Out of curiosity, what power features of PMP do you use that aren’t available on a device such as an Nvidia SHIELD?
I was just transitioning my windows HTPC from MP to Plex, and read in news that Plex is removing support for it. I am still learning about plex, but I assume the App they are talking about will not be HTPC friendly which I guess means no Remote control support? In which case, I am off to JRiver.
2 Likes
The reason I don’t want to use an Nvidia Shield because I have a perfectly functional HTPC that has no issues, other than the fact that Plex has decided not to support it any longer. I shouldn’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to regain functionality that I currently have. If I have to do that I’ll invest in another ecosystem that supports my current configuration.
17 Likes
I have no problem using an Nvidia Shield. However, it does not support Dolby Vision, or HDR10+.
Premium HDR features aside (cause honestly I don’t have a DV capable TV) you are suggesting only a single device that supports audio passthrough and 4k HDR10. Not to mention that device is 3 years old… I know there are key indicators that point to a new Shield coming out later this year, but whose to say it will still support audio passthrough? If it doesn’t, we will have a grand total of 0 devices that can playback lossless surround audio that isnt PCM.
I currently use an Apple TV 4K with the Infuse app as a player. Granted it does not support Atmos via TrueHD, it can still bitstream all my TrueHD/DTS-HD MA movies to PCM no problem. I have speculated on other threads that I think Plex should at minimum implement this functionality into their players. That would be a step in the right direction to get better support on steaming devices that do not have native support for those codecs.
I personally have no problem buying another device that supports my needs for this (this is kinda an enthusiast hobby for me) however until now HTPC was the best guarantee for a no-compromise playback of bluray rips. Now that has dwindled to a single device where there is no guarantee for it’s support for those features (specifically HD audio) on future hardware.
Sorry for the rant, I have had no issues with the changes to Plex over the past 2-3 years until now. And the change doesn’t even effect me right now. I’m just a big advocate for direct-play only (hence why I use Infuse), and this severely limits an already small list (2) of Plex players that are capable of direct playing everything.
14 Likes
I hear you.
My Plex eco system is balanced.
Apple TV 4K for general viewing, Dolby Vision and general HDR… (Lossless Flac 7.1 isn’t as bad as I expected.)
If I am in the mood for full Atmos for my 4K remuxes, I throw on the Shield, although I prefer not to.
I would still be happier with a single device for all needs and had hoped for HDR in PMP one day.
I guess that’s not to be.
5 Likes
Very disappointed with the decision to phase out PMP. I use this on two machines hooked up to TV’s and the Plex app is just unusable in it’s current state. Can’t read the font it’s so small even on a 65" LED from 10’ away, and no keyboard support whatsoever.
This is a terrible decision and will probably end up forcing me to find an alternative solution to my media. 
6 Likes
To be fair, they are removing TV mode with the idea that you wouldn’t use the new app on a TV 
Yeah I get that, I just don’t understand why they would remove a feature that a large amount of users actually use. Sure if they want to move to a new app that’s fine, but don’t make the new app inferior to the old. 
2 Likes
I couldn’t agree more. I run Plex on two PC’s hooked up to large TV’s. Why would I go spend money on inferior hardware because of a poor decision by Plex.
But your forcing your user base to go out and buy something just to run Plex they way they run it now.
3 Likes
This is not just about the Plex app, but also Plex Inc. dropping it’s commitment to the HTPC platform. Because you asked, here is an incomplete list of customizations I have enabled in Plex that I cannot achieve on other platforms:
-
A single XBOX 360 controller controls Plex, my computer, my emulators, my games, all on the same TV input.
-
A single button press on that controller launches Milkdrop and feeds Plex’s audio into it, so I can have a top-teir visualizer while listening to my music.
-
Tapping the right bumper while in Plex brings up a web browser. Tapping the left bumper brings me back to Plex.
-
A single button press changes subtitles while watching a video. A single button press changes the audio track.
-
A single button press marks media as watched/unwatched.
I can continue to endlessly list the minutiae of scripts and customizations I’ve built in over the years, but it’s pretty irrelevant.
Plex Inc. has decided to toss its most loyal user base to the curb (I’ve been using it since the XBMP days, over 15 years ago). I understand that a tiny subset of nerdy power users are not profitable, and because of that, have been cut. Really damn sad. Please reconsider this decision.
17 Likes
It’s a shocking idea, and here’s my rant on it!..
https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-you-suck-end-of-life-for-the-htpc/446690?u=axemanuk666
6 Likes
I have a ShieldTV and I cant’t agree on it being a good replacement for the desktop app.
There’s issues with subtitle support which force many unnecessary transcodes, bugs that make the app unresponsive, lack of overall options compared to the desktop app and it can’t direct play some codecs (ex.: H264 10bit)
If you want people to use the set top boxes’ App instead of the desktop one you should make sure one is as good as the other before.
In the last few months we have lost plugin support, premium music (supposedly temporarily) and now htpc support, and I’m not even talking about the many issues on the platform I use the most (ShieldTv), some still not properly solved while others took more than a year to be addressed…
10 Likes
What subtitle issues do you have on the Shield? It supports most formats, including VOBSUB and PGS image subtitles.
After reading this, the experiences of a ShieldTV user, I now know for sure that there is currently no reasonable replacement for the TV Mode PMP.
As I said in my rant / topic… Disgusted!
4 Likes
Plex really makes it a chore to like them as a company/product. Lack of communication, no real user feedback gathering and crapping on their long term users with these types of decisions is just too much. I love how they think they know whats best for their users with that condescending blog post. Not much else to say on this topic. I did not expect any better from these guys. Wish I never signed up for the lifetime pass all those years ago. I got my money’s worth so thank you for that but time to look for an alternative and I guess its back to Kodi and Emby combo…
9 Likes
Yes, “People have various use-cases” can reasonably be read that way. Well done.
Jan 2020 is a few short months away.
1 Like
Ah, I’m with you now…
You actually meant
Because they might use Plex on a HTPC and a Roku…
No worries we all make typo’s.
No problem, I know people are (rightfully) upset.
On a side note, installing the new Plex desktop app tried to force my Windows desktop to reboot when the VC redist finished installing. Please don’t do that, Plex. Not cool.
5 Likes
