If you aren’t familiar with it, Plex is a pretty awesome little piece of software. It comes in multiple forms, including a server, which is cross-platform compatible, and an array of end-user apps that work on multiple computing platforms, both desktop and mobile. It allows the customer to stream media, be it music, TV, movies or pictures, to any device currently connected to the home network.
The developers behind the software are always hard at work trying to innovate and keep ahead of the competition — something they have done an admirable job of succeeding at. There are some complications behind all of this, mostly being that you need to set up the server on a (preferably) always-on computer in order to make the whole shebang work. If that isn’t an issue for you then today brings good news.
Plex has announced version 1.0 of its brand new Home Theater software, which has been in the works for the better part of a year. This is not for your iOS or Android devices, but instead for the computer. Aside from mobile devices and set-top boxes, Plex can also stream to other computers in your home, and that is what the service aims to improve upon today. The look is very Windows Media Center-like, and the company promises that “not only is it smooth, fast, and lovely, it also incorporates some enhancements we’ve made internally to finally provide the powerful server-side filtering which you’ve been enjoying in Plex/Web, Plex for iOS, and Plex for Android.”
The new release promises the moon and, indeed, the developers have done extensive testing to ensure everything is right. The interface is gorgeous, and the menu looks easy to browse. For now, though, it’s only for Windows and OS X, but hopefully that will change. The good news is that computer-based versions are free, while Android and iOS customers must pony up a bit of cash.
