Home Video Streaming

[Frank12]

I am currently using Plex to stream movies from my digital library on my desktop computer.  I know that Plex does use some data over the internet while playing even though the video files are all on my side of the modem.  What do other people use to do the same thing?  Before we went with Hughesnet, we had DSL service.  We averaged 12gigs of data a month. At that time my wife was also running a business from home and used Office online to work and store her files so that they were avialable while outside our home.   Now we have the 10 gig service and are constantly going over our limit with over a week to go in the monthly allotment.   So if there is a platform I can use which doesn't communicate over the internet while watching my own digital files I would like to switch to it.  

[MarkJFine]

I use Plex. Are you certain that they use the network externally to the client/server for in-house operations? There's no way for the server to operate outside a HN network because of the double-NAT. I was always under the impression that I could use Plex on my TV and it only used the house's internal network to stream from the serving computer as long as the source files were also at the server. Streaming things that are external to the server (i.e., Plex channels) is a different story, and works like any other streaming method at the server. It's just relayed to the client.

[Frank12]

I was told that it does do some communication back to the company to verify user information. Some versions of the player on the smart tvs are housed on the web so all validations are through the internet. While my samsung app appears to be housed on the TV, I do know i have not been able to view any of the videos using Plex when my internet was out.  When we are on DSL and again when we were on Hughesnet.   While it may just be a handshake type traffic to validate the authorization to use it, or if it does use much data I am not able to determine as I am not able to monitor what traffic is going over the modem.  I downloaded the Hughesnet usage meter but it has never worked, keeps telling me a java error.   

[MarkJFine]

You may be right about the handshake to validate the account (and the server), but I think we're talking mere bytes.

[GabeU]

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@Frank12 wrote:

I downloaded the Hughesnet usage meter but it has never worked, keeps telling me a java error.   

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The fix for the JavaScript error with the HughesNet Usage Meter is here...

https://community.hughesnet.com/t5/Tech-Support/Usage-meter-javascript-error/m-p/91251/highlight/tru...