- I have a hard drive for each genre. Simpler to library that way. When filtered option, it only finds 1/10th of my collection…ie, say, action. Not very accurate…like search sometimes. Side menu is easier for me to pick action, drama, etc. Also my users like it as well. TV shows I have all in one.
- I don’t download with plex.
1 Like
plexamp also lacks any of the server/library management functionality that used to be available in the regular plex app. If I need to do something like trigger a manual library refresh for my music library, I can’t do that in plexamp, but I used to be able to do it in the old plex app.
But as it turns out you can’t even trigger manual library refreshes for video libraries in the new app, so I guess now I have to use plexamp for audio listening, plex app for video watching, and go back to using the web interface on mobile to manage both the audio and video I want to playback in the other apps.
When the end result of having separate native mobile apps is that users have to go back to using the web interface to get basic functionality that was removed for no apparent reason, it’s probably time to question whether things are actually moving in the right direction.
8 Likes
It seems like the Beta was rolled back on Android- hope they also do this on iOS. This is a Sonos level disaster.
15 Likes
My guess is that they are trying to force us to the Watchlist, however I use Playlists extensively for multiple reasons, which a Watchlist CANNOT serve in place of:
As a server admin:
- a smart playlist of movies that need to be reviewed for needed labels/tags
- a smart playlist of tv shows that need to be reviewed for needed labels/tags
I use custom labels extensively for content restrictions. Every title gets an “Age” rating because the US rating system has been very inconsistent over the years.
As a viewer:
- a list of movies to watch with my wife
- a list of movies to watch with my kids
- a list of movies to watch with my mom
Besides, Playlists are private to my server and the Watchlist is public to Plex, Inc.
Plex, please bring back the Playlist control functionality and improve it over the old app.
5 Likes
Replacing TMDB ratings and adding season-specific synopses/reviews are two actually good improvements. However, there should be an option to revert back to those ratings if preferred.
1 Like
I agree. As a paying user, the product for which I paid was the one that I thought was worth paying for at that time. I paid in order to use the features that were available then. If Plex intends to remove some of the features for which I have already paid in future updates, please at least give me the option to refuse the update. Of course, they may say that certain features were free in the past and that they were not the reason for my payment. However, I paid because I like Plex and was willing to support its progress and the improvement of the features I like. I paid to support Plex and make it better. But now it has become worse. So, please give me the option to refuse the update. I can accept that you will no longer maintain the old version, but let me continue to use it. Even so, I don’t want to use your new design.
9 Likes
To be fair TMDB ratings are terrible… as are TVDB personally prefer IMDB or Rotten Tomatos
2 Likes
It feels a little bad to pile on to the already tepid feedback for this new app experience, but this release is so bad, I feel the need to chime in.
I) This App is Still in Alpha
First of all, and perhaps most importantly, this app is clearly in the alpha stage and should not have been released, yet. By Plex’s own admission, there are several popular features present in the old app that have not been completed. Feature incomplete means alpha. I don’t care what you call it.
Honestly, it’s okay that the app isn’t done. Take your time. But don’t force an update in the production release branch that reverts back to an alpha state, it’s ridiculous.
II) Notable Missing Features
Personally, these are missing the features I use frequently and are enough to be a deal-breaker:
- Watch together - This was not only removed, but I didn’t see a mention in the announcement that it’s planned. Are you really killing this?
- OTA Casting - Having the button present but nonfunctional is comically irresponsible. How did this pass QA?
- Changing app icons - I use a pride icon, and for a minute I thought y’all jumped on the anti-DEI train, which would be an instant boycott for me. Then I read the release forum post and realized it’s just another victim of the rushed launch. I’m no Swift dev but, the icons already exist and the iOS integration was already done. How hard is it to just put the same function & icon files in the new app?
There are many others that I personally don’t use, but I can understand why others are upset by them.
III) Symptom of Plex’s Misguided Priorities
For context, I’m a lifetime Plex Pass purchaser, and I strongly believe that it’s been one of the best value software purchases I’ve ever made. I have integrated Plex into my life as my primary method of media consumption. I’ve stated multiple times that despite my lifetime pass, I would pay more money for certain features.
I even stayed through the privacy nightmare that was sharing watch history with you entire friends list by default 
–only because it could be disabled.
Unless this app fixes it’s issues extremely quickly or gives the option to roll back somehow, I’m done. The Plex team clearly shifted focus in the past couple years from a media server software to a 3rd party content aggregator, and that’s not what I paid for.
<— I get it, you want to distance yourself from the reality that your software is used by many to play 
content. But turning your software into something it’s not isn’t the answer.
IV) Alternatives Are Catching Up
I’m definitely going to dust off Jellyfin and see how far its come. I’ve heard great things, but stayed with Plex because it was ahead in features. I think that lead is quickly disappearing. Jellyfin isn’t perfect, but that project clearly has its priorities much more in-tune with its user base than Plex.
