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Plex Media Player Now Doesn't Require a Subscription; Pass Users Get Kodi Plug-in (engadget.com)

Posted by msmash on from the good-things dept.

Plex and Kodi, two popular home theater apps, can get both of them together. Plex has announced its new Kodi add-on so you can include your Plex library in Kodi (provided you're a Pass user). From a report on Engadget: The new plugin includes most of the features you'd come to expect from Plex, which means it'll play back nearly any video or music format and cleverly categorize your media library. It simply lets you run the two media centers simultaneously without losing any of your customizations. It's currently only available to Plex Pass subscribers (it will be released publicly soon) and it doesn't yet work with Plex Companion remote control, but it does sport a brand new user interface (UI) that Plex says helps to "showcase some of our new thinking."

84 comments

  1. English motherfucker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Plex and Kodi, two popular home theater apps, can get both of them together.

    1. Re:English motherfucker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Even once you manage to parse the language, it's still not clear what the story's about. Why would you want to run two HT apps, except maybe as a short term thing if your swtiching? Normally you pick one, and that's your ten-foot interface for your HTPC. Even if the Plex library features are better than Kodi's, that wouldn't justify installing up two whole separate HT software suites, and then accessing the library of one of them via a plugin in the other, that sounds so kludgy.

    2. Re:English motherfucker by slaker · · Score: 4, Informative

      Re: Why run two?

      Kodi for highly customizable local access and Plex Media Server for external access and transcoding for STBs, mobile devices and less capable clients (cough iOS cough)

      Plex has had user authentication for a while, something that Kodi just got recently, and it's easier on Plex to track viewing where Kodi needs the gymnastics of a third-party database and some time investment to get that running.
      On the other hand, Kodi is much more flexible for playback formats and presentation, and it has a much better addon ecosystem. Plex has Channels but they're an afterthought for most people, and the Plex presentation on a given client probably sucks unless you really love scrolling through long lists one title at a time.

      --
      -- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
    3. Re:English motherfucker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Plex has a server component, where as kodi doesn't. This would make it so you wouldn't have to do path stuff and use the experimental mysql back end to share media between multiple ht setups. Say living room/ bedroom.

    4. Re:English motherfucker by Junta · · Score: 1

      It's not so kludgy really.

      I use emby as my media server. It provides a shared point and tv/movie metadata and eyecandy like shots and all. Their frontend (and plex's) is not that good in my opinion.

      Kodi is good when you are using a single system and that's it. There is hypothetically some semblance of shared library, but it's hard and doesn't work that well.

      Right now I have mythtv (haven't found a better working PVR backend with scheduling) and emby for managing my video content at a central location and each TV and mobile device in the house pulls everything from that while running Kodi.

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    5. Re:English motherfucker by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      Kodi for highly customizable local access and Plex Media Server for external access and transcoding for STBs, mobile devices and less capable clients (cough iOS cough)

      Why do you NEED to transcode? VLC on iOS will play the raw media files. I use it to play shows directly downloaded from my Tivo.

    6. Re:English motherfucker by afxgrin · · Score: 1

      Wireless links, remote users when you have limited upload bandwidth and mobile streaming if you don't want to rape your data plan.

  2. Full Circle. by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Plex started off as OSXBMC a fork of the XBMC when the XBMC devs were focused heavily on Windows/Linux.

  3. Which? What? Maybe a link? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A Kodi plug-in for Plex or a Plex plug-in for Kodi? I use both but for different reasons. A link to the Plex dev blog maybe?

  4. Fake news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Who cares? Please talk more about fake news and how we can silence conservatives under the guise of protecting everyone.

    1. Re:Fake news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You aren't conservatives, and you aren't being "silenced". But do keep harping on your fashionable persecution fantasies like the good little tumblrina that you are.

    2. Re:Fake news by Stuarticus · · Score: 2

      For someone who is being silenced you sure do talk a lot.

      --
      If you think someone isn't free to have a different definition of "freedom" you may be a tyrant.
  5. F Cloud auth by rtkluttz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I absolutely will not use any product that requires me to authenticate to something outside my firewall to access something inside my firewall. They don't get to know what when where I am accessing my shit.

    --
    Digital is, by definition, imperfect. Analog is the way to go.
    1. Re:F Cloud auth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I'm actually surprised that someone hasn't made a plex-de-auth patch / plugin / crack / etc...

