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These apps range from free to $5, depending on the gadget. It has apps for iOS, Android, Windows 8, Roku, Internet-enabled LG and Samsung TVs, and Google TV. Plex organizes your media and streams it wherever you want.
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It works on PC, Mac, Linux and some standalone network attached storage (NAS) units.
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You download the Plex Media Center for free and install it on your computer. If you're looking for the most powerful system, however, check out Plex. You can watch your media on your home network or on the go. Orb also has apps for smartphones and tablets. Orb can stream to other hardware, like a video game console and some streaming gadgets. So, if that's what you're after, start there. I should point out that Orb is the only service with an easy solution for stereos.
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The Orb software detects these automatically, making streaming simple.
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Additional hardware and apps will cost some money.įor example, Orb has hardware you can plug into your stereo ($79 per unit) and TV ($99 per unit). When I say "free," I mean the computer-based streaming software. However, there are free options as well, such as Orb and Plex. Plus, they include plenty of other online media sources. These make it simple to stream your media to mobile gadgets and other compatible electronics.
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There are some paid options out there like Pogoplug PC ($30) and PlayOn ($40 a year, $25 a year on sale). Once you have the hardware, you need software.
![tv home media 2 tv home media 2](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mv4AAOSwXO5fWgLX/s-l300.jpg)
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It should really run Windows 7 and have 4 gigabytes of RAM. At that point, no one should be running XP.įor streaming video, you'll want a something a bit newer. Plus, Microsoft is dropping support for XP in less than a year. Most of the software I'm going to talk about won't work as well on it. Just make sure the computer's hard drive is large enough to hold everything.Īs a side note, I know people still have Windows XP computers at home or sitting in a closet. Almost any Windows Vista or 7 machine will do fine. If you're just serving photos or audio, you don't need a high-end system. You could use your existing home computer or an unused older computer you have sitting around. A server is just a computer that stores and shares information. Gadgets to receive and display the content A fast home network to carry the contentģ. There are three things you need for this to work.Ģ. There's another solution: Set up a home media server.ĭon't let the name intimidate you it's actually not that hard once you know how. Who needs more clutter in your entertainment center? And you might already have a streaming box plugged in to your TV. Of course, that doesn't help you stream to mobile gadgets. How do you bring these to your TV? You could just connect your computer directly and use the TV like a monitor. Don't forget any home videos or purchased movies you have on your hard drive. That's all fine for bringing in outside media, but what about media already in your home? You might have a collection of music that isn't on any service. You can stream online video from your smartphone or tablet, or the Chrome browser on PC and Mac, right to the TV. It plugs in to your TV via HDMI and connects to your Wi-Fi network. Google's new $35 Chromecast takes a different approach. You might already have a Wii U, Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. Many newer TVs are Internet enabled, so they can stream online video and audio with no extra gear.įor non-Internet TVs, you can grab an Apple TV or Roku box for $100 or less and plug it in. Most services have apps for smartphones and tablets. Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, Spotify and other services make it simple to watch or listen to what you want when you want. Streaming video and audio from the Web is now commonplace.