Plex media server is slick

Melbosa · May 24, 2013, 09:22:07 AM

Mine is Version 1.1.3, which is the latest.

Darren Dirt · May 24, 2013, 10:30:25 AM

Reading this thread I decided to re-visit their website.

Found this interesting blog from April 1st of this year, it mentions the surprising name they ALMOST chose for their app