HTPC Cannot Control/Play Music On A Media Server From Another Computer?

Plex Players Desktop Players
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Server Version#: Newest
Player Version#: Newest HTPC

It seems so simple… unless I am missing something.

I have my Plex media server in the living room running on a PC connected to my audio system and I have another computer in a adjoining room with HTPC, I am browsing my music from this other computer but it will not play through my audio system in the other room where my music server is located.

So can you only play music from your plex media server using HTPC installed on that same music server? That wouldn’t make sense, you should be able to use a Plex app on your phone or another computer to browse and play music on your stereo system. Who wants to listen to music on the speaker on your phone? And no I don’t want to use headphones they hurt my ears.

Thanks for any help, if I am missing something let me know.

Will

Plex Web Flinging/Casting Broken
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You can cast android to another device that has a Plex app installed on it

https://support.plex.tv/articles/201812808-cast-from-android/

You cannot cast what you’re playing on HTPC to another device. Anything you play on HTPC will only be heard on devices that are connected to it directly

If I’m understanding what you’re asking

3

JaysPlex7,

I’m not trying to cast anything, I have my Plex media server running on one PC connected to my stereo system. Which is great because I can listen to my music on my home stereo.

I have another PC with HTPC. I just want to browse my music thats on the Plex media server from my other computer with HTPC and have it play through my home audio. I can browse it but it only plays on the PC with HTPC not on my home stereo.

Will

4

Most people have the HTPC connected to the AV system.

Some (such as myself) have Plex HTPC on the PMS computer, connected to the AV system.

I have not heard of many running a Plex HTPC and wanting to send audio to a separate PMS computer connected to an audio system.

This is why the person suggested casting. A device can control play via casting.

Edit - could you possibly stream direct to the receiver. Not something I have tried via Plex as my Plex HTPC is connected to my AV gear via HDMI, given it is a Home Theatre PC and designed for that purpose. My AVR does receive streams ofcourse over wifi but not sure if it shows as an audio device in Plex HTPC (remote device). Don’t think it does but as my Plex HTPC is on my computer connected to my AVR, I won’t see that option even if it exists. Certainly my AVR shows as a media device from my laptop.

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JohnAlex,

Ok… I didn’t explain this very well.

1 PC running Plex Media Server & has HTPC - Connected to my receiver via HDMI
1 PC running HTPC in a different room
Basically I have your setup

I am not trying to send audio, I just want to select music on the PC in a different room running HTPC and have it play over my home stereo.

Why are we limited to having to play our music from the PC running Plex media server and HTPC?

Why aren’t we able to browse our music from our phone or a different computer, play it, and have our Plex media server pump it out through our home stereo?

And yes I have a wireless keyboard but 28-30 Ft doesn’t really get you that far. And I have a projector so I don’t always want to fire that up to only listen to music for 30 minutes.

6

You can do that with a phone.

Also, I don’t have your setup.

My HTPC is directly connected to my AVR. I don’t run Plex HTPC on another computer. It just happens that my Plex HTPC app resides on my PMS computer (which is also our main desktop computer).

Why don’t you just use network control from your remote computer to play material on your PMS which is connected to your audio system (which you said also has Plex HTPC on it) if you don’t want to cast. I have used RDP for that purpose (but don’t anymore).

7

Not sure of your set up but my AVR does not require the screen to be on to play audio. In fact, I never have the screen on when just playing music.

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See the link i posted above.

This is called casting to another device

You just click that and choose the TV you have in the other room with the stereo connected to it

android_chromecast_players

I think most people install Plexamp on their phones for this exact reason

The Plex HTPC app is a client, which means player. It’s meant to do nothing more than receive media that’s being broadcast out by your server

1 Like
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Make sure you have DLNA on and Enable local network discovery (GDM) (under Network Settings) on PMS

I will add that casting can be troublesome at times. Especially with iOS devices.

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If you can do it from a phone what app do you use?

And My HTPC is also directly connected to my AVR how is that not like yours?

It just so happens that I have a second PC that also has HTPC on it.

Yes I could RDP but I don’t want the additional step.

11

If I don’t turn my projector on how do I see my music library to browse and select what I want to play?

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So the app on the phone is Plexamp, I looked at it but didnt see anything about casting or being able to play music to your stereo, will have to look at it again.

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For myself, Plex iOS app. I use the player (cast button is at top), not PlexAmp. I’ve never actually used PlexAmp.

For myself, Plex iOS app.

See the post by JaysPlex7 as well. Plex HTPC is a client app.

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I have a Android, only thing in Google Play is Media Server, Plexamp, and Plex Dash.

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The Plex Player for android in the store - I just looked. Can’t speak for the cast button in android however.

16

I just browsed my PMS using my iPhone using the Plex iOS player app, cast to my AVR, no issues at all. Was also able to cast it to my three Google devices (well, two are Lenovo clocks).

My airplay and BT devices are also showing on the iPhone Plex app and work.

I would like volume control to work but I am bitstreaming so just use my AVR iPhone app to control volume as opposed to the Plex volume control.

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I think he is getting a bit confused by the Plex app names and indeed what the apps are designed to do.

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JohnAlex - Yes thank you, all I saw was Plex: Stream Movies & TV

I just checked my phone I already had Plex app but the name is just Plex.

Any ways I opened it, did Cast and that does work I browsed my Plex library and I am playing some .38 Special over the home stereo right now.

So, sweet I am also doing it from my tablet which is even better but… what would put it over the top would be being able to do this from another computer.

But this is good, much better.

Thanks for the info and help guys.

1 Like
20

Try Plex for Windows client rather than Plex HTPC :wink: