I had an ad play before I started a movie from my personal library today. I know what you’re thinking. “No, you didn’t.” That’s why I’m here. I’m not sure how it happened.
I immediately thought I must have selected something from Plex’s online library. I’ve seen the posts before and thought the poster at the time MUST have accidentally selected an online movie. I went back to the title page and didn’t see any option to play the movie from the Plex library. I verified that the one I was watching was from my own collection. I did a search for the movie, and it only shows availability from my library. I verified that online sources were already disabled for media. I did see that the option to show availabilities from other streaming services is enabled, but I don’t know if that can cause it.
I have looked from outside my server, and the movie IS available from Plex. I just don’t see any options to start it that way on my server.
If I started it online, I can’t see how. If someone can help me figure out what happened, I’ really appreciate it. I pulled the logs shortly after it happened, so I have them available if they will help.
There aren’t ads in front of personal media. There isn’t a function for it and it would open a huge rights\licensing issue for Plex if there was so at the very least it’s a big legal and cost issue for them not just a “we promise” situation.
The most common place to accidentally hit a Plex Library vs Personal Library title is in the Cast screen I think. Even if you have all online sources turned off there’s a “known for” row that will include titles from Plex Library. You can also get to Plex Library titles if you are browsing a cast filmography list as well. It’s nice to have that row for that Cast listing but it will open the Plex Library, not your personal library, if you hit a title in that row instead of your own personal media row and it’s easy to accidentally do that. Does that maybe fit?
There was a bug, on Roku at least, that the “plex movies and tv” row was also showing even with online sources turned off but I think that was fixed so just make sure you’re up-to-date.
That could be it. I believe it was in the “known for” row. I thought it was odd since I hadn’t seen ads start when I started movies from there before. That’s why I was trying to figure out how it could have happened.
It’s good to know. Thanks for the info. I thought I was going crazy at first.
