Manage Plex Server via iPad

Justnotsleeping

Justnotsleeping

Justnotsleeping

Associate
Joined
27 Sep 2020
Posts
163
I’ve got my Plex server setup on a small form factor Windows 11 PC in the lounge but rather than using a wireless keyboard and mouse to control and manage, I’d like to use a Remote Desktop setup using my iPad.

Does anyone have any advice on what’s the best and most straightforward to use to achieve this. Would it be the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, or are there better options.

Thanks
 
Justnotsleeping said:
Would it be the Microsoft Remote Desktop app
Click to expand...

This. It's the easiest by far. Enable remote desktop on the machine (it needs to have a user password set), pop in the IP address or hostname on the app, log in and that's it


Edit: I misread your post entirely, please ignore!
 
Last edited:
Remote Desktop is going to lock the local session when you use it. Sounds like you'd be better with a virtual keyboard/mouse app for the iPad as you already have the TV as the display.
 
Last edited:
You could use VNC instead of RDP. It won't lock the local session allowing you to control the PC on your iPad without affecting the output on the TV. TightVNC is free.

Alternatively, if a remote control is more preferred as per @Caged's suggestion, I've used Unified Remote in the past with great results.
 
ChrisD. said:
Install it on Debian and manage it via SSH/web browser.
Click to expand...
I’ve read how Linux is good for Plex server installs but I’ve had very little experience of Linux installs. I also use the PC as an emulator with a Hyperspin drive, so ideally would like to keep Windows. I would like to look into a Linux install at some point as I know they are getting to be a lot more user friendly nowadays.
 
As above, if you are literally just looking to control Plex, then download the Plex app onto your phone and it operates as a companion remote (i.e. you select 'Play on' and it play via your TV).

RDP won't work as it locks the session.

RealVNC works perfectly. I downloaded this a while back and I am super impressed with how it has evolved over the last 20 years. Works a treat for up to 5 PCs.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.

I found an iPad app I'm trying out, called remoteMouse which connects to the PC via either WIFI or bluetooth.

As I'm using the main TV as the output, I guess all I need is a convenient replacement for a keyboard and mouse and so far this works really well. Allows me to pretty much use the PC as if having a keyboard and mouse connected, for organising Plex libraries, web browsing, etc but without having another bit of kit lying about, apart from an Xbox controller for when I also use it as a retro games emulator. I'll use this for a while and maybe look at other options if I come across problems.

That was the other reason to move it downstairs away from my main PC, feels better to play the retro games on TV, or any other games which are not 'AAA' type as its only got a 5600G so won't be playing Cyberpunk on it!
 
Again, having set-up and admin’d/done fault finding on Plex services all over the planet, I literally have no idea why you wouldn’t use the built in web interface to manage Plex. You’re adding a pointless layer of complexity for the sake of it. In terms of client, use a dedicated client, FireTV/Roku (less so the ‘smart’ TV Plex apps) are vastly superior as a client option and give a better user experience as well as being for next to nothing.
 
Avalon said:
Again, having set-up and admin’d/done fault finding on Plex services all over the planet, I literally have no idea why you wouldn’t use the built in web interface to manage Plex. You’re adding a pointless layer of complexity for the sake of it. In terms of client, use a dedicated client, FireTV/Roku (less so the ‘smart’ TV Plex apps) are vastly superior as a client option and give a better user experience as well as being for next to nothing.
Click to expand...
He already said he wants it for more than Plex. The mouse and keyboard is probably to serve the 99% of other use cases.

FireTV/Roku great until they run out of horsepower and/or you have an encode that Plex can't cope with. At least on a Windows machine you can revert to VLC/MPC.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why would you actually need to access it remotely?
I have a plex setup, I simply use a WebUI for my download manager, and set the path based on what I'm downloading to the according folder.
 
Apologies, it was probably the initial title that was misleading to this, should have titled it Plex server PC, or even taken out the Plex reference as that didn't really matter to the use case.

The question should have been titled about the control aspect of the PC, just happened to be that a Plex server is one of the primary uses for it. In terms of a Plex client, I use an Apple TV 4k, as I use this for most of my TV type services....works well enough.
 
dLockers said:
He already said he wants it for more than Plex. The mouse and keyboard is probably to serve the 99% of other use cases.

FireTV/Roku great until they run out of horsepower and/or you have an encode that Plex can't cope with. At least on a Windows machine you can revert to VLC/MPC.
Click to expand...

Title focused on Plex, subsequent posts suggested library management as well as other uses, Plex has a well proven web management system, so it’s a reasonable question based on the stated usage which op has now clarified.

Your next point is just baffling... Do you even Plex? The situation you describe has literally happened to me zero times in the last decade, with a proper workflow it would never happen, and even with an average workflow, it should be a one in a million event. Plex (as opposed to Kodi) provides media in a usable format to the client, it does that because it knows the clients capabilities the media type/spec, when the former can’t support the latter, it transcodes using FFmpeg - the same FFmpeg that VLC and MPC use on the same hardware in this example - so the unless you’re running on inappropriate hardware that can’t playback the media anyway and thus VLC and MPC are largely irrelevant, or lack HW transcoding capabilities via PlexPass, or do something silly like use Wi-Fi, you should always get an acceptable result on the client and it’s ‘horsepower’ isn’t a thing, as long as it’s capable of running a supported version of Plex.
 
Avalon said:
Title focused on Plex, subsequent posts suggested library management as well as other uses, Plex has a well proven web management system, so it’s a reasonable question based on the stated usage which op has now clarified.

Your next point is just baffling... Do you even Plex? The situation you describe has literally happened to me zero times in the last decade, with a proper workflow it would never happen, and even with an average workflow, it should be a one in a million event. Plex (as opposed to Kodi) provides media in a usable format to the client, it does that because it knows the clients capabilities the media type/spec, when the former can’t support the latter, it transcodes using FFmpeg - the same FFmpeg that VLC and MPC use on the same hardware in this example - so the unless you’re running on inappropriate hardware that can’t playback the media anyway and thus VLC and MPC are largely irrelevant, or lack HW transcoding capabilities via PlexPass, or do something silly like use Wi-Fi, you should always get an acceptable result on the client and it’s ‘horsepower’ isn’t a thing, as long as it’s capable of running a supported version of Plex.
Click to expand...
Your reading comprehension is pretty poor, leading to this rather random rant.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom