PS4 Media server. How to stream all videos to your PS4
What is a PS4 Media Server?
A PS4 Media Server is the solution to watch all your movie files on your PS4. The PS4 has a very limited support for local media files. The PS4 is compatible with apps such as Netflix or Amazon Instant Video, but does not have much support for local files. The PS4 Media Player App supports some local usb storage and media servers, but is not necessarily the best experience.
There are however ways to stream video content from your PC to your PS4, and provided you have a reasonable PC and a decent local network, you’ll have no problem streaming locally 1080p movies to your PS4 as well. What this means is you can access your entire library of movies from your couch, your very own PS4 Media Server.
People are regularly asking about the possibility to stream local content to the PS4 through a compatible PS4 media server. Doing so is actually extremely simple and is free, thanks to the PLEX media server and the power of the plex client (or alternatively your PS4’s browser, as explained below).
As an added bonus, PLEX does not give you only access to your local files as a PS4 Media Server, it also has access to other video channels.
Alright, let’s set up our PS4 Media Server 🙂
The setup is reasonably easy. It basically consists in installing the free plex ps4 media server on your PC, Adding your video folders to it, then accessing its web interface through the PS4’s web browser.
1. (On your PC) Download and install Plex Media Server
Plex Media Server is free and can be downloaded here
Install and run it. On windows, you should see a new icon in your task bar, telling you that Plex media server is running.
2. (On your PC) Add videos to your Plex library
Go to 127.0.0.1:32400/web on your web browser. The PLEX interface should show up.
Troubleshooting: if the Plex interface does not show up when you type 127.0.0.1:32400/web in your browser, make sure the Plex Media server is running on your PC. On Windows, You should be seeing the PLEX Media server icon in your toolbar. More details on the PLEX Help pages.
To add your local movies to the Plex library, click on the “+” symbol in the left side Menu of the page, (above “Channels”). This will open the UI to add a new folder. You can then select a folder on your hard drive and Plex will process it.
In order to get the best of Plex, you should follow the XBMC naming conventions for your movies. It’s a pain to do the first time you do it, but I can guarantee this will make your life easier as most Movie managers use these conventions.
Once this is done and to make sure things are working correctly, go ahead and try to play one of your movies locally in your PC browser from the Plex interface.
3. (On your PS4) Install and run the Plex app
Download and install the free Plex app for PS4 from the PSN store. Follow the on-screen setup instructions to pair your PS4 app with your computer’s Media Server. SIDE NOTE: Plex streaming apps are also available for quite a few other platforms including Android, so you can also use this trick to stream from your PC to a phone or tablet.
3.1. Alternatively (On your PS4) if you have issues with the Plex app, try on your browser
Some people are having issues with the official Plex app. You can also access Plex through your PS4’s browser if the app refuses to work. The trick is that we will be streaming videos in the Plex app, or in the PS4 browser, in full screen, through HTML5. People usually have concerns about streaming through HTML5, but the technology is now on par with what’s possible with a native app, and in my tests the streaming was basically as good as (if not better than) watching an HD video on Netflix.
Fire up your PS4 and run your browser. For this step you’ll need to know your computer’s local IP address. Typically this will be something like 192.168.1.2. On windows you can get this information by opening a command line and typing “ipconfig”.
Run the PS4 browser and type your IP address followed by “:32400/web”. For example: 192.168.1.2:32400/web. The Plex interface should appear on your PS4 screen.
Tip: it is easier to test that everything works correctly with a computer first. For example borrow one of your family members’ computer and make sure you can access your Plex Media server from the local network. Once you get it working with computers on your network, you shouldn’t have any issues doing it with your PS4.
Important configuration step: since the PS4 1.70 update, some video format compatibility got broken on the PS4. In order to get videos to work, you need to change a few parameters. In particular, you need to force AAC Audio. This is done by going to Settings > Web > Player > Show Advanced > Prefer AAC Audio. It’s important to note that you need to enable this setting from the PS4. Setting it from any other client machine will just apply the setting for that specific client, not for your PS4.
A typical symptom if you don’t do the configuration change above in Plex is that on your PS4, playing the video will constantly be showing the “buffering” animation and never start the movie.
Note: the tip above might not work with all movie files. If you run into non_working files, the only known solution for now is to re-encode your movies locally in MP4 and enabling the “optimize for web viewing” setting, for example using Handbrake. I personally have yet to find a single movie that doesn’t work for me with the “AAC” setting though.
