Why wont Plex fix so that we dont have to unpack rar files?
Everything I download i packed in .rar then I program has to unpack it for Plex.
Kodi doesnt have to do this so it shouldnt be a problem.
Please please fix this in plex
You might want to read this comment.
A) There’s no advantage to trying to double-compress media you’ve ripped from your own media, which is what Plex is designed for.
B) Adding special support for downloaded media means endorsing copyright violations which is specifically against what Plex wants. Doing so would invite litigation which could result in the end of Plex, which no one here wants.
To add a little: I have a few friends that send me videos (home videos or, in a few cases, ones they want me to look at for their companies, and make recommendations) in RAR format. I have explained to them they are gaining nothing and I have even sent articles explaining that but they will not change so I have given up and just accept them and use WinZip to put them back together and then copy them into one of my home video libraries.
It would be convenient if Plex played these files directly BUT it is not hard to get them into a “Plex” form so I REALLY hope Plex sticks to their guns and NEVER adds support. Their development time is better spent in most anything else. I have even written a little batch script that I can drop the RAR directory onto and it magically does the whole task for me. It is easy enough so that I only notice because it is a task I have to do. It takes about 10 seconds of my time and a bit more of my computer’s.
.rar
Wow, that takes me back… I can’t believe nobody has tried to improve on that. Not Plex, they are doing a great job. I mean the “arghh me matey” folks who are passing this outdated file extension around.
I understand, we all want our cake and eat it too. But don’t complain to these guys that your pirate scene is going to ■■■■ because you can’t seed and watch this ill gotten file…
Personally, I prefer Kodi for ease of use. Plex has it’s purpose, but playing .rar is not nor ever will be a mission of Plex. I read that in 2012, and went with XBMC because of it.
But trust me, my bitching about it did as much as my boycott. Plex is still here, 5 yrs later, and I’m still trying to figure out how to best use this awesome software, in conjunction with the plethora of available apps out there.
Wow. Must congratulate you on digging up this topic 