      Because I'm all for OSS and I'm all for paying for software (even closed source) but I'm NOT fine with paying a subscription for something that I don't think should need outside access....

      This is the same reason why I don't have a smart thermostat....

    2. Re:F Cloud auth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      You do release this is optional. And even if you do require authentication, you can whitelist IP and IP ranges that don't require authentication. I whitelist the IPs for my Rokus, FireTV, etc.

    3. Re:F Cloud auth by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      That's probably why Plex made this plugin. Too many people were just using Kodi, and ignoring Plex. This is just Plex saying "Hey, I'm Mr Meeseeks! Look at me!"

    4. Re:F Cloud auth by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 2

      Then you haven't researched smart thermostats enough.

      Radio Thermostat Company of America has an API (you can run you thermostat with bash scripts and curl if you want).

      For others like my Carrier/Bryant there's a Perl project that MITM it so it can't talk to the outside. (Which doesn't require an subscription fee)

    5. Re:F Cloud auth by SScorpio · · Score: 2

      I still run Kodi on my HTPC and have used PleXMBC for several years. The Plex player app was never that good, and Kodi is excellent from an interface perspective. But Kodi only had a shared library back-end database with no official stream lined daemon.

      I'm not a fan of how uncustomize-able Plex is, but it's library is really nice to have. Being able to use Kodi at home, but then fire up Plex on my phone and stream something from my server to a Chromecast at a friend's house is great. Also having kids be able to use tablets since who watches TV now days, but keeping everything synced is well beyond what Kodi does.

    6. Re:F Cloud auth by silas_moeckel · · Score: 1

      Yea because no zwave or a million other smart thermostats exist?

      --
      No sir I dont like it.
    7. Re:F Cloud auth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You absolutely don't need a Plex account to use Plex. It fights you during installation of the client, presenting a deceptive UI that makes it look like an account is required, but it is not. The clients will still work on iOS/Android/PCs, but I think some of the embedded ones (like TiVo or TVs) won't.

      Without a Plex account, you lose some of the feature set (streaming stuff externally, tracking usage/last played among multiple users, etc). Of course on the other hand there is no list outside your network of everything you are playing or could play, so that's an acceptable trade off to me.

      Source: Run very large Plex media server, don't have Plex account, Plex server is non routable to the internet and doesn't ask to try (I've checked, although Untangle wouldn't allow it if it did).

    8. Re:F Cloud auth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Plex Server does come with a setting that allows you to specify a network that does not require authentication. There are also plugins made for XBMC/Kodi that allows it to communicate with Plex: PlexBMC and PlexConnect.

    9. Re:F Cloud auth by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      Doesn't it need to go outside your firewall so that you can connect to it from the outside? Or rather, so that _Joe User_ can connect from the outside? Specifically, to connect outside-your-home users to your home through a third party, because your cable company could give you a different IP address?

    10. Re:F Cloud auth by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      zwave thermostats still "require" outside access unless you hack it, unless things have changed relatively recently. I'm looking at acquiring a Radio Thermostat Company product for my needs, so corrections are particular pertinent. I'm looking to playing with my rooted wink hub this holiday season.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    11. Re: F Cloud auth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      streaming stuff externally

      My VPN says otherwise. And it's more secure than anything the plex numpties would expose to the greater Internet.

    12. Re:F Cloud auth by silas_moeckel · · Score: 1

      No hacks required zwave is a local non IP RF protocol it would be impossible for it to require outside access it has no concept of it, zwave hubs like vera support disconnected operations as a feature (openhab if you want OSS).

      Now your hub choice a wink might want/need internet connectivity but just get a better hub.

      I like those guys thermostats picked up 4 CT22's new off ebay for less than 100 total (looks like a ge badged model is 15 ish right now), and they have been working great for a few years. I have a much fancier one thats in my formal dining room touch screen color I never touch the thing it was a waste. That may just be a different design goal some people love the hey look I can do this on my phone etc HA I like they my house does things intelligently and I dont need to think about it, it just works.

      --
      No sir I dont like it.
    13. Re:F Cloud auth by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      You pushed me over the hump to buy a couple of the RTs.

      As for hubs, when I picked up the wink, there weren't yet many choices. I haven't gone back to see what's there now. Plus, I had another requirement at the time, which no longer applies.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    14. Re:F Cloud auth by silas_moeckel · · Score: 1

      Like I said no problems with them. I do a bit of ugly code in openhab to change when the setback begins and ends for my radiant floor heating zones thats the one thing the nest things is supposed to learn. Really it only matters on something with a big lag like a huge concrete slab.

