General questions about the service

General Discussions
1

As with many of these cord-cutting options, there are few details available on the websites, and Plex seems to be no different. I have several questions.

The service will work on an Android box, but in order to do so, the Premium subscription has to be paid for. Is that correct? Alternatively, the app can be loaded onto a phone/tablet and streamed to a TV via Chromecast, but again, only in the Premium version, correct? The downloads page has a Kodi option. Does that require payment of the Premium service?

Does the service offer live TV? The Features page of the website seems to indicate that a separate OTA tuner is required for live TV. If that’s the case, what does Plex offer? Without a tuner is it just an on demand service?

When I check my postal code for Canada, and select a provider (e.g., Rogers Digital) it shows a lengthy list of channels. Are ALL those channels (e.g., even premium cable channels like HBO, TMN, etc) available via your service? At no charge above the Premium subscription?

Is the content in full 1080 HD, or is it downsampled to a lower 720 resolution? I ask this because it seems any other content available through various Kodi add-ons is 720 only. I have yet to find any 1080 content.

Is it possible to change locations on the fly (e.g., switch from Rogers Digital Canada to a U.S. location/provider) to get access to U.S. channels not available in Canada (e.g., Showtime, ESPN, etc)?

Is there an On Demand component?

Does the DVR functionality actually work? Some other Kodi providers intimate at a DVR option, but none of those seem to work.

Thanks in advance.

2

Plex is not so much a service, as mainly a software.

@robt.fisher@rogers.com said:
The service will work on an Android box, but in order to do so, the Premium subscription has to be paid for. Is that correct?

Devices that are running an official “Android TV” get the app for free.
Devices which only run a generic “Android” (many China-boxes belong into this category) will have to pay for the app.
But the app is also included with a Plex Pass subscription.

Alternatively, the app can be loaded onto a phone/tablet and streamed to a TV via Chromecast, but again, only in the Premium version, correct?

Tablet devices and phones have to use the paid apps, yes.

The downloads page has a Kodi option. Does that require payment of the Premium service?

Not anymore.

Does the service offer live TV? The Features page of the website seems to indicate that a separate OTA tuner is required for live TV. If that’s the case, what does Plex offer? Without a tuner is it just an on demand service?

Plex doesn’t provide any content itself. (with the exception now of “Plex News”)
All content need to be supplied by you.
Either as a media File or via a tuner device which receives all stations available in your area - either over-the-air or unencrypted in your cable.

When I check my postal code for Canada, and select a provider (e.g., Rogers Digital) it shows a lengthy list of channels. Are ALL those channels (e.g., even premium cable channels like HBO, TMN, etc) available via your service? At no charge above the Premium subscription?

See above. You can only watch what’s available via your tuner device.

Is the content in full 1080 HD, or is it downsampled to a lower 720 resolution? I ask this because it seems any other content available through various Kodi add-ons is 720 only. I have yet to find any 1080 content.

It is whatever gets delivered by this tuner / what is available in your cable.
It does get at least remuxed or transcoded in your Plex server however.

Is it possible to change locations on the fly (e.g., switch from Rogers Digital Canada to a U.S. location/provider) to get access to U.S. channels not available in Canada (e.g., Showtime, ESPN, etc)?

No, unless you fly over your Plex server and the tuner device and plug them in over there.

Is there an On Demand component?

Plex is a giant on-demand server. But its offering is limited by what is stored on its hard disk as a media file.

Does the DVR functionality actually work? Some other Kodi providers intimate at a DVR option, but none of those seem to work.

The DVR feature is still in development. Some aspects of work already, some don’t.

see https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200288286-What-is-Plex-

and
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/207197477-Is-Plex-like-Netflix-

3

Thanks. I still don’t really understand how it works. I don’t understand how content is brought in. I don’t understand how premium cable channels (e.g., HBO) can be viewed, despite being on the list. I understand some stations are available OTA, but those are only local stations. I don’t know what this “tuner” is that is supposed to be used in conjunction with Plex.

None of it makes any sense. Seems like a scam. How am I wrong? Someone tell me.

4

Apparently editing replies isn’t an option.

I don’t see any way that this service allows for true ‘cord cutting.’ I don’t see any way that this service can eliminate a traditional television provider unless someone only watches local stations (e.g., no HBO/TSN/Sportsnet/CNN etc). If I’m wrong, then it needs to be further explained because the website is entirely useless.

5

And when there’s no way to contact the service provider on a pre-sales basis, when the provider is effectively hiving itself off from potential inquiries and forcing people to go through a forum like this, that further points to something highly illicit going on.

6

@robt.fisher@rogers.com said:
Thanks. I still don’t really understand how it works. I don’t understand how content is brought in. I don’t understand how premium cable channels (e.g., HBO) can be viewed, despite being on the list. I understand some stations are available OTA, but those are only local stations. I don’t know what this “tuner” is that is supposed to be used in conjunction with Plex.

These things for instance:

They can tune any station that is available unencrypted.
Some channels on cable are encrypted, some are not - even though they are only available with a cable subscription.

None of it makes any sense. Seems like a scam. How am I wrong? Someone tell me.

No, it is not a scam.
Did you follow the links I posted at the bottom?

Long story short: if you are purely in search for a replacement of a cable subscription, Plex is not for you.

7

Yes, I did follow those links. And like the rest of the Plex site, they’re useless. No real information.

If Plex isn’t a part of a solution for people looking for a cable substitute, who is it for? People who download content illegally from Torrent sites? Why is Plex needed in that case? There are other ways to stream that content without this third party middleman.

That silicondust site tells me nothing either. What content is available? How do I know what stations/networks are encrypted and what aren’t? How do I know what is available OTA and what isn’t?

Why is no one willing to answer such seemingly simple questions? What are you, or others trying to hide? Why the lack of transparency?

8

@robt.fisher@rogers.com said:
If Plex isn’t a part of a solution for people looking for a cable substitute, who is it for? People who download content illegally from Torrent sites? Why is Plex needed in that case? There are other ways to stream that content without this third party middleman.

We think Plex is doing some things better. Plus it accumulates them all into one app.
But that ultimately is for you to decide.
Content can be acquired legally. Most usual is ripping your DVD and BluRay collection into files…

That silicondust site tells me nothing either.

You did ask about the “tuner” devices. This company makes such devices.

What content is available? How do I know what stations/networks are encrypted and what aren’t? How do I know what is available OTA and what isn’t?

I cannot tell you this. OTA coverage varies wildly, even between cities.
I don’t want to promise you “you can watch station X”, because that would be unsound.

There are some websites which you can use to determine what could be potentially available to you.

https://nocable.org/

But even this depends on your local circumstances like: What type of antenna do you have? Is it located inside the house or outside on a high pole?
The definitive test would be to take an antenna, plug it into your tv and start a channel scan.

You see there is no definitive answer here for you.
Getting a unified solution for all your media needs (which is what Plex aspires to be) involves a bit of trying and tinkering.

If you are into tinkering, I recommend you to download the Plex Server software and test it. Many features are available for free, so evaluating it costs you nothing but time.
Maybe this can give you a better idea of what Plex is.