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Donnell Simon
Plex Media Server represents the state of the art when it comes to managing and sharing your media library between various devices such as a home theater computer, media streamer, iPad, and mobile phone.
In my previous guide, I have already covered Plex with unRAID media server, but this time I decided to use Windows with Storage Spaces, because unRAID + Plex combo was not working reliably enough for me while Windows + Plex has proven to be working exceptionally well.
I converted my existing value HTPC system with Intel Core i3 processor into a media server because I needed to have a powerful enough system to transcode media files smoothly. This system has a Silverstone GD06 case, which supports five hard drives and is augmented by two hot-swappable bays to improve flexibility.
When building your own media server, it is good to keep these basic recommendations in mind:
You may be surprised to learn that Windows allows you to organize hard disks into storage pools, which use RAID-style mirroring and parity techniques to keep your media files safe.
This new capability is called Storage Spaces that is included by default in Windows.
I was positively surprised how easy it was to set up storage spaces. In fact, after installing 2 x 1TB spare hard drives to the media server case, it took me only a couple of minutes to configure the system.
The most interesting feature of Plex Media Server is the ability to transcode your videos depending on your device and network. In practice, this means that it will dynamically squish videos so that they still play smoothly on your mobile phone or your iPad over wireless network.
Another great feature of the Plex is that you can continue the video file from where you left off on any device.
Setting up the Plex Media Server is easy. Simply follow these steps, and you will have it set up in less than an hour. These instructions are for Windows, but you can also find instructions to set up Plex Media Server on unRAID Linux OS.
Now, you are ready to set up one of the Plex Clients, such as Plex Home Theater (they have rebranded the Plex Media Center desktop app), PleXBMC add-on for XBMC, Plex app for iOS, Plex app for Windows, or other Plex compatible devices. You can also simply use the Plex Web Browser to access and play media files.
However, the most comprehensive Plex client is the Plex Home Theater (a.k.a Media Center) software that is available on Windows, Mac OS X, Apple TV2, and Raspberry Pi. Just download the front-end application here, install it, and you are ready to enjoy your media with Plex.
By the way, if you want to make your Plex client look even cooler, you should download a custom skin called PlexAeon, which is a port from the popular Aeon skin on XBMC.
Download the latest version of the PlexAeon skin here.
Unzip the PlexAeon-master.zip, and copy the content of the PlexAeon-master folder into Program FilesPlexPlex Media Centeraddonsskin.plexaeon (you will need to create the skin.plexaeon folder yourself).
Launch Plex Home Theater (a.k.a Media Center), and go to Preferences > Appearance > Skin > PlexAeon to select the custom skin.
After getting yet another corrupted WMP database, I finally decided enough is enough and installed Kodi v14 on my Win7 HTPC. I've not tried for a few years since it was XMBC on Linux and still very much a beta platform.
Huh? You know it _is_ Kodi, right?
If you mean Openelec beats Kodi on Windows, how is that?
The only difference I noticed so far is the usual hassles with drivers in Windows. And the endless updates. ... OK, windows sucks.
Definitely not!!! Kodi on Openelec and Kodi on Windows is night and day. If you have installed both, just check the settings page. A bunch of them will be missing in Openelec compared to the Windows OS. If you want complete tweaking, then Windows OS is the go for Kodi!
I prefer Media Portal. I use my HTPC for live tv. I tried KODI, but it was a pain, I didn't like the tv interface or the EPG. Media Portal is just pure Eye Candy in that department. it lacks a lot of the KODI plugins, but it does everything I want it to do.
If you are not running a Windows OS then Openelec is the go. Especially for things like Raspberry PI etc. Its simple and easy. But you wont be able to get the best looking skins like AEON MQ6 on that. But for your purpose Openelec is good enough. I couldnt use it because I have a 7.1 Receiver and Kodi gives me all kinds of preferences to set Audio and Video to the way I want it.
I use kodibuntu and I used to think it was great, actually I still do but now I have a chromecast plugged in the back off my AVR an phone with spotify and netflix. Its just so simple and easy to use I haven't switched on my kodi box for months. Use the tip in another thread to connect chromecast to ethernet and your laughing.
Count me the that department then. I shall never torrent again. The add-ons are so much easier to use when you want to watch something on demand, and the good ones are very reliable. Saying that, it did take me lot of trial/error to find those good ones. Also, you need to have decent peak time performance with your internet.
Installed Kodi several months ago and since then have not needed to torrent anything.
