Basically, I just want the user to be able to see a photo (or photos), and get the file local. I might look at some workaround, but this really should be core functionality. They may as well get rid of the photos feature until it is, as it is just misleading.
All it is good for right now, is showing a slideshow on the TV. I’ve been able to do that for a long, long time many other ways. That wouldn’t be worth adding my photos to Plex. I sure hope that wasn’t the goal!!!
My devices can play the original files. I just need a way to get them to the device. And, I’m talking universally, no matter the device type or client. Just downloading the file should be an option everywhere. If necessary, put up a disclaimer that direct download file might be incompatible with the player.
IMO, from a UI perspective, it would be better if this WERE NOT part of the sync functionality. In other words, a separate button/selection.
Newer devices are much better at this, but Plex was initially designed when mobile devices had very little power. By using the devices native capabilities, it allowed much better performance. Trying to software decode, which is what’s being done by other apps and now by Plex mobile apps, required quite a bit of power. Have you tried playing a 40 Mbps HEVC file on a 2-3 year old phone that doesn’t support HEVC?
Sure, but not everyone really understands what they are doing. They load a program, click on a few presets and boom, they have a file. You’d be surprised by the number of times I’ve seen files encoded to H264 with 20 ref frames, because it creates smaller files.
We had that with the direct play option and that didn’t help. We have a big disclaimer and several confirmation buttons when deleting your Plex account, but people still accidentally do it.
The primary purpose is to make sure videos will play.
Plex Web is not going away. There were initial thoughts of stopping support for Plex Media Player but that’s been reversed.
OK, yes, I’m not talking about sync, though I could see that being useful if someone wants to take a local album with them when not online. But, I’m just talking about the ability to select a photo or photos, and then get them local (ie. maybe save somewhere on a Mac, or put them in Photos on iOS, etc.).
If that is possible, I’d love some instructions, as maybe I’m just missing the UI element or something. I’ve seen a ‘download’ option on my iPad, but couldn’t figure out where the file went, if it indeed worked. I don’t see that option on my Mac or web (on the server).
I’m not sure where the files are being saved (not an iOS user) but that is saving them somewhere. I think maybe into your iPhoto library.
On Web, hover over the photo, click on the vertical 3 dots, there is an option to download. This is only available for the admin, since there may be copyright concerns over photos. Shared users cannot get the original, but they can right click and save the image on the screen. If you want to share the full size file, you’ll need to do it outside of Plex.
Note, as an end user, my concern shouldn’t be about your legacy reasons for doing things. This has been an issue for years now, and devices have been capable of much more for years. If you wait until everything possible can be played, you’ll never be able to implement such a feature.
Then sync is for them. Why remove functionality for the rest of us?
Did you also have the sync/encode at that time? Were they separate options?
People will always find ways to screw up the most simple of things. You’d have to shut Plex down to account for everything. It seems you’re being a bit overly protective at the expense of limiting something a lot of people want/need.
Hours or days later? Again, I’m not saying download is THE way, or should be the default. I’m saying it should be an option. Sync is the ‘easy’ button, but download should be an option too. Heck, make it a power-user option you have to enable in the advanced settings.
Hmm, that’s interesting, because I was instructed by Plex not too long ago to move to the Plex app on my Mac instead of the web access. Maybe I misread it, but it sounded like some functionality would be going away if I didn’t. So, I followed the instructions.
His very first response stated to you very clearly that it’s coming. I’m not sure why you’re still harping on this.
Quite possibly because it’s a much more capable player than the web version. Not all Plex apps are created equal due to various limitations at either the software level or the hardware level of the device.
By local, I mean on-device (instead of pulling it up from the server). For example, maybe my wife is going to put our Christmas photo book together while at Starbucks. She brings up our Plex photo library, selects a couple dozen photos, then downloads them ‘local’ to her device to edit and put that photo album together.
Saying, OK honey, what you need to do is select this ‘get info’ icon on Plex. Then copy down or remember that file location you see. Then, we’ll have to set you up with file-server access to the Plex box, so that you can go find those files and copy them local. Um, that probably won’t fly. It wouldn’t even fly for me, and I know how to do it!
I’m just trying to use Plex as a basic photo collection/browsing place, with what normal people do with photos. Nothing special or crazy.
