I was under the impression that, since what I was asking for were more tools for administrators to use to admin the server I was making a single request with examples of the tools needed by the administrator to do a comprehensive job. That request was locked, and I was told to post each example as a separate request.
We need a way to kick users off the server without completely shutting the server down. I don't mean revoking their permissions, but a way to stop an active (or locked up) stream. And with the huge influx of Plex Thieves of late, a way to BAN a user, IP range, etc. (Black list, no need for white list.) This needs to be on the server, and not relying on router mechanics or Plex.tv to implement.
When some clients are streaming and those clients some how crash, they seem to lock the server into a "Now Playing" status to the crashed client. There aren't many methods to disconnect the "stuck" session, and many times the administrator does something that worked once and isn't able to get it to work again. If the session involved transcoding it seems to lock the server into transcoding the video in a loop.
Blacklists are needed to prevent Plex Pirates from ruining our systems. It's unacceptable that a server platform that has been around as long as Plex hasn't already put tools in place to eliminate the potential risk. Third party add-ons are also unacceptable for platforms that can't easily install them or have had ports to that platform.
I've got two different Roku's from shared friends "stuck" right now as I read this. Keep getting the message over and over again "so and so started playing X" type message. Doesn't matter if I/we restart the server as the client just keeps the "stuck" status as soon as the server comes back up. For me I only see this happening with Roku clients but it happens probably at least once a week.
What I presently do to stop the annoying behavior is block the IP. Email the person to reset their Roku and text/email me when they've done this to "un-block" them.
I'd love to have tools to do this in Plex and maybe even have the server do this automatically. For example if the same user keeps trying to play the same video say 5 times in a row it will block them for that video until they choose something else (not stuck anymore). I know this is common enough (stuck Rokus) that it would be a worthwhile "automation" on the server side to work around this issue.
Carlo
PS I'm in of course on just about ANY/ALL server management tools/reports/control, etc that make running a Plex system easier with more control!
More Server tools are a must... I have limited bandwidth at home and can barely get out a 720p stream.... remote quality been controlled by the server would be nice. Or superseed's the clients settings.
Blacklists are needed to prevent Plex Pirates from ruining our systems. It's unacceptable that a server platform that has been around as long as Plex hasn't already put tools in place to eliminate the potential risk. Third party add-ons are also unacceptable for platforms that can't easily install them or have had ports to that platform.
This. More server side controls period- is a must.
PMS is ultimately how plex differentiates itself from other media solutions (and it's why plex is awesome). We need the tools to manage it accordingly- traffic shaping, blacklists/security, limits etc.
I think most of understand the need to make it available on as many clients as possible as this is what impacts the bottom line. But now that Plex is available on so many clients, it would be nice to see it inching towards PMS 1.0.
I have my plex server shared to some of my friends, and they keep pausing. And that is taking alot of CPU when it needs to transcode.
I would like to see a kill/kick user stream - maybe with a reason that can popup on their screen why i have killed/kicked it.
I would also like IP ban, not a function i would so much, but it would be great to see something like that too!
You have my vote :-)
There's an option to "stop transcoding" to shared users (on os x it's on the menu bar). Not ideal as it's one/done for all but you can kill outside users pretty easily.
There's an option to "stop transcoding" to shared users (on os x it's on the menu bar). Not ideal as it's one/done for all but you can kill outside users pretty easily.
That's fine for Mac PMS installs. I don't think this option is available for any other platform, though....
I thought windows had it as well? He didnt mentioned his OS..
Either way, was only made as a bandaid suggestion to NPetersenDK's post. Not a response regarding the lack of controls in PMS.
There's an option to "stop transcoding" to shared users (on os x it's on the menu bar). Not ideal as it's one/done for all but you can kill outside users pretty easily.
Hmm, odd, after server upgrade to 0.9.12 it seems that clients more frequently gets stuck. Bud said that he sometimes (when i see him in "pause" mode) gets a msg that firefox is already running when he starts it. Perhaps "also" a plex/web issue? - Anyway, option to kick stuck clients and perhas a "timer" setting for how long a stream can be paused on the server settings?
A way to auto unstick or unpause would be nice, if it can be configurable. Say after 30 minutes, an hour, 3 hours, whatever the administrator wants. Don't want the time too short or getting up to go to the head or kitchen could trigger it.
+1 from me too, finer grained server control is needed, I too have a lot of roku users and they are forever putting everything in to a loop stopping and starting, its also messing up any stats in plexWatch with hundreds of plays for one movie etc.
It would really be nice to have that added Admin feature to Kick, Pause or even Stop the access to a user/friends that we have connected vs deleting them to turn off there access... As a parent I think it would be a great feature to have in the user setting being able to click on a active user and setup access time schedule controls, and turning back on say unactive user access say for that teen who just got grounded and just lost there access for a week or so,lol...
Basically I think having more control over who and when access is granted to any specific client user/friend/family member in the house or outside the house having the options for a 30 minute timeout or 1 hr, etc... whatever. Having that type of time out or turning off option like a access scheduler giving accessanytime or on certin days and times would be nice. It would prevent the kids from staying up late on school nights if there user profile could turn off access at a certin time vs having to turn the whole PC off thats running Plex. Thats just my input on the subject.
