Especially after we paid good money for Plex, in hopes we can build libraries that help us avoid advertising on other streaming services.
2 Likes
That doesn’t address the issue.
1 Like
@BigWheel Could you please clarify the extent of this change? Will searches be entirely conducted between the client and selected server with the feature disabled or will it just disable display of the streaming results with search terms still uploaded to Plex’s systems?
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Well as has been mentioned, this beta functionality potentially violates EU advertising and privacy rules (and possibly in other countries) so lets see what develops.
I understand that some people want this functionality but at least test it first, check legal standing, provide users an option to not install it.
8 Likes
As I said in another post, the new Watchlist isn’t what I was hoping for or expecting. I don’t really need a “universal” Watchlist, just something for my library. However, I also understand that Plex feels like they need to widen their appeal to more users, not just hobbiests like me, so they can survive and thrive.
I sometimes use JustWatch and services like that. I am willing to try out these new features in Plex. However, the way it is currently implemented makes it completely useless for me. It absolutely has to be fixed so that Plex does not show streaming services that I have not selected and signed up for. If I enable Netflix and Prime in the settings, then fine, show me that a movie is available on Netflix or Prime. That might be useful. Right now my tendancy is to go to those sites individually to search for something, so maybe this saves me a step.
Plex has to respect that some of us don’t want to see every other streaming service out there. And if somebody turns off ALL streaming options that are available, either because they don’t want them, can’t afford them, or just don’t want to see them, then respect that too. For people who want to see EVERYTHING, they can just go to settings and turn on every streaming service that Plex has integrated with. Great! Everybody’s happy! The fact that Plex now shows all streaming services, to everyone, regardless of their settings, is why so many people initially thought that this was a bug.
I also feel that these features have cluttered the GUI. If some form of this is going to be forced on us, please at least bury the streaming options stuff ONE level, so it’s not in everyone’s face. I could tolerate a single icon on the movie’s info screen letting me know that the movie is available in other places. I can click on it if I choose to see which of my streaming services is also offering it. Who knows, maybe they have a higher resolution version than the 480p version I have in my library.
It seems that many people are loving the Discover feature. I might also use it, but right now I don’t like the fact that it also clutters up my Home screen, so I had to un-pin it. I, for one, don’t want to see all of this stuff on my Home screen. It’s redundant. We need to be able to customize this.
I had understood that when they rolled out the new “enhanced” user interface some months ago that they got user feedback from beta testers before they rolled it out to everyone. I think that went pretty smoothly. I wish they had done that with these new features. Maybe at least a headsup next time?
I like Plex. I hope they fix this. I’m optimistic that they are listening. I have seen a couple of recent posts from Plex employees that gives me hope that they are going to be fixing some of these things. I think we should be patient and let them iron this out.
2 Likes
It broke something to me. I have a number of intellectually disabled users of my Plex that I manage and curate for their use and enjoyment. We oversee what they can watch to be appropriate for their level of understanding. Being able to turn this feature off would let me know that there was no possibility of these folks being presented with options other than the curated options that I want to provide for them.
7 Likes
This is really important and needs to be clarified. If at some point in the future this feature is turned into something actually useful (by, at minimum, only returning results and showing entries from selected services - something that JustWatch, the service being used to provide this feature already does, BTW) then I don’t have a problem with having those queries sent external for processing. However, if I switch this off, it needs to be OFF with no search term data being sent anywhere. Not just hidden.
8 Likes
I added my first vote ever to being able to disable this “feature”, and I have been a Plex Pass member since the very beginning. I really hope that they listen, but I have every expectation that they will not. Come on Plex, if I disable the discovery feature, DO NOT show me other streaming options when I search. It is really that simple.
5 Likes
The problem is why would Plex Users trust Plex to disable this, the arrogance of doing it in the first place.
For Plex to have installed this “discover” spy nonsense without an OPT IN option shows a massive disregard for privacy and GDPR, I did NOT consent and you can’t bury it in terms or say by using this you consent.
It is quite simple
GET YOUR DIRTY HANDS OFF MY DATA, DO NOT ANALYSE MY DATA, DO NOT RECORD MY DATA, DO NOT SHARE MY DATA.