4. Enjoy!
Assuming you can access your local Plex from your PS4 as explained, and that you did the configuration change above, you should be able to start streaming movies from your computer to your PS4. If using Plex in the browser: Press square on your PS4 remote for fullscreen, and enjoy your movies!
With my mid-range laptop computer, I am able to stream 1080p movies to my PS4 without any lag, so I believe this solution will work fine for most people.
Tip: A LAN connection on both your PC and your PS4 will give much better results than Wifi for streaming movies!
There’s more!
Want more tips? Check our Ultimate guide to watch movies on PS4!
Can you watch any type of movie or is there protection in like the ps3 media server?
No protection, Plex reads off the files from wherever they’re stored and based on how they’re named (movies with movie title, tv shows with season number and episode ex. s01e01, and it will grab the meta data. Plex is pretty much the best free media server software out there it’s awesome.
Agreed!
Like the copyright protection where the sound gets turned off.. Hope that makes sense
No, your question was answered above, 🙂
It works on the vita too!
Really? I don’t watch/store movies on my PC, but i’d love to watch anime on my bed!
Yepp just turned DBZ: Battle of Gods on
Yes, it does work; I have added all my libraries including my photos, videos, pictures and music libraries. It might be fun to have the plex pass so you do not always have to manually update your cloud libraries, they get synced automatically. Thanks for the tutorial wololo and I hope to here from you with regards to the PM I sent you, it’s JCK07115 \o/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-7NdKxZjRUnSHZvcWNXanhpbVE/edit?usp=sharing
Not that it really matters, but 192.168.X.X is a private (Local) Ip address, there’s no need to hide it as it means nothing outside of your own local network.
Thanks, but do I know whether or not any hacker lives within my surrounding (the range of my IP address) or not? Better safe than sorry!
Ah I should have been more specific – Local being home network, your own personal network, consisting of all devices connected to your router. A private or local IP address does not mean anything outside of your internet connection as they’re reused in each network.
To get into a bit more detail if you’re curious – a private IP address is only used between your router and the device in your network, it’s used to identify your device in your network, so your router can forward data between you and the outside network without getting confused about which device in your network is requesting the data. This IP address never goes outside your own personal home network.
Your internet connection only has one public ip address – If you search “what is my ip” In google without the quotes, you’ll find your networks public ip address – this will be the same IP address for all devices in your home network as it’s the ip address assigned to your network, this isn’t a device specific ip address.That is the ip address you would want to blank out if you were screenshotting.
I watched some videos on the vita. Some of them did not work so I went to my PC from which I uploaded onto the Plex server and it turned out that all the videos that did work were either in the MP3 or the MP4 format. Those that did not work were in the FLV format. As of now I am the Miro Converter to change them to the MP4 format and will upload them to Plex as soon as they are finished. It’s JCK07115 peeps \o/
Thanks for the helpful guide!!! Was looking for a way on doing this.
“With my mid-range laptop computer, I am able to stream 1080p movies to my PS4 without any lag”
So what is the big idea behind reencoding the video and loss 3/4 of it’s quality when most if not all laptops have HDMI port?
It can’t render typesettings and fonts properly. No lossless audio (but I will leave that aside, since it is personal preference)
It is good for streaming to your phone/tablet when you are outside/on work, but seriously streaming to from your [b]local[/b] computer to your [b]local[/b] PS is the most stupid thing I have ever heard. No offense or bad feelings.
Desktops that you don’t want to drag around… older laptops without an hdmi port… just so you can be lazy…
Might as well never use netflix/hulu/youtube as well.
@coldhell: if you don’t understand what’s cool about the ability to have one central machine that hosts all your movies, with the possibility to watch those movies from any other screen in your house, then you probably don’t have enough screens in your house yet 🙂
It is also the only way to watch local movies on the PS4 today.
Hey wololo, sorry to bother you. Yes, it does work; I have added all my libraries including my photos, videos, pictures and music libraries. It might be fun to have the plex pass so you do not always have to manually update your cloud libraries, they get synced automatically. Thanks for the tutorial wololo and I hope to here from you with regards to the PM I sent you, it’s JCK07115 \o/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-7NdKxZjRUnSHZvcWNXanhpbVE/edit?usp=sharing
I meant to say more specifically that it works on the PS Vita.
