Some Definitions
| Thing | Meaning |
|---|---|
| lilNAS | A box of discs and computer parts that can do and store all sorts of stuff. |
| Plex | A convenient way to watch videos that are stored on lilNAS. |
| This guide | Instructions for using lilNAS and deshittifying Plex. |
Account Set Up
- Find the invite email from Plex — subject line like "You've been invited to share some media in Plex."
- Click "I accept the invitation."
- Make the account. Use the same email address you gave me.
- You'll probably land on watch.plex.tv. You'll never need it again. Lose the URL. Forget the URL.
General Declutter
Plex the company pushes its own stuff — their media, live TV, other noise. Change these settings once and they sync everywhere you watch.
- Go to app.plex.tv (or plex.timanddina.com) and sign in.
- Click the wrench icon ("Settings"), top-right.
- Under your account name, top-left, click Online Media Sources.
- Set everything here to "Disabled."
App Install & Tidying
Quick per-device polish — pin the libraries so lilNAS is front and center.
- Install Plex from your TV's app store and sign in.
- Open the sidebar or More and pin Movies and TV Shows. Unpin anything that isn't from lilNAS.
- Optional: hide random user reviews — Settings → Experience → Ratings and Reviews From → Critics only (or No one).
- Install Plex from the App Store or Google Play or whatever, and sign in.
- Long-press the Libraries icon → See all libraries.
- Smack the heart icon next to Movies and TV Shows.
- Watch at app.plex.tv or plex.timanddina.com. Desktop apps exist for Mac and Windows, but no idea if there's a benefit.
- In the left sidebar, click More, then pin Movies and TV Shows.
Requesting New Stuff
The wildest part of this setup: want something that isn't in the library? Ask for it and it shows up automatically.
- Go to request.timanddina.com. Bookmark it. Sign in with your Plex account.
- Search for whatever you want, click Request.
- It lands in the library ~10 minutes later, and you'll get an email when it's available. (Downloads run slower during my work hours, 9–5.)
- Currently airing shows: new episodes usually appear the same night, within a couple hours of airing. The more popular the show, the faster the pipeline.
Good to Know
Leaving Soon — how the library manages itself
Disk space is wildly expensive, so a program flags stuff that's been watched or has sat neglected. Flagged titles appear in the "Leaving Soon" category for 30 days, then get deleted.
Want it back? Just request it again. (Re-requests can occasionally get wonky — tell me if they do.) The point: request whatever, the library will manage itself.
Rules
The only rule of lilNAS is don't talk about lilNAS.
Don't share your login, don't spread the word — the server can't support infinite viewers. Also, you know, the whole free-streaming-anything-you-want thing is sort of… well, you know.