      Zwave hubs can be hard to find the vera 3 I use was released in 2011 3 years before wink, homeseer is pretty ancient released in 99 and picked up zwave support in 03.

      --
      No sir I dont like it.
  6. W00t a hundredandeleventyone!!!! by Hognoxious · · Score: 1, Funny

    I have no idea what any of it means, but I'm sure it's awesome.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:W00t a hundredandeleventyone!!!! by Lieutenant_Dan · · Score: 1

      Agreed. I cancelled all my meetings today after this /. item showed up. I may even give two weeks' notice now.

      --
      Wearing pants should always be optional.
  7. Can someone explain why this is cool? by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 1

    I use Kodi nee XBMC at home. I have my media library on an SMB server, and it works pretty well with 2Kodi and some VLC clients scattered across iOS and some PCs. Why would i want plex?

    1. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by 110010001000 · · Score: 1

      Sometimes people want to leave their house. I know, its crazy but true.

    2. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I use Kodi nee XBMC at home. I have my media library on an SMB server, and it works pretty well with 2Kodi and some VLC clients scattered across iOS and some PCs. Why would i want plex?

      Kodi? koe-dee? Doesn't sound cool.

      Plex. Pl-Ex - rhymes with sex. Much cooler sounding name.

      And judging by your description of your media infrastructure in your home, it looks as though you need a girlfriend.

    3. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The biggest benefit of PLEX from what I've been able to tell (mind you I've only looked at it from a 30,000 ft perspective) is that PLEX lets you re-encode on the fly media so that it matches the device you are watching on....

      But that then requires a MUCH beefier PLEX/FTP server than a simple SMB/FTP server.... .So... honestly I have no legit reason to give you... I wonder what others will say...

    4. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by jedidiah · · Score: 1

      > Sometimes people want to leave their house. I know, its crazy but true.

      In that case I just copy stuff onto my phone.

      If I am away from home, chances are that I am completely disconnected from my home machine or such access is prohibitively expensive.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    5. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by jedidiah · · Score: 1

      > The biggest benefit of PLEX from what I've been able to tell (mind you I've only looked at it from a 30,000 ft perspective) is that PLEX lets you re-encode on the fly media so that it matches the device you are watching on....

      That's become much less of a problem as tech has moved forward from the iPad1 days. Newer mobile devices shouldn't need the plex server to transcode for them.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    6. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by kamapuaa · · Score: 1

      Plex is easier and does the same thing, with an attractive interface. Running a samba server and copying files isn't difficult, but it's time wasted when an easier solution exists. Plus, doing this via Plex means you always have access to your full library.

      If I'm away from home, I have a phone with 4G (unlimited data for $50/month), or maybe I run wifi at work.

      It's so easy and works so well, I see it as a no-brainer. You don't need a subscription pass for many use cases; I don't have one and my wife and I run Plex off computers, phones, TV, Roku, and tablets.

      --
      Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
    7. Re: Can someone explain why this is cool? by slaker · · Score: 1

      Plex is supported on hardware that won't run Kodi, like a lot of Smart TVs and iOS. You can also use it to share access to content with other Plex users, so for example my brother in Prague can watch stuff on my server without me having to walk him through setting up a VPN connection

      --
      -- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
    8. Re: Can someone explain why this is cool? by slaker · · Score: 1

      The Plex server can also govern the bit rate being delivered, which can be a lot more efficient if CPU cycles are less precious than bandwidth.

      --
      -- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
    9. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I use Kodi nee XBMC at home. I have my media library on an SMB server, and it works pretty well with 2Kodi and some VLC clients scattered across iOS and some PCs. Why would i want plex?

      PLEX has more media server features which make media libraries (not directories) easier to access from various common devices. I use KODI for videos/movies but have moved to PLEX for music, primarily because of Chromecast Audio compatibility. KODI has some UPNP/DLNA type features, but they are pretty rudimentary and aren't that useful outside of KODI clients.

    10. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by pr0fessor · · Score: 2

      Probably because it's easy to setup and supports streaming for most of your devices out of the box cell phones, roku, fire TV, apple TV, chromecast, xbox, playstation, and a lot of smart TVs. one click mobile sync....

    11. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 1

      Not sure about the media infrastructure quip... please let me in on the joke? seriously... im not sure if you're saying i have too much invested or too little (my SMB server is a router with a hard drive, not a lot of time invested there).

