I’m going to have to agree with everyone else. Not a fan of this update. The interface itself seems much more responsive, which is definitely nice. But usability has gone way down. So far I haven’t found how to get next episodes to auto play when watching TV shows which is extremely annoying.
Calling the interface trash is a tad on the hyperbolic side for my taste, and I have no doubts that the XBox/UI team really does have our interests in mind. I’ve been a lifetime Plex Pass user for a a while now, and I think that Plex is a quality product with equally quality individuals in the development department.
That said, I’m not digging the new interface for a several reasons:
- I really liked having the old dashboard which showed all of the media categories at once. I have automated collection and I like to be able to see that I got a new album so I can decide if I want to check that out or if I want to continue watching TV shows, or while browsing my music be reminded of that movie that I got over the weekend and forgot about. I can see where separation of the media by type makes sense if you know you want to sit down and watch a movie, but I don’t think that way. Call it a limited form of spontaneity.
EDIT: I see now that I have selected the libraries/sections in each of the content settings the Home menu item is very similar to the old On Deck dashboard (which more-or-less addresses issue three in my list, as well.) I didn’t notice that until the second use, though, as I never went back to it after seeing it was initially empty. I’m glad it works, but it isn’t something that I feel wasn’t immediately intuitive.
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I (too) have a preference for darker themes and the beige-ish gradient doesn’t do much for my aesthetic sensibilities.
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I have a couple of servers (and lots of generous friends) and don’t really want to see cross-seeding of the libraries, even hidden as they are above the media type. I prefer to have access to only the libraries on the server I have selected, regardless of how they’re presented.
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I am less concerned with how recently an item was released or aired and more concerned with how recently it was added. Maybe I just found out about something really cool that’s five years old and my automation has picked it up- I don’t want it to be buried by things I’ve already watched just because they came out more recently. For that reason, I think that the configuration of the media screens is backwards.
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I think the skipping controls are definitely an issue. I don’t have a Barkley. I have two cats (blasphemy, I know.) They love to jump up on the coffee table and knock the controllers around. The D-pad control works fine, but the sticks are too sensitive to withstand the abuse these miniature narcissists dish out.
I think a couple of these issues could be resolved with preference settings- a light versus dark theme, a controller button selection/set up (like some games,) a check box for including libraries/sections from all servers, etc. And I think there are a couple of bugs that need to be worked out (I seem to have lost where the active control is a couple of times while navigating a TV season.)
These are just some growing pains. And relatively small ones, at that.
Another problem. Browsing through movies pick one then decide nope not going to watch that hit b to go back and keep looking yet it brings you back to begining again and have to look all over again instead of right where you left off on the cover of whatever movie you just selected. Really annoying!!!
Played another 4k movie in mp4 format this time. Same thing stuttered and crashed. Unwatchable.
I want the old version back so bad!!! How could they have something so good and work so well and in one force update destroy it in seconds for everyone?
1 Like
Omg no more swoosh with the left and right trigger!!! I’m seriously going to lose it!!!
@Moussa I have tested few mkv files with subtitles and I’m getting either Direct Stream or Transcoding in local network.
When can we finally expect Direct Play with subtitles?
I have 2 own servers and 4 shared servers with many libs. Navigation inside upper menu is really horrible with this configuration. I cannot see what server im using when im on dashboard and changing what i need is really horrible with many clicks. This new standard for your UI si really not acceptable for me.
Couldn’t agree more with most of these complaints. Took me 15mins just to find my playlists (despite instructions) because everything feels hidden away now… Side scrolling menus feel so busy, despite how spaced out and enlarged each of the media file tiles are. This is some skynet ■■■■. I will admit, things seem to load faster, but im hoping some things will change back in the next few updates. For example, nothing happens when pressing left or right bumper. It felt better when those buttons automatically made a media file rewind or fastforward.
This seems like the most active thread, so may as well add my voice here.
Basic quibbles first:
- Do not like the UI update. No-one in the house does. (more detail below)
- Sadly I disagree with the poster above - I actually feel it’s slower than the previous version
- Why have the UI in 720P instead of using the Xbox set resolution? That explains the weird resizing of the background when the app opens.
- I’m confused by this part of the update notes “Removed Plex account -> Xbox Live account linking requirement”. There’s been zero change. We have to sign in to an Xbox Live account to use Plex (so that’s not changed) and if we switch signed in Xbox Live accounts we have to sign in to Plex again (not changed either).
The primary gripe is the UI though.
- This is a TV UI that feels like a small tablet UI.
- Returning to the top to go to the library selection but having to go up again feels analogous (oddly) to the ‘swipe down’ function in a touch UI. Works on a tablet, not on a TV. It’s not a natural UI engagement and it’s more complex than the previous app. Now it’s up (all the way) followed by horizontal navigation combined with vertical navigation in submenus whilst before it was left navigation followed by vertical navigation (you can see the extra navigation level required, right?)
- The use of space. Whilst each person will have their own dislike, this is my person peeve. Each iteration of the app, regardless of platform, seems to show less media on a single screen than the one before it. This version seems no different. I’ve got space for 3 hero sized ‘continue watching’ elements only and I have to navigate down to see any other information whatsoever. This is the bit that makes it feel like navigating on a tiny tablet. And whilst it feels Netflix-esque it misses the mark.
