perhaps a compromise, regarding access to plex content on the client;
allow for plex client with independent plex accounts to have access to plex content (as is current).
allow for plex clients with plex HOME MANAGED USER accounts to DEFER to the SERVER settings (ie the server admin can enable/disable plex content).
so plex client users with their own account, can choose their own fate
plex clients which use a parent or otherwise part of managed/family users will use and respect the server account settings.
that said, a still better implementation would have been to put all 3rd party content (plex content and plugins) as libraries and give the admin control over what is displayed while connected to that admins server, as @cayers has repeatedly suggested above.
Not trying to be obnoxious. Just the straight up answer.
Again, the incentive to attract more PMS users by enhancing the client makes more sense in the context of brand new users who have not used Plex at all before.
Then again, I still question whether anyone would spring for the plex pass if they original came to Plex because of the Web Shows, or the Podcasts, or the News, etc. Maybe I’m wrong.
Look, if Plex wanted to really push the Plex Media Server, then it might have made more sense to do something like Silicondust did with their Premium service for HDHomeRun.
You have to have one of their boxes otherwise you cannot use the Premium service.
They sell the Extends, the Quatros, the Connects, etc.
In order to entice more people to buy those boxes (and to increase their revenue stream), they start offering the Premium service AND they tie it to their primary offering, the hardware.
Plex is not doing this. The enticements are decoupled from what is supposed to be the primary offering, the Plex Server.
True. But this doesn’t mean that all Plex client users can be sold a subscription. I would argue that most Plex client users are related or aquainted to a Plex server user and are only using Plex because of this.
So the assumption that all client users are potential customers as equally wrong that arguing that every pirated movie would have been bought otherwise.
My point to you was that there are 2 different plex components, and 2 different kinds of plex users, and that plex is trying (again poorly) to convert the client only users to server users in the hope they can continue selling plex passes.
But as you and I and others have said, the majority of client users are attached only to the server owners.
Plex has admittedly done a pretty phenomenal job of putting plex clients out there for just about every conceivable device.
Which even if a brand new user who does not have a server, or even know another plex server owner, could come across the plex client with their new tv or device, then discover it is basically useless without some kind of content source.
So plex makes a decision to introduce other content sources into the client (against the opinion of most of the server admins), so as to (potentially) capture new plex users who may not know a thing about ripping or otherwise acquiring their own media collection.
Eventually those users may evolve into users who do have a media collection or decide to invest in creating one, and thus plex has helped convert a client only user into a pms and potential plexpass user.
I’ve asked a handful of the 30 people that stream from me and the answer to that question is Z_E_R_O! Most are not technically savvy and I asked if they would be interested in using Plex as a portal to access Hulu, pod casts, web shows, music, HBO, Amazon and their answers were N_O_P_E!
I often got, “I already have apps that do all that. The only thing I use Plex for is streaming from you. If Plex did all that and it was completely free, AND NO ADS!, I might be interested”. So let your leadership ship know that if you don’t plan on making a penny from people that install the server or client, as you folks build up your streaming portal and offer up curated stuff, you might have some customers. That you can’t make money off of. Sounds like a great money making opportunity… in Crazy Land!
Cutting the fat as to sale it better to some other commercial company such as Tidal, maybe?
Expect Plex to become much more of a platform for Tidal or some other dudes. Little by little you won’t have anymore freedom to handle your content but the one that will be legitimate by some standards.
@belhous - you’ve seen this, right? It’s been posted in many threads here (and, likely Reddit).
As far as I’m concerned, your writing is already officially on the wall.
They (seem to) want to become a streaming platform in a sea of already too many.
I don’t mind they’re trying to expand, really I don’t, but what I, and many other Plex users who have been here for many years have been saying is, stop trying to make it so difficult to tell my personal content separate from ‘their’ content. I’ve got clients who still blame me for “crap” (subjective word, I know) Plex keeps adding to the clients.
Those customers will likely never understand the difference. No matter how hard (Plex and) I try to educate them… they just don’t understand Plex is becoming less of a middleman for authorization, and more of a (poor, imo) content provider.
I think if Plex ad-supported movies were designed in a way that I could
select individual movies or curate what gets listed as a library item
have those selected items download and be cached locally (in an encrypted location is fine).
stored as long as I wanted (ads would have to be embedded at time of caching)
cached movies play offline with minimal authentication check in (say every 90 days).
They would have a winner with this concept.
If they start mixing online content with the local offline content, willy nilly, then that will be the end of Plex for me.
AND dang it, fix the basic shortcomings. I’m getting tired of seeing common sense feature suggestions like multiple cuts of movies and database backup/restore sit around for years and years while frivolous junk outside the main wheelhouse keeps getting added year after year.
Plex is made up of media enthusiasts who are dedicated to bringing a more organized and enjoyable experience to media lovers around the world. We draw inspiration from a dynamic community of Plex users, many of whom have gone on to join our team.
Plex is a collection of software and apps handcrafted by passionate employees from all around this amazing planet. Our mission is to give you the best way to discover and enjoy the media you care about—beautifully, on every screen, anywhere.
- User inspiration + Discover
I don’t, nor want to, “discover” using Plex.
Nor do most the users I share with.
No matter what Elan says and what assurances he gives at the forums, what his colleagues are saying when interviewed, and what the company is stating publicly on the web site, seem to differ with him.
Did you notice the words used? It doesn’t say your media, it says the media.
Makes me think plex knows it’s not our media and is backtracking to give a little wiggle room for 3rd parties. You can’t be legit if you don’t at least preach you are such. Not only that, with that statement plex is insinuating that the media you care about may not come from you.
I agree also. I never, NEVER, try to discover things on the big screen. It’s just too clunky. The better workflow is to discover things on a platform like the PC or maybe the mobile phone, then save it to a watch list for easy access on the big screen. I think this is one reason why the Chromecast is so appealing. It allows you to play media from whatever platform is most convenient for discovery.
Getting slightly off topic, this idea of discover on one platform and mark for later viewing on another, is why I want a way to mark items in Plex to show up on the home screen. (I think this is another feature request that has been sitting around for years). On Deck is good for an already active TV show, but getting a first episode or a movie to highlight on the home screen is impossible at the moment. Plex needs a user controlled “Featured” group on the home screen right below On Deck and above everything else. Then it needs an option to “Feature on Home Screen” similar to the “watched/unwatched” switch.
Maybe there are people out there who still sit down at a TV without having a plan, but I can’t imagine they would be a Plex user or why Plex would want to cater to them.
To reiterate what I said in an earlier post, unless the new web streaming content can be curated or “featured” then I don’t see it doing anything other than cluttering up the interface and making Plex less appealing. It would be nice if they still acted like they drew inspiration from the users instead of constantly ignoring everyone here in pursuit of Netflix and Hulu type users.
Amen!!! I would love to have this ability instead of watching 1-2 minutes to add to the OnDeck or creating playlist that can’t be created on streaming devices.