      As far as my household, i have a wife and twin infant kids. we put all the movies on the SMB server, then the big tv in the basement (for movie night) or the smaller one in the den (kids programs mostly) get it. or we watch something in bed on the laptop. For travel we use VLC on the ipad and copy things locally.

    12. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 1

      this makes sense. wife got me into sonos.. which is a pain with my media library. id like to move to FreeNAS with plex, but no free time to do this.

    13. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not sure about the media infrastructure quip... please let me in on the joke? seriously... im not sure if you're saying i have too much invested or too little (my SMB server is a router with a hard drive, not a lot of time invested there)

      I'll translate for you. What the GP meant was "I am insecure about my own intelligence and technical ability. I am also intensely jealous of, and intimidated by, your ability to accomplish a moderately complex task. Furthermore, I am too immature to face these personality flaws like an adult, so now I will make up some sophomoric bullshit and project it onto you in a sad and ultimately futile attempt to distract myself from my own crippling inadequacies."

    14. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      Kodi's only documented centralized library feature is through a RDBMS and it only works if all clients have the same version of Kodi. Kodi headless mode is undocumented and woe to you if you want to get it working. Plex provides a shared media library which handles metadata for all clients. If you have many clients, and you would like the all to be able to use the same metadata so you only have to manage that once, you want to use Plex. (Or you want headless Kodi to be documented... but HAHAHA)

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    15. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or... To put it simply... I'm jealous of your technical abilities so I'm going to make fun of you.

    16. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Sometimes people want to leave their house. I know, its crazy but true.

      Kodi runs on my cellphone. I know, it's crazy but true.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    17. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 1

      I hope not. I mean, some random dude putting a hard drive on a wifi router and connecting a couple XBMC/kodi instances isn't all that hard. If that intimidates you, then you probably shuoldn't be on a geek website where people can do a thousand times better than that all day long.

    18. Re:Can someone explain why this is cool? by afxgrin · · Score: 1

      Ah yes the sane choice - I'd rather not have my wife bitching at me either.

  8. The actual announcement by clifwlkr · · Score: 3, Informative

    https://www.plex.tv/blog/plex-...

    A bit more insight into this in the announcement from the company itself rather than an article on the announcement.

  9. "showcase some of our new thinking" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "How can we make users pay *US* for them to access their OWN content, on THEIR servers"...?

    1. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by clifwlkr · · Score: 4, Informative

      Honestly it is much more than that. Like a song you are listening to? You can queue up a 'plex mix' which queues other songs similar to the one you are listening to. Actually works pretty good. Need to transcode that video from a codec not supported on your playback device? Plex does this. I even have one running on a raspberry pi in my truck with my music on it. I have an android car radio, and run their client as my music in the truck. Can pick a genre, song, etc and queue a plex mix while I am driving. All running on Linux. Also downloads and manages trailers for movies, etc. Want to watch a movie or listen to a song while at your hotel on business, or on the road? Plex provides an interface for that as well, with bandwidth optimization with re-encoding.

      BTW, most of this functionality is available in the free version. If you want some of the more advanced features, you can choose to pay them for it. I pay for the pass primarily because I want to support their development of a server that really is great for all your media.

      Or you could simply use an SMB share for all your music and hunt around by filename. A very different experience. I haven't even scratched the surface on the organizational capabilities for large collections that plex provides.

    2. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by jedidiah · · Score: 1

      The only really interesting thing you mentioned is "Music DNA" and there's really only one app that does that right and it's not Plex.

      As far as portable music goes... something like the empeg was an interesting idea in the 90s but not so much now.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    3. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sounds like a bunch of shit for idiots that don't know what song they want to hear next. Such people should just kill themselves. Really.

    4. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by clifwlkr · · Score: 1

      Sounds like a response from an AC who maybe doesn't have a job and can take the time to queue up all songs manually..... Sometimes it is nice to just have songs chosen for you that you might not actually have thought of as related, while you are doing another task such as working or driving. I am sorry that my choice to enjoy this feature deserves my extermination in your eyes. AC's opinion is noted duly....

    5. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      By offering a unique, quality service. I bought the lifetime pass last year when it was on sale because it's such a nice server interface and saves a lot of time versus trying to set up an assortment of barely functional other tools strung together with clunky scripts. I have apps for all my mobile devices to stream/download my music and video from the server, I can access my files while out of town.

