Plex or Jellyfin: watch your files on your TV
1 min read
Once your files are on your seedbox, there is no need to copy them one by one to a USB stick to watch them on your TV. A media server like Plex or Jellyfin streams them directly, on all your screens.
What a media server does
Plex and Jellyfin scan your video and music folders, then present them as a library: posters, summaries, sorted seasons, and playback that picks up where you left off.
Installed on your seedbox, the media server reads the downloaded files directly. You have nothing to move.
Plex: the most widely used
Plex has apps for most smart TVs, TV boxes, consoles, smartphones and browsers. Its interface is polished and it is quick to get started with.
Some features are free, others require a Plex Pass subscription. You sign in with a Plex account.
Jellyfin: free and open source
Jellyfin is free, open source software, with no external account or subscription. Every feature is available at no cost.
It also has apps for Android TV, smartphones and browsers, but its list of supported devices is a little shorter than Plex’s.
Which one to choose?
- Choose Plex if you want the widest compatibility and an effortless setup on all your devices.
- Choose Jellyfin if you prefer an open source tool, with no third-party account and no subscription.
- Nothing stops you from trying both: they can read the same folder of files.
Watch on your TV in a few steps
Install Plex or Jellyfin from your seedbox interface, depending on the apps available with your plan, then point it to your downloads folder.
Next, install the matching app on your TV or TV box and connect it to your server. Your videos show up in the library, ready to play.
