[Implemented] Pre-roll Video feature enhancement

Feature Suggestions
1

Currently, you can specify a video to be run before all movies using the Cinema Trailers pre-roll video setting in Server/Extras.  This is a very cool feature, and fun to play with.  I downloaded one of the THX promo videos from Youtube and set this up.  I use the Plex for Roku Preview to watch movies, and this works great.

However,  in order for the pre-roll video to work, it must be in a library, and that library must be accessible to the user who is playing the movie.  It kinda kills the magic when you can go play the pre-roll video directly by going to its library.  This is actually problematic.  If I start a movie with Pre-roll enabled, and the configured pre-roll video is inaccessible, the movie will not play.

Enhancement #1:  Allow the pre-roll video to use a video that is not directly accessible to the current user.  This is a minor thing, obviously, but I think it adds a bit of polish.  I think the pre-roll video should be completely independent of libraries.  EDIT:  If I could set the library containing the pre-roll video(s) as "shared but not displayed," the videos could be available, but not displayed anywhere in the UI. (See link to previous request below)

Enhancement #2:  Allow multiple pre-roll videos, picking one randomly each time a movie is played.  I envision creating a video library named "Pre-roll Videos," containing only those videos.  In Server/Extras, I would like to be able to simply select that library.  Then, whenever a movie is played, a random video from the Pre-roll Videos" library is played after trailers and before the movie.

Enhancement #3:  When the pre-roll video starts, the screen shows the name of the video file being loaded before it starts.  It would be nice if this could be suppressed (actually, this would be nice for the trailers and the movie itself as well).

I know, "More, more, more!"  :)  But I hope you'll consider these ideas somewhere down the line.

2

Allow the pre-roll video to use a video that is not directly accessible to the current user.  This is a minor thing, obviously, but I think it adds a bit of polish.  I think the pre-roll video should be completely independent of libraries.

So you would like "Bambi" to be pre-rolled with the "The Terminator" (Rated R preview...) when a 5-year old is viewing his library????

Jaap
3

So you would like "Bambi" to be pre-rolled with the "The Terminator" (Rated R preview...) when a 5-year old is viewing his library????

Jaap

That's not at all what I meant.  I have no idea how you got there from what I said.

4

That's not at all what I meant.  I have no idea how you got there from what I said.

I got it from this part:

Allow the pre-roll video to use a video that is not directly accessible to the current user.

Parental Controls are usually set up in a way that inappropriate content isn't accessible to the current user. Usually movies (and associated trailers) are made inaccessible to other users for a reason: it might be lack of interest (like my Wife's Murder She Wrote Collection), but also because of the lack of appropriateness for kids. So for my kids, the Terminator Collection (including its trailers) are kept safe for them because they are made inaccessible to them. Skipping a accessibility blockade goes against the philosophy of parental controls.

In fact, it was one of the first complaints that were made when the pre-roll was introduced. Some kids did get to see some inappropriate pre-rolls.

Jaap
5

Pre-Rolls and trailers are two different pre-movie features.  A pre-roll video, such as"Please turn off your Phone" or the DTS sound clip are certainly appropriate for all audiences.  Trailers should be restricted to the audience, and I believe they work that way.

To see the pre-roll, I believe it must be included in a library accessible by all, and it probably doesn't work if you have a kids only library, and a grown up library (Not sure, never used the pre-roll feature, but that is my understanding)  Since you cannot specify 2 pre-rolls, it stalls.  You may not want the pre-roll library visible to anyone, anyways - it's just a pre-movie clip not meant to be watched except before a movie.  :unsure:

6

Pre-Rolls and trailers are two different pre-movie features.

Okay. Never went too deep into this part of Plex. Thanks for clearing that up.

A pre-roll video, such as"Please turn off your Phone" or the DTS sound clip are certainly appropriate for all audiences.

Depends on the clip used for this :) But I get the point.

Jaap
7

I’d like to see “Cinema Trailers pre-roll video” improved. I’d love to play Dolby/DTS/… trailers depending on the media type of the selected movie. Not a high level request, just a nice to have.

What we can already do (but you can’t turn it off) is to symlink a trailer as “.part1” of a movie and the movie itself as “.part2” - but that’s just an ugly hack :slight_smile:

8

@beckfield said:

Enhancement #1:  Allow the pre-roll video to use a video that is not directly accessible to the current user.  This is a minor thing, obviously, but I think it adds a bit of polish.  I think the pre-roll video should be completely independent of libraries.  EDIT:  If I could set the library containing the pre-roll video(s) as “shared but not displayed,” the videos could be available, but not displayed anywhere in the UI.

I just found a pre-existing request for this enhancement.

9

+1 for this request, I was also thinking the other day it might be nice to allow multiple pre rolls e.g pre roll 1(Forthcoming attractions / don’t smoke etc) , Trailers, pre roll 2 (Feature presentation / Pearl & Dean) then main film. Just a way of possibly making the whole cinema experience more complete

10

+1 Would love this feature expanded, had it on XBMC a few years back and have missed it.

11

Pre-roll based on audio encoding would be kind of neat as well. If Plex knows it’s DTS-MA, then play a DTS-MA pre-roll

12

@uk_dilbert said:
+1 for this request, I was also thinking the other day it might be nice to allow multiple pre rolls e.g pre roll 1(Forthcoming attractions / don’t smoke etc) , Trailers, pre roll 2 (Feature presentation / Pearl & Dean) then main film. Just a way of possibly making the whole cinema experience more complete

Could also do this by having the ability to use a playlist as a pre-roll. This would allow for custom logo video, a “silence your cell phone” video, audio format trailers, etc.

13

I just discovered the trailers/extras and love it. This thread is the next step for me. It would be great if Plex Home Theater had the options to play the selected number of trailers, play a DTS or DD pre-roll depending on the sound track of the movie (these could be randomly selected from a folder), play a THX pre-roll (again randomly selected from a folder and then on to the feature presentation.

14

I’d like to have a pre-roll for each separate category IE, A different pre roll for Movies, Kids Movies, 3D Movies etc

15

I agree with the last post, would be nice to have 3D pre rolls for my 3D library.

16

@rob.fraancis1@pepsico.com said:
I just discovered the trailers/extras and love it. This thread is the next step for me. It would be great if Plex Home Theater had the options to play the selected number of trailers, play a DTS or DD pre-roll depending on the sound track of the movie (these could be randomly selected from a folder), play a THX pre-roll (again randomly selected from a folder and then on to the feature presentation.

Check out my request for Cinema Vision Implementation. https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/244683/cinema-vision-implementation-feature-request#latest

17

I cannot get this function to work. I am running 1.4.1 on Ubuntu 64 bit. It plays my two previews but not my pre-roll video. I wave (I believe the correct URL in the configuration).

18

Hijacking a feature request is not the way to report a problem. Not as many people will see this.

Please start a new thread in the General Discussions forum. Then double-check where you got the URL for the pre-roll, and see that it agrees with what this page describes.

19

@beckfield - #3 on your list has been implemented. It’s client controlled, so if you still see this is a specific client, let me know and I’ll check, but you should not be seeing the names before playback. It may still show in the OSD.

20

@MovieFan.Plex said:
@beckfield - #3 on your list has been implemented. It’s client controlled, so if you still see this is a specific client, let me know and I’ll check, but you should not be seeing the names before playback. It may still show in the OSD.

Good to know. I haven’t paid attention to it in a while. I’ll check it out tonight.