- I’m sure the colouring of the UI were met with some positive response in testing, but not here. Did they do testing in darkened rooms ala ‘movie night’? Too bright. I thought the general consensus was towards darker (black if possible) in TV UI’s to reduce light emitted (and the energy to create such light). Regardless, the light is too bright when the room is dimmed - consider adding a ‘night mode’ option to the UI that drops backgrounds to black and reduces the white intensity if required (I can only guess, because it’s not something we have an option for).
- ‘Back’ from a library seems to want to exit rather than return to home dashboard - I think most users will agree that is a non-intuitive interaction.
- Can we not decide on whether we’re doing vertical or horizontal content scrolling?
- I have 15 Movie libraries, whilst navigating I can read a sum total of 3 at any time. This commits 2 sins, it both reducing the amount of information on screen for a user to access over the previous version, and it increases navigation time.
- TV shows would seem a great place to do a vertical list - but again we’ve got horizontal scrolling.
This feels like it hasn’t gone through beta, because these are some relatively serious UI/UX issues.
On their own the technical issues are one thing. On their own the UI/UX issues are another.
Altogether it feels like a poor upgrade experience. Can I have the old Plex client back now please?
@jungwirth said:
This seems like the most active thread, so may as well add my voice here.
Same here. Although, I’m liking the new UI. Frankly I don’t understand all the hate. We waited a year and a half for an update, Plex announced in August that they were moving every platform to a new standard UI (https://www.plex.tv/blog/new-hope-for-meda-browsing/), we finally get the update that they announced months ago and all the posts are complaints. I don’t get it. Yes, there are bugs, and yes some functionality is missing, but I’m hopeful that we’ll see a new release soon that addresses the issues and maybe even provides some user customization for the UI.
And you’re allowed to like it. It doesn’t work at all for us though (as I think I rationally detailed, so not as much ‘hate’ as it was critical feedback, however I acknowledge there is some hate in this thread, and some others).
I think my disappointment, going above and beyond this as a single instance, is that this is a pattern. If you were to look back you would see the same “hopeful that we’ll see a new release soon that addresses the issues…” optimism. And still it took a year and a half (was it really that long), and we got something that didn’t just fix the issues. This “2 steps forwards, 1 back” rhythm does my head in 
You’ve said it simply, far more eloquently than anyone else I suppose, so kudos :
- “there are bugs, and yes some functionality is missing”.
After 18 months waiting I would respectfully suggest that if even a positive reaction includes the above, then the release is not good enough.
@jungwirth said:
After 18 months waiting I would respectfully suggest that if even a positive reaction includes the above, then the release is not good enough.
I’ll be the first to admit that 18 months is way too friggin’ long. And, yes, i’m only partially holding my breath that the next update comes sooner. I’m expecting within a month…hope I’m right. 
If I had to guess, and yes, I’m totally guessing…the delay was due to Microsoft stabilizing the Xbox platform. Plex probably needed to wait for Microsoft to fix the underlying platform before they could add in new functionality. And unfortunately, it was probably a complete re-write.
I remain hopeful that the Xbox platform is more stable now and updates will be quicker. And that Plex will take ALL input into consideration as they update the app. I’m sure critical feedback is welcome at Plex (definitely hope I’m right about that), but a little less negativity would be nice. Definitely want to keep the devs positive so they continue making improvements to the app.
Yeah, look, I agree mostly. I don’t want to get them down, because lets face it even with fair criticisms they’ve built a fine product (and I’ve tried to reiterate that elsewhere).
Lets hope you’re right. If the Xbox One app can provide UI customisation so I can be happy with it, and if they can ever give me an untethered local media experience I’ll be as happy as a pig in the proverbial
I’m happy some people can use this app…
Last night it was working fine but since the update, it cannot find the 2 servers that are used for my media and the family’s media.
I’m really narked, I was close to getting Plex pass too as I really like this service…but this update wants to make wonder if I really should.
OK, take it back, I have got it working now…after having to set the IP addresses…
This interface feels clunky, amateur and looks damn dreadful.
I have to agree - I have libraries set up for Kids - Movies, Kids - Series… and so on and could list them alphabetically as I wanted on the side panel before. Some were in “Movie” format while others were as “Other” types - but at least the kids stuff was together and so on… NOW… its crazy, some kids stuff under movies, some kids stuff under “other” formats and all over the place - the kids cant operate it any more and cant find their programs… we have to search everywhere…
the menu is clumsy and not user friendly at all.
Put it back like it was please! This was more like a downgrade than an upgrade.
The whole UI is in 720p but it plays in 1080p is also not true. It says it’s playing in 1080p but it’s just not. Visually it looks worse and the TV tells me it’s still in 720p. When I analyse the stream using plexply it’s reported as 720p. Other apps such as the built in LG smart tv one play at 1080p fine.
Sorry, but this new Xbox app UI is awful. Just a wall of posters that are all the same size, and menus hidden behind icons. Really bad.
