How to Stream Videos to Roku using Plex?

Plex is known for being more versatile, far-reaching, and customizable than the average smart media management solution. Using Plex to stream video files from PC to Roku is a smart choice. Plex works like a charm, though it can be tricky to set up. In this article, we aims to teach you how to stream videos from PC to Roku with Plex media server easily. Here's how to get started:

Tutorial: How to Use Plex to Get Video to Roku Box from PC

Step 1. Set up the Plex Media Server

First you should download and install the Plex Media Server to your PC. Then double click the Plex Media Server icon in your System Tray.

After a few seconds, a new tab in your browser will pop up. Here click "+" and you'll see five options for adding media to your library. Choose a type and click "Next".

Then hit "Add Folder" and navigate to the folder containing the media you want to add. Click "Add Folder" again if you want to include additional folders.

When you've finished making your selections, click "Add Library". It may take a minute or two for your media to appear in the browser tab.

Step 2. Add Plex channel

Then add the Plex channel to your Roku and choose this channel on your TV screen. You should see the selected media files, which you can now browse and view as you like.

Editor's Note: Plex Direct Play, which simply passes on your video to the Roku, requires your video to respond to Roku's supported files.

Roku supported video/audio format:

Video format: MKV, MP4, MOV, WMV
Audio format: AAC, MP3, WMA, FLAC, WAV

If your media server computer is strong enough, you can skip the converting and simply transcode your media. Transcoding is essentially the same as converting, except that it happens on the fly. You don't need any preparations, as Plex will automatically convert the video while it's playing. You do however need a sufficiently powerful computer. If your computer is not powerful enough to support on-the-fly transcoding, you can turn to help from a third-party video converter app which enables you to convert Roku unsupported videos like AVI, MKV DTS/5.1, FLV, VOB, MTS, H.265 MP4 to Roku friendly format in advance.

Brorsoft Blu-ray Video Converter Ultimate is a great application to help you fast transcoding AVI, VOB, MKV, MTS, FLV, MOV, MPG, DVD, Blu-ray to Roku 4/3/2 supported video format with least quality loss. What's more, with the built-in video editor, you can personalize and retouch your videos in clicks. For Mac users, Brorsoft iMedia Converter for Mac is the right choice.

(Note: Click here for OS X 10.5)

Additional Tips- Best Roku Channels to Stream any Media to TV

Roku extends the capabilities of your TV by streaming more channels directly to your big screen. Here is a list of 6 Best Roku Channels to Stream any Media to TV:

Plex Roku Channel (Roku Channel, Web Site)
Roku Media Player (Roku Channel)
MyMedia (Roku Channel, Web Site)
PlayTo (Roku Channel, Web Site)
roConnect (Roku Channel, Web Site)
RealPlayer Cloud (Roku Channel, Web Site)