From what I have experienced so far, no way. It is very frustrating to try and get things to work only to hit a brick wall because a developer decided they didn’t want to support something that 75% of the users want. And to top it off, you want additional money? How about you FIX what is free and make me WANT to buy the extras? There is no way I would pay for the extras when I can’t even get basic functionality that a media server should have to work! The premise is great, the architecture is right, but functionality to be a one stop media center is lackluster. I think people tolerate it because there aren’t a lot of solutions out there…yet! I see more and more companies foraging into this arena and for software like Plex that refuses to listen to their base, they are going to end up falling to the wayside. It’s a shame because they could be the leader.
Hi @chillyw13,
It’s never good to have frustrated users. What are the specific issues you have? Maybe there is a simple solution to the problem or if it’s a bug in the software then we’d love to hear about it. If there is already a thread on the forum for the bug you have go make some noise in that thread.
The community is also very helpful here, so please don’t worry about asking questions.
I do also wonder what issues you are having. Almost all your previous posts seem to be related to third party stuff.
Are you having server issues or client issues. If so specifics of your setup would help.
You mention the possibility of people using Plex because of a lack of alternatives. Well its also possible they are using it because it works and if it doesn’t they seek specific help. That said there are several other products that people can switch to.
I am puzzled by the contradiction though… Its being tolerated due to lack of alternatives…and… more and more companies are entering the market… all in one sentence.
There were at least 10 viable options when I first discovered Plex about 3 years ago and all those alternatives still exist although sometimes under a different name.
Worst experience ever. After jerking around for a couple of hours, I am giving up. I have Plex Server loaded on a Win 10 computer, loaded the app onto a Roku 3 which is 2 feet from the PC. After logging in and fooling with PINs and passwords and restarts, Plex found exactly one movie on my desktop out of dozens and it won’t play on the Roku. “Please check that this file exists…” Yes, it exists, it is an .avi file that plays just fine on my desktop with VLC or WMP. The other files Plex can’t see? A mix of .avi, .mkv, .mp4. Some are on the desktop alone, some are in folders but there they are. I’m going back to what I have always done: Copy them to a USB and carry them into the other room and plug them into a Roku or WD media player and play them back. If I want to watch remotely, I have a Slingbox. The only good news is I didn’t jump right in and sign up for the premium player. All I am out so far is a bunch of time. So long.
Dear Jim,
I was going to suggest many things but I can’t change your attitude.
Best you go back to your USB and Slingbox.
You are the one missing out…
The problem is no one wants to own up to any issue. It’s always some other app, developer etc. problem. I read everything I could on each solution out there. And of course I chose Plex because they touted all these plugins that would increase functionality to the point that I THOUGHT I was going to have the complete solution. If you are not going to help people with plugins, then don’t advertise them! I have read so many posts from people wanting to add their OTA channels into Plex, it’s a wonder Plex does not support it without plugins. And then when there is an issue, no one seems to want to step up and address it other than to say “oh, that’s the other guys problem. Go ask in their forum”. Trust me, I really want Plex to work for me, but right now all I can do is watch the videos I already have and some obscure programming I have no interest in watching. If I wanted to watch that kind of content, I would just load it into my chromecast and be done with it. Some one needs to step up from either Plex or the plugin guys and start working together to put out a definitive how-to for not just getting OTA to work in Plex, but also for each plugin to work PROPERLY in Plex. It’s only a matter of time before someone else gets it that people want live TV with their other media and puts out an all-in-one package.
Your move Plex.
I don’t care about live TV, I have other solutions for that. Most people who use Plex don’t care about live TV. Plex doesn’t advertise itself as a live TV solution. It’s for managing and playing your ripped/stored media files. That’s not live TV.
You are upset that Plex isn’t doing something it wasn’t designed to do. Sure, there’s a plug-in system. And so yeah, some third party people have then tried to leverage that for some sort of live/OTA solution. Best of luck to them, but that isn’t Plex and not Plex-proper’s responsibility. If you have a gripe, take that up with the plug-in developers. Meanwhile, stop being pissed off at the hammer for being a poor screwdriver. You are in the minority and the vast majority did their homework and are quite happy using Plex for what it was actually designed to do.
Apparently you don’t read the forums. There are a lot, and I do mean a lot of people looking for this solution, hence why there is a plugin for it. My gripe is projects like Plex allows plugins to be introduced, and refuse to acknowledge any responsibility for ensuring proper functionality. People like me expect that when I install an application, anything that can be added to it has been properly tested, and documented by the people allowing it to be installed.
This is a glaring hole in how this whole GPL or free software movement. Everyone wants to put software out, but no one wants to take responsibility for ensuring it works correctly, and that all the pieces are documented properly. It’s the main reason Linux is not main stream. But I digress, in reading posts here is it quite apparent Plex could care less if their users wishes are even considered. Best of luck, I’ve moved on.
@chillyw13 said:
Best of luck, I’ve moved on.
:-h
@chillyw13 said:
Apparently you don’t read the forums.
That’s funny.
There are a lot, and I do mean a lot of people looking for this solution,
Yep. But there are many times more people on the forums who understand what Plex’s purpose is. Plex has a lot of visibility and name-recognition, so sure a lot of people flock to it not understanding what it is then jump up and down in a tantrum demanding it be something it’s never meant or tried to be. I’m not dismissing the need for “this solution”… I’m dismissing those who can’t understand that demanding that a company bolt on something to a piece of software outside of its scope, simple because they love it, doesn’t make sense and isn’t in the best interests of the project or majority of users as whole.
You’re looking for a solution. Plex is not an OTA solution, so keep looking.
hence why there is a plugin for it.
Yep, someone else who isn’t Plex decided to try and use the plug-in interface to shoehorn OTA functionality into Plex.
My gripe is projects like Plex allows plugins to be introduced, and refuse to acknowledge any responsibility for ensuring proper functionality.
That makes no sense. It’d be like blaming Microsoft because someone else’s Windows software sucks. Plex has no responsibility for other peoples’ software.
People like me expect that when I install an application, anything that can be added to it has been properly tested, and documented by the people allowing it to be installed.
You don’t get software then and are unable to draw the appropriate parallels to other industries I fathom you problem can relate to well.
This is a glaring hole in how this whole GPL or free software movement. Everyone wants to put software out, but no one wants to take responsibility for ensuring it works correctly, and that all the pieces are documented properly.
Ok clearly you already have a thorn in your side even before Plex and you’ve just come here to troll versus look at this situation objectively.
It’s the main reason Linux is not main stream.
Tell that to Android, which has more marketshare than iPhone. Let alone those of us who have been using Linux and other non-Windows/Mac OSes as our primary workstation for over 15+ years.
But I digress
Indeed you do.
in reading posts here is it quite apparent Plex could care less
@chillyw13 said:
People like me expect that when I install an application, anything that can be added to it has been properly tested, and documented by the people allowing it to be installed.
The only “people allowing it to be installed” is you. You install any plugins by choice, hence you are the one allowing it to be installed.
Yes, there are some issues with open source software, but the only alternative is that software not existing at all.
