Plex Media Server for Windows
Well, twenty-four hours later, we have more big news to share with you: The Plex Media Server is now available for Windows. (It was actually supposed to be available yesterday, so I apologize to all the people who purchased the Android app and were looking for the download! Synchronizing two major new releases turned out to be a bit trickier than we had thought.)
First, a bit of backstory – when we first started writing the media server, we built it with world class libraries that ensured it would be as portable as possible. Very early on (literally years ago), we had experimental builds running on Linux, and we’d always planned to release it on other platforms when we felt the time was right. Releasing a product on a new platform takes time and energy to support, so timing was key.
When the time was right, we hired some talented engineers who live and breathe Windows, and they worked on the port. One cool thing that happened, common in these sorts of projects, is that in building the media server on a new platform, they fleshed out bugs that had existed on OS X but had never been found. So as a result, the OS X version of the media server has become more stable, thanks to Windows.
Without further ado, I’d like to invite you to download the Plex Media Server for Windows, and take it for a spin. I also want to thank the group who helped us do initial testing, including hkeylm, brent112, bambuhiphop, dtwilly57, JaymzMac, Stoodo, and especially Pete O. You all rock, and we really appreciate your help.
We’ve set up some forums where you can report bugs (after all, which first release of software doesn’t have a few of those?) and I would recommend you start by reading this post, which details how to tweak your Windows system to ensure we can best diagnose issues.
After two consecutive nights of releases, Barkley looks like I feel.
54 Comments so far
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Amazing .. i’ve been waiting for this since i install plex for the 1st time on my mini couple years ago !!!!
Thanks guys, you are awesome !!!
Congrats ! Even if the windows version server (as the android app) will be of no use for me
Although I don’t use Windows; this is huge!
Now all we need is the PMS on Linux and some Plex Players on Win64/Linux!
Great job!
YES!!!
Can we hope to have a PMS for Linux anytime soon ? I know you’re quite close to LG, how about a PMS version for this little raid box i have and that run linux :
http://www.lg.com/uk/it-products/network-storage/LG-network-storage-N2R1DB2.jsp
You guys are world class. This is a wonderful and appreciated development.
This is great now I can Free Up my Mac Pro and use my Tower PC for Media! Very Happy with this app! Thanks for the Guys of the Plex Team! Keep Up the Hard Work!…
Commodity hardware, here I come!
Two questions:
1. Can we assume that the Plex Media Center (the client) is on the way soon? I’m close to buying another mini and I’d explore a DIY Windows HTPC instead if I had PMC for Windows.
2. So now I can use a (low-cost) Windows box as a media storage AND as a plex media server, and playback files on two networked mac minis? In other words, the minis will not need PMS local and will use the PC instead?
Thanks for the hard work!
And PS – the whole “Windows development makes the Mac version better” argument only works when a Mac update is released that shows the improvement. Or is it already in there???
what’s next? a release for Altair 8800? Commodore 64? Oh yeah I wish Plex was also compatible with my oven, my vacuum cleaner and, of course, my toothbrush!
But I would be even more glad to have already a bug-free PMS on OSX, if it’s not too much asked.
Good job anyway guys.
And what would made me really happy, would be a PLEX ROADMAP, as does have your competitor here: http://trac.xbmc.org/roadmap
WOW..wooow..WOOOOOW. I just saw the news yesterday regarding Plex for Android and got really excited. I don’t have a Mac Mini but I’ve seen what Plex is capable of (my brother has pretty cool setup). I’m going to install Plex right now. And download the Android app later on. You guys realize that you are the FIRST high quality home streaming app coming to Android? I’ve been using another app for home streaming to Android but I’m sure this will be much better.. Thanks Plex Team
I’m confused. Is this Plex for Windows or just a server or??
Thanks Elan, Plex Media Server for Windows is going to open the Plex world up to a lot of people. Big thanks to all of the developers for all of your hard work, it is much appreciated.
