Update: How To Install PlexConnect On Windows 10
Update: PlexConnect on Windows: How To Hijack iMovie Theatre Or WSJ Instead Of Trailers App
Update: OpenPlex App Installs And Manages PlexConnect on Mac OS X
Update: Plex On Apple TV Without PlexConnect Or Jailbreak via AirPlay
I’ve already reported about that PlexConnect still works on Apple TV Software 6.0 Beta (5.4 Seed 3, iOS 7) after the silent update from August, 27, 2013 and how to fix PlexConnect to get it running again on Apple TV 2 or Apple TV 3. However, getting PlexConnect installed on a Windows system like windows 7, 8 or 8.1 is a little bit tricky. Although Paul Kehrer published immediately a tweak to get PlexConnect working again on Apple TV 2 and 3, a lot of people are reporting about installation is failing, especially on Windows systems. The most common problem there is to get the certificate or profile correctly installed on the Apple TV. In the following I give you a simple step-by-step guide to get PlexConnect running again on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. For installing PlexConnect on Mac OS X follow the fix described on the post ‘PlexConnect still works on Apple TV Software 6.0 Beta (5.4 Seed 3, iOS 7) after the silent update‘.
I conducted the installation on my Acer Aspire 1810T (64-bit) running on Windows 8.1 with Windows 8 Media Center installed. This fix should work for Windows 7 and 8 as well.
Step 1: Prepare your Windows system!
- Download and install the latest Python version 2.7.6 (“Python 2.7.6 Windows Installer”) for your windows system (Do not install in any case versions 3.X nor “Python 2.7.6 Windows X86-64 Installer”!).
- Download and install Win32 OpenSSL Win32 v1.0.2o (Nor the light version, neither Win64 version!). If Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package (x64) is missing for installing OpenSSL, then download it from here. You need to install the version dated 11/29/2007!
- Download and install iPhone Configuration Utility.
- Download and extract the Plex Media Server, version 0.9.8.6.175.
- First, delete all previous files of older PlexConnect versions from your Windows PC. Then download and extract the latest PlexConnect ZIP-file from Github (Do not download from PlexConnect.org!) to the folder C:\PlexConnect (create the folder, if it doesn’t exist).
- Create the folder C:\Cert on your Windows root directory. Download the batch file ‘cert.create.bat‘ and copy the file into C:\Cert:
- Note: Some people face problems with ‘trailers.der‘. They got the error message ‘ValueError: unknown url type: /trailers.der‘ instead. In this case use the alternate file ‘cert.create-2.bat‘ which creates a ‘trailer.cer‘ file instead of a ‘trailers.der‘ file (Kudos to commentator Mark!). If you downloaded ‘cert.create-2.bat‘, you should change the command in step 2 to ‘cert.create-2‘:
Step 2: Getting started to create the profile for Apple TV!
- Open the windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Cert, left click on the screen below the name of cert.create.bat, so that no files are highlighted!
- Press the shift key and right click on the screen. You will see the following Windows open:
- Now click on ‘Open Command Window Here‘ and the command prompt will open and start at the folder C:\Cert.
- Run the cert.create.bat (alternate retype all the commands in the cert.create.txt file). The folder C:\Cert should now contain 5 files: .rnd, cert.create.bat, trailers.der, trailers.key and trailers.pem. And a window ‘Certificate‘ opens automatically:
- Click on the button ‘Install Certificate…‘, then click twice on ‘Next’ and at the ending on ‘Finish’. you should get the message ‘The import was successful‘.
- Close the command prompt window and click on the ‘Certificate‘ the ‘OK‘ button now!
- Go to C:\Cert select and copy the files .rnd, trailers.der, trailers.key and trailers.pem, navigate to C:\PlexConnect where you have extracted the PlexConnect ZIP-file on your Windows PC.
- Go to the folder C:\PlexConnect\assets and create a subfolder named ‘certificates‘.
- Go to the newly created folder C:\PlexConnect\assets\certificates and paste the copy of the files .rnd, trailers.der, trailers.key and trailers.pem.
Step 3: Installing the Certificate Profile on your Apple TV
Updates: iPhone Configuration Utility for Windows isn’t officially available anymore. You have to install the certificate files later on without USB.
- Start the iPhone Configuration Utility. You should find the iPCU.exe file there: C:Program Files (x86)\iPhone Configuration Utility and click on ‘Configuration Profiles‘. Then click on ‘New+‘.
- Give it a Name and Identifier (I suggest one word without any special characters).