    6. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "How can we make users pay *US* for them to access their OWN content, on THEIR servers"...?

      or

      How can we make users pay to have an EASY way to access their own content that is CONSISTENT across multiple client platforms and HANDLES all formats regardless of client.

    7. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by slaker · · Score: 1

      Can you clarify what product has a working "music DNA" function? I'd love to see something like that actually work. In my experience and for my taste (contemporary classical music) it seems that nothing does what it's supposed to.

      --
      -- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
    8. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >Like a song you are listening to? You can queue up a 'plex mix' which queues other songs similar to the one you are listening to. Actually works pretty good.

      This is a bug not a feature. If one wants to listen to one band, (not a mix of algorithmically similar selections), what then? Must we really suffer mixes put together by programs rather than hear a whole album?

    9. Re:"showcase some of our new thinking" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You do realize you can play the whole album too..... The plex mix is not the only option....

  10. Yo dawg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    We put a Plex in your Kodi so you can media while you media.

  11. Plex Pass - for what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have been using Plex for a while now, and it is great - my videos are available wherever I have an Internet connection, and my friends can access them as well. All this for no charge. I have yet to find a reason to pay for the Plex Pass; they keep encouraging me to get it, but they have yet to give me a good rising to justify it. Can anybody explain what is so great about the Plex Pass that warrants the monthly fee for it?

    1. Re:Plex Pass - for what? by clifwlkr · · Score: 1

      There are several additional features available through it such as photo tagging, fingerprinting of music, better grouping of songs to give you a 'plex mix' option, and early access to new features.

      The best reason to pay for the pass is the same reason as any other open source software. If you don't pony up some money when you find software like this useful, it will cease to exist. If you want new features and new capabilities down the road, the best way to ensure this is to give them the few dollars to help keep them going. It's not like their price is unreasonable for what they deliver.

      Ultimately your choice, as the free version is definitely very capable, but I choose to support their efforts with real dollars.

    2. Re:Plex Pass - for what? by SScorpio · · Score: 1

      The big feature is offline syncing. If you travel or have a commute you can configure it to sync shows or movies. It will transcode them on to your phone/tablet and you can watch them without a data connection. When you reconnect to your network it will sync the play status and automatically transfer over new episodes you haven't watched yet.

      There used to be more features that required it, but they keep moving those over to the free tier after they've been out for a while. Chromecast streaming was one of the killer Plex Pass features when it was first released.

      Now, there isn't much reason besides offline support to subscribe unless you want to support the project. I did jump into a Plex Pass before they doubled the price, but the onetime fee is much better IMO.

    3. Re:Plex Pass - for what? by slaker · · Score: 1

      The only place where offline syncing is even all that interesting is iOS clients, since everything else has some kind of facility for directly copying the files you'd like to watch. You can't sync from a shared library, either. So either you have the technical knowledge to set up a Plex Media Server and point it to all your data but NOT the understanding of how to move a 2GB file on to a mobile device using an SD card or FTP/SMB client, or Offline Syncing isn't that big of a deal either unless your mobile OS prohibits FTP/SMB/SD Cards.

      --
      -- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
    4. Re:Plex Pass - for what? by SScorpio · · Score: 1

      Hmm.. sitting in my house I connected to my brother's Plex server with my Android phone. I selected a TV series to sync and it started remotely downloading the transcoded file.

      It's true with non-iOS devices you can just copy the media directly. But having the files automatically transcoded is nice. I don't notice a difference between 1080p and 720p on my phone's 5" screen so why take up more storage on it when I could just hold more content. But keep the full file on the server.

      You might not care about syncing watch status, but for people who keep a large library, that can be a huge feature.

  12. This probably isn't really news by slaker · · Score: 2

    I'm not sure why this is news, since PlexBMC has been an available plug-in for Kodi for at least the past several years.

    I suppose it's just a matter of that the Plex plugin for Kodi was essentially a DLNA client, which the usual crummy presentation that goes along with that, but IIRC it did show friends' Shared Libraries.

    I use Kodi at home for personal media access, but I have a Plex Server that shares the same content for external access as well. I hardly ever use it, but I certainly can. The libraries between the two are already lined up, though Kodi and Plex each have their own database and metadata storage. If the two can reconcile those two things so that I only need one back-end for both, that's something I care about.

    (Why Kodi/SPMC over Plex? Kodi offers better support for high resolution audio and has support for third-party tools for video playback, just in case I feel like throwing a GTX1080 at 4k upscaling or something).

