Warning: Long Post.

Hey pedes, in the wake of #CancelNetflix I thought it would be a good idea to show you all how to setup your own private streaming service using your PC, your Wireless Network (Wifi) and a FREE application called Plex (no affiliation).

It's super simple and straightforward so here we go:

1. You will need to have a Router / Wireless router for this to work. You don't require the internet, unless it's used initially to download the Plex applications and/or gain legal access to movies / TV shows / etc.

Plex will run "offline", within your personal wireless network. If you do desire (and you have a fast enough upload speed) you can set it up to stream out over the internet also, eg: When you're on the road somewhere and you want access to your stuff, you can give the details to a friend or family member and they can stream directly from your PC over the internet into their device.

2. You will need a PC. This doesn't necessarily have to be a powerful PC, it can be something old however... it would be advantageous to get something with a little bit of grunt.

PLEX is very CPU heavy, as it 'transcodes' movies into the format of the device you're streaming into. For example, streaming on a Chromecast will use a different format to steaming on an iPhone... Plex does the grunt work and will 'transcode' (translate) the movie file into the language that a device can run.

This means if you're streaming out multiple movie files (you're watching Rambo III and you're wife is watching 'So You Think You Can MAGA?') you're CPU in your PC will be under a lot of stress.

You'll want to find out what model of CPU your computer has and then search for it in Passmark (https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php) and you'll want a score of at least 5000, preferably 6500.

Warning: Nerd-Talk. Hyperthreaded CPU's are far better than non-hyperthreaded CPU's. You'll want to get something that really knows how to utilize it's cores. i7's OR Ryzen's are great. I am running a Mac-Mini 2012 with a 3615QM (Passmark: 4900)... Plex will lag at 3 x 1080P x264 transcodes OR 1 x 1080P x265 transcode. Yes, a single x265 will lag at certain spots.

3. You will need hard-drive space. A portable hard-drive works just fine. I have setup many with a single 4TB portable hard-drive and they just work.

Once you have a hard-drive you will need files. Movies, TV Shows... whatever YOU want and whatever you can obtain................................ legally.

I'll leave this for your guys to figure out.

4. PLEX. So Plex has two separate applications, a Server and a Client. The server (https://www.plex.tv/en-au/media-server-downloads/) will run on the PC you have dedicated to 'transcoding' your files. Install it there and run through the very user-friendly setup.

Make sure you tell Plex where your files are, it will ask you to add a 'Library' you will point this at the location of your movies (your portable hard-drive for example) and you choose 'Movies' off Plex's dropdown options. This tells Plex to search the names of the files in the location, identify them and download the metadata for them.

For example, you have a file called rocky3.mkv in your hard-drive. Plex will make a guess that this is Rocky 3 from 1982 and download the artwork, description, tags, actors names, actors images, release date, genre... everything. It will scrape the internet for everything about this movie and then display it for you when you go to search for it.

Eg: https://kekpe.pe/i/5f5e9f37e198e.jpg

Any movie file you add to this library will automatically get the same treatment. Identification and metadata download. Then you will be able to search your library by name, filter by genre, it will keep track of which movies you have watched or haven't, it will save where you are up to in a movie if you turn it off before finishing it... your own, private media streaming service.

Eg: https://kekpe.pe/i/5f5e9feec9abf.jpg

Finally... you download the Plex Client applications (https://www.plex.tv/en-au/media-server-downloads/#plex-app). At this point, every device has a PLEX app, in fact most TV's will have native applications from their respective 'Appstores'.

Download the Client application and as long as you are connected to your WiFi, you will be able to access your Plex.

They have put certain features behind a paywall, but the important stuff is still completely FREE. If you have any questions or get stuck during setup, PM me. Alternatively a quick DuckDuckGo search with your question and Plex in the search will yield results. Plex has been around for a long, long time and has a solid KB and forum of questions and answers. I have never been unable to find an answer.

Ok... good luck, God Bless. Kek Bless. #cancelNetflix