Either with the Pro version, or standard with the unofficial Plex installer available on this forum, is it possible to sync optimized versions of my “big” PC server with the Passport ?
I plan to use it on vacations/plane in order to watch (kids) movies of a tablet. So I’m happy that the Passport provides a server. But I also would like that this server syncs with my main PC server. I also would like to be sure that I’ll get subtitles if needed. I hope it works witout third party sync software which would ruin the Plex “spirit”.
In the worst case, is it OK to ?
- plug the Passport to the PC via USB (or even better, a FTP folder maped on a drive letter in Windows)
- on the PC server, setup optimized versions so that they get stored on the Passport (USB or FTP)
- on the Passport server, add libraries with the adequate local paths
- leave home and watch movies on a tablet, away from any network
Hi @temperdu
as far as I knwo, there is (still) no chance to sync content between several PMS installations.
This is the way I’m doing this:
- Optimize the videos with my chosen settings for Mobile devices on main PMS installation (which is my My Cloud at home)
- connecting the My Passport Wireless Pro (MPPW Pro)via USB to my PC
- copying the optimized content onto the MPPW Pro
- disconnect the MPPW Pro from USB and use it wirelessly
- conenct to Plex on MPPW Pro and let Plex on MPPW Pro download the additional informations
OK, it’s not the best way but it works. 1) and 5) are background tasks, so the only “time consuming” work is the copy job.
Best regards,
Jörg
Thanks a lot for the answer.
[3] implies that there is a redundancy between the optimized versions (one on the My Cloud main PMS, and one on the MPPW Pro). Since I plan to “sync” quite a large amount of files, this would be annoying.
Did you ever try to do ?
- connecting the My Passport Wireless Pro (MPPW Pro) via USB to my PC
- Optimize the videos with my chosen settings for Mobile devices on main PMS installation (but by specifying the MPPW Pro path as the optimized versions storage place)
- disconnect the MPPW Pro from USB and use it wirelessly
- conenct to Plex on MPPW Pro and let Plex on MPPW Pro download the additional informations
Hi @temperdu
no problem to my suggestion. I am not sure if you can specify the USB-connected MPPW Pro as path for the optimized videos; i think, it’s not possible.
My thoughts behind copying the full videos are, that the CPU of MPPW Pro is not powerfull enough for a transcoding. That’s why I use optimized videos to be stored on the “mobile PMS”. The optimized versions in my setup are stored in the original folders too, so it’s not that complex to copy all the videos as they are (in my setup) all stored in one subfolder.
Copying every lager amount of files onto the MPPW Pro is no problem as long as it’s connected via USB. Better not copy video files trhough wifi, it could last very long.
best regards,
Jörg
I’m not sure that my english is good enough to be clear, or to understand well, or both 
My point is : once you have copied the optimized files on the MPPW Pro, they remain on the main PMS as well, don’t they ? If it is the case, then that’s what I’d like to avoid.
I just tried to plug an USB stick formatted in exFat (like the MPPW Pro is advertised to be). It is E:.
If E:\ is added into a library paths, then it becomes available as an option for specifying the folder of an optimized version. A “Plex Version” folder is created with the adequate files. So, unless it woks differently with the MPPW Pro as an external drive, I could work. Perhaps. And if it works, then we should gain the ability to “sync” full libraries (or maybe playlists, even better) with incremental updates as the libraries grow.
Hi @temperdu
nice to know, many thanks for this tip! This wasn’t know to me 
best regards,
Jörg
I’m not done yet !
As stated above, it seems possible to store optimised versions on an external hard drive. The problem is : when I unplug the external drive and try to read the video, I get an error. I need to explicitely select the original version so as to read the file. It seems that by default, the server doesn’t just “skip” a version if it not present.
Any trick ?
I’m trying to call the Master for help, @ChuckPA
Easy : once the USB volume is removed, just run an analysis : the server checks versions, knows that the optimised one is missing, and doesn’t block the playback anymore.
To sum up, for futures readers, let’s put it together.
- Plug the “WD My Passport Wireless Pro” (MPPWP) to your main PC sever with USB (I guess it could work wirelessly as well… homework)
- Build on the MPPWP a folder hierarchy corresponding to your PC libraries
- On the PC server, add the corresponding MPPWP folder to each PC library
- Now, produce optimized versions, even for complete libraries
- When asked, select the still plugged MPPWP folder as the destination for the optimized version(s)
- Unplug the MPPWP
- Restart an analysis on the PC server
- Build libraries or update as usuel on you MPPWP server
I didn’t try the whole process since I don’t have a MPPWP yet. But I could check that steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 work with an USB key. This process should permit to mirror complete libraries with optimized versions on a MPPWP, without duplicates and storage loss on the PC server, and by keeping inside Plex what has already been mirrored, with the possibility for incremental mirroring.
I’m confident enough that I just ordered a 4TB Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro. Sweet…
The above is the workflow I use and it worked for me for awhile but I had an issue where Plex crashed on my WD while on a plane and couldn’t get it back up…I was annoyed and threw it in the closet when I got home. I have another big trip planned so giving it another shot and re-optimizimg my library now to the WD .
I am unclear what you mean by #3…The only place I added the WD folders anywhere is in Plex itself to tell it where to place the optimized files.
Just logged in again, sorry for the delay. Just in case…
For #3 : on the PC Plex server, edit a library and in the paths, I add the path to the MPPWP disk when plugged in the PC. It is the only way I found to let the MPPWP appear in the choice list for specifying an optimized version path.
About Plex crashes : same for me. Not in a plane (fortunately) but I had to reset my Plex app on the MPPWP and build the libraries again. Not so stable and very disapointing since I bought this HD especially for the Plex support. So please WD, work a little bit harder !
Hi everybody!
I’ve recently started the project named plexiglas, main goal of this thing is exactly what we’re all waiting here
It’s an early alpha stage now, you have to install it in quite geeky way (with console usage and other stuff), only accounts with active PlexPass are supported (due to usage of Mobile Sync), but I’m already extremely happy with what I’ve done!
If anybody would like to join me and test it, or even help with development, — please do it To install plexiglas you need to have python3 and pipenv installed on your computer.
Huge amount of work has been done since the announcement, and here is what you can get now (great thanks to @sliding_shade for testing):
- Working with local, as well as remote instances of Plex, but providing a MyPlex account is required
- Less terrifying installation & running procedure, all you need is installed python (2.7+) and pip
-
Can be run directly on WD My Passport Wireless Pro (don’t forget to adjust settings in
plexiglas.service). Unfortunately I don’t have an “easy-install” script for windows
- If you’re a lucky guy and have the PlexPass — you can easily choose what you’d like to sync with Plex Web UI
- If you don’t have a PlexPass (or simply not interested in transcoded files), you’ll enjoy a feature named “simple sync”, which basically downloads original files from your main Plex instance. Unfortunately the transcoding is not supported for “simple sync”, for those who still interested in it, but it’s in the roadmap
- More stuff in on it’s way!
If you’re interested — open the installation guide and then take a look at some usage examples.
