How to Get Movies for Plex
Alright, let me show you how to get some awesome movies for your Plex! Trust me, it’s easier than you think. So, here’s what you gotta do:
First, find a reliable source for movies. You can go old school and rent DVDs from your local library or video store. Or, if you’re more into digital stuff, sign up for a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu. These services have a wide range of movies for you to choose from.
Once you’ve found the source, it’s time to get those movies onto your Plex. If you’re using a DVD, you’ll need to rip it first. Don’t worry, I’ll show you how. Just pop the DVD into your computer’s DVD drive and use a ripping software to save the movie as a file on your computer. There are plenty of free ripping software options available online.
If you’re streaming the movie, you’ll need to download it onto your computer. Most streaming services allow you to download movies for offline viewing. Just find the download option, click on it, and wait for the movie to download.
Now that you have the movie file on your computer, it’s time to add it to your Plex library. Open up Plex and go to the “Movies” section. Click on the “Add Library” button and choose “Movies” as the library type. Give your library a name, like “My Awesome Movies”, and click on “Next”.
Next, you’ll need to select the location of your movie files. Click on the “Browse for Media Folder” button and navigate to the location where you saved your movie file. Once you’ve selected the folder, click on “Add Library” and Plex will start scanning the folder for movies.
After scanning is complete, Plex will organize your movies and grab all the necessary information and artwork for them. This is where Plex really shines! It automatically pulls in movie posters, synopses, and even trailers for your movies. How cool is that?
Now you’re all set! You can access your movies through Plex on any device connected to your network. Just open up Plex on your device, go to the “Movies” section, and start enjoying your collection. Sit back, relax, and let Plex do the hard work for you.
So, go ahead and get those movies for Plex. It’s a game-changer for all your movie-watching needs. Happy viewing!
Plex is an incredible media center app that I absolutely love. It’s not only free, but it’s also super easy to use. Setting it up is a breeze, and you can customize and organize it just the way you like. Plus, streaming to other devices is seamless. It’s clear that Plex has put a lot of thought into making their platform top-notch.
One of the best things about Plex is the ability to add channels. These channels give you access to even more movies. And that’s what I want to show you in this tutorial. When you first install Plex, it comes with a set of pre-approved channels. But you can also search for and add other authorized channels right from within the app. It’s a quick process that takes less than five minutes, and it opens up a whole world of content from various providers.
Now, there are also unauthorized channels out there. These haven’t been checked and approved by Plex. But that doesn’t mean they’re bad. It simply means Plex hasn’t had a chance to review them or the channel owner prefers to remain under the radar.
And let’s not forget that you can also add your own local content to Plex. This includes your own DVDs, Blu-rays, or MP4s that you’ve uploaded to your Plex Media Server. These are movies that you own and can play directly through the Plex Media Player. Adding your own movies is a no-brainer if you’re looking to expand your library.
Getting Started with Plex
If you already have a Plex Media Server instance up and running on your laptop or desktop, you can skip ahead to the next part of the guide. But if you haven’t set up Plex and created an account to stream your media yet, you’ll need to do that first in order to get more movies. To get the most out of Plex, it’s best to have a computer that can run constantly in the background, like a desktop with a big hard drive. Laptops are ok too, but keep in mind that if your computer goes into sleep or hibernation mode, you won’t be able to access your Plex content.
Setting up Plex is pretty straightforward, so don’t worry if you’re not familiar with this kind of technology. Plex’s Media Server application guides you through the entire setup process, from creating the server to selecting the directory where your content will be streamed from. If you have a wide collection of music, photos, and home videos, it’s a good idea to either organize them into separate folders or keep them all together in one directory. Plex can easily distinguish between different types of content, so you can let it do all the heavy lifting.
I have to mention that while Plex is free at first, they also offer a paid option called Plex Pass that comes with extra benefits. With Plex Pass, you can record TV shows for free using an antenna, download your content to watch offline without an internet connection, listen to music through a specialized Plex player, and even watch movie trailers before downloading films to your device for a theater-like experience. Plex Plus costs $4.99 per month, but it’s not necessary for regular use. However, if you want some extra features, it’s a good option.
