If you have Firefox or chrome, try downloadhelper add on.

This is what I use on Firefox. Works great: [link]

So we have multiple computers in the house and multiple sources of media.

We have a big TV.

Right now everything lives on my laptop and it connects to the TV with an HDMI cable. This is convenient enough, but if past experience is any guide, we will eventually trip over the cable.

What I think I would like is a media server where all of the digital content lives, which is directly connected to the TV (since my TV isn't internet-capable enough to stream), and which the other computers in the house could access to stream content.

How do I go about doing that? Assume that I am fairly flexible and moderately tech-capable.

Are you looking to play purchased Media, ahemmed media, self ripped media, and/or streamed media?

Primarily ahemmed media, I think. Our primary streaming is Netflix, and I understand there isn't much that plays nice with Netflix.

I will tell you my system, which works amazingly for streamed and purchased media as long as I choose where I purchase from diligently. I have a Roku streaming device plugged into my TV. Out of the box, the Roku can play Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime streaming services (the big three). It can play purchased media from Vudu and Amazon (I use Vudu mostly as it is also compatible with my non-Amazon Android tablets). Music-wise it has Pandora, Spotify, and Rdio. Google Play Music has an unofficial channel that works quite well.

For self-ripped and ahemmed media, I keep it on a 2TB external hard drive that is plugged into my router (an Asus RT-N66U) and shared over the network using Windows file sharing. The router also has a simple DLNA server built. The Roku's built in Roku Media Player app can play some of the ahemmed and self-ripped videos; anything in x264 format in a MKV works great. Older AVI files do not. For those, I have to play them with an alternate device (my Blu-Ray player can play them.)

IF, however, I had a spare computer with fast networking, then I would instead plug the 2TB drive into the computer, share it so that other computers could access the files, and install the Plex Media Server on the computer. For $5 you can add a Plex app to the Roku that works fantastically. The computer could then push essentially any file you could come up with to the Roku. Plex itself also has access to some streaming channels that the Roku does not, and you can run those through the Plex app as well. I think this is the best system and I may get around to setting it up someday.

You could also simply hook the computer that is running the Plex server to the TV, and also install the Plex client for playback. But streaming services like Netlix are not nearly as nice through Plex. Frankly, I don't think any computer can touch a dedicated streaming device in terms of interface for Netflix, etc.

IF, however, I had a spare computer with fast networking, then I would instead plug the 2TB drive into the computer, share it so that other computers could access the files, and install the Plex Media Server on the computer.

I think I'm leaning toward that. I have Plex installed on this computer, but it's got some quirks that I don't love. I also just downloaded XBMC to look at, because (if I understand this correctly), I could use an app on my phone or iPad to control it. It's like living in the future.

So to clarify, my suggestion:

Pick a computer (an always-on desktop will be best) to be your server. Attach a large drive and put all media on it. Install Plex Media Server on that computer.

For playback, install Plex Media client on any computers that want to stream from the server. For playback on the TV, buy a $50 Roku streaming stick or $100 Roku 3 and install the Plex channel on it. It will come with Netflix installed, so you should be all set.

Oops! Sorry.

I prefer XBMC to Plex for playing media back on one computer. Plex's strength is in serving content to lots of other computers. And, most importantly for my suggestion the Roku. Or the Chromecast, for that matter, if you want to save $15 and like controlling it from your phone.

Cool, thanks for the advice.

Edit: Also, I could seldom get the Plex client to play on my machine. It would inexplicably freeze. But I might try it again when I start over.