I do understand it, but plex video quality is bad. When it re-encode the video if is horrible and even if it doesn’t (if you have video compatible with the HW decoder) the browser output is quite bad in most cases even the colors are off, not to mention that the subtitle support is close to zero. Just compare them side by side with some good PC player like MPC-HC + MadVR better chroma scaling, correct colors, proper dithering and etc). The quality is important part for the viewer’s experience.
I streamed Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and I must say the graphics are quite amazing. I feel you should not be comparing this to PC players as it uses an embedded video player. PC players play content on your device, your PC. This retrieves content stored on a server, one onto which you uploaded several things, not necessarily from that device. It is like comparing the graphics of the PS Vita to those of the Wii U; one (PS Vita) generates all its images on the device itself while the other (Wii U) is streamed through from a hub. Also, it depends on your network connection/signal strength. Additionally at the top right, while playing videos, there is a settings icon which when clicked gives a drop-down box of all the various qualities at which the video can be streamed, you can play around with it to see the one that gives you the best quality, although I did not and I got crisp, clear images.
All this again is referring to the Vita so I feel the quality should be better on other devices.
I have put a link to all the screenshots I took with my PS Vita. Take note, none of these pictures have been modified. I am sharing them via my Google Drive. If there is any picture that interests you that you want to be able to download let me know and I will provide access to it. I hope this helps.
Silly me, here goes – https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-7NdKxZjRUnekZzRm1jSWFsZXM&usp=sharing
If your video quality with Plex is really as bad as you describe, somethings gone wrong on your end as it’s fine here. Sure it’s not going to be as good as playing it directly (if the device you’re playing it on requires the media to be transcoded) and you’re not going to have the customization or quality of using a HQ video renderer like madVR – but that’s besides the point as this isn’t a guide for setting up a HTPC.
Now do a tutorial on how to play MP3’s on the PS4 :p
Step 1 – Install a webserver (like Apache2 in linux, or Tomcat or Zend in Windoze)
Step 2 – Put MP3 in your webdir
Step 3 – Navigate to the webdir on your PS4.
PS4’s browser has a pretty decent support of HTML5 (Check out Youtube.com, for example), and can play MP3 files directly from the browser. I could probably write a PHP page that explores a MP3 dir and makes icons to prevent typing on PS4, but won’t if there is no demand…
Nevermind, PLEX supports MP3 streaming as well.
Maybe you can help me then, because I cant get music to show in stream Library at all
I AM FALCON LOVER!
is ther a channel of pseudotv plugin for plex ?
or is ther a dlna plugin ?
cheers great post
html5+media
just to badass that plex doesnt readin dvdiso 🙁
So you people don’t buy anything, yay piracy. When everything is digital only and they don’t make things on disk anyone, don’t complain just remember it’s all your fault.
I have a netflix subscription, am an Amazon Prime member, and all the movies on my Plex server and in my XBMC library are ripped from DVDs and Blu-rays that I purchase. I even buy my music, my software, my Android apps, and I buy more video games than I actually can play. The only thing I pirate these days is Game Of Thrones because it is impossible to get in Japan. Even for that show, I then buy the blu rays when they’re out. Don’t even try to pretend you’re better than me at the game of “yay piracy”, because I’ll beat you at that game in the snap of a finger.
Finally, the disc format is dead, like it or not, at least for movies. People stream more from Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Instant Video than they purchase DVDs or blu rays today.
This so *** this. I hate it when people jump to the conclusion that Media server = pirated content. I have a plex media server setup at home, and the majority of content on it is movies/tv series/music I have ripped from my OWN collection – the only stuff I have pirated on my server is content that cannot be purchased in New Zealand, where I live. I use my media server to give easy access to all my PURCHASED media from any device I own, whether I’m at home or not. I DO NOT use my media server for Piracy. Digital does NOT = piracy you idiot.
This so f.ucking this. I hate it when people jump to the conclusion that Media server = pirated content. I have a plex media server setup at home, and the majority of content on it is movies/tv series/music I have ripped from my OWN collection – the only stuff I have pirated on my server is content that cannot be purchased in New Zealand, where I live. I use my media server to give easy access to all my PURCHASED media from any device I own, whether I’m at home or not. I DO NOT use my media server for Piracy. Digital does NOT = piracy you idiot.
I smell a Sony shill trying to play “the dumb American” that doesn’t mind corporations raping him.
medivas
I suppose that PLEX works for the PS Vita also and PS3 ? If yes… it’s wonderfull !!!
Plex works great on the PS3, if you enable DLNA on the PS3 it’ll pick up on the server, and you’ll be able to locally stream and it works great. Jailbrokek it works great on the player that’s included in Multi-MAN. Works wonders.
