How-To Turn Your Old Mac Into a Media Machine With Plex

Posted 11/01/2010 at 12:12pm | by Ambika Subramony

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3. Access Your Tunes

If you added a music folder during the initial Plex set-up, you'll have a Music tab ready for you to go. It's more likely however that you want to use your already existing iTunes library. Luckily, Plex will automatically recognize iTunes as well. If your iTunes library is located directly on your media Mac, then it will automatically show up under "Music Plug-Ins." If you want to connect to an iTunes library on another computer, it's pretty easy too.

Just install Plex on the computer where your main iTunes library is located and enable the Plex media server on that computer. The Plex media server will have to be running on that computer if you want to access its iTunes library. To enable the media server, go to Preferences > System > Media Server and make sure Always Running is selected. It should already be selected, since this is Plex's default. You don't have to have a full instance of Plex running to keep the media server going. Once you've got this done on your iTunes machine, the Plex on your media Mac should automatically see the new iTunes library. You'll see the iTunes-hosting computer's name, under the music plug-ins tab.

It'll take a few moments to access your library at first, but you'll be able to browse all your music the way you do in iTunes. If you have a big library, it helps to navigate alphabetically, using shift+[letter you're looking for].

   
4. Customization

We aren't going to get too detailed with Plex customization, but it's worth noting that Plex supports themes so you can make it look however you like! We find the default to be pretty handsome ourselves so we stick with it, but we're sure there are some superior alternatives out there. You can manually change the various background images by going to Preferences > Skin > Backgrounds.

Control it all

Now that you've got your videos, Internet streaming, and music all ready to go, it's time to figure out how you want to control it. There are a few options. A keyboard and mouse, either wired or wireless Bluetooth as we discussed earlier, are the easiest options. Once you're in Plex, all you really need is a keyboard. It's intuitive and feels comfortable. The Apple Bluetooth keyboard has the extra perk of looking pretty slick, too.

You can also control Plex with the Apple remote that may have come with your computer. It's small and unobtrusive on your coffee table. But, you can't get to options within menus, search through your music or set up various accounts (Netflix, for instance) with it. Plus, you'll have to make sure your computers IR receiver isn't blocked (if you keep the computer behind a cabinet door, for instance). We prefer a Bluetooth keyboard to this option, but can see how the Apple remotes small footprint might be appealing to some, especially if you have the newer aluminum remote.

Mobile Mouse for iPad

Another option is to control Plex using your iOS device--your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, or any combination. Two excellent options include Mobile Mouse and the official Plex app. It's a hybrid app, so you can get it for one price for your iPhone and iPad. Mobile Mouse is $2.99 for the iPad and $1.99 for the iPhone/iPod touch. However, you'll definitely benefit from the extra screen real estate using your iPad with these apps.

Plex for iPad

Mobile Mouse is a fully functional trackpad, keyboard, and remote, while the Plex app, as you might imagine, is designed specifically to control Plex. We like the flexibility and polish of Mobile Mouse, but it's been around a lot longer than the Plex app.


Hooray! Hopefully by now you've made it through and gotten an incredibly functional HTPC running, on the cheap. If so, pat yourself on the back and get started on mastering the art of the couch potato. As you do, be sure let to let us know what you think of your new system in the comments!

Follow this article's author, Ambika Subramony, on Twitter.