Movie PC

[Fred Claus]

I'm thinking about taking an old Windows 7 desktop and turning it into a Home Theater PC. I'm looking to put Plex on it so that I can store my movie files on its hard drive but watch them on any device on my network.

What are your thoughts? Should I keep Windows 7 on it or put something like Linux Mint on the desktop to run the Plex server? Has anyone done this before that could give me some advice?

 

[overburnz]

I use my plex server on my iMac and stream to my Apple TV 4K flawlessly

 

[Moltuae]

I would upgrade it to Win 10 at least, if you're sticking with Windows.

All my HTPC media PCs run Windows 10, with Kodi and/or Emby. The latter is a great way to access your media collection between HTPCs and mobile devices and to keep the watched-status synchronised. It enables you to stream videos from your HTPC when you're away and it'll remember how much of any shows/movies you watched (kinda like your own private Netflix), enabling you to pick up where you left off on different devices.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Plex requires you to have a supported version of Windows to operate, so upgrade the thing before you install. Plex for Windows is pretty easy to manage, but my gripe is it's an application, not a service. So every time the thing reboots for updates, I have to RDP to the thing, login and disconnect to get my plex back. I suppose I could just configure it to autologin... but I haven't.

P.S. I use Roku as the player for my Plex. From my toddler to Grandma, everyone uses it easily, it's nice.

 

[Diggs]

I use a NUC with a DAS and Kodi. Haven't really felt the need for Plex but I do know it will plug into Kodi.

 

[Fred Claus]

I've been asking around if people have a preference and it seems like the old Apple vs Android thing. Some people swear by Plex, and some people like Kodi. is there really a difference that would make me want to use one over the other? I will want to be able to watch on multiple devices which I know Plex can do. Does Kodi have the ability to watch on smart phones and Roku devices?

 

[Moltuae]

Does Kodi have the ability to watch on smart phones and Roku devices?

See my post above. Kodi on its own, no (at least not easily) but Kodi + Emby (plugin), yes. Or you could just use Emby (without Kodi). I've never used a Roku device (are they Android-based?) but Emby certainly works well on everything else I've tried.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Plex is just so brain dead easy, and the lifetime license isn't bad, I'd never pay monthly for it. But Kodi/Emby have come a long way too.

 

[MichaelBits]

I've been using Emby for years. Love it.

 

[cypress]

I'd go with Kodi or Plex and upgrade to Windows 10.

 

[phaZed]

Drop Windows and go Linux. Nothing worse than getting a bunch of needless Windows updates in the middle of movie night.

 

[Galdorf]

The difference between Linux and windows is HUGE Linux can handle more steam threads than windows i switched from windows 10 plex server to a Linux plex server i can stream to more devices at once and the indexing is SOOOO much faster with less bloatware running in the background.

 

[coffee]

Im running linux with Mythtv and a ceton 6 port card / M2 card.

If I didnt do comcrap I would do kodi. Most definitely linux though.

 

[Fred Claus]

I'm thinking about Linux as the OS and Plex as the server. Those who use Linux. Which Distro do you all use?

 

[phaZed]

I run mine in a Docker on Unraid.

 

[brandonkick]

You have to pay for plex? I use it, pretty sure I don't pay for it? Is there some kind of "catch"?

At any rate, as long as the GPU in the machine is strong enough to transcode your content.... I'd just upgrade to 10 because well it's free and do just what you plan to do. As for the specific software? I've used cody and plex... seem to like plex better for one reason or another. Probably because it just tended to work.

 

[Sky-Knight]

You can't use the plex players on mobile devices / TVs without paying for it. The server bit is free, but the players are not, except again the web player.

 

[brandonkick]

You can't use the plex players on mobile devices / TVs without paying for it. The server bit is free, but the players are not, except again the web player.

I access it via the app on my PS4 and "it just works" ?

Maybe I did pay for it and don't remember? But I don't think there was a cost for it... maybe that somehow falls under the web player portion. Doesn't sound like it does, but I don't recall paying for it.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Pretty easy to tell, go to plex.tv, login and click the my account button. If you have a gold Plex Pass icon on the left, well... you did what I did and bought the lifetime Plex Pass. Probably when it was on sale for something stupid cheap ages ago, and long forgot.

I don't have a PS4... perhaps something special about that too?
*Edit* Yep, free on PS4 and Xbox One: https://www.theverge.com/2015/12/18/10572278/plex-app-goes-free-xbox-one-playstation-4

 

[coffee]

I'm thinking about Linux as the OS and Plex as the server. Those who use Linux. Which Distro do you all use?

Hands down - Linux Mint