Nice ! My CECH-3001B is purely legit though but that’s cool 🙂
somehow not working on PS4
I did both ip address
Nvm i forgot to put http://
My songs wont play on ps4 oh well u always say false results wololo. I hope the ps3 will
Hmm I think I might just try it out later..
*OFFTOP* BTW Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is out for iOS, PSP is getting mega old 😀
Guys i can’t get it to work. Everytime I type in my adress:32400….. it tells me that the filetype is not supported by the PS4 🙁 What to do? 😀
I’m getting the same problem.
This data is not supported by the PS4.
It won’t even show the main Plex menu
You have to type “http://” before your IP.
Is the site glitching out for me, or did someone delete all my comments for some bizarre reason?
nevermind, comments came back right after I commented lol
The site has some aggressive cache for performance reasons, sorry for that
THANKS! you are my God for just one day
What about files with subtitles? I can’t watch my chinese cartoons without them. Not at the moment with a 100% understanding, at least
when i use my ip form whats my ip.com i get cannot display the page, same for my local ip any help? will not show on vita or ps4
Just tried with both ps4 and ps vita to see some anime episodes (all were 10bit mkv, some with flac audio). PS4 starts lagging after 10 seconds, without letting me open subtitles, PS Vita can’t even open videos. Oh well, this kinda makes me sad
The PS Vita can only play videos of a specific format (mp4). Just use a video converter, you will be able to run it on both your PC/Mac as well as have it play on your Vita. Check out my tutorial here:
http://wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=38998&p=354828#p354828
Plex is not working on 1.72 even if i add the http:// it says: “cannot connect to the server”. this is Plex is ***
You need to launch the Plex client app that you installed before you can view your media on any of your devices.
The only issue I’ve run into is just a minor gripe. No 5.1/7.1 surround. Movies play in stereo, but nothing out of any of my rear/side speakers. Still a good alternative until Sony gets their act together.
I cant access this either :-/ ive typed in http://(my IP):32400/web and ive also tried web/index.html and it keeps saying ‘cannot connect to the server’. Any help please someone? Im from UK if it makes any difference?!
You need to launch the installed Plex Media Server program on your PC/Mac each time you want to access your media from any of your devices (PSVita/PS3/PS4/tablets, what have you). I guess it is so the server is not overworked at any one specific time. So if you are not accessing your things at a particular time, the space allocated to your files on the Plex server can be temporarily “locked down”. And when you launch it, the space is reallocated/reenabled and you gain access back. Just going to the space it is stored in does not make the Plex server recognize that you are ready to access your files. I hope you find this and it helps.
Also got same problem. Ive launched the plex media server on my mac and started playing a video and it still says ‘cannot connect to server’ – HEEEEEELLLLLPPPP
just use localhost:port it’ll connect on the pc itself service is runnin on
whenever i play videos on ps vita it says “Cannot play this video”. help help help
The Vita can only play videos of a specific format (mp4). I guess it’s because of its video card.
plex media server should allso be a dlna browser for local network
amigos, hoy 26 julio del 2014 pongo la fecha para
I got it to show up on the ps4, by following the guide above. But, I can’t seem to get no sound or anything to play in the music folder? I could play movies but can’t play any music files?
I just wanted to added that I can see all the music I had uploaded to the server. When I highlight a song file , and hit play. It does show the music player track bar on the bottom of the web page. But, it doesn’t play the music.
The PS4 is not compatible with mp3 at the moment, and I don’t think Plex re-encodes the music… so that might be the problem here
All’s I get is “Not Supported” ? Anyone else get this ? I’ve typed my IP + the extra bit and thats all I Get
You have to type “http://” before your IP.
Thank you for this setup guide. It works like a charm! I tip my hat to you, kind sir/madam.
so is ther any particular reason a dlna-server-app or dlna-browser-app isnt comming to a ps4 near you ?
Everytime i try to open on ps4 it tells me that cannot connect to server in time limit?? Plex is running on my pc as well
i get a error that says ” cannot connect to the server.”
Worked super! I thought it wasnt any media servers available and had to plug in ps3 when watching movies, and that stupid copyright made me nuts. Works like a charm!
YOU ARE A GENIUS!
I’ve been working on this all the day to stream my movies from mac to PS4
I’de done everything before except the last part, Now i underestand why the movie wouldn’t be played!
Thanks a lot man!