Plex debuts desktop client for Linux. It is, in effect, the renewal of the old Plex Media Player that was already for Windows and Mac and that in its new iteration reaches our shores for the enjoyment of the staff… More or less.
As you probably already know, Plex is one of the most popular media centers of today and rightly so, given the excellent support it maintains with a multitude of devices, as well as its ease to “mount” it and leave it working. It grew out of the code of XBMC, now Kodi, in the form of a commercial (and proprietary) project, although the developments have long since diverged from each other.
Plex has evolved a world since its first steps, but especially in recent times, in which it has become an all-in-one full of content sources. From the typical functions of a multimedia center with the capacity to play video, music or podcasts and images, it went to streaming free movies and series, later to free television, and if competing with Netflix and company in that way was not enough, it has also become an aggregator of streaming services. streaming with which to avoid, among other things, opening different sites or applications to search for content.
Speaking of software, as I mentioned, Plex has always been pretty good when it comes to platform support, and yet here’s your first desktop client for Linux. But then it wasn’t available for Linux? Yes, of course it was, but not with a desktop application as such. The point is that Plex has renewed its applications for PC and, this time, Linux has not been left out.
This is what the new Plex for Linux looks like
Specifically, Plex has launched new HTPC (Home Theater PC) applications, those designed for use on PCs, but not in “PC mode”, but in TV mode, focused on running on a PC directly connected to the configuration of home theater that you have And since the difference between these apps and current widescreen ones is four interface tweaks, they’ve taken the opportunity to come full circle with new apps like that in general.
Therefore, there is a Plex HTPC for Linux, but also a simple Plex for Linux, which is the desktop client that we are dealing with and the one recommended when it comes to viewing content on the PC. All the information about this release is in the previous link, while to download these new clients you don’t even need to access the official download page, because you’ll find it in your app store… as long as you don’t mind install the Snap package, the only means available.
Indeed, the new Plex for Linux has begun to be distributed officially and exclusively through the Snap Store, something that many will not like… But the old Plex, not Plex Media Player, but Plex Media Server, is still there, available in Deb and RPM packages for 32 and 64 bits, for ARM 7 and 8… even for FreeBSD; and as anyone who has used it will know, the web client is just as functional, if not the base of the desktop client.
It is also good to remember that although Plex offers a lot of free content, as a multimedia center that it is, its main value is in gathering “own” content and for the latter it is essential to have the server installed. It is very easy to start it up and with a network playback device that you have, you can set up your own Netflix, Spotify, etc., in no time.
