That's a good point. We need to collectively be on similar pages to really get our votes implemented. Will hold my vote on this untill we get security and tools implemented. gcoupe, it would be great if you can also post some links. Better yet, Ill PM you for the links.
Not for me. I'd prefer that Plex fix their security issues first.
+1
To be fair, books are a form of media. Now that they are ubiquitously available in digital format, it makes sense for a complete media server experience to include them. I do, however, agree that there are other things that should be higher priority, in my opinion. (Like comprehensive subtitle options instead of the minimal language based options we have now, among other things).
This was exactly my thought when I first saw that post. Books and comics are media as well. I suspect that those that are against this feature either don't read on their tablets or have no interest in comics. For comics, using the picture gallery is not really a solution for most people including me. There is practically no server/client solutions for comic books. Comicrack has the sync option but it's not the same as something like the Plex library. I would love to see this feature included sometime in the future.
+1 for an Audiobook library type for proper organization and playback resume
+1
There is practically no server/client solutions for comic books.
Maybe give [Ubooquity](http://vaemendis.net/ubooquity/) a shot? It's what I've been using these days as a server for eComics and eBooks until I come across something better...
Can we get some idea where the Plex Devs sit on this feature request please? What is the biggest hurdle to give us what we want?
I would even pay extra to access it even though I have a lifetime pass.
plus One
I would love to see a comic solution for Plex.
Can we get some idea where the Plex Devs sit on this feature request please? What is the biggest hurdle to give us what we want?
I would even pay extra to access it even though I have a lifetime pass.
The biggest hurdle for this or any of the other hundreds of feature requests comes down to a simple matter of logistics. There are only so many Plex employees and not all of them are server coders, nor client coders, etc... And the fact that there are literally as many priorities for features as there are Plex Pass subscribers.
For me, adding in ebook and comic book support would be so low to not even register, until we get working security, adequate server side tools and controls and limits on the users that can (and sometimes do) abuse our systems. Feature parity with existing clients would be real near the top of my list as well. So what features I have on a Roku are the same as on iOS, PHT, Android TV, etc... To me, these are not priorities as much as they are MANDITORY for Plex and the environment to continue growing,
Now, does this mean I don't think Plex could/should have the ability to do ebooks and comic books? NO... I would LOVE to be able to use the same app for ebooks that I use for movies, photos and music. But my priorities and those of others here are vastly different. This request has a tad over 200 votes for it. There are other requests here with 2 and even 3 times as many and we are still waiting.
PS... If Plex comes out with a Plex Store to market books, music or movies, the legal issues alone would make the whole idea of Plex a nightmare. Licensing would likely keep a team of lawyers awake at night with the implications. (And the dollar signs in their eyes...) :(
PSS... I think the poll really needs the option to select not using Plex for ebooks. Not saying that's my vote, but let's be fair, the poll is stacked, so results are stacked... I won't vote for this request until the priorities I feel are needed NOW are live. As I am a lifetime Pass member I can no longer vote with my wallet. This is the only real option available to me.
PSS... I think the poll really needs the option to select not using Plex for ebooks. Not saying that's my vote, but let's be fair, the poll is stacked, so results are stacked... I won't vote for this request until the priorities I feel are needed NOW are live. As I am a lifetime Pass member I can no longer vote with my wallet. This is the only real option available to me.
The poll is stacked but, to be fair, the normal 'like' tallying is stacked too. Since folks can only 'like' a post and not 'dislike,' it's essentially the same thing. People who disagree with a request tend to voice their opinions in the thread and hopefully the devs read through the posts to get more feedback before implementing a feature.
I agree with your priorities--security first, then server side controls. That being said, security should be Plex's first priority right now regardless of the number of likes it has compared to other requests.
In any case, still a big fan of this request. I know there are more mission-critical things to work on right now, but hopefully this makes it in eventually.
The poll's options are nice, but I'd love to just have .cbr or .cbz file support for the already existing picture interface. Essentially, .cbr and .cbz files are just archive files (.rar = .cbR and .zip = .cbZ) containing only picture files, but with their extensions renamed for recognition purposes. I've not messed with the plex picture server too much, but just being able to recognize and open archive files with pictures would be a step in the right direction.
Sure, having a dedicated "reader" section part of the app, or even completely a separate app, would be nice, but that might be going a bit beyond what we really need for getting the basic functionality a lot of us would like to have regarding this.
