Because my HTPC won’t be going away and my receiver is old only has a couple HDMI 1.1 ports. I Currently have a separate HDMI connection from my HTPC to the receiver while the other one goes direct to the TV.
In order to add a streaming device I would need a new receiver with more ports and support for the latest standards. And to match the features I need would be a $2000 CAD receiver or more. Since rec have also been removing features on all but the most expensive units.
For me I have a couple reason. Plex needs a server running for it so PC is on already running. Since it is already running why not just connecting it to my tv? Otherwise I’d have to have 2 devices running and I have to deal with potential network lag instead of a physical connection that is not effected by potential networking errors or slow downs or buffering. I also have to waste more (although small) electricity on another device?
Also what if I want to play a game on my TV from PC? Plex has no capabilities for this I have to switch HDMI instead of just closing plex and opening my game from Steam.
Overall you are fragmenting and making it less convenient for users instead of making things convenient like Plex is touted to be.
Not that the remote is any better.
Actually I will say that UNO on my ATV 4K is a truly nice experience. On that device at least the implementation is pretty much perfect.
UNO is great on the Roku, too. My wife actively swapped from the Shield to the Roku in order to use Plex the first chance she got yesterday.
I feel the same way about UNO on Roku to some degree. I mean I have to be realistic.
A Roll-Over text bubble with additional title info - exactly as was in Retro…
The ability to remove/reorder the forced feature minefield between the play button and the first actor image in a pre-play screen…
and
A Letter Stack in the Collections Container…
…and I’d be happy as a lark.
A Lark, I Tell Ya!
It is. I went ahead and launched it again last night and no pass through. I think if you scroll up you’ll see someone from Plex respond to one of my posts confirming it as well. I really hope that is something they can introduce
This is annoying. I’ll admit I use my Plex app on my Samsung Blu Ray Player mainly out of convivence, I also have an Xbox and Roku with Plex (nice to have Netflix and plex on one device, and since my desktop isn’t dedicated HTPC it’s annoying to keep switching audio from desktop to surround sound speakers). But the thing about these streaming devices is they never work properly and get abandoned for whatever device they feel like supporting next. Any time I had issues with these devices, I hoped back on PMP and everything worked perfectly.
what issues? Issues with Direct Play, Clunky Outdated UI (roku and Samsung were still on the UI from 5 years prior, xbox was just clunky feeling), Scrubbing files is super slow, some Apps don’t even work! my Samsung app has audio sync issues that made it unwatchable for so long, I had to sideload the new uno beta which finally fixed it. how many just probably gave up? not to mention the cinavia protection. so 3 streaming devices with different issues.
This new app is 10 steps backwards, its like saying “take our shittty upate to the windows app/web ui”… No TV Layout, No keyboard navigation so can’t use my harmony remote anymore, no fullscreen, no audio passthrough!
well if plex doesn’t fix this post-haste i will definitely be moving on…
I agree entirely.
I use Plex Media Player on an HTPC dedicated to my home theater.
Is Plex just saying that we should ditch are current setup so that we can watch our media on a computer or phone?
This is nuts.
I have had Plex for 10(?) years and now this?
CRAZY!
Per the announcement article, Plex is saying they’re moving toward devices on your smart TV like Roku, Apple, or Android/Shield. Just not an HTPC anymore. They’re not saying that you need to use your phone or computer to watch.
The TV mode from the desktop app (which is a major interface feature) could have easily been included in the new update. I believe the decision to remove it is a major oversight. This not only removes the option to view media effectively from a distance on TV’s, crippling the HTPC userbase… which appears to be a large amount of users, but also removes the option to zoom and crop (which is built into this TV mode).
Users with non standard 16:9 aspect ratios, now also have no way to manage their media. I personally used the standard mode but enter TV mode to zoom and remove black bars on certain content to fit my 21:9 aspect ratio montor (this was quite a chore to navigate back and forward thru modes in order to access zoom options). With the growing popularity of ultrawide and varying aspect ratio montiors this should be a simple dropdown on the playback screen. These zoom options should be built into all versions and view modes of plex as standard. Although now appears to be completely removed.
Now I understand the demand for smart tv/ android apps are increasing, but this interface should be so similar to the TV mode, it seems like a simple port. Plex is not only removing HTPC support, for what appears to be no valid reason, but inturn removing the ability to zoom and crop the content. This will drastically limit PC users options. The new standard interface and improvements are great but why remove exisiting functionality?
I respect that! Out of curiosity (and I apologize for now reading back this entire thread), what are the 2 or 3 things you are getting from an HTPC that you can’t get from a streaming device?
It absolutely boggles my mind that the person who created Plex admits he just runs a 5.1 setup. Your founding management team have no idea about how modern media is consumed by power users and it is a massive “screw you” to all of us that want to consume CINEMA GRADE media.
None of those players support true 4k bufferless playback with Dolby Atmos. So the plex team are absolutely saying you need to have a poor quality crappy half baked player experience to now watch.
I agree switching to a streaming device is not an option. I like to watch media and game on the same windows device, using the same 21:9 display and the same 5.1 system. I dont want to purchase another display and dont want to switch to a substandard device to playback media when my PC can do it 10x more effectively. Even if I did purchase a TV display specifically for plex…I woudnt be able to use it without it being a few meters away.
I stream content from my NAS so like mensioned previously dont use it specifically as a HTPC…but still these changes affect me and many others who want basic options.
Thanks 
Isn’t this supported on the SHIELD?
I don’t know what “network buffering” is referring to here, but there’s no reason why Gigabit Ethernet on Apple TV 4K or SHIELD should result in untoward buffering.
You keep referring to this thing which isn’t actually a thing.
Probably regretting that now huh?
He’s referring to a higher level of quality that is possible in PMP and no other. That is full 4K playback with Atmos/etc directplay without stuttering/loading/buffering.
You’re really starting to sound like a NVidia/Apple salesman here. I get it that you probably make some money from partnerships with those guys, but it’s becoming rather cash-grabby.