First of, sorry: Plex noob here. Just installed it, looks great.
Im I right if the Plex Media Server is only offered on Windows?
How then did it get ported (from where?)
And then this is a typo, right? “So as a result, the OS X version of the media server has become more stable”
Don’t want to seem obnoxious, just trying to wrap my head around Plex.
Also (1+ vote on making a freenas server plugin
)
Jeroen: Plex Media Server has been available for OSX since August 31st 2010. It has now been ported to Windows (and Linux before that, but the Linux version has not yet been deployed to the public due to undisclosed reasons).
Great loving the server here! But will there be a client for windows available soon ?
great news. Huge step for plex. Just come out with a linux version and my life will be complete.
Bravo !
Thank you so much for everything
Great! I might consider ditching Mac OS X someday for my HTPC and install Windows 7 bootcamp on the Mini. I’ve just about had it with 10.6′s SMB trouble (all my media is on a windows server share).
sweetness and light !
See? You killed Barkley! Blame Windoze!
meh. this is kinda the end of plex we used to know and like, imho.
@dev: A little doom and gloom, no? I’m writing this from a Mac. I develop on a Mac. I have a Mac Mini in my living room. My wife uses an iMac. Do you really think Plex for OS X is going to all of a sudden start looking like a Windows 3.1 app? Oh, and by the way, we have more resources working on the OS X side of things than we had last year
Great news! Looking forward to the Windows client as well. Even though I’ve not owned a PC my whole life, having a mac whose only purpose is being connected to the TV feels a bit like a waste of money.
I’m not, nor ever have been, a fan of Windows. That being said, I think this opens a lot of doors for the plex-centric HTPC system. I still think the mini is the best way to connect a computer to your home theater and that a mac is in general, just the best user experience. However, my interest is piqued on getting a cheap, yet semi powerful, ugly, monsterous PC that I can just hide away in a closet or something and serve up all of my media from that computer. Basically, just use it as a workhorse. And that way, still keeping my beautiful Macs front and center with their superior design and OS.
@kriebe: Thanks for your open mindedness, that plus the eventual Linux release will help people make media server boxes that are cheap and powerful.
Tremendous news, lets be clear I’m a Mac man through and through but more platforms equals more testing/more feedback/more forum chat and that equals more development for everyone. I can now recommend Plex to other friends/workmates etc. Well done to developers for their business model and I can’t wait from my new LG tv later this year (that is a hint for an update).
@ecopod, thanks for your comment and your glass half full approach to the world
Lovely! I know just how to use this, as a great way to spool media off my partner’s dreadful dosbox.
Now… About the side benefit to the OSX. Does this mean you’ve also released some kind of new update for that at the same time? Or is there something bigger on the way. Pleaaaaaaaaaaase tell me you’ve resolved the case of the missing menu items after sleep.
Thanks! That will delay switching to Ubuntu for my home server again
— so PLEASE also release a Linux version!!!
One question: Where are the Metadata Agent Settings? I can´t select Imdb as my favourite Agent…
Keep on the great work!
J.
… and another thing: Can I export my library from my MacMini to the Windows Plex Media Server? I wouldn´t have to scan and rename everything again…
Thanks!
@Januz: The settings UI is being worked on as we speak. Until then, you can edit the XML in /Users/X/AppData/Local/Plex Media Server/Plug-in Support/Metadata Combination
As far as migrating movies, I believe this has been discussed in a few forum posts.
Good job!
Anyone knows if it runs on whs(windows home server) or server 2003?
Congratulations, and i hope this gets you and the team even more attention in the media server world. You absolutely deserve it! =] Plex is an awesome app, and everyone should use it, regardless of platform. i just hope, as you say, that Plex Mac development continues to be at least equal to Plex development on other platforms. Congratulations again!
I’m sorry but I don’t see why you’ve been spending resources on porting this to other platforms when it is still so buggy on the Mac OS. Your priorities should be making this run as rock solid as possible before anything else.
