We currently have many options for enjoy streaming movies and seriesplatforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney+ They offer us a great variety. However, to be able to access all the content we have to contract each and every one of them, which makes the annual cost skyrocket. Many users are resorting to assembling at home a NAS serverand use some program to comfortably view all the multimedia content of the server, today we are going to explain the main characteristics and differences of the three most popular: Plex, JellyFin and Emby.
What are these programs for?
These programs allow us to set up our own Netflix at home with the multimedia content that we have in one or several folders. We are going to be able to place the movies or series in a folder, and the program will automatically detect the content and offer us a very friendly graphical interface similar to that of platforms like Netflix, since we can see the cover of the movie or series, a small summary, the protagonists of the film or series and much more relevant information.
What we like the most about these programs is that they are multiplatform, we can install the server on a NAS that will be the center of everything, and then install the different applications on smartphones, tablets and also on our Smart TV. Thanks to the compatibility with different TVs and operating systems, we will be able to play multimedia content from anywhere, whether on the local network or through the Internet when we are traveling.
Next, we are going to explain what are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the options that we have today.
Plex MediaServer
Plex Media Server was one of the first programs to appear, it is currently one of the best and most complete, since it incorporates compatibility with a large number of devices. The strengths of this option are as follows:
- Completely free, we can watch movies and series without any limits. There is a paid subscription with additional features that we will explain later.
- It is compatible with the vast majority of devicesincluding Android, Apple, Chromecast, PlayStation, Xbox, Samsung and LG TVs, and more.
- It allows install the server on a large number of NASsuch as QNAP, Synology, ASUSTOR, and also on non-commercial servers, such as those with TrueNAS.
- Graphic user interface very easy to use, it is very fast and agile in all the menus.
However, not all are advantages when using Plex Media Server, and it is that in recent years it has become a little more commercial and now we have a paid subscription which allows us to unlock the following features:
- Possibility to have hardware accelerated transcoding, if the NAS supports it.
- See extras and trailers of movies and series.
- We can download the movie on the smartphone or tablet to play it without an Internet connection.
- Playing over the Internet from our Plex to share with friends or family.
As you can see, if we want to get the most out of it, we will have to pay the monthly, annual or lifetime subscription (the latter is worth 120 forever).
JellyFin
JellyFin offers us the same options as Plex, we can set up our own Netflix very easily and quickly, in addition, everything is free software and there is no type of subscription. All available options are for all users. The strengths of this solution are:
- All options are completely free.
- Compatible with many devices such as Android, iOS and Android TV devices as well as Chromecast, and also LG with webOS 6+.
- The server is compatible with any Linux system based on Debian, Arch Linux, Gentoo, Fedora/CentOS and even with any NAS thanks to its official Docker support.
Some weaknesses of JellyFin is that it is not compatible with Samsung TVs, hardware transcoding does not always work and we have to do some advanced configuration, especially if you install it in a Docker container.
Emby
JellyFin was born because Emby started to close the source code and be private, in addition, we also have a monthly, annual or lifetime subscription if we want to get the most out of the multimedia content. For example, if we pay we will have access to content without an Internet connection, we can have full access to applications, we have hardware-accelerated transcoding, trailers and many other options.
If you don’t mind paying, Emby is a great option and has great compatibility with different operating systems for commercial NAS, DIY builds and even PC systems. This option is very similar to Plex.
