Originally Posted by
dianehelen I looked at Plex, too complex, did not want any more software on my computer, did not want to deal with a monthly fee, and did not want to have to depend on home computer being on and the server on it being up. The Chromecast, and my tablet are totally portable.
I can certainly understand not wanting to pay a monthly subscription or that having a home computer always available may be problematic but don't understand what's complex or the hesitation about more software. The Plex Media Server application is tiny, unobtrusive and runs in the background--no different than say, having the Dropbox client or Google Play Music Manager. You install it, point it towards your media folders on your computer (or in my case, external HDD) and that's it. No manually uploading individual files, then manually downloading to your device. Add a new file to your computer, Plex Media Server automatically detects the change and updates your library. If streaming isn't an option where you'll be, you have the option of downloading for offline viewing.
Again, not belittling your choice, to each there own. I have a dedicated desktop at home that's alway available so this option works perfectly for my situation. Just want to clarify in case someone else is looking for a similar solution.