- Scroll down and click on ‘Credentials‘, click on ‘Configure‘ and scroll down to find the certificate you just created and installed. It is named ‘trailers.apple.com‘. Click on it and then click ‘OK‘:
- Now plug in your Apple TV 2 or 3 to a power source, wait till the light stops flashing and then connect it to the Windows PC via a micro USB cable. Wait till your Apple TV is recognized by your PC and the iPhone Configuration Utility program.
- Click on your device and then the Configuration Profiles tab.
- Click the install button. Wait till this button will have changed from ‘Install‘ to ‘Remove‘!
- Close the iPhone Configuration Utility and disconnect the Apple TV from the computer and connect the Apple TV to your TV.
- Change the DNS of your Apple TV to the IP-address of your Windows PC on which is Plex Media Server is running, following the part ‘Configuring your ATV’ of guide on github.
Step 4: Finish!
- Restart PlexConnect.py from C:\PlexConnect.
- Go to your Apple TV and try the Trailers it should be working now. you should see the following:
Note: Normally, you should not need to make any changes in the settings.cfg file of PlexConnect. I used the unchanged PlexConnect files!
If you followed this installation guide step-by-step PlexConnect on your Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 PC should be fixed after the silent Apple TV update and should now work again on your Apple TV 2 or Apple TV 3! Does it? Let us know and comment! Does it not? Let me know and I try to help you!
Stay tuned! 😉
213 Comments
I’m not sure what I’m missing here but the instructions say to: Download the batch file ‘cert.create.bat‘ and copy the file into C:\Cert:”. My only issue right now is “How do I download that batch file?” Where is it?
Hi Eric,
just unlock the content below. 😉
Cheers,
Gee Are
Pingback: Plex Media Server Running On Windows 10 - miapple.me
Is this still valid for Apple TV3 firmware 7.2 and a Windows 7 machine?
Yep. 🙂
Install Certificate:
Is the iPhone Configuration Utility no longer available for windows? I have tried to download several times but keep getting a message stating “iPhone Configuration Utility failed to locate Apple Mobile Device Support reinstall”
I have also tried to do it without a USB but every time I go into “Network and Sharing” and click my network then go into Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/Ipv4) and enter my information as the directions state my computer freezes for several minutes then states looking for a solution.
I would prefer to do it with a USB cable but if not possible anymore due to iPhone Configuration Utility then any help on why my computer freezes when I try to setup the IP address and DNS.
Hi Mike,
I’m sorry! The iPhone Configuration Utility for Windows isn’t available anymore. I updated this post. You have to do it via USB or via mac.
Cheers,
Gee Are
I took the trailers security certificate that I generated on my windows machine, placed on a thumb drive, place the thumb drive on my other computer, which is a Mac and installed the certificate on my apple TV3 via a micro USB and Apple Configurator 2.
I still can not get the trailers app to recognize my Plex account. I have followed all directions. When I run the PlexConnect.py file here is the output below. The server should be doing something once I open up the trailers app but does not do anything.
Note I changed my DNS to 192.168.1.12 on my apple TV
21:57:49 PlexConnect: ***
21:57:49 PlexConnect: PlexConnect
21:57:49 PlexConnect: Press CTRL-C to shut down.
21:57:49 PlexConnect: ***
21:57:49 PlexConnect: started: 21:57:49
21:57:49 PlexConnect: Version: 0.5-dev-101215
21:57:49 PlexConnect: Python: 2.7 (r27:82525, Jul 4 2010, 07:43:08) [MSC v.1500
64 bit (AMD64)]
21:57:49 PlexConnect: Host OS: win32
21:57:49 PlexConnect: PILBackgrounds: Is PIL installed? False
21:57:49 PlexConnect: IP_self: 192.168.1.12
21:57:50 DNSServer: started: 21:57:50
21:57:50 DNSServer: ***
21:57:50 DNSServer: DNSServer: Serving DNS on 192.168.1.12 port 53.
21:57:50 DNSServer: intercept: [‘trailers.apple.com’] => 192.168.1.12
21:57:50 DNSServer: restrain: [‘mesu.apple.com’, ‘appldnld.apple.com’, ‘appldnld
.apple.com.edgesuite.net’] => 127.0.0.1
21:57:50 DNSServer: forward other to higher level DNS: 8.8.8.8
21:57:50 DNSServer: ***
21:57:50 WebServer: started: 21:57:50
21:57:50 WebServer: ***
21:57:50 WebServer: WebServer: Serving HTTP on 192.168.1.12 port 80.
21:57:50 WebServer: ***
21:57:50 WebServer: started: 21:57:50
21:57:50 WebServer: ***
21:57:50 WebServer: WebServer: Serving HTTPS on 192.168.1.12 port 443.
21:57:50 WebServer: ***
Hi Mike,
it looks like a cert file problem. Keep in mind: If PlexConnect is not running, it is (almost) every time the cert file. Follow the steps in the post EXACTLY to generate it again!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Cheers,
Gee Are
Will give it another go. Do you think it is a problem with any firewall setting on Windows?
