How to stream MKV to Chromecast via Plex without problems?

All your movies, TV shows, music, photos, podcasts, and videos can be easily organized and played by Plex. Whether in your living room, the car, or on a boat in the South Pacific, you can play all of your media at your fingertips to cast other media files from a local or remote computer to Google Chromecast by running Plex Media Server. However, Chromecast is a digital media player that allows you to enjoy various multimedia content, but only Google Chromecast supported formats can be played directly. That means, MKV can't be streamed to Chromecast, even though Plex media server supports a wide range of multimedia formats. While in this article, you will learn about how you can stream MKV to Chromecast media player by using Plex.

➤ Part 1 What are the requirements with Plex media server solution to stream MKV to Chromecast?

➤ Part 2 What's the simplest way to use Plex to stream MKV to Chromecast?

➤ Part 3 How to Transcode MKV for Streaming to Chromecast via Plex Media Server?

What are the requirements with Plex media server solution to stream MKV to Chromecast?

Before we get to the how-to-use part, let's run through what you'll need to follow along the requirements, that are with this solution of streaming local media contents including MKV to Chromecast via Plex, so that they can be done without any problem:

1. Your PC must connected to internet, although we are just streaming local media contents. Actually, Chromecast also requires this.
2. You must have administrator privileges to install the Plex media server on your PC.
3. You need register a free Plex account to use web app.
4. Plex does not support disk image formats (e.g., ISO, Video_TS)
5. Local MKV subtitle support is limited to SRT, SMI and SSA formats
6. Media file formats that Chromecast can support, please kindly refer to the below compatible file formats table.

Supported File Formats of Google Chromecast

What's the simplest way to use Plex to stream MKV to Chromecast?

See, it said that Google Chromecast currently can't support directly play the media file with MKV container. To stream local MKV to Chromecast is not as simple as many expected. Google intends to make Chromecast an internet thing, not a local media player. But what if you really want to get MKV files working with Chromecast via Plex? In order to stream MKV files via Plex Media Server without hassle, using Dimo Video Converter Ultimate to stream local MKV media to Chromecast via Plex is the simplest method, it can effortlessly break out the severe limitation by the media formats that you can play through Chrome browser after casting from Plex.

This video app is the most professional software to fast transcode MKV to Google Chromecast by streaming from PLex media server with MP4 format (the most compatible video format both for Plex and Chromecast) without quality loss. In addition, it not only supports MKV videos, but also handles various common video formats, like MXF, MTS, MOV, MP4, AVI, WMV .etc. For Mac users, Dimo Video Converter Ultimate for Mac is the right choice.

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How to Transcode MKV for Streaming to Chromecast via Plex Media Server?

Step 1 Load MKV files to the program

Launch the application on your computer, click "Add File" to import MKV files to this program for transcoding MKV to play with Chromecast.

Step 2 Choose Chromecast supported file format

Click "Select Format" button, from its drop-down options, choose the output Chromecast supported file format by the comming "Video" > "MP4"; if to get HD playback quality, please go to "HD Video" > "HD MP4".

Step 3 Choose Chromecast supported audio codec

Click "Settings" to open parameters settings window to reset resolution, bitrate and framerate etc. Besides, under "Audio" section, click "codec" drop-down list, select aac or mp3 as the proper audio codec for Chromecast.

Tips: If you find the playback is choppy, you can always manually turn the bitrate down. Remember with the right media parameters' settings you can gain the quality of the original videos while also saving space. That is particularly helpful when streaming over your network via Plex to Chromecast. Simply click "Settings" button and you can tweak the settings to your satisfaction.

Step 4 Carry out the conversion process

Go back to the main interface, hit right-bottom "Start" button to automatically begin the conversion from MKV to Chromecast supported video/audio codec conversion process. After the conversion, click "Open" to quickly find the converted movies. Then, Plex Media Server will recognize, catalog, play all these MKV files. Install Plex apps for Chromecast so you can stream and enjoy your beautifully organized MKV media on Chromecast at ease.

If you get any problems in using Plex media server to stream MKV to Chromecast, please feel free to Email Us or comment below to let us know what kinds of problems you're having with MKV casting and we'll see what we can do to help.