Plex Channels are popular enough that several major services have created official plugins. One of the things I like most about Plex is that you install plugins directly to your server rather than apps with the Plex app installed. If that’s not enough, you can install plugins (Channels) to stream additional content similar to installing addons for Kodi. In fact, they even make an official Plex Server app for the NVIDIA Shield TV. You don’t need a top-of-the-line computer to run Plex server. Got a slower connection? Plex has you covered! It automatically adjusts the resolution to whatever device you’re playing it on and even accounts for network speeds. If you’re thinking that would allow you to share your Plex server with your family and friends, then you’d be exactly right. You can even access your media server remotely as long as your server remains online. Plex allows you to stream directly from your computer to an Android device or Firestick on the same network. If you want none of the bells and whistles, you can customize your Plex homepage to remove the elements you don’t use. While other media servers aim for simplicity, Plex focuses on customizability. Plex grabs grabbing descriptions and album covers/images for any media that’s named using standard media labeling. However, once your library is cataloged, it’s much quicker to add new media. Like all of the other media centers on this list, Plex has to scan your hard drive before you can play anything. Of course, Plex is designed to play the media you already own. Plex Pass also lets you sync your content for offline viewing, set user preferences, advanced user control, hardware transcoding, 4K TV and movies, and a handful of music features, including a Tidal discount, to boot.įor more information on Plex Pass and whether it’s right for you, check out my article here, where I go over some of the features and benefits. Playing live TV requires a TV tuner and a Plex Pass subscription, which starts at $4.99 per month. Don’t get too excited though, most of those channels aren’t ones you’ve ever heard of. Streaming is free and works like PlutoTV and similar services, offering over 80 channels and on-demand movies and TV shows. It also highlights Web shows that you can stream.Įven though live TV isn’t one of Plex’s big features, there are also two live TV options: streaming and via TV tuner. There’s even a podcast functionality built right into the app that’s free to Plex users. It’s a great way to enjoy the media you already own. You can even install Plex directly on many popular NAS device.īecause it’s been around for so long, Plex offers a lot more than just a way to stream TV shows, movies, and music. Plex is available on the most common operating systems, streaming devices, consoles, and even some VR headsets. No list of Kodi alternatives would be complete without mentioning Plex. So without any further delay, let’s get to my favorite Kodi alternatives. Anything I replace it with needs to be easy enough for my wife to use. User-friendly: One of the things that always bugged me about Kodi was just how damned difficult it was to set up and navigate. Add-ons add new functionality and can really take a media center to the next level. Lots of Add-ons: Kodi’s strength was the number of user-developed add-ons. Bonus points are awarded if it has a native Android TV app as well. One of the things I’m looking for in a media center is that it has to be able to play that media, no matter where I store it.Īndroid support: This should go without saying, but it has to have a native Android app. Plays local media: I have a big collection of DVD’s, Blu-ray, and music CD’s that I’ve ripped to my network. ![]() There are a couple of ‘must have’ features that I’m looking for to replace Kodi in my home. Whether it’s DVD’s and Blu-rays or movies saved to a hard drive on your network, one of Kodi’s big advantages was that it could do both.īut Kodi isn’t necessarily the best solution, especially if it isn’t compatible with your streaming device.įortunately, there are a few alternatives to choose from that work on Android and Firestick (and often many more devices). But fast forward to present-day and there are a couple of great Kodi alternatives that deserve a look.Įven though many people rely on streaming services like Netflix, a lot of people want to enjoy the movies and TV shows they already own. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that Kodi was the most popular media center in the world.
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