PSS... I think the poll really needs the option to select not using Plex for ebooks. Not saying that's my vote, but let's be fair, the poll is stacked, so results are stacked... I won't vote for this request until the priorities I feel are needed NOW are live. As I am a lifetime Pass member I can no longer vote with my wallet. This is the only real option available to me.
But that's not how this works.
Feature requests are offered and people voice their support. Little support means little support. Since feature requests and voting don't affect directly what devs do, it would be silly to think voting for no support would.
Feature requests are put for consideration and analysis. Commenting on whether they make sense for you is OK but they're not put there for approval. Only for support.
The poll's options are nice, but I'd love to just have .cbr or .cbz file support for the already existing picture interface. Essentially, .cbr and .cbz files are just archive files (.rar = .cbR and .zip = .cbZ) containing only picture files, but with their extensions renamed for recognition purposes. I've not messed with the plex picture server too much, but just being able to recognize and open archive files with pictures would be a step in the right direction.
I could use some very basic support as well, but for me it would be like a TV section, not a Picture section. Comics are not pictures but "sequential", both in that you have a multi-page story which you might leave and continue later and that issues are in sequence. The picture section doesn't cover even the basic functionality for me since what Plex could bring is read/unread status and ability to continue where you left off.
If "home videos" could support "series" it would be enough for me. I want the ubiquity and remote access, really. Leave dedicated players to it.
To be clear, I think a "store" is an utterly silly idea, for obvious reasons. I want the same as for other media, with the caveat that I only need for PMS to support it, then comic readers can implement a viewer for Plex Comics. No need for the official apps to support it.
I still have faith that Plex will be the ONE media server that fills all the needs.
Still holding out for eBook/Comic support some day in the future.
I've just stopped working as a developer for a digital ebook company in the UK called blinkbox Books - we closed down due to circumstances around our parent company, but before we did me and some of my teammates convinced the management that we should open source as much of our code as we could.
I would *adore* plex to have digital book management, and I think you'll find the code we wrote for our 'cross platform reader' to be a good starting point for a web-based pub reader that was used in our iOS and Android apps.
I was a platform/backend developer (I designed & wrote the ingestion tools for collecting ePubs and metadata from publishers and homogenising them for our shop and apps) so I have a deep knowledge of those processes and the APIs that the reader and apps used; I'm also happy to spend time helping plex folk understand the codebase. I'm not so familiar with the apps themselves, but Plex was a favourite with all my colleagues, I'm sure good questions would find good answers.
If any of this is any use, or if any Plex developer would like to get in touch with me now or in the future, please don't hesitate - the beautiful thing about open development is that you get to actually help the software you love - there's a reason I'm a lifetime Plex member!
I use Calibre, so the ebook/comic reader isn't a priority for me, but audiobooks are. I hate that we've lumped the audiobooks in with the ereader request, because audiobook support is totally consistent with Plex's goals of being the best media server, whereas ereader support seems like it would be a little lower on the priority list.
I 100% agree.. this is the ONE THING.. Plex is missing... otherwise I can manage my entire digital collection using plex and PAY to access it remotly via my ipad (which I gladly do).
The only thing I can't do is read my books, comics via my plex app on my iPad which SUCKS!!!
It would be really nice to have "official audio book" support as well with meta data crawler but I did get it to work as "Music" so I do have a "work around" for that but there is no work around for Books and Comics.
So I have to go outside of plex to do this, which is the worst when I"m traveling and want to pull a book from my library. I end up using logmein.com to connect to my home PC, then stick the file in box or drop box, then use box client to read low res "preview" JPG it creates of each page or it converts it to PDF which I then download into my eBook library on iPad.
If I'm really desperate I can upload it to box and then download it to my laptop then resync it using my ipad cables which requires a laptop, internet connection, power outlet and USB cable.. (what is 2013 and we all have to use laptops and PC's again???) j/k
Seriously though.. please please please support Books, Comics and Audio books in plex it would be EPIC...
Podcasts would be cool too but there are a lot of great solutions for Podcasts and very very very view solutions for Books and Comics so I can live without Podcast support for now but not Books and Comics, help a brother out!!
Please add this so I can keep paying for plex pass and supporting you guys.
Keep up the great work Plex Team!
I would really like more then a books section, an AUDIOBOOK section. It is Media... Some key things it would need:
1.) Ability to resume where you left off.
2.) The ability to read common audiobook formats.
3.) A connection to an online audiobook library, for images and information.
4.) The ability to categorize books based on classes and subclasses/Genre/Type much like video is setup.
5.) The possibility to sync offline.
I know it cannot be an "Audible" but if it had some key features like that it would be an awesome addition.
I NEED this.