@Fred: Please take the time to read the other responses before making an uninformed response of your own. As has already been stated, “we have more resources working on the OS X side of things than we had last year.” Also stated was that there are 2 completely different development teams. One specifically working on the Windows port and the now even larger OSX team. So, in now way, is the Windows development team slowing down the progress of the OSX version. If anything, it’s improving it by finding out things that the OSX team didn’t come across and sharing this with them.
As I said before, I’m not a Windows fan at all. But this is a good thing for everyone.
1+ vote on making a freenas server plugin
@Elan: Thanks, I´ll try that!
It’s great to see progress on such a great app, but I think most of us already have a mac to run PMS on. What we need is a linux client for cheap frontends. I just can’t justify spending $700 on a mini for an HTPC. Or even better would be a full client for the AppleTV 2. I tried to wait on the LG tv, but gave up and got a Samsung. Keep up the good work!
Windows and Android. Cool.
So now that this is out of the way, will you consider making the Plex Media Player work on a Mac?
Fixing it so that I don’t have to downgrade flash after every MacOS update?
Fixing the UI so that it doesn’t take 30% of CPU even when minimized?
Adding back all the functionalities that were removed lately (upnp support, applescript support,…)?
Allowing reading VIDEO_TS files?
Fixing the sleep issue so that the MacMini don’t need a reboot if put to sleep while Plex Player is running?
I mean, a media server is great, but if I can’t read the media, what’s the point?
It looks like you love creating new stuff but hate fixing the details. Well, the devil lies in the details.
Plex is great for many things, but watching a TV show almost always involve a reboot, either due to sleep issues or to volumes mounted. So it is not yet a solution for the wife.
This is fantastic news! I’ll I’m waiting for is a Windows client that can be integrated into Windows Media Center and my integrated home-wide media environment is complete!
congratuation. This version is newer than mine.
Nice work! Won’t use it myself but as others mentioned, this opens up a lot of doors.
i’m a little surprised windoze got it before linux, linux seems a much more suitable platform (and easier to port from macosx) but i guess its about the $$$
I am a little annoyed by this. I bought a Mac Mini for plex and it would seem improvements on the mac platform have been back-burnered for releases on other platforms.
@matt: as pointed out several times by various people, that is most definitely not true. Different (additional) people are working on the Windows side of things, so the Mac version (for which we’ll have a new release pretty shortly) hasn’t suffered at all.
@elan: I get that which was pointed out by several people. The frustrating part was I bought the mac mini primarily because I love what you guys have done with Plex and at the time it was exclusively a mac-based platform with no immediate plans to be released on another platform.
I could have saved myself several hundred bucks if i waited a few months and bought a much cheaper PC as my media server.
You guys do a great job. I love plex, even if I don’t use it at the moment cause I have to use windows on my mediacenter mini(bluray ftw, thank the ever better knowing jobs -.-). Keep it up!
If you ever need someone to test a linux version of the server: I’m right here and I’m eager to test!
The big question now is: Can Plex for Windows somehow be installed on a Boxee Box (presumingly that Windows can be installed the Linux-based Boxee Box, which I don’t know)? If it works, does it fully support the included keyboard remote control?
This Linux version, will it be binary-only? Will it require X or will it be all cli?
Lots of folks playing with FreeNAS and FreeBSD these days for media storage. ZFS makes for easy storage expansion. A binary-only Linux release would be quite the teaser – maybe it would work under FBSD’s linux emulation, maybe not. FreeBSD + ZFS = awesomestorage.
@Chaz: The Linux version will be binary-only, and not require X11. There’s nothing really Linux specific that would preclude us from doing a FreeBSD port at some point in the future if it made sense.
Interesting.
When will Plex take the next step and put a full on Windows Plex Beta for 32 and 64 bit Windows 7 out there ?
Downloaded plex media sever to my 64 bit windows 7 PC. I cant get the program to open, any sugestions?