The iPad becomes a great productivity tool once you add a keyboard, but the iPad’s form factor also makes it a great media consumption machine. This could mean YouTube videos, Netflix, video discovery apps, or streaming hundreds or thousands of movies and TV shows from your PC/Mac.
When we get to the last one, things get a little more complicated. I have previously told you about the fastest ways to transfer videos from PC to iPad. But since then, VLC has been pulled from the store and Player Xtreme has started charging for every little feature.
What if you just want to stream media from your HTPC or easily download a few movies/episodes on your iPad when you’re out and about?
This being the iPad, there are over a dozen options available. Below I’ve outlined the easiest and most cost-effective way. Then we’ll dive into the alternatives.
What you need
- Plex Media Server for Mac/PC
- MCPlayer HD App for iPad (with optional $0.99 in-app purchase for unlimited playback)
- The PC and iPad are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Set up a Plex media server on a Mac/PC and import stored media
Plex Media Server helps you make sense of your folder-based media collection. To start, make sure all your movies are organized in one folder (each movie is in its own subfolder). If your TV shows are arranged by season, much better.
Plex automatically scans and organizes your media, and adds things like metadata and cover art.
Related: Do you also have an Android tablet? You can use the same Plex Media Center setup to stream to Android devices. Check out this guide for more information.
Step 1: Download and install Plex Media Server. It will run in the background. Click the Plex icon from the taskbar and the web-based management interface will show up.
Step 2: Follow the setup instructions. Give your PC a recognizable name.
Step 3: From the next pop-up, select the type of media you want to add. You’ll have to do this twice – once for the movie and once for the TV show.
Step 4: Select Movie or TV program and point Plex to the folder where you stored the relevant media.
Step 5: Once all your media is added, press Next and you’re done.
Plex will take a few minutes to scan your media.
Use MCPlayer HD to stream and download media wirelessly
Go to the App Store and download MCPlayer HD on your iPad. This is a free app that allows you to stream video from media centers like XBMC, Plex and other UPnP compatible servers. This app also supports streaming files shared via Windows Homegroup but for some reason it doesn’t work for me. Streaming Plex did.
Open the app and swipe through the opening guide.
You will now come to the main screen of the application.
here in Media source page you will see a Plex Media Server button. Tapping it will display the content stored on your Plex Media Server.
From here click Videotapes folder and you will see options for Movie And TV program. Click on the relevant folders and you will get to the media.
When you open a folder, you will see that only 5 video files are displayed and everything else is locked. This limit can be unlocked by paying $0.99 as an in-app purchase. You can remove ads by paying extra $1.99.
Tapping a video file starts playback immediately. This is where the app really shines. It decodes formats like HD MKV very well. No quality loss or delay in playback.
The app also supports gestures for fast forward/rewind.
You don’t need to pay if you just watch movies: MCPlayer HD unlocks the first 5 media files in a folder. If your movie collection is organized by one movie in a subfolder (yes), only one media file in a folder will be unlocked. So unless you plan to stream TV shows using MCPlayer, HD, you don’t really need to pay for an unlocked in-app purchase.
Download media files to iPad for offline use
MCPlayer HD has another great free feature which is to wirelessly download media files for later use. When you are browsing a folder, you will see a Download icon (highlighted in the screenshot below).
Tapping it will initiate the download over Wi-Fi. Since this is happening on the network the speeds are insanely fast. Downloading an episode of a TV show only takes a few seconds.
Once downloaded, you will find local media in Document part.
Alternatives to MCPlayer HD
The beauty of using Plex Media Server to store your files is that it is compatible with many receiver applications on many different platforms. If MCPlayer HD doesn’t float your boat, see the options below.
Plex iPad Apps ($4.99)
Plex has its own streaming app for iOS but the only problem with it is that it is paid and only works with Plex Media Server.
Infuse 2 (Free with the $6.99 Pro Upgrade)
Infuse 2 is truly the most beautiful and perhaps most feature-rich media player for the iPad. It plays whatever format you use and streams from any local and remote servers. But the free app is severely limited, and unlike MCPlayer HD, unlocking costs $6.99. If you are looking for a comprehensive solution for your iPad’s media player, then this solution might be for you.
Please bring back VLC Player: VLC is probably the best media player for viewing and streaming local media. And it’s free. But it’s been playing cat and mouse with the App Store since it launched. It’s a shame it has to end this way. I suppose not everything can end up like a Tom and Jerry episode.
Air Video HD ($2.99) and StreamToMe ($2.99)
Air Video HD and StreamToMe are both pretty similar apps. Both cost the same and both need you to run proprietary server applications on your Mac/PC. When I got my iPod Touch in 2010, Air Video was the best streaming app available. It’s still good but obviously the world has moved on.
How’s your streaming life?
How do you stream media to iPad? What different types of apps do you use? Let us know in the comments below.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
