Plex is also a highly compatible choice, so you won’t have to worry about the Plex settings and suitability with your particular operating system.Īfter your NAS enclosure or desktop computer is all hooked up, you can start to transfer the files. If you like the idea of a free apps, then our experts suggest going with Plex App. When the NAS is full of your video files, you can install the server app. Once that is done, then you will be ready to share the files to the NAS. All it takes is to mount the hard drives in the tray.Īfter installing the drives, hook up your system to your home network. The next step is to install the external drives if you need more. Aside from Plex, Windows and Linux systems work well as media servers. It’s quite a bit more complicated than just using a ready-to-use free option like the Plex Media Server, but that’s part of the fun.Īfter you have your dedicated PC as your home media hardware choice, you need to then choose the operating system setup you run.

If you have decided to go the admirable route of creating your own media server with your PC as the NAS, instead of buying a home theater PC, then this section is for you.

Setting up a home media server