Best Free Software
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1 or 10
Plex 1.1
Most of us have hundreds, if not thousands of photos, music and videos stored on our computer. Plex is a free program that bundles them all up and lets you stream them to a variety of devices, including other PCS, tablets, phones and televisions.
You first need to install the Plex Media Server on the computer that has all your content (it scans your computer for media when you install it), then install the Plex player on the devices on which you want to stream the media.
There are Plex players for Android ( www.snipca. com/32618) and IOS ( www.snipca.com/32619), as well as a web-based version ( www.snipca.com/32620), but the one we’re looking at here is the Windows player.
It differs from previous versions in that it’s a traditional program, not a Windows app that you install from the Microsoft Store. As such, the design has changed, with a new navigation menu on the left side providing quick access to the various features of Plex.
This version also adds a new Download tool, which lets you save files on the device you’re currently using, letting you view or listen to media when you don’t have a network connection. However, you’ll need a Plex Pass subscription to take advantage of this feature, which starts at £3.99 per month. Some other features, such as digital video recorder (DVR) capabilities, also require a Plex Pass.
Plex previously said that this new release would replace the Plex Media Player (a version of Plex with large buttons and text, designed specifically to be used on TVS), with support for it ending early next year. However, following a backlash from customers, Plex has backtracked, saying that it’s given the Plex Media Player a stay of execution while it looks at alternative options (you can download it from www.snipca.com/32609). 1 The new navigation bar is similar to that found on the browser-based web version of Plex and lets you quickly jump to the different Plex media sources. 2 As well as streaming your own media, Plex links up with a range of free and paid-for media services, such as Bloomberg news and the Tidal music-streaming service. 3 If you’ve got a Plex Pass subscription, you can download media to the device you’re streaming it to, then access it even if you don’t have a network connection. 4 To stream media stored on your computer, you’ll need the Plex Media Server installed and running (download it from www.snipca. com/32611).