A Beginner’s Guide to Using Plex with the Amazon Echo

I’m here to show you how to make the most of your Amazon Echo and Plex! Let’s dive right in.

First things first, what is Plex? Well, think of it as your personal media server. Plex allows you to organize and stream your movies, TV shows, and music across different devices. It’s like having your own Netflix or Spotify, but with your own media collection.

Now, let’s talk about the Amazon Echo. You probably know it as a smart speaker that can play music, answer questions, and control other smart devices. But did you know that it can also work with Plex?

To get started, make sure you have the Plex skill enabled on your Echo. You can do this by opening the Alexa app on your phone, searching for the Plex skill, and enabling it. Once that’s done, you’re ready to go!

When it comes to controlling Plex with your Echo, there are a few key commands you need to know. For example, you can say “Alexa, ask Plex to play the latest episode of Game of Thrones.” And just like that, your Echo will start streaming the episode for you.

If you want to pause or resume playback, simply say “Alexa, ask Plex to pause/resume.” If you want to skip to the next item in your playlist, say “Alexa, ask Plex to skip.” And if you want to adjust the volume, say “Alexa, ask Plex to set the volume to X percent.”

But wait, there’s more! You can also use your Echo as a remote control for Plex. Just say “Alexa, ask Plex to open the Web App.” This will open a web interface on your computer or mobile device, where you can browse and control your media library. It’s like having a remote that you can talk to!

Now, let’s talk about some advanced features. If you’re a fan of movie night, you can use your Echo to dim the lights and start playing a movie at the same time. Just say “Alexa, ask Plex to start movie night.” You can customize this command to fit your preferences by creating a routine in the Alexa app.

And if you have multiple Echos in your home, you can use them to create a synchronized audio experience. Just group your Echos together in the Alexa app and say “Alexa, play my movie playlist everywhere.” Now, you can enjoy your media in every room!

I hope this guide has helped you unlock the potential of Plex and your Amazon Echo. With these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite movies and music with ease. So go ahead, kick back, and let Plex and your Echo do the work for you. Happy streaming!

Hey, did you know that you can link Plex with the Amazon Echo? I didn’t until I spent time with someone who had it all set up. It’s pretty cool – you can control Plex with your voice using Alexa!

I really like Plex and Kodi for my media center needs. I actually have an Amazon Echo, but I haven’t connected them together. However, I know someone who has, and they let me try it out so I can show you how to do it too.

Getting Plex to Work with Amazon Echo

To make this work, you’ll need an Amazon Echo that works with Alexa. This includes the Echo, Echo Dot, Show, Spot, Tap, Fire TV, and Fire Tablet. Make sure your device has the latest software updates.

You’ll also need the latest version of Plex Media Server, and you need to have it set up on your computer. You’ll need to enable remote access, and I’ll walk you through that later.

Lastly, you need a compatible Plex app. Not all apps work, so you should check the list on the Plex website. Roku, Fire TV, Android phones, Apple phones, and Apple TV are some of the compatible apps, but make sure to double-check.

If you’re ready, let’s get started!

First, let’s set up remote access for your Plex Media Server. If you didn’t change the default setting during installation, it should already be enabled. But if you turned it off for extra security, you’ll need to enable it again.

1. Open Plex and click on Settings in the top right corner of the main page.
2. Select Server and then Remote Access.
3. Click on the orange ‘Enable Remote Access’ button in the middle of the screen.

Once it’s enabled, the screen should turn green, and you’ll see a window like the one above. Now we can move on.

1. Download and install the Plex skill from this link.
2. Or open the Alexa web app and go to Skills.
3. Search for Plex and enable it.
4. Sign in to Plex when prompted and authorize Alexa to link with Plex.

That’s it for the main setup. Alexa is now linked to Plex and has the necessary skills to control your media server. Plex has done a lot of work to make sure everything runs smoothly, but it’s not perfect. You may have to try a few times to get everything working perfectly.

Using Plex with Amazon Echo

Now that everything is set up, you can control Plex with voice commands. The commands follow a common format, just like any other command. For example, you can say, “Alexa, tell Plex to play a show or movie.” Alexa will alert Echo to the command, and “tell Plex” will invoke the skill to perform the task.

You need to be specific with your commands. For instance, saying “Alexa, tell Plex to play Suits” won’t work. You have to be specific about the series and episode you want, following the format in Plex Media Server. It’s usually title, series, episode. So the complete command would be “Alexa, tell Plex to play Suits series 1 episode 1”.

As long as you ask for something that’s listed in Plex Media Server, the voice command should work smoothly. This applies to movies, music, or any other media. Just make sure your command matches the format in Plex.

Alexa can also handle more complex commands, but I didn’t try them for this tutorial. You can find many of the available Alexa commands on the Plex website.

Troubleshooting Plex Remote Connections

When I was setting up Plex with Amazon Echo at my friend’s house to write this tutorial, we encountered a common problem with Plex – setting up the remote connection. Plex could see the internet, but it couldn’t find the app and wouldn’t work. Even though it was working fine before, it just wouldn’t connect.

That’s how you use Plex with the Amazon Echo. Have you set yours up yet? How did it go? Did it work right away or did you have to put in some effort? Let us know in the comments below!