    If, on the other hand, this is just about getting a more polished interface for Plex libraries in Kodi than the one I had via the old Plex plugin, all I can say is "meh."

    I'm a lifetime Plex Pass member, but they haven't done anything in years that makes me think a Plex Pass is anything but a donation to the project. I don't care about Kodi integration. I'd rather they work on getting music libraries to suck less or improve content filtering than get cloud streaming or Kodi integration or whatever other bullshit they've been doing lately.

    --
    -- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
  13. add some clarity... hopefully by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    PLEX Server has always been free. A while back, the PLEX Player, costing $4.99 to register and then install on as many devices as you like, started requiring users to log in to a PLEX run server before you could access your own media (crazy!)... BUT at the same time, they forked PLEX so now you could actually use the PLEX "Classic" Player completely free, AND without logging in to any PLEX owned servers (download on github). The only catch, it didn't get official updates.

    This article is pointing out that the "Official" PLEX Player is now free (I assume) and no longer requires you to log in to their server to access you own media (I've confirmed). You never actually had to purchase any subscription (PLEX PASS), just the one time $4.99 fee mentioned above. PLEX PASS is primarily for those wanting to access their media remotely, or share access to their media with family and friends at remote distances. Of course there are ways to achieve this without a PP account too. ;)

    The KODI add-on brings some features & functionality and skin alternatives PLEX would otherwise not have. Anyone who has used both, knows this. This article seems to claim it is only available to PLEX PASS subscribers, but an unofficial KODI add-on has been out for a while.

  14. Plex never *required* a subscription by kalpol · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You can run Plex just fine without a subscription. I run the backend locally on my media server with the Myth plugin and the frontends on Roku and on my phone. It pesters you to create a subscription but you can skip that and just set it up without one. Then I VPN to watch content remotely, without going through the Plex cloud or whatever it is.

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    12:50 - press return.
    1. Re:Plex never *required* a subscription by CastrTroy · · Score: 1

      Yep. I've been using Plex for years without a subscription. I don't use the feature for viewing outside my house, so I just never really had a need to subscribe. Using a VPN to connect into your home network would be the perfect way to avoid the whole Plex Cloud for authenticating to get access to your own stuff.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  15. Sorry but no. by spire3661 · · Score: 1

    My KODI box is independent and only streams local stuff. Its a vault of stability and security in an ever changing software landscape. No logins, it just works. No thanks Plex. Full disclaimer: I have a lifetime sub to Plex, still dont want my Plex players to co-mingle with my KODI players.

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    Good-bye
  16. Editors by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

    "Plex and Kodi, two popular home theater apps, can get both of them together."

    Editors are your friend, USE THEM.

    For fuck's sake, this is embarrassing. Do you guys even read the submissions or is it just a matter of managing to get the cursor over the "Publish" button?

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    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
  17. Plex vs Kodi for Audio(interface, FLAC, playlists) by cayenne8 · · Score: 1
    Maybe you and others can help me. I'm debating which of the two, Kodi or Plex to use.

    I'm setting my living room home theater again. I'm cutting the cord.

    I'm using Amazon FireTV boxes near each tv for streaming (netflix, amazon and PS VUE for 'cable channel streaming'). I have Tivo OTA Roamio in living room and Tivo minis in other rooms to DVR and stream local HD channels.

    In my living room, I'm setting up my good stereo again...THIS is where I'm looking mostly for Plex or Kodi.

    I am wanting to put all my good, high end rips of music in FLAC on a computer in my house somewhere...and be able to access that through my Amazon FireTV that hooks HDMI into my new Marantz AV preamp/decoder, which I'll then enjoy to my speakers for when I just want quality music time. I figure this would be one of the easiest ways to have lossless music set up and play. I'm hoping Plex or Kodi would work for this?

    Which one would have the best front end, for just playing music (I know they both do other media)...can you make play lists on them both? Playing and choosing songs next to play in real time, etc?

    Is one better than the other at this? Is this functionality built in to ether..or are there plugins required..if so,w hat's the best plug ins?

    I know both can do video and other media and of course I'll use that too, but right now, ever since I get my good stereo up running again with the new AV unit, dual SET Tube amps and Klipschorns...I like to just jam to good music too and am trying to figure the best set up to do this with my equipment I've put together so far. Again, ONLY playing FLAC for lossless music.

