Plex team …
I like the Live TV feature but I hate the commercial placement during LIVE sporting events (specifically the MotoGP channel).
Please, please, please don’t play the commercials while there are MOTORCYCLES ON THE TRACK. Literally defeats the purpose of tuning into the channel.
Otherwise, it is a decent feature I have started using more recently … AS LONG AS THE COMMERCIALS DON’T GET OUT OF HAND.
Thanks.
Just curious, how would this work? Aren’t there always motorcycles on the track during a race? Or are there multiple races and you would only consider acceptable to have ads between races?
Forgive me if it seems a näive question. I’m more familiar with F1 and NASCAR (and similar) where the races are continual, from start to finish.
Not at all. Happy to explain.
So, 9 practice sessions, 6 qualys, 1 warm up (MotoGP) and 4 races in total. So yeah, it can seem like there is constant racing going on.
Inserting commercials between sessions is totally fine. I’m a captive audience while waiting for the next session/race to start. It just seems like whoever is doing the schedule for commercial insertion doesn’t understand that ads become intolerable when they interrupt live action (even when the “action” is just a formation lap or a warm up/cool down before or after the race/session because as any F1 fan would know, things can and will happen in, on before or after actual sessions. There are enough breaks to get commercials in and not to need to do that.
I wanted to provide a specific example (and to keep the thread open).
Watching today’s second practice at the French GP and with about 10 minutes to go, as Jorge Martin is hitting a fast lap to try and get into the top 10 and move directly into Q2, it cuts to a commercial and I miss the mistake he makes which does not see him move up into the top 10.
Later on, Johan Zarco (French rider at the French GP) is on a hot lap with 1:50 left to go and you guessed it, one minute of commercials and I miss his entire lap where he goes P1. CUts out at 1:50 and returns at :53 and I miss how he (on a bike that isn’t the fastest managed to get to the top without crashing.
Live TV is a nice to have but its things like this that make it a frustration rather than a value add. Add to that the lack of any case or response to this from Plex and yes, the day Jellyfin or someone else can match why most Plex users use Plex (ease for non-techies), Plex is history. Lifetime pass or not.
So frustrating.
I think the problem is that Plex probably doesn’t have a ton of control as to where to place their commercials - I’ve seen it be an issue with other FAST services as well.
Pretty much this. This varies from channel to channel but this 
would be true for the majority of our Free Live TV channels.
OK, I got a reply from a Plex employee so read the rest with that grain of salt in mind. I am pleasantly surprised.
Hi. Thanks for the response.
Honestly though, I have to think that Plex is not just accepting a feed from somewhere without any control on the content. I mean, unless they are just using IPTV boxes or a bunch of subscriptions aggregated with a video capture card farm to pipe it into their client (I exaggerate but you get my meaning I hope).
Point being, they are ultimately responsible for what is aired on their service (back end provider not withstanding) and with that in mind, I would think retain the ability to control the service. Contractual guardrails is more like what would be that dictates what they can or cannot do and that is where customer care would come in.
Its a shame that no one at Plex seems to care about what we (the customers) think of the offerings (client changes, UI changes, functionality and service changes). This board is littered with people’s frustrations over the lack of attention to complaints on seemingly very valid points (many a lot more important than my pet peeve). People complain for years without so much as a single reply.
Very corporate of them and eventually, something will happen (Plex or the competition) that will drive people away from the ecosystem for good. Many will cut them no slack because of being ignored for so long and I wouldn’t blame them.
Hi
Really? You guys can’t tell/negotiate with your provider to stop interrupting “live event” programming?
“Live TV” channels are recorded programming mostly so you don’t really miss out because after the commercials, the program picks back up where it left off. Not the MotoGP channel, whatever time the commercial takes up is lost. That is truly Live TV programming and the interruptions diminish the fact that you offer it.
I would be ok with the commercial interruptions if it picked up where it left off but it does not.
Thanks for responding.
We’re contacting our partner and relaying your feedback. Thanks for reporting.
Shoot. Now I have to take part of my earlier statement back.
Thank you.