I don’t think so. I always use the Windows built-in firewall. do you use something different?
So ignoring the certifcate for a second.
I have Plex up and running on my windows machine. I went to my IPAD which actually has the Plex app on it and it continuously says can not connect to the Server on my windows machine. Also tried on my Roku and no luck.
My thought is that something on my windows computer (that is running Plex) is preventing Plex from accessing it. This is my work computer so maybe there is something setup that prevents outside application (i.e Plex) from using computer?
Thoughts?
Hi Mike,
is your Windows PC and your iPad in the same Network (LAN vs. WLAN)? Maybe you’re right that there are some firewall settings….
Have you tried to set up another account on your Windows PC and check to access Plex Server from this new account?
Cheers,
Gee Are
Yes IPAD and PC are on the same LAN. I have not tested Plex on another Windows PC but I have used it on my Macbook pro and works fine.
Trying to switch to my windows PC because it is more updated/faster.
So how to adjust or fine setting that are keeping it from access Plex on Windows PC?
Hi Mike,
my last idea: Do you have static IP addresses in your network. This should be done.
But now I’m at the end: Check this forum. I’m sure you will get help there from the Plex geeks.
Cheers,
Gee Are
I have tried both methods the ‘cert.create.bat and the ‘cert.create-2.bat and no luck.
I was able to add the certificate to Apple TV for both methods by using a USB stick and coping the trailers.cer and trailers.der (depending on what method I was using) then using my Mac computer and the Apple Config 2. I can see the certificate when I got to General>Send Data to Apple.
Thoughts on this. I am stuck. I have verified that I am logged into plex account and have it running prior to running server.
Please, try to install the Cert file with the method “without USB”. Maybe the installation of a Windows certificate via a mac is the problem…
Hi,
I had this setup in Win7 and it worked perfectly. Upgraded to Win10 and now i get the following error when I try to run PlexConnect
09:24:26 PlexConnect: started: 09:24:26
09:24:26 PlexConnect: Version: 0.5-dev-101215
09:24:26 PlexConnect: Python: 2.7.6 (default, Nov 10 2013, 19:24:18) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)]
09:24:26 PlexConnect: Host OS: win32
09:24:26 PlexConnect: PILBackgrounds: Is PIL installed? False
09:24:26 PlexConnect: IP_self: 10.0.0.3
09:24:26 DNSServer: started: 09:24:26
09:24:26 DNSServer: ***
09:24:26 DNSServer: DNSServer: Serving DNS on 10.0.0.3 port 53.
09:24:26 DNSServer: ***
09:24:26 WebServer: started: 09:24:26
09:24:26 WebServer: Failed to connect to HTTP on 10.0.0.3 port 80: [Errno 10013] An attempt was made to access a socket in a way forbidden by its access permissions
09:24:26 PlexConnect: WebServer not alive. Shutting down.
09:24:26 PlexConnect: Shutting down.
09:24:31 DNSServer: Shutting down.
09:24:31 PlexConnect: shutdown
09:24:31 PlexConnect: shutdown
No settings on my router or isp has chnaged. There must be an account access/ permission problem in Win10.
Do you know how i can fix this?
Hi Jaco,
I think you have to reinstall the certificate again, both on your computer and your Apple TV. Follow these steps: https://miapple.me/install-plexconnect-on-windows-10/
Cheers,
Gee Are
Pingback: How To Install PlexConnect On Windows 10 - miApple.me
Gee Are:
Sorry to bother you, but I’m at my wit’s end. I’ve done everything in the instructions, but the profile will not load to the atv.
I have the atv3, and Plex is on a Windows 7 Pro computer. I have added the following programs to the windows firewall: python, plexconnect.py, plex media server, itunes.
Here’s what I have done:
Installed Python 2.7.6
Installed Win32 OpenSSL Win32 v1.0.2a
Have Plex Media Server 9.12.1
Used your link to download PlexConnect from Github. Unzipped to c:\Plexconnect. [Note: it has a Plexconnect Master folder that contains all of the files. I moved everything to c:\Plexconnect]
Created c:\cert, ran .bat file, installed certificate, copied certificates to assets\certificates
Started plexconnect.py, changed atv DNS to IP address of of ipself.
Used the following for address of profile: http://192.168.1.5/trailers.cer
Result: atv was unable to add profile. I must be doing something wrong, but I have no idea what. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Ron,
all you have done looks OK. did you also install the Cert file on windows? And did you copy the cert file to the root C:/?
Please, read my post carefully and you EXACTLY everything as described. Try to repeat the entire process step by step.