Yeah, that’s what I’m trying to figure out too. I assumed it would go there (though in current iOS, it would have to ask permission, which it didn’t). I also used the new Files app to look around, and couldn’t find it anywhere obvious. I’ll have to investigate more. My hunch is that maybe it didn’t actually download at all.
Ahh, so that explains why I’m not seeing it everywhere. Only on Web version (so when is it coming to the rest?), but also for admin only? That sucks. Copyright concerns, seriously?
Is that what is holding up the ‘original’ version of the video file too? I guess that means the feature isn’t actually ever coming then, if it is some kind of legal thing. If so, let us know so we can move on. I’m not sure just letting the whole family be admin is a good solution either. And, wouldn’t there still be copyright issues? Not all admin-users are honest, right?
Interesting, I got it to work now. Maybe some update to server/client? I get a bit different interface, as I’m not on iOS 13 yet (will be soon, I think it seems almost ready to go now).
I also saw, literally, the word ‘download’ maybe that was the Web version I’m thinking of. Anyway, previously (my memory is jogged now), when I picked ‘Save to Files’ nothing happened. This time, a pane came up allowing me to pick which location (cloud) or app to send it to, and it worked.
Now, can we just get that functionality everywhere? It would be great if we could pick multiple photos, but at least this is workable.
Oddly, it kept the same resolution, but seems to have converted it from a jpeg to a png. That’s odd.
I don’t want it to try and figure it out, though, I just want it to download and let me figure out what to do with the file… play it if possible, or just store it so I can play it with something else.
Again, the mess seems to be that they are making this insanely complicated by trying to make the sync function do it all. And, haven’t they been saying ‘coming soon’ for years now? So, I guess we keep harping.
Maybe, but it didn’t seem in regard to players or anything. The notice talked like I needed to move to the client as something was going away. I can’t recall if it was an email or a notice when I launched the web access. I’ll have to see if I can find it.
The problem with Photos/iCloud is that it isn’t much good for a family sharing a photo library. First, you have to pay for the service. OK, but that’s multiple things to pay for. But, more the problem, it has to download the entire library to each device, and then it tries to manage it all and make it magically work.
Kind of like it sounds Plex has gone awry with trying to make sync a do-it-all thing, Apple has tried to make Photos and iCloud magically auto-manage everything, so it becomes useless to anything but the most simplistic use-cases.
What I want, is a local (on my network) or even cloud (so long as I can back it up) repository of photos with an interface that makes it easy to browse, make collections, and then DOWNLOAD what I need from that library.
It’s amazing that everything I’ve looked at messes up one aspect or another. Plex has the library thing down, if they’d just fix the download aspect. (Which it appears they can’t or won’t do due to copyright? We took the photos with our cameras and phones, so I’m pretty sure we own the rights. )
Before the paragraphs were crossed out.
I’m also not familiar with all the terms and nuances yet for the components.
Interesting, though, I re-noticed the ‘Downloads’ feature, which didn’t seem to work when I tested it after seeing that post (it seemed to still sync), but I just tried it again on a couple movies and it seemed to actually download them.
So, when is that coming to the other clients, as that seems to be what I’m talking about. Or, did I just luckily pick a couple movies in a format that it presumes are supported?
The new desktop apps do indeed do straight downloads (as mentioned previously). They have since they launched. They do not transcode anything (and as previously mentioned, some folks would like them to )
As far as when for mobile clients, Plex typically doesn’t post timelines / ETAs.
Well, that’s good for me on the desktop at least. Then why all the debate, excuses, trying to say we don’t need it, etc.? They could just say it is coming (and it would be nice to have a rough idea when, for sure).
But, why one or the other? Out of one ditch into the other? LOL
That said, since most media consumption happens on mobile devices, especially when traveling or such, I’m still a bit stuck until it gets to the iOS client. And, then the photos thing.
Looks like Emby does both (download photos and videos) and I can run both servers at the same time (crosses fingers), so I’ll try that and see which I like better (or I suppose worst case, both).
Ah…Timelines… If they really are important to you then Plex is definitely a bad option for you. There’s more chance of winning EuroMillions 3 weeks in a row (without ever buying a ticket.)
We may not like it, but many of us over the years have learned to live with the fact that Plex don’t do timelines.
The desktop app is a much more capable client and will play just about anything. So there is a lot less chance of downloading a file that can’t be played.
I’m not sure just letting the whole family be admin is a good solution either. And, wouldn’t there still be copyright issues? Not all admin-users are honest, right?
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