How-To Geek - Streaming Platforms

4 reasons cloud media servers will go down long before your discs rot

Sydney Butler — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 14:15:13 GMT

Whenever the discussion about physical media and its inevitable demise comes up, the argument that "discs rot and degrade" will inevitably raise its head.

Why I prefer watching Plex over my physical media collection

Patrick Campanale — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 17:15:13 GMT

I believe that physical media will always have the best quality compared to streaming from an online service, and that’s why I collected so many Blu-ray and DVD discs. Eventually, though, I switched to watching my media on Plex instead, and I won’t go back.

Nvidia just made gaming on Linux a whole lot easier

Jon Fingas — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:07:18 GMT

You now have an easier time playing games on your Linux PC without turning to code translation or emulators. Nvidia's native GeForce Now app for Linux has officially left beta, giving the open-source OS a major, refined cloud streaming option beyond the web browser.

I never considered YouTube Premium until Peacock changed everything

Dan Girolamo — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 22:00:13 GMT

YouTube Premium has never piqued my interest. While I use YouTube daily, I'm content with ad-supported videos. Plus, my music streaming service of choice is Spotify. Therefore, YouTube Music is a luxury that I don't need right now.

4 default Plex settings you should never mess with

Sydney Butler — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 20:30:13 GMT

The type of person who likes to self-host services on their home network is often also the sort of person who likes to optimize and tweak everything. For some, it's hard to accept that the default settings in the software they're using are already as good as they're going to get.

4 new Netflix documentaries to watch in August

T.M. Amrita — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:15:13 GMT

Every month, Netflix always has something new in store for every type of viewer. Whether you're a romantic, horror buff, or suspense lover, the streaming platform has a diverse pool of titles to pick from. And if you love documentaries, the collection of new titles is always solid.

Google TV Freeplay now has on-demand movies and shows, but it still trails rivals in one key category

Jon Fingas — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 18:36:13 GMT

Google's answer to free streaming services like The Roku Channel and Tubi is now much more appealing if you like control over what you watch. Google TV Freeplay now has on-demand movies and TV shows as well as an expanded live channel lineup.

Tubi fixed my biggest problems with Netflix, and it's why I keep coming back

Dan Girolamo — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:15:13 GMT

In Home Alone 2, Kevin McCallister scoffs at Cedric when asked if he knows how the television works. "I'm 10 years old. TV's my life," Kevin tells Cedric before tipping him with gum. I'm much older than Kevin, but I can relate to what he said about TV. It's not my entire life, but it's certainly a crucial part, considering I write for How-To Geek's streaming vertical.

This open-source app was Plex before Plex even existed

Jorge A. Aguilar — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:15:13 GMT

Before Plex made personal media servers something a normal person could set up in an afternoon, a group of hackers took a game console and turned it into something Microsoft never intended it to be. That became the foundation for nearly every home media center concept. Not many people know the history of Plex and Kodi, but it's really interesting and shows that the next tech revolution may come from a random home project.

This is the streaming box that finally convinced me to give up on the NVIDIA Shield TV

Jon Fingas — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 16:15:13 GMT

The NVIDIA Shield TV has had an amazing run. 11 years later, it's still more capable than some Amazon and Roku devices. It's easy to understand why, between the powerful hardware and the Android software that still receives updates. You could watch advanced 4K video, use it as a media server, and stream games from the cloud.