Would it be possible for Plex to register Plex Media Server as a video/music provider on T-Mobile’s Binge On program so any video/music streamed from a Plex Media Server over T-Mobile’s data network is recognized by Binge On without counting torwards the user’s data plan usage.
The Binge On program has no cost for either the providers nor the T-Mobile customers so it could be very interesting if achievable. The only requirement is that the video stream not be modified so that the T-Mobile servers can identity the stream and process it.
@Joe4992 said:
Everyone has their own media server. That’s too many IP’s for Tmobile to track.
It would have to be hosted by Plex somehow so it comes from one source.
They don’t track IPs. There’s a lot of CDNs too so Its imposible for them to track them all for serivices like Netflix, Hulu, etc… What they do is they analyze the traffic when their users use the streaming service to identify video streams and transcode them into 480p so they can be “free” of data usage.
@Joe4992 said:
Everyone has their own media server. That’s too many IP’s for Tmobile to track.
It would have to be hosted by Plex somehow so it comes from one source.
They don’t track IPs. There’s a lot of CDNs too so Its imposible for them to track them all for serivices like Netflix, Hulu, etc… What they do is they analyze the traffic when their users use the streaming service to identify video streams and transcode them into 480p so they can be “free” of data usage.
Dennis
“Analyze” is a strong word. And “transcode” is entirely inaccurate. T-Mobile does not transcode or touch the video in any way, they simply throttle the connection and rely on the content provider to be running adaptive bandwidth streams that will degrade themselves. Also your only requirement in the OP is already broken for every user that enables secure connections, everything identifiable is encrypted, and the SNI mandated hostname is practically useless for the purpose.
From T-Mo’s own documentation:
For choices #2 and #3, the content provider will provide video over T‐Mobile’s network using adaptive bitrate technology where delivery bitrate is expected to adapt based on the capabilities of the data connection or as otherwise indicated by the T‐Mobile network. The network limits the bandwidth available to detectable videos to a level currently at 1.5 Mbps and as a result, many video services will deliver videos at lower resolutions that will look good on mobile devices (DVD-quality, typically 480p or better) and that use less data. In the event that the content provider elects choice #2 but is unable to meet this requirement, T‐Mobile will work with the content provider to explore choice #3.
Choice #2 is t-mobile “doing the work”, which as you can see amounts to just throttling the connection. Choice #3 is the content provider doing the work, which also means alot of back and forth with T-Mo on each connection to check if this customer uses Binge On and other things… (That’s a huge resounding no right there)
On top of that, T-Mobile only deals with “Content Providers”, which Plex is not (for a whole lot of really good legal reasons).
