Raspberry Pi – Setup Media Server with Plex or Kodi (2025 Streaming Guide)

Introduction – Turn Your Raspberry Pi into a Powerful Media Server

Want to stream your favorite movies, music, or TV shows across your home? With Plex or Kodi, you can transform your Raspberry Pi into a full-featured media server that works with smart TVs, phones, PCs, and tablets—locally or remotely.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• The difference between Plex and Kodi on Raspberry Pi
• How to install and configure both systems
• Stream local files or network libraries
• Use real-world setups for home entertainment, backups, and remote media access

Plex vs Kodi – What’s the Difference?

Use Plex if you want to stream to phones/TVs across your home or remotely.
Use Kodi for direct playback on the Pi with TV or monitor.

Plex Media Server Setup on Raspberry Pi

Step 1: Add Plex Repository

curl https://downloads.plex.tv/plex-keys/PlexSign.key | sudo apt-key add -
echo deb https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public main | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/plexmediaserver.list

Step 2: Install Plex

sudo apt update
sudo apt install plexmediaserver -y

Step 3: Verify Service

sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver

Plex runs on port 32400

Access Plex Web UI

Visit:

http://<your_pi_ip>:32400/web

Sign in with your Plex account.

Add Media Libraries to Plex

• Movies: /home/pi/media/movies/
• TV Shows: /home/pi/media/tv/
• Music: /home/pi/media/music/

Ensure Pi has permission:

sudo chown -R plex:plex /home/pi/media

Add libraries via the web interface and organize by type.

📲 Stream Plex Content

Kodi Media Center Setup on Raspberry Pi

Option 1: Install Kodi on Raspberry Pi OS

sudo apt update
sudo apt install kodi -y

Run:

kodi

Great for Pi with connected TV/monitor.

Option 2: Use LibreELEC (Kodi OS)

1. Download LibreELEC image
2. Flash to SD card using Raspberry Pi Imager
3. Boot Pi and follow on-screen setup
4. Add media via:
   • USB drive
   • NAS/SMB
   • SD card folders

Recommended Media File Structure

/media/
├── Movies/
│   └── MovieName (Year).mp4
├── TV Shows/
│   └── ShowName/
│       └── Season 01/
│           └── EpisodeName S01E01.mkv
├── Music/
│   └── Artist/
│       └── Album/
│           └── Track.mp3

Helps Kodi and Plex auto-recognize metadata.

Real-World Raspberry Pi Media Server Ideas

Performance Tips

• Use Ethernet over Wi-Fi for smooth streaming
• Store media on external SSD or USB 3.0 HDD
• Use Raspberry Pi 4/5 with 2GB+ RAM for best results
• Limit background services for Plex to avoid CPU spikes

Summary – Recap & Next Steps

Your Raspberry Pi is now a powerful local media server—capable of streaming to smart TVs, mobile devices, or even working as a media center on its own. Whether using Plex for remote access or Kodi for direct playback, you can build a private, customizable entertainment hub.

Key takeaways:

• Plex = stream across devices; Kodi = play directly on Pi
• Use /home/pi/media or external drives to store libraries
• Access Plex at http://<ip>:32400/web
• LibreELEC is a full media OS based on Kodi

Real-world relevance: Useful for home streaming, mobile media setups, digital signage, and educational environments.

FAQs – Raspberry Pi Media Server

Can I use both Plex and Kodi on the same Pi?

Yes, but Plex is server-based; Kodi is a player. Use Kodi to play media and Plex to stream it remotely.

Can I stream over the internet with Plex?

Yes, if you enable remote access and forward port 32400 on your router.

Which Raspberry Pi model is best for media servers?

Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 with 2GB+ RAM is ideal. Use USB 3.0 storage for better performance.

Can I use a USB drive for storage?

Absolutely! Format it as ext4 or NTFS, mount it, and point Plex/Kodi libraries to it.

Is transcoding supported on Raspberry Pi?

Limited support. Direct playback is preferred. Use compatible file formats (H.264 MP4, MKV).