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    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  18. Re:Plex vs Kodi for Audio(interface, FLAC, playlis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Both handle lossless just fine. For strictly music there is a trade-off. PLEX makes it easiest to centralize your media and access it from multiple devices. KODI has a nicer user interface and more pleasant experience scrolling through your libraries, and is very customizable as a interface. Kodi has more filters and allows you to most easily add your own artist artwork/fanart/etc.

    I use both actively, but more and more just use PLEX for music, primarily because of compatibility with Chromecast Audio, of which I have three and can play music in multiple rooms. Since there are Android and Roku playback apps, it presents the wider variety of easy playback options.

    Both are great. Kodi still is my preferred movie/video client.

    Whatever you choose to do, make sure you tag your music rips meticulously and consistently as you do it, and your experience on either will be much better.

  19. I prefer emby... by Junta · · Score: 2

    Plex Media server would be a relative resource hog when I tried it. That plus all the nickle and diming over plexpass made me go to an emby+kodi solution for that media.

    --
    XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    1. Re:I prefer emby... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I have just read about emby after reading your comment, and it has made me excited. Not in the TMI way, but in the this might be what I am looking for way, even though it depends on Mono. I'm going to download an Ubuntu image for my Pine A64+ stat. Hopefully that has enough gusto to do what I want to do with it. The data is already connected to the network via another ARM SBC (a pogoplug) which also has GigE.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:I prefer emby... by Junta · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I ended up just using their docker image. I would have preferred not to, but they don't manage their prereqs very well and end up wanting to install conflicting libraries. Still it's not too bad as it stands.

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    3. Re:I prefer emby... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I did the manual install on Ubuntu Xenial on my Pine64 and it worked well. I used the standard system ffmpeg, imagemagick, sqlite3, mono. You have to apt-get install mono-complete ffmpeg imagemagick ffmpeg

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:I prefer emby... by Junta · · Score: 1

      Yeah, for various reasons I'm running CentOS, so contending with some gnarly ancient libraries. They provide a CentOS7 repo, but conflict with versions required by base content without using localized libraries, so the container approach is the shortest answer.

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
  20. Re:Plex vs Kodi for Audio(interface, FLAC, playlis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    BTW, both have playlists. PLEX's are a bit easier to build, if you use a PC. KODI has a nice feature called 'smart playlists' which allow you to set criteria and automatically generate a list (genre, folder, artist, date, etc)

  21. Re:Plex vs Kodi for Audio(interface, FLAC, playlis by slaker · · Score: 2

    I'd say Kodi because I think Plex handles audio poorly; I don't really like its flat organizational structure and the ongoing inability to customize your view of that. Plex also insists on interacting with metadata I don't want it to. There's no way to fix Plex, so I just don't use it for music.

    I'm a big fan of using the Music Pump Kodi Remote for Android. I like the way I can browse my music from that and send the output to whatever Kodi device I feel like using with it. How useful that is depends on where and how you access Kodi devices; it's glacially slow on an Rpi or other old ARM device, but it's fast, fast, fast if your Kodi system is running on a decent x86 box. Kodi also gives you better options for playing back DTS-HD and other exotic formats, which is something to keep in mind of you have a multichannel setup and a bunch of SACD rips somewhere.

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    -- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
  22. So it STILL requires a subscription, then. by SeaFox · · Score: 1

    Article Title: Plex Media Player Now Doesn't Require a Subscription; Pass Users Get Kodi Plug-in

    Plex has announced its new Kodi add-on so you can include your Plex library in Kodi (provided you're a Pass user).

    PlexPass is a $4.99/mo subscription service!
    Plex's player apps have not required a PlexPass sub to use for awhile now, but you do have to pay fix bucks for the app. Plex claims the apps are free but they only work for one minute if you don't have a PlexPass, or pay the one-time $5 "activation fee". They should just be up front and charge for the app at install.

    1. Re:So it STILL requires a subscription, then. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've been using the app for free for quite some time now to cast music to my chromecast audios.

    2. Re:So it STILL requires a subscription, then. by SirMasterboy · · Score: 1

      Plex always releases the new features to plexpass users at first and then they become free later. They already said the official Kodi plugin will be able to be used by non-subscribers at a later date.

  23. Don't forget the not so secret FOSS sauce! by rectalfeeding · · Score: 1

    "How can we make users pay *US* for them to access their OWN content, on THEIR servers"...?

    ... utilizing Free and Open Source Software ...