Cheers,
Gee Are
I’m not sure what you mean, but the files created by cert.create.bat are in c:\cert and also in c:\plexconnect\assets\certificates.
I would try using the iphone configuration utility, but the link only goes to a mac file, not windows. Is there a way to use the configuration utility on windows?
Hi Ron,
use instead of the iPhone configuration Utility (no longer available!) this method: https://miapple.me/2013/11/03/plexconnect-installling-certificates-on-apple-tv-without-usb/.
The latest PlexConnect tutorial is here: https://miapple.me/plexconnect-windows-hijack-imovie-theatre-wsj-instead-trailers-app/
Especially, have a look at step 2: “Copy all iMovie and/or all WSJ app certificate files to default directory of your Windows PC (C:/).”
Cheers,
Gee Are
Hi Gee Are,
I enjoy reading your posts! Very informative. I just read “Plex, PlexConnect And OpenPlex Running On Mac OS X 10.10.2 Yosemite Beta 4” and it got me thinking.
I have been using Plex on Apple tv 3 for about a year. I have Plexmedia server (v0.9.11.1) running on Windows 7. I was wondering if I should update my plexconnect(v0.3). And rather than reinstalling everything couldn’t the downloaded folder just be placed in the same location (C:/Plexconnect) and the old certificates placed in the new C:\PlexConnect\assets\certificates folder? I haven’t tried this yet because everything works right now but I would like to use the new features.
Have I overlooked anything? Your instructions are very clear; perhaps you could do a post on updating Plexconnect on Apple TV.
Thanks for your advice,
Iggy
Hi Igor,
thanks for posting. It should work as you described. Save your old cert files on another location. Then update plexconnect. After that copy the cert files back. I’ll check to post on updating PlexConnect on Apple TV….
Cheers,
Gee Are
Hi Gee Are,
What we discussed above worked perfectly. Now I have a new puzzle. My Windows 7 computer is quite old and slow so I built a new more powerful windows 7 machine for the express purpose of being the Plex server. I didn’t shut down my old computer yet and installed Plex media server, plexconnect and Python on the new machine. I copied the certificates from my old machine and placed them in the certificates folder on the new machine. So now I have 2 plex servers running on my home network. In order to connect to the new server I changed the DNS address in the ATV settings to the new machine’s static IP address. I had assumed that I could go back and forth between servers by manually changing the DNS address on the ATV.
For some reason the ATV is not connecting with the Plex media server on the new machine. I can go to Netflix, Flickr etc and the Plexconnect program is forwarding that. I suspect the certificates. I don’t understand the workings of these. Are they specific to each computer? Should I generate them on my new machine? Will I have to reconnect the ATV and then install the newly generated certificate? If I do this will this mean that the old machine will no longer be accessible to the ATV?
Thank you for your interesting website!
Igor
Hi Igor,
you’re welcome!
Did you copy all cert files to the root directory C:/, too?
The latest instructions to follow are in this post: https://miapple.me/plexconnect-windows-hijack-imovie-theatre-wsj-instead-trailers-app/
Cheers,
Gee Are
Cheers,
Gee Are
Yes I did copy the three cert files (.key;.pem; trailers certificate) to both the root directory C:/ and the Assets/Certificates. So it is intercepting the ATV requests but can’t connect to the Plex media server. This is what the error message in python is “GDM: No Servers discovered”
Hi Igor,
please, check the following options:
– Is Plex Media Server properly installed and running???
– Is the cert file properly installed on your PC (double-click trailers.der for installing the cert file)?
– Check the IP address of your PC and Plex Media Server
– Restart your PC and your Apple TV and check the IP address again.
Cheers,
Gee Are
This tutorial really helped me.
The fact that it was written so extensively was helpful.
Keep up the good work!!
Hi Joep,
many thanks for your positive feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
In have tried all of the above but when I run the create cert, I only find there are five files but only one called trailer not trailers.der or trailers.cer depending which file I use.
Hi Ian,
the certificate file must be named either trailers.der or trailers.cer depending on the method you had chosen. If the certificate file is not named in that way, there must be a mistake in the creating of the cert file. Repeat the entire process and follow every single step EXACTLY as I described it in this post.
Cheers,
Gee Are
Hi Are,
i’ve follow the guide step to step…I can able to create certificate without errors, I copy on certificates folder, I run PlexConnect.py, I change ATV DNS but when I try to add profile I’ve back error 4001 from ATV. The certificate is correctly installed on Windows Home Server 2011. How can I solve the problem?
Thank You
Hi Erik,
If you cannot correctly add the profile to your ATV, then the cert file is mostly not correctly generated. Generate it again and check your Python and OpenSSL versions!
Cheers,
Gee Are