How to Turn Your Old Computer Into a Media Streamer

When your maturate laptop or desktop computer is slowing to a front crawl to get through twenty-four hours - to - day task , you do n’t needfully have to reprocess it or hand it off to someone else . Your quondam machine can be turned into a media streaming twist in its retreat , taking it easy as it serves up videos , music , photos , and more to the rest of the gadgets you ’ve got in your home . Here ’s how it ’s done .

Choose Your Software

Perhaps the adept tool for the job isPlex . It ’s simple to use , the basics are all costless , and it shape on just about all ironware . Besides the medium streaming functionality that we ’re going to continue here , Plex also admit options for watch live TV , watching free streaming video mental object , and even playing retro game .

It ’s slick and straightforward , and a lot of the functionality come with no care impound . There is a Plex Pass bounty tier , which will set you back $ 5 per month or $ 40 per twelvemonth and gets you extras such as offline synchronise to your mobile gadget , more comprehensive sharing controls , extra setting for bandwidth usage , and a few other handybonus features .

There are two components to Plex : You require the host software on your old computer , which does the chore of catalog your media single file and getting ready to process them up over your dwelling WLAN . Then there are the apps you habituate on your other computers , your phone , your tablets , your set - top boxes and so on , which get hold the server you ’ve set up up and stream across whatever content you request .

Old computers can still have their uses.

Old computers can still have their uses.Photo:Ales Nesetril/Unsplash

And it ’s not just data processor that can be media server for Plex . you could also practice aNAS driveif you want — which is handy , as it ’ll already be plugged straightaway into your router — and most popular driving force have dedicated Plex server apps available . SomeNvidia Shield TVmodels can also work as Plex server too .

There are several Plex - similar alternative to Plex you may judge out . The most wide used one is the open source and very versatileKodi , which offer up a lot of the same functionality as Plex does . There are also modified media server features built right into Windows and macOS that you may look into , whileVLC Media Playeroffers some simple connection streaming options too .

How to Set Up Plex

Once you ’ve make up one’s mind that you really do want to twist your old information processing system into a medium streamer and have cull Plex as the good choice , you need to download the host software program for Windows or macOS . Head tothe Plex website , click Sign Up to make a innocent account , then follow the prompts to download the desktop software ( you’re able to also witness the media server downloadshere ) .

Much of the Plex media waiter experience happens inside a entanglement internet browser lozenge : From here you’re able to configure all of your various media library , update the core Plex software and more . Once you launch the software , you should see a Plex ikon down in the notification orbit ( on Windows ) or up on the fare bar ( on macOS ) .

Now is a good time to make certain the movies , music , and photos on your ancient computer are well organized . You do n’t have to have everything neatly stage in folder for Plex to be able to utilise it , but it for sure helps both you and Plex keep track of what ’s what . How you stage everything is up to you , as long as you have a logical organisation .

Plex is one of the best tools for the job.

Plex is one of the best tools for the job.Screenshot: Plex

During the server software system apparatus process , you ’ll be ask to give the waiter a name ( so you may key out it afterward ) . You ’ll also see a box labeled Allow me to get at my media outside my dwelling , which needs to be find out if you want to access your audio and telecasting files from anywhere other than your local home wifi net ( it just intend Plex will make a few modification to your meshing circumstance so this can happen ) .

The next footfall is setting up your medium library , the files that you desire Plex to be able-bodied to suffice up to your other devices . you’re able to add legion folders to the listing here , and everything inside them is made part of your library — all of the common file data format across video recording , sound recording , and images are supported , though if you do run into problem with Plex key out files , discipline out thesupport documentation .

How to Configure Your Other Devices

With your media host up and run , all you require to do is install Plex on your other devices . Remember that the old computer you have convince into a server is get to have to stay switched on and connected to the internet at all times , otherwise you ’re not going to be able to see the medium files on it .

Plex apps are available across chopine , fromAndroidto theApple telly . If you ’ve got a gadget with a screen , then chances are there ’s a Plex app for it . you could stream your media filing cabinet to game console , fresh TVs , and even ( in the compositor’s case of audio ) smart speakers . If you ’re streaming to a laptop or desktop computer , you only involve to launch the Plex interface in your web web web browser and sign in .

Once you ’re signed into Plex on whatever gimmick you ’re rain buckets contented to , you should be able to see the waiter that you ’ve previously localise up . Plex will categorise and organize the media that you ’ve added — birth in mind that it might take a while for the library to be build up initially , and for new content to be added later on .

Plex guides you through the process of setting up a server.

Plex guides you through the process of setting up a server.Screenshot: Plex

Like any good cyclosis service , Plex keeps track of what you ’re presently watching and listening to , so you’re able to break up up where you left off ( even if it ’s on another gimmick ) . The edit buttons on the media file themselves enable you to make change to any inaccurate metadata , and in some example you ’ll have the choice to download the files as well as stream them ( on nomadic equipment , this want a Plex Pass ) .

turn over into the setting for Plex on your twist , and you ’ll encounter options for wangle streaming quality , adjust notification , sync media files between machine , and more . There are plenty of useful features and spear carrier hidden throughout , such as the power towatch video in real timewith other people in other locating .

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Your media files will appear sorted and organized on the devices you connect.