Very roughly speaking, for a single full-transcode of a video, the following PassMark scores are a good guideline for a requirement: If you'll need to support more than one simultaneous transcode, you'll need a more powerful processor.
Single 1080p transcode: Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz.
Single 720p transcode: Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz.No transcoding: Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz (NAS devices based on ARM or PowerPC processors should also be capable of at least one stream with no transcoding).If you want very basic, bare minimum server CPU suggestions: Generally speaking, if you have two Plex apps requiring transcoded content at the same time, that will require about twice the CPU processing power compared to if there was only one app playing content. The most basic thing to remember is that the more Plex apps/devices/clients you have playing content at the same time that require transcoding, the more CPU power you'll need.
These baseline specs ensure that when accessing your Plex Server remotely, likely from your phone or tablet or a device that doesn't support your media files natively, the server will be more than capable to transcode your media on-the-fly into an appropriate format that the remote device can play without any issues. IF you plan on enabling remote access to your server, I personally recommend your Plex Media Server PC have at least a Zen-based AMD CPU or a Haswell-based Intel CPU from the last couple of years and at least 4GB of RAM. You can usually find a decent refurbished PC that's perfectly capable of being a dedicated Plex server for $200-$300, maybe even cheaper! For cheap server solutions if you don't already have a PC available to run the Plex Media Server software, check Amazon or Ebay for refurb PCs. The ideal Plex hardware ecosystem consists of a dedicated PC or Mac as the server, and client devices like a Roku or Apple TV to access your content.
It's best to install Plex Media Server on a PC or Mac that is on 24/7 so that your media will always be readily available.
If you are not a Plex Pass subscriber you will need to pay a small activation fee before you can start using the app on Android and iOS mobile devices.Īny PC or Mac made in the last 5 years will be fine to run as your Plex Media Server. The Plex app is completely free to use on all NON-MOBILE platforms including smart TVs, Playstation, Xbox, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV and Roku streaming devices. Step 3 Get apps and stream to any device. Although the process is quite flexible, you can avoid mismatched or unrecognized media by adhering to the recommended naming convention right from the start. For best matching results, follow the Media Preparation guides and spend time ensuring your media collection is sorted and named correctly. Once identified, Plex fetches information like posters, descriptions, and ratings that make media selection a rich experience.
This is important, as the Plex Server software identifies your media according to folder structure, filename, and the type of Library to which it is assigned. However! Before you add any of your media folders or network drives to your Plex Media Server, you'll want to make sure your media is organized properly. Step 1 Create a free account You can do that here: then go to the Downloads section and install the Plex Media Server software on a PC running Windows, Linux, or FreeBSD, a Mac, or a NAS (several specific models supported). We'll go over the recommend Plex client devices later. The Plex web app also includes a player app so a minimal Plex installation could be just be the server, but most of you are going to want to install apps on client devices around your home, like on a Roku, Apple TV, Xbox, etc. The server includes the Plex web app (accessed via your browser) which is used to manage the Server and your media library. Plex is supported across a variety devices and platforms: PC/Mac, iOS/Android/Windows Phone, Chromecast, Android TV, tvOS, Roku, Xbox, Playstation, and various Smart TVs all support Plex.Ī fully-functioning Plex system needs both a server and at least one app. The apps - Players on client devices that play back media from the Server Supported Devices.The server - A PC or Mac that will store your media library in a central location.With Plex, all your media content is always at your fingertips. You even have the option to access your media remotely, outside of your home/local network. Plex organizes all your personal media (movies, music, photos) no matter where it's kept, so it can be accessed on any screen, from anywhere - your phone, tablet, TV, PC or Mac. It's a media player system and software suite consisting of a player application and an associated media server that organizes personal media stored on local devices.