Well that’s one way to completely miss the point. Setting all the client side options is what the issue is.
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the OP on this thread was complaining about all the extra plex content other than his own content.
you didn’t mention anything about client settings.
plex hasn’t ever given server admins much control over client settings, as well they shouldn’t.
I should not be able to control your client (or account) settings, just because I invited you to my server, or vice versa.
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You absolutely should be able to do that. That’s the reason I’m not using plex to share with my family any more. The time I spent on the phone guiding them through correctly setting up their client is time I’ll never get back. Only to get a confused phone call what I did to Plex because „there is something weird going on and it enabled itself without doing anything“ (discover for example).
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I agree that the way Plex implements some defaults on clients are a PITA, but I still find it odd - as an IT guy - the idea of allowing the server owner to be able to control client-side options. I think it’d be better to push Plex to change defaults to be more “newbie friendly”.
The biggest issue with all these new changes to Plex is that people who are using Plex for one of its original purposes (personal media server) are not the target user of current Plex. With the now idea that Plex is a free streaming service similar to Netflix or other big services, the account default settings make sense.
Certain changes might be fixable by making you the caretaker of your friend/family members’ accounts. Make the account, change the account settings (like disabling Discover and Online Media Sources), then hand over the login details. Since you are providing server access, they shouldn’t complain that you could log into “their” account, since it’s kind of your account now. If a new feature is enabled, you can hopefully notice it first, and log in for them and fix it before they notice. The only thing that this won’t fix is client-side settings, such as increasing remote video quality and pinning libraries to the homescreen.
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Read better. I said "None of my users/friends are tech savvy. Without me going to someone’s house to do it for them, it’s impossible to have the average person setup a plex client, connect to my server and just see what we want to use. "
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Oh I agree, the concept is odd to us IT folks. But think of it like this - would you deploy a windows machine to your grandmother all configured and setup as best possible to make things easy and safe, or would you give her a blank system and say “good luck, here’s your new windows key” 
That’s my only point. For the typical non-tech folks, it’s impossible to get every setting right, to have a specific client side experience.
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This is what I did for my mom
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HELP!!!
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Preach. Friends/family will only use my Plex invitation in one of three circumstances.
- I visit and PERSONALLY set up the client.
- I write detailed instructions with screen shots, or do a phone walkthrough (partial success).
- The friend runs their own Plex server so they know the ropes.
Anyone that I invite who does not get personal attention, or have pre-existing Plex skills, bounces off the new user experience. NO ONE understands sources and pinning. Even my friends who have tech jobs and are fully capable of figuring out the client see the Plex new user experience and just turn it off.
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Seems like this whole connundrum could be answered with a revamped “First Use” setup experience…
Maybe it asks questions like “Would you like to see additional content beyond your invite?” (enables/disables features)
“What content is most important to you? Movies or TV?” (reorganizes the pinned items by preference)
Spitballing ideas here.
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Almost all of my users (I don’t have a lot) have no issues using Plex and accessing the content I provide. My 6 year old niece set up her Mum and Dads Plex. Most of my content is family videos and pictures.
I do have a couple of elderly Aunts and Uncles and explain the basics over the phone but in a few cases actually run the account for them.
The new user experience could be made simpler for those just using Plex as a media server to access private content but Plex has for some time worked towards content aggregation and quite openly.
You know! #2 is my standard with a facetime of their TV and lots of do this, click that. I have a single #3 user and STILL had to do #2 to get him right LOL
Trust me, that still completely leaves the door open to wrong choices from the avg user.
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So to summarise all this… The request is to have managed users have an independent login? i.e. add/invite users as managed users?
OP is 100% right. It’s boring.
Especially in Germany, all of this Online-Contect is simply useless, since most people over here do not speak fluent English, or at least don’t want to listen to it 
So why even bother them?
AT LEAST ASK THE USER 1 TIME IN SIGN-UP PROCESS IF HE EVEN WANTS THE FEATURE IN THE FIRST PLACE
Opt-IN is so much better than Opt-Out (!!)
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There is quite some german content available at Plex Free Movies.
It is such a PITA to explain to a new user, especially not a tech savvy user, how to get plex to a properly working, non spammy place and then explain the difference in content between my content and whatever it is plex is offering that I do not do it anymore. No new users anymore.
Onboarding on plex has become a nightmare.
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I’m in the camp that actually likes Plex various other features besides the personal media stuff. I sometimes use their live tv channels and to be honest their “free movies and tv” is pretty damn great. It has a lot of stuff and the ads are tolerable.
I also use the new social stuff with a few close people (close friend and ex, both have their own servers) and that experience is pretty great also. We share movies to each other, watch together sometimes, report issues. Rate stuff. The weekly mail gives us tips if we haven’t been in touch much.
However, despite this I completely agree that the current onboarding for new users is a disaster. It is simply way too convoluted for the average person. I don’t think it’s Plex fault really. It’s just too much to handle at once and it scares them away. The only real option is to make the account for them, and that comes with its own issues.
I think the bottom line is this:
Stop pretending that this is Netflix, and simply do not share your server with non tech savvy people. Use it between close friends only so there is at least some understanding and respect of the functionality. It’s more fun that way anyway.
I know it’s tempting to invite the whole family and everyone you know, I used to want that also, but I’ve come to realize it’s not what Plex is about in the end. At least not the “personal media” part of it.
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This is a thread that is hard to not jump in here with a comment. So here I am 
I would just like to say thank you @BoilerAC for your support over the years, we really appreciate it and wish you the best.
We also appreciate the civility in the conversation and the conversation in the rest of the thread. It is some good feedback and is worth some consideration!
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