What sets Plex apart is how well it organizes media, and how pretty the whole interface looks. Streaming players from the PS4 (but not the PS5) to Roku devices have media server apps built in even Windows Media Player works as a pretty passable media server in a pinch. Granted, media servers are a dime a dozen. “The cloud” is really just “a computer somewhere else that’s always turned on.” This is also precisely how streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Video deliver video to you, just with some extra steps in-between.

By using the Plex app on another computer, a mobile device or a streaming gadget plugged into your TV, you can stream content from your computer to another platform of your choice. You direct the Plex software to this folder, and Plex then makes your computer available as a server.

While Plex itself can walk you through the process of setting up a media server, it works like this: You provide your own video content, and put it in a special folder somewhere on your computer. There, you'll find a bio and social media links, that actor's most famous roles and their filmography - which will include where you can watch those shows, in both libraries and services accessible to you. To find it, go to the cast section of a movie or show's page, or just look at the 'People' options when you search. In November 2022, Plex added Discover Credits, which looks like its own IMDb. Right now, Plex wants to help you learn about what you're watching. Then, Plex got more dynamic, adding an ad-supported streaming service that offers free movies and TV, and it also connects to other free streaming services. This means that many see Plex as a way to provide their own content instead of relying on a big company’s library, which usually changes from month to month. Originally, Plex was a way to utilize videos stored in a remote location, so you could streams them on a device. You can refer to Plex as a streaming service, because that is technically true.

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