I dislike this “new” interface so much I can’t do it justice in condemning it enough to express myself. It’s basically the same as the new PMP and personally I feel it’s terrible, just utterly terrible. I can’t believe this new UI ever made it out of vetting before being programmed on any device/client. It does next to nothing to SIMPLIFY the user experience for a user but adds many new clicks/keystrokes to navigate. This is the opposite of what should be happening. We should be trying to reduce keystrokes not increase them. We should be able to fully navigate with the d-pad (up, down, left, right) and an A button (select) and B button (back) and not need anything more like the home button. If you’re deep (pages) into your movies lib and wish to change to a TV Shows library it can be painful and slow without the use of the home button which many non-tech people won’t even realize is needed.
With the older or conventional interface as would be found on Android TV or the Web browser a few clicks left and you are back to ALL your libraries for easy selection. The left navigational pain can be hidden when not in use but present when you left press past the left most item in your show/movie selection (quick library changes).
Having FIXED types of MOVIES, SHOWS, MUSIC, PICTURES, OTHER makes no sense to have always active when you don’t have something like pictures or music on the server. Having to go UP in shows and movies (all types) to select a library of a specific type requires the user to know the type and isn’t intuitive at all. e.g. is my NFL library a SHOW type or OTHER. Is my Home Videos as SHOW, OTHER or MOVIES?
Worse yet is the mixture of my servers with other people’s servers. Many of us share servers with each other and often times we name our servers the same. I don’t usually play items from other peoples servers but like to look to see what they have I might not. However, if I don’t remember to change it back to my own server I won’t know this from looking at the interface as there is no breadcrumb list or library name shown so I know what I’m looking at.
Not having PLAYLISTS displayed with your libraries is a bit un-natural after years of seeing it displayed that way. Same for channels when this makes the update.
I think I understand why Plex went with this type of UI because it can allow a person running 2 or 3 servers to combine the data into one interface to “hide” the backend from the user/device. However it’s very convoluted.
A much simpler method could have been used such as the equivalent of a drop down list box for selecting a server and a library on that server. If the user only has access to one server then you don’t need to show the drop down. In any case a bread crumb display should be shown up top.
Alternately even for older clients the admin could share libs on multiple servers and these could be incorporated into the one view. Example if I had my Home Movies, Pictures and Music on one server with my Shows, Movies and NFL on another server I could have a left menu library that shows all of these on one menu. This IMHO would have been a much better way to simplify multiple server libraries. Essentially exactly what we have NOW in the web interface as far as server selection EXCEPT instead of choosing a server you choose a PERSON who shares with you. So for example if you choose “CAYARS” you would get one master library selection and would not need to know it runs on 1 server or if I have this spread out over 4 servers.
But I regress. Going from a left based menu to the new top UI of TYPES with UP clicking to select a library is non intuitive, is confusing, requires far too many clicks and I hate it. It’s the crazies menu system I think I’ve ever tried to use. LOL
I just hope Plex re-thinks this crazy UI and gets rid of it before they continue to roll this out on other devices.
Carlo
After living with it for a few days, here are my thoughts…
While I agree that some are being too harsh, I will say that having to press up to select a specific library from a particular library type with everyone’s libraries intermingled is way too many clicks and very unintuitive.
I know that Plex likes to obscure coming features/revisions from their userbase but this is one case where some external input on the UI would have probably been very helpful prior to release. Paraphrasing other posters, quality of life improvements should mean easier navigation, not more complicated. Although I don’t love it, I can deal with it, but I don’t think it passes the wife or kids test which is going to make it a dealbreaker for many.
I also think that handwaving off the need to manually specify your server’s IP address to correctly make it appear and behave local as a DNS rebinding issue, when you didn’t have to do this with the old client (or any other) should be looked into, as it seems almost compulsory to have to do this now based on the many posts revolving around transcoding taking place because the server is seen as remote.
I mostly like the rest of the UI other than the unacceptable library navigation and buried playlists (and missing cursor post play and broken subtitles, but I’m sure at least those 2 are bugs that will be addressed quickly)
@cayars said:
Having FIXED types of MOVIES, SHOWS, MUSIC, PICTURES, OTHER makes no sense to have always active when you don’t have something like pictures or music on the server. Having to go UP in shows and movies (all types) to select a library of a specific type requires the user to know the type and isn’t intuitive at all. e.g. is my NFL library a SHOW type or OTHER. Is my Home Videos as SHOW, OTHER or MOVIES?
Going from a left based menu to the new top UI of TYPES with UP clicking to select a library is non intuitive, is confusing, requires far too many clicks and I hate it. It’s the crazies menu system I think I’ve ever tried to use. LOL
I just hope Plex re-thinks this crazy UI and gets rid of it before they continue to roll this out on other devices.
Completely agree - what an utter mess! I have a similar grouping of content - the fact that my ‘workouts’ library is technically a TV library, and my ‘Sports’ library is technically a Movie library shouldn’t matter - I shouldn’t have to remember that to find my content - and it takes way too many clicks to switch between libraries now.
I hope they don’t destroy the Android client like this, and I really hope they restore the Xbox One app back to its previous glory asap.
