How to set up and run the easy-to-use media server Plex on a Mac

“Think of Plex as ‘iTunes, but for everything you didn’t buy from Apple,'” Nathan Alderman writes for iMore. “With a Plex media server and apps on your computers, iOS devices, and Apple TV, you can store and stream your collection of non-DRM movies, TV, music, and more to any device, anywhere. Better yet, you can share all that media with your Plex-using friends, and enjoy streaming theirs in return. And that’s just the stuff you can do for free.”
“With the right tuner and a Plex Pass subscription, Plex can also play live TV — even remotely over the Internet – and work like a DVR,” Alderman writes. “Plex has two main components. Plex Media Server handles the back end, working behind the scenes on your server of choice to keep track of your media, convert it on the fly to streaming-friendly formats, and pipe it to you over your home network or the Internet. Plex’s Media Player apps provide the front end, playing all that media for your enjoyment.”
“You can play Plex media through your web browser or native apps for Mac OS, AppleTV, and iOS, among many many other devices. Most apps are free; iOS apps cost $5 unless you’re a Plex Pass subscriber,” Alderman writes. “You only need one computer running Plex Media Server. That same computer can also run Plex Media Player, as can any other devices you connect to your server.”
Complete easy-to-follow instructions for setting up and running Plex on a Mac here.
MacDailyNews Take: Do you use Plex? If so, let us know how how it performs for you and if you have any helpful tips for others!
SEE ALSO:
Why you need to get started with Plex – September 10, 2018
Plex grid view of live TV guide now available on Apple TV – July 13, 2018
Plex launches Live TV and DVR for Plex Pass subscribers, supports all over-the-air broadcast channels – June 1, 2017