I’m actually really upset about this. I use PMP on my laptop when I work out with a controller. This is actually really annoying. Removing features totally sucks.
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I think they’ll be ok. I suspect the number of PMP users who were using TV mode were dwindling. It was increasingly hard to justify using an expensive PC (even if just a NUC) for your display option when there were all kinds of options that allowed you to also have all your other streaming services on the same device and remote. There’s a layman/spousal advantage to being able to say, “just pick up that Roku/Shield/FireTV remote and you can watch Plex, Netflix, Hulu or HBO”. Plus, if you have Plex Pass, you probably don’t even need a powerful server anymore if you have a semi-newer graphics card for acceleration.
Now let’s get into my personal speculation: I think Plex’s goal is to quietly redistribute coding resources away from trying to maintain code for a large, nearly-unwieldy number of client hardware configurations (hence why they’re letting Windows itself control stuff like audio on the new Windows player), and refocus on the small standardized set of client devices (Roku/Windows/Android/IOS/TV’s), while still dealing with a nearly-unwieldy number of server hardware configurations.
I’d guess it was probably a significant logistics decision. It’s an understandable one, even if it bites me a little bit. It does leave some users in that “Google state” where you never trust that the company will continue to maintain the product you’re using, unless it’s a bread-and-butter product like PMS and core devices.
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Yeah I don’t think there’s any good alternatives, at least not yet. Last time I tried Emby it was very lacking in comparison to Plex. I think Plex will continue to exist by virtue of there not being anyone else doing anything better than them, at least not yet. But that means that when their ecosystem lowers in quality, the ceiling of quality for the whole media playing world lowers with it.
And if there’s a vacuum created by this, someone will eventually come in and fill it. My naive hope is that a heroic third party developer will create an HTPC Plex app that’s even better than all of the ones that have come before it.
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You totally lost me.
Why would anyone in a thread purely about PMP care about a lack of “other” clients if their equivalent to PMP exists and gets lots of love?
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Because they use Plex on a HTPC and a Roku and their phone and their smart TV, etc. People have various use-cases, and one of Plex’s major strengths is its ubiquitous apps.
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So now you are speaking for everyone who used PMP?
You know I didn’t claim that a 1000 users would suddenly ditch Plex for Emby.
5 or 10 users is all it needs to make my point valid. Multiply that with every dumb decision that Plex have made over the last few years…and almost certainly will continue to do so.
I will overlook that all the clients you mention are supported in Emby… albeit Smart TV in a limited way.
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True users will always dwindle over time for abandonware. 
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Because it depends on what you consider ‘equivalent’, purely a TV mode. Yes, both have that.
But something that actually properly does DTS-X, Atmos, TrueHD passthrough,… neither of the other projects have that.
The other apps for android/iOS are not much to write home about either, jellyfin has no apple ecosystem support to speak off. Emby does, but I am currently retesting the iOS app and… well I prefer the experience safari gives me on my iphone over the app.
Like I mentioned earlier, we (or at least I) am the problem here, plex was the only one that allowed for full passthrough using PHT, then with PMP.
For me it’s about playback, and less about UI. So depending on your gripes with the only remaining desktop app, there might be alternatives. But IMHO, it’s more likely that neither of the alternatives will work out.
But I’ve wasted enough time here, my personal solution will probably be to keep plex for andoird/ios phones and tablets. But use bare mpv with direct access to the files for my HT setup.
And no I do not speak for all users, I hope I was made that clear before. I only state that although there are alternative, they might not work for everyone. Because people are dissatisfied for a few reason some UI, some passthrough, some for probably other reason.
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Not for long lol.
I’m not even trying to suggest that Emby in any way compares to Plex. Most of it sucks.
But here we all are bitching about another lost feature in Plex.
Repeat with the Windows store app.
Repeat with Plex for Kodi.
Yet I’m hearing hear about all the clients Emby (not once have I mentioned Jellyfin) doesn’t support.
It’s cool that Plex are trying to level the playing field with each abandonment.
I try out Emby every 6 months or so…DTS-X, Atmos, TrueHD passthrough all worked fine last week before I uninstalled.
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Looks like I’ll be cancelling my Plex pass subscription and removing my Plex server. I will be deleting Plex from all devices as well. Plain and simple screw you Plex team I have supported you since the beginning for years and this is how we are all re-payed. Plex was nothing and only became popular because of HTPC users. we through word of mouth made Plex what it is. Time to find something new or program something myself then.
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I use PMP on a Windows 10 laptop with PMS running on it indexing movies on a locally attached hard drive. I take this setup on the road and plug it into a TV via HDMI when I don’t have reliable (or any) internet.
What would my new solution look like if PMP is out of the picture?
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Assuming you use a mouse (or similar) and not a TV remote, you will just use the Plex for Desktop player instead of PMP,.
I do use a remote so I suppose I would lose the regular remote functionality (pause play ff) withe the new player?
I haven’t used the old store app in a bit. Does Plex for Windows replace its functionality successfully? It kind of feels like an upgrade from that old app.
The Windows app from the app store hasn’t been updated in a very long time; the new player is meant to be a replacement for that app.
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Yep, that’s what I’m saying though: He mentioned the old app going away, but it feels like this is an upgrade from that old app.
Not sure but in your use case, I would just continuing using PMP, only updating your PMS as needed and run with it for as long as it works. Just because Plex stops updating the software on Jan 2020 doesn’t mean it won’t continue to work well (or well enough) for some time after.
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Yeah sorry when I said repeat, I meant “already happened” as with Plex for Kodi which was also abandoned.
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It still uses mpv in the new Plex player, just doesn’t do all the same things that PMP did. Out of curiosity, why not use an Nvidia SHIELD, which supports audio passthrough, MPEG2, VC1, h264, HEVC, 4K and HDR? All of the apps are moving to towards the same UI (UNO), so the experience should be very similar to PMP.
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The discontinuation of Plex Media Player is ridiculously disappointing. I refuse to buy new hardware and abandon my custom HTPC just because Plex can’t be bothered to support their most loyal user base.
Bad form, Plex. Reconsider this decision.
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