you’ve collected over the years in one place. The problem with physical media is that it’s tempting to stuff it in a closet, cellar or basement if you don’t have a dedicated shelf for it. You might have a big stash of CDs and DVDs. I’m going to make a wild assumption that if you’re like me (a Gen X’er). Plex has a number of free options, including the News and Podcast section. You may also want to consider getting a lifetime Plex Passfor $149. If you want a channel guide and DVR functionality for live TV, a Plex Pass costs $4.99 per month. So I’ll break down some of the ways that I’ve used Plex for watching and recording live TV, and my own music, photos and DVDs. I’ve been using Plex for a couple of years now as part of my cord cutting setup. There are Plex apps for iOS and Android smart phones, but you’ll need to get a Plex Pass subscription to enjoy all of the above features.

So here’s a handy bullet list of its best features.īy adding Plex to a Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV or NVIDIA Shield, you are essentially turning your streaming device into a customizable entertainment center. But you can’t really sum up everything Plex does in a concise way. Or Plex can be used to watch live TV and record anything on your TV antenna. Plex is a software hub that can pull together all the DVDs and burned movies that you own in a single menu like a personal Netflix. If you like to tinker and customize your TV setup, and you have a collection of burned DVDs or music, then Plex is for you. Plex Live TV and DVR is an option that appeals to a certain type of cord cutter.

Plex dvr