Looking for Media PC solution for multiple TVs

What exactly are you trying to accomplish?
1) synchronized local media playback in multiple rooms?
2) streaming from major streaming companies in multiple rooms?
3) streaming your local cable in multiple rooms?


If you could shed some light on why you prefer a “media pc” over something like an AppleTV, Nvidia Shield, Amazon FireTV, or Roku, that would be helpful, too.

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share media from a hard drive to multiple screens

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Sounds like you want something like Plex on a central computer and a Roku (or the others) on each viewing device.
I would download and install plex on the laptop you have now and see if you like the interface on a roku if you have one and then just sort of expand out from there.

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Would a NAS help?

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It wouldn’t hurt. I can show you how to spend as much of your money as you’d like


You’ll have a hardwired or wifi connection between the rooms?



Another sort of silly option would depend on the number of files we are talking here. Roku has a USB port for local media playback (if it’s the media you want). If you rarely update the library, a Roku Ultra ($99) and a 1tb usb drive may be good enough

If your library is more dynamic, you’d rather a NAS or always-on sort of desktop with sufficient storage. Depending on the file types, either a NAS or home-server may be better (some files will need transcoding from the source, others can just ride over the airwaves to the terminal device)

You don't need a NAS. You DO need the following:

A robust, whole house wireless mesh network.

Next, you need a ShieldTV Pro that comes pre-loaded with PLEX server app. Connect your hard drive to one of the USB ports on the ShieldTV Pro.

You then need a PLEX paid account. Lifetime subscription is like $100+/- depending on if you catch a promotion or not.

Set up Plex server using a computer. (Not going through instructions here, but it's not difficult at all). Search here or search online. Very simple to set up.

In any other room, you can now use the PLEX app to log in (stays logged in), and you have access to all of your content on your hard drive. I recommend the cylindrical shaped Shield TV. Stick streamers just aren't very powerful. I tried FireTV and Roku. Finally replaced all with Shield TV. Zero, I repeat: ZERO problems since making the switch.

Good luck with your project.

I have 3 of the Google wifi pucks. I will look at the shield.

You dont need the Plex Pass ($120 for life as of last night). I have a NAS with Plex running on server and and firesticks on all tvs...works great and wife and kids know how to navigate it

Plex is the best thing in my life aside from my family.

You don't need Plex pass right away but eventually you may want to dvr local channels and the new "skip ads" feature in the Plex dvr is so very very sweet.

Works just like the "skip intro" feature on netflix but for commercial blocks.

I like it way better than the old way where Plex mangled the videos to scrape the commercials out then frankenstein it back together.

Its elegant and better than 30-second skip. Closest thing to the 1990s replaytv skip commercials feature.

1990s we had this feature.

25 fricking years ago.

to all the cable companies for successfully removing this from our lives for the last 20 years by controlling the boxes and suing/running tivo and replayTV out of town.

That's not my diagram. Just an example someone posted.

It's not 4k. I might look at upgrading it if the bulb goes out. Want to be ready. Gonna get ahold of a shield and see how it works. Might be a good solution.

I will see how it turns out. I do eventually want 4k though. The room is pretty dark though.