Do you want to turn your SmartTV into a leisure center with which to view all the content of your PC or NAS disk? With Plex you can collect all the videos, photos and music in a single device and access it from your Smart TV or from other devices, without the need to move or copy or a file.

Prepare your local network

To share the files, you previously need to have a local network source with all your devices connected to it (Smart TV, computers, NAS disk, etc.). If you already have your network set up, you can skip this step and go directly to the next one. To create a local network, all devices and computers must be in what is called a "working group" that tells the router that all those devices must be able to communicate.

If you have not yet created your work group, do the following on each computer you want to connect to the local network: From the Windows 8 desktop, press the Windows Key + X combination and choose the System option. Next, look at the section Working group. All your teams must be in the same work group.

Configure your local network

To make everyone belong to it, click on Change settings and, in the box that appears, activate the Team Name tab. In the Computer Description box type the name you want that computer to have in the network. Try to be clear and descriptive.

Now click on the Change button to change the name of the work group. Enter the name of the team in the Team Name box (do not confuse it with the description), and also the name of the Workgroup. Then click on OK. The name of the working group has to be the same in all the computers of the local network so that they recognize each other.

Finally, restart the PC to apply the changes. After this, open a file browser window and click on Network. Now you can see the computers that you have in your local network.

Create a user account

After configuring the home network of your home and ensuring that all your equipment is recognized in it, it is time to start with the installation of Plex. Access to the Plex website and create a user account. This user account will make it much easier for you to share your files between your devices and to connect with the service.

Click on the Sign Up button and enter your user data and password. After confirming your account, with the link that you send by email, you can access your account, which at the moment has no content whatsoever. It is time to change that situation.

Install the Plex server

Now, go to the Downloads section of the Plex website and download the Plex Media Server program on the device that will act as a file server. That is, the one that will contain all the multimedia files and send them to the rest of the devices that request it.

Since Plex is cross-platform, it does not matter which operating system the computer uses as a server or if it is a NAS disk. We will use a Windows computer as a Plex file server. You just have to choose the right version of Plex Media Server for it.

Click on Computer and, in the box that appears, choose the operating system and appropriate version for the computer that will be server. Then, install it on your computer and, from that same installation wizard, start Plex Server. Then the browser will open and you will access the Plex Server control panel. Create your library on Plex Server. The next step will be to create a library that Plex Server can use and that is displayed on all computers in your local network.

For this, it will be enough for you to indicate to Plex Server where you keep your multimedia files. Doing it is as simple as following the Plex assistant that will guide you through the process.

Start by entering a name for the computer that acts as a server in the Family Name box and click Next. Then click on Add Library. In the box that appears, in the General section, write a theme for the content you are going to add. For example, choose TV Series and, in the Name section, type an appropriate name for the section and choose your language. Continue with Next.

Create your library on Plex Server

Now, from the Folders section, click on Add folder and choose the folder where you save the multimedia content that you have indicated and click on Add.

Then, click on Add to Library. Repeat the process to add another type of content to your library. When you finish, continue with Next.

Now, you can access the content offered by some online channels. You can install the add-ons that allow you to connect to these channels by clicking on one of them and clicking on Install, but they are totally optional and you must have a user account of the chosen service previously created. Continue with the wizard and click Next again.

And that's it! Click on Done and you will see how Plex processes and organizes all your content and even adds covers and synopses.

Access your library from another computer

Accessing your multimedia library from another computer cannot be easier. You will only need a browser and an Internet connection with a reasonable bandwidth, since you will most likely want to see video content with a certain quality.

Access the Plex page and start the session by clicking on the Sign In option at the top right. Use the same user account that you entered in the server configuration in the previous step. Then, click on Launch and your content will be there waiting for you. Just click on the video you want to see and enjoy it.

Install the Plex app on your Smart TV

If you have a Samsung Smart TV, you can install the Plex client app to access directly all the content of your server, without having to connect any computer to your Smart TV. The only requirement is that your TV is connected to the network.

To install the Plex client app, access Samsung Apps from your TV. If you do not know how to do it, consult the instruction manual of your television.  Next, look for the Plex app. You will find it in the section Video of Samsung Apps. After its installation, start it.

In the pop-up box that appears, select the Connect with your Plex account option. Then it will show you a pin code. From an Internet browser, access the web page that indicates you and enter the four-digit code that is displayed on your Smart TV, in the Enter your PIN to connect your device box and click on Connect. After this, the Plex app of your Smart TV will be paired with your Plex account and synchronize all the content you have on your server.

It may take a few minutes to show the content of your Plex server the first time you use it. This is due to the synchronization of contents. Your Smart TV is downloading the content metadata from your Plex server. When finished, you can navigate between your menus using the remote control and view all available content.