Once you’ve installed Plex on your home computer and set up your server, you can now install the app on any device you want. When you open Plex, you’ll be able to see all the content from your Plex Media Server, sorted by type. Now, all you need is some content to add to your server.
Getting More Movies for Plex
Hey there! Want to add more movies to your Plex collection? Well, I’ve got a trick up my sleeve. Besides adding your own stuff, you can also add unofficial channels to Plex to get access to even more movies. Pretty cool, right?
Unofficial channels and the Unsupported App Store
So, here’s the deal. The easiest way to get a wide range of unofficial channels on Plex is by using the Unsupported App Store. Trust me, it’s a game-changer.
First things first, you’ll need to get the WebTools plugin from GitHub. Go to the linked page, select and download the WebTools.bundle.zip, and then extract it onto your device. The extracted file should be named WebTools.bundle. If it’s named something else, just go ahead and rename it. Simple as that!
- If you’re rocking Plex Media Server on a Windows computer, put WebTools.bundle into %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server\Plug-ins.
- If you’re using Plex Media Server on a Mac, plop that file into ~/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Plug-ins.
- If you’re playing with Plex Media Server for Linux, place the file into $PLEX_HOME/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Plug-ins.
Once you’ve done all that, it’s time to get this baby up and running. Open the Plex app and find the WebTools channel. You’ll see two URLs and a message saying, “To access this channel, type the URLs below into a new browser tab.” So go ahead and copy those URLs and paste them into your web browser’s address bar. When prompted, enter your Plex details to complete the login process.
- On the main page, select the Unsupported AppStore option. Boom! You’ll be taken to a page full of apps.
- Search for the channels you want to add and select them.
- Hit that sweet Install button to get them up and running on your Plex.
Since official channel support was discontinued back in 2018, these unofficial channels are the last resort for expanding your Plex experience. It’s worth giving them a try!
Unsupported channels and Plex
Now, a word of caution. When browsing through the Unsupported App Store, be careful with some of the channels you come across. While many are legit and feature authentic content, there are a few that may be illegal or contain sketchy stuff. Although accessing these channels won’t harm your Plex Media Server, you should be mindful of the potential legality issues involved.
To protect yourself, always use a VPN when accessing the internet, especially if you’re venturing into the gray areas. Remember, TechJunkie doesn’t support piracy or any illegal activities. So, you gotta decide for yourself what’s right for you.
Torrenting
Alright, let’s talk about what to do if those unofficial channels on Plex go poof, just like the official ones did. Don’t worry, I’ve got a solution for you – torrenting! Yep, you heard me right.
If you’re new to the torrent game, no worries. We’ve got a list of our favorite torrent clients for all sorts of platforms, like Windows 10. But let me tell you about my personal favorite: qBittorrent. It’s awesome because it’s free, open-source, and reliable. Plus, it doesn’t bombard you with ads, malware, or any other sketchy stuff during installation.
The best part? The app keeps getting updated, even after a decade since its launch. The latest version, 4.1.5, not only improves performance but also gives the software a sleek, modern look. It works like a charm on Windows 10, MacOS, and Linux, making it the perfect tool for downloading movies from torrent sites.
Ripping Your Own Movies
Do you have a bunch of movies on DVDs that you want to watch on your computer? Well, there’s a way to do that! You can rip your DVDs and save them on your computer, so you can easily stream them from your Plex server. But wait, ripping DVDs with DMCA protection isn’t a piece of cake. It can be a bit complicated. Luckily, don’t worry! I’ve got a complete guide right here to help you with that.
There are many ways to get movies onto your Plex server, but I want to share my three favorite methods with you. Don’t forget to let me know in the comments how you add movies to Plex, and stay tuned to TechJunkie for more updates on using Plex to satisfy all your movie and TV cravings.