18 Likes
Yes, the ratings on TMDB may not be perfect, but IMDB is not a website that supports languages from all over the world. The languages supported by its database are limited. The main user base of Rotten Tomatoes is also confined to a specific region, while Plex is a software that can be used in various regions across the globe. Taking all factors into consideration, TMDB supports multiple languages from countries around the world. Its data may not be the best, but it can basically be said to be the most comprehensive. In my region, there are many TV shows that have entries and ratings on TMDB, but there are no such entries or ratings on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. Now, removing TMDB means that many of my TV shows will have no rating data at all. This is not a matter of whether it’s good or bad; it’s about the complete absence of rating data.
Edit: Why not let users choose their preferred rating sources by themselves? Just like in the past, but in the past, users could only select one source. Now, it would be fine to allow users to choose multiple sources. How many sources to choose and which ones to choose should be decided by the users themselves, rather than by Plex!
11 Likes
Damn, I didn’t even realize that the Watch Together feature was removed before I reverted…
Seriously WTF. How deeply are they misunderstanding their userbase… I’m glad android reverted, but this garbage better not be an indication of things to come.
6 Likes
Exactly this. Plex is removing features that they don’t like, as if they don’t have paying users that use them. We paid for these features. Why are they being removed now?
Either implement the most requested features in the new app, or create a new page on app stores for the new app and rename the old one to “Plex legacy”. This way both apps are available to choose from.
11 Likes
Is anyone else having issues on Android When they’re watching something and playback stops and just restarts at the beginning or to wear you started watching? I can’t seem to make it through a whole episode without this happening, and it continuously happens with both streaming and downloaded content.
I certainly don’t care if you believe they are terrible. Different strokes for different folks and all that …
The point is I have set my libraries to use a specific rating system and now plex designers have made a decision to just remove it from the client.
Roku has had imdb, rotten and tmdb ratings in their clients for years and up until recently watch.plex.tv also had all three. I’m okay with all three but ideally would rather just have tmdb.
9 Likes
Looks like you missed the news on this one.
2 Likes
soooo… they’ve spent 6 years working on this new piece of.. .app?!
2 Likes
The irony and hypocrisy coming from Plex Ninja’s/Dev’s reporting the unreliability and lack of usefulness coming from TMDB is just a way to cover up their alliance with their corporate VC’s and media partners. They have shown that the control is no longer in our hands, but in the hands of OTHER corporate media partners. By working directly with the major media conglomerates, it allows Plex to have the seal of approval of those special interests. We are no longer being given the control that we used to have. For Plex and their executives, this was their way to “streamline” the experience while also showing what value their apps bring to their major media corporate partners. Purposefully blocking community driven sources like TMDB is a CHOICE based on Plex’s corporate partnerships and is just one of many signs that we should all be very concerned about.
Rotten Tomatoes is corporately shared and owned by Warner Bros. Discovery (25%); Comcast (75%) 
IMDB is corporately owned by Amazon
TMDB is the only community driven metadata source where even local television programming can be catalogued.
The TMDB advantage
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Every year since 2008, the number of contributions to our database has increased (check out our last years wrap!) With over 1,500,000 developers and companies using our platform, TMDB has become a premiere source for metadata.
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Along with extensive metadata for movies, TV shows and people, we also offer one of the best selections of high resolution posters and backdrops. On average, over 1,000 images are added every single day.
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We’re international. While we officially support 39 languages we also have extensive regional data. Every single day TMDB is used in over 180 countries.
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Our community is second to none. Between our staff and community moderators, we’re always here to help. We’re passionate about making sure your experience on TMDB is nothing short of amazing.
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Trusted platform. Every single day our service is used by millions of people while we process over 10 billion requests. We’ve proven for years that this is a service that can be trusted and relied on.
16 Likes
I honestly haven’t seen how Jellyfin has caught up in recent times. Does anyone have any recent experience with it? How does it compare? Plex felt more polished, but that was years ago.
3 Likes
So far like the new look but still missing some features, which the older app had like rescan library. Pretty basic feature as I don’t want my nas to be spinning all day. Hope they will add it back in.
1 Like
Jellyfin is ok as long as you are aware of its strengths and weaknesses.
Some of its strengths are good transcoding support/performance, its ability to be used offline easily, highly configurable home screen, support for mixed-content libraries, and (for some) .NFO file support.
Some of its weaknesses are mediocre clients, lack of native secure remote access, no integrated guide data for live TV/DVR (you must source your own), lack of support for Google Cast, and other stuff I can’t think of off the top of my head.
Overall, in my opinion, it is not nearly as polished as Plex.
However, I do maintain a Jellyfin server as a backup to my Plex server for offline access. If you use the right client the experience isn’t too bad. In my case, that means Infuse in direct mode, since I use primarily Apple devices.
So, I wouldn’t recommend it as a primary media server, but as a backup it’s completely functional.
7 Likes
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