I guess it comes down to peoples choice of what they watch. For me, Kodi has a lot more than I need. Especially the live TV it offers.
And just like you, I use a 7.1 receiver and I have the same audio options available in Openelec than what you have in Windows. Openelec IS Kodi and offers the same features as any Windows setup as long as the underlying hardware supports it. It simply cuts out all the BS you'd have to expect from Windows (not related to Kodi).
I think Chuna may have been talking about the original Pi, which was a bit underpowered for Kodi.
The new Pi is great, though being ARM Linux, it cannot run Flash (good?) or Netflix. They need Intel cpu or Android.
I'm running Aeon MQ 6 (Helix) version 2.4.0 beta 1 on my openelec nuc, and it has so much "eye candy" for Kodi it's hard to choose which I should use.
Openelec. Kodi & Aeon MQ6 = brilliant in my opinion.
Ill check out Openelec on Intel machines. What are everyone else running Openelec on? My current HTPC is a Core i5 with Windows 7 and only use it for Kodi and nothing else. I am happy to try Openelec on an Intel machine although my Windows HTPC has been stable as running Kodi and MQ6 betas.
I have an i5 motherboard mounted inside a custom case. I have a 250GB 2.5in SATA drive attached via a SATA-USB adaptor and boot directly off this USB drive into Openelec. Nothing else is stored on the USB drive.
Oh wow 100% this! KODI on Open ELEC is so much better than suffering with Windows. Those annoying popups!!!!!! They are impossible to get rid of unless you have a degree in Windows engineering. Also my Windows video driver would cause a shearing artefact at the bottom of the screen. Also Windows KODI didn't change the monitor refresh rate to 24Hz to match the video frame rate, causing that characteristic jitter/framskip effect on panning motion.
I rip all of my Blu-rays and play them in lossless quality on my NUC (via Openelec). HD audio works like a charm (as indicated by my receiver). I just have to make sure that I turn on my receiver before I turn on Openelec or else the machine might not recognise HD audio (and defaults back to lossy audio). But that is most likely due to the receiver.
Nope no issue at all, full HVEC x265 in DTS MA here baby, even full Bluray Audio's all on Openelec. I have no idea why you have an issue with Openelec, this is the preferred method to run Kodi, even custom installers are using it now.
Good to hear, Ill give it a shot over the weekend as I have a spare Intel Machine. The issue I had with Openelec was with the Raspberry PI. Since it was an ARM system, the settings were severely limited. No control over any settings and limited at best, hence my remarks. I had no idea with an Intel machine everything is all there. As you can see in my post I am willing to give it a shot on an Intel machine.
Although OpenELEC or KodiBuntu would be great, some of the hardware in my HTPC (a re-purposed Lenovo ThinkCentre) doesn't have Linux drivers. Maybe my next project based on a NUC or similar with 4K video support.
There's a setting in Kodi (under video - playback i think) to do this, but it's disabled by default. I wound up enabling it last night after getting sick of the tearing issue and had no dramas. Set it to only change at the start/stop of a file to avoid it switching if the menu is chosen mid file (menu runs at 24hz if that happens though).
I went the Windows route with my HTPC setup and I couldn't be happier. All the awesomeness of Kodi and only a couple of clicks away from browsing the web, accessing my network or using VLC to play files I haven't scrapped into Kodi's database for whatever reason.
Regardless ARm has some limitations and not all settings are present compared to the non ARM version. One of my friends has a Wetek and there are more options on the Intel side of things. I also have the PI 2 and I still dont see a lot of sound and video options in Kodi GUI.
I wound up enabling it last night after getting sick of the tearing issue and had no dramas. Set it to only change at the start/stop of a file to avoid it switching if the menu is chosen mid file (menu runs at 24hz if that happens though).
BTW I highly recommend the Xbox One Media Remote for KODI (+a FLIRC if you don't have IR) it has just the right amount of buttons, has GREAT automatic backlighting, and layout is almost exactly like the original Xbox remote used with XBMC (the remote on which the whole menu layout is based, like going fullscreen video, or browsing while playing in the b/getc.)
Can anyone suggest a cheap device to run Kodi? I have a dedicated HTPC setup hosting my library and have previously had an ATV2 running Kodi on another display but support has now been withdrawn (and it is struggling to cope with the updates anyway). Amazon FireTV stick seems to be the best option but doesn't ship to Australia, is there another good option or should I just use a shipping forwarder?
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