END OF
4 Likes
Yes I am starting that this weekend with Kodi and Jellyfin.
Meanwhile I am sandboxing Plex, will put it into a firewalled zone on my OpenWrt router until I can figure out if it can be saved.
I will test out old versions and different hardware platforms.
I want Plex to have zero internet connection unless I decide to add it for new media.
It used to work this way when I travelled for work to places with no internet.
I want the code ripped out, I want to know what files it is in and I want to nullfy it on my network.
It is a covert action, introduced without permission or choice, such behaviour makes Plex lose it’s reputation.
3 Likes
This ^^^
I’ve just voted for this.
1 Like
I VOTE FOR THIS ! My server, my choice.
2 Likes
Firstly, thanks for the update regarding this.
Based on your comment it sounds like plex as a company has decided that a toggle on the search bar is their solution to this concern from its customers. For me, its not nearly enough …
- If its a toggle on the search bar of the client then each and every client for each and every user on our server would need to have this toggle changed to remove this unwanted advertisement content from our personal servers. A client side toggle is just not good enough. It has to be server side or at the plex account level to completely disable this.
I’d also have this concern so it needs clarification …
7 Likes
I can see the conversation happening around the Plex table, now. They’re having an identity crisis, trying to figure out why ever in the universe we wouldn’t want this kind of expansion. They’ve likely spent over a year working on it, patting themselves on the back with how brilliant of a rollout it’s going to be… all the while, never once considering WHO their audience actually is.
2 Likes
In addition: Could someone from plex at least be honest with those of us who only care about personal media. A lot of us purchased plex for personal media and nothing else. I don’t want it in some watchlist or discover functionality which I’m forced to leave enabled and just ignore, I want it disabled like I can do today with the online media sources https://app.plex.tv/desktop/#!/settings/online-media-sources
If plex as a company are indeed shifting away from personal media management and want streaming integrated along side personal which cannot be disable then fine, but DO TELL US. At least then we know and we can stop guessing what plex might or might not do.
17 Likes
This would be my preferred solution as well. Treat it like the “Movies & TV” option.
Particularly since my devices are almost all Roku and the Watchlist and Discover are more of a frustration than a feature (and Roku OS already does Search and Discover features that work).
This really reminds me of WDTV when they tried to switch to streaming service support and by splitting their focus kinda didn’t do either as well anymore (stopped bug fixing for local playback and streaming service features just didn’t quite click).
Even Roku devices which used to have lots of native local file playback support have started stripping that away as well.
So I can appreciate Plex wanting to capitalize on the streaming market and I think the features could be very useful for lots of people … but the handling of it has been a bit rough for many legacy customers who are the ones who are most often the grassroots support of Plex.
In the long run… it’s just media management and there are lots of options now, but it’s disappointing to feel that a product we supported and almost enjoyed being part of seems to be heading in a way that feels less personal. I’m glad they are making some adjustments but even in those areas it’s clearly less about “engagement” with the customer and more about “handling a situation”.
EDIT: And I will say there are some Plex employees and ninjas who are doing a very good job trying to stay engaged and available in the various threads and I can appreciate that they are human and might be stuck in a hard spot between answering customer issues and questions (many not very polite and quite exasperating) and their management requirements to keep their jobs.
1 Like
Exactly, as a server manager we should be able to turn it off from there.
Just add Streaming Services : Activate/Desactivate.
4 Likes
This is absolutely ridiculous. I had previously paid for a lifetime Plex Pass to support the devs, and now they have ruined the experience for me. Is there a way to request a refund? I absolutely do not want to see these search results from external services. Voted.
2 Likes
Love the new motto for server admins, perhaps is should be Plex’s new logo tagline instead of “Free Movies & Shows”:
"My Server, My Data, My Choice"
This is what Plex used to be all about. That is the Plex we all still want at its core.
There are already a bazillion outside streaming options and many companies already aggregate that data. Many of us are trying to escape that treadmill of streaming headaches (with subscriptions, rentals, etc.). Plex was that escape tool, but not so much anymore.
Update:
9 Likes
