I have mostly stopped using Plex, again

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For about the last week and a half I have been using Emby almost exclusively. The change has nothing directly to do with the Roku interface or the server or reliability but rather it has to do with speed (loading of the app and startup of videos) and missing info in the Roku app when viewing TV shows.

The TV info that is missing is best described by simply saying that SxxEyy is all that is shown as far as details of each episode when browsing the “OnDeck” list, I like to know the NAME of the episode I am about to play. Emby shows the episode name as well as SxxEyy and I like that a LOT better than the lack of info Plex shows.

The speed issue is across the board. Everything is faster in Emby from the initial startup of the server, to the startup of the app on Roku (This is true for all the Roku apps Plex has) and the start of any video. In Plex it is from 7 to 15 seconds or even as much as 30+ seconds from the time play is pressed to when the video actually starts playing. The average is closer to the 30 seconds than to any of the lower numbers. Emby, except for a rare glitch, only takes a maximum of 8 or so seconds to start playing and usually it is faster than 4 seconds. It should be noted that Plex is actually running on the faster computer and that storage is on network shares that both have equal access to.

I like the interface in Plex a little bit better than Emby’s, particularly when browsing my movies libraries, but it is not near enough better to overcome the sluggishness and lack of episode names when browsing.

I just installed in Emby the “Roku thumbnails” plugin and it runs a lot and the speed tests that have showed Emby better are in spite of that plugin running.

I still have both Plex and Emby running but the only thing I use Plex for is audiobooks playing on my backup server on my Shield TV because Plex (on the Roku) will play videos with no video part while Emby does not, at least yet, have that ability in any client. Being able to play those files gives me full reliable audiobook support so I keep Plex running on my Shield and dedicate one Roku to audiobooks and have it hooked to my whole house audio system. (NOTE: I use Alexa’s skill “QuickRemote” to control my Roku for audiobooks.)

I am keeping Plex running (on a computer) because Plex may fix their slowness and/or Emby may do something stupid and I like the idea of easily being able to switch systems if needed.

The real difference between Emby and Plex is small but Emby is better for my use at this time.

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I have decided that I can only win by “going both ways.”

I’m also finding that watching a TV series in Emby a bit more pleasant for several tiny reasons.

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Would one of those be the Netflix type pre-empt as an episode draws to a close?
Compared with Plex wait til the credits end THEN get a stupid countdown timer.

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I never ever see anything like that as I turn all the intrusive “auto-play” crap off in both apps. I have never seen any “countdown” timer or any preempting of the end of an episode in either system.

The way episodes end are not one of the differences that matter to me but I do slightly prefer Plex’s display of the next episode completely after an episode ends rather than just exiting back to the “On Deck” list.

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True but for those who do want it, Embys way is useful and the Plex way is so pointless it may as well not be there.

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I know this won’t change your perspective, but in my household, the countdown and auto-play of the next episode is considered awesome, and a great feature of Plex. They look confused at the concept that it’s “intrusive”.

I’m mainly stating this just to mention the difference in usability and interest in features. I’m just thrilled that there is an option for either preference.

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Have you seen the same functionality in Emby firsthand?
If so you’ll then understand what they are talking about.
It’s kind of hard to understand the difference by words in the forums but when you use both it’s clear how different they go about the same solution to playing the next episode.

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@Elijah_Baley you need to junk those Roku boxes and get some real clients like the Shield TV.

LOL

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I would, but not until Android devices are capable of automatically selecting the surround audio track like the Roku. Hmmm… maybe the shield does that, but no other android device does.

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If you read my lengthy missive you might have noted that I have a Shield. However I detest the Shield’s interface almost as much as I dislike the Fire’s.

All I want out of a client is to play my media as easy as possible and my Rokus do that while my other clients get in the way of simply playing for me.

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I’m aware, just busting chops.

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