Even if your Plex library looks scarce, you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to start populating it with worthwhile media—or worse, head to the high seas. You have to think outside the box and get thrifty.
While I love the smell of a new DVD, buying them brand new adds up. Luckily, places like Goodwill have movies for sale, and usually at a fraction of the price. I came across the original Star Wars trilogy for $10. That’s a steal!
Another bonus to second-hand stores is that you’re usually dipping into a much wider mix of media. You aren’t just picking through recent releases or popular films. Of course, it can also go the other way, and you’ll come across nothing interesting, but it’s still worth looking at, anyway.
Finally, check around for any nearby garage sales. Where I live, there are multiple garage sales a year, and I almost always snag a few DVDs for my collection for dirt cheap. If you have Facebook, check local marketplaces. Don’t be afraid to try your hand at digitizing 8mm and Super 8, too, as rare as it might be.
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Invest in a Blu-ray Drive
If you’re like me and usually buy Blu-rays these days, you’ll need a way to rip those, too. Assuming you don’t have an internal or external Blu-ray drive—one that can rip and not just play—the LG WP50NB40 is pretty affordable, and it’s external, so no need to have an open bay.
Additionally, you’ll need software to rip the Blu-rays. MakeMKV is an easy-to-use go-to option, and it’s free as long as it’s in beta, which has been going on for 15 years. So, no need to buy it any time soon.
Download: MakeMKV for Windows | MacOS (Free)
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Public Domain Has Tons of Content
The easiest way to add a bunch of movies and shows to your Plex server is by downloading them from the public domain. It’s completely free and completely legal. They aren’t protected by any copyright laws anymore, so they’re free to use as you see fit.
I tend to pick from the Library of Congress and the Internet Archive, but there are plenty of other sites with free public domain movies. Keep in mind many of these are older, often in black-and-white, too. How well the films hold up is 50-50, and even the better ones are an acquired taste.
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Don’t Stop at Movies and TV Shows
It’s easy to view Plex as nothing more than a server for movies and TV shows, but it can be more. Do you have a CD collection? Rip your music and stream it through Plexamp, Plex’s music streaming service. It’s like having your very own Spotify playlist, except you own the CDs and won’t have to hear annoying ads in between songs.
Don’t stop there, though. Plex is a media server, after all. That means images, too. Whenever my partner’s phone storage is at its limits (again), I’ll back them up on my server. She can access them any time she wants. Here’s a fun suggestion: Use Plex to share your amateur movies, shorts, skits, or photography. Just be sure to consider investing in a NAS to increase your storage options. The TerraMaster D4-320 is a useful option for those just beginning their Plex library.
With any luck, your Plex library will grow until you more or less have your own streaming platform filled with your favorite movies, music, and shows. However you expand your Plex library, it’s important to make the most of your options.
