Choosing a Plex device

General Discussions
1

For the last 10 years or so I’ve been using my PS3 and PS3 Media Server to stream my music and movies from my PC to my home theater projector. Often times I want to just listen to music and this requires me to turn on my projector to see the UI to select the music. A simple overview of my setup is as follows:

Home Network (Media located on a Windows PC) -> PS3 -> A/V Receiver -> Projector

I’m looking to replace my PS3 with a device that allows me to control it remotely from my PC so I can start music playback from my PC instead of having to turn on my projector. It would also be nice to be able to stream my PC audio directly to this device so I can play Youtube music or radio stations, etc. I know some of these devices probably already have this stuff built in.

From the little research I’ve done most of these “client” devices require the use of a TV connected to it to start the playback of the music or movies. I need a device that can do this from remotely through my network (software based or web interface?) from my Windows PC.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

2

I can cast Plex music to my Google Home Mini.
ChromeCast Audio should work (add your own speaker).

3

I do have a Chromecast still in box laying around somewhere. Though I’m looking for a solution that lets me connect my wired network to it like I do with my PS3.

Again I need to be able to cast the music/videos from my PC to it instead of having to turn on my projector to see a client UI.

4

I should have also mentioned my A/V Receiver is ~10 years old (Yahama RX-V663). So it has no network capability on it’s own for streaming music to.

5

https://store.google.com/us/product/ethernet_adapter_for_chromecast?hl=en-US

6

Thanks, that would probably work. Will this allow me to cast my music/videos from Plex (via web app I’m guessing?) to Chromecast this way then? Any limitations on video files/formats?

How does Chromecast compare to a full on device like Roku/Popcorn Hour/WDTV, etc?

7

I owned the following and would rank it as such (i don’t care about cost, time is a resource… don’t forget that):

  • Apple TV and 4K version << due to voice, strong wifi card, and being able to use watch and remote natively to control plex; plus slick interface
  • Nvidea Shield << strong device, can acts a server, crashes a little but can handle 4k well
  • Plex Web << Works great
  • Smart TVs (Sony) << plays well
  • XBox One X << plays well, interface faster with new xbox
  • Chromecast << tends to drop or lose signal, it’s a small and does not have a powerful wifi receiver, always requires a phone
  • XBox One << eh, can tend to freeze quite abit
  • Rokus << was #1 before everything else, but lower on my list due; slow and gets features late
  • Sony PS4 << Just slow and interface is …
  • Firestick << It’s like buying a Fire Phone, great support and it’s fast… if you don’t get it… don’t read into it.
  • Sony PS3 << No, just don’t
8

Out of all those which allows you to start a “cast” from a PC though? Can all devices do it from Plex? I’m new to Plex in general so I don’t know a lot of how this stuff works and for all I know most of these devices can be cast to. You said Chromecast always requires a phone? Can you elaborate.

I’m going to test out Chromecast tomorrow hooked up to my A/V Receiver and Wifi until I can get the ethernet adapter. (Assuming I’m going to stick with this Chromecast stick)

9

Been looking a lot now into the Nvidia Shield. Seems you can cast to it as well and the ability to stream PC games to it onto my projector screen is very intriguing as well.

10

@Wallboy said:
Out of all those which allows you to start a “cast” from a PC though?

See https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/203082707-Supported-Plex-Companion-Apps

If you are on a PC, then try the Plex Media Player.
It can be used in a ‘Web App’ mode with mouse
and also in a full screen mode which is optimised for remote controls and/or keyboards and keypads.

In Web app mode it can also control other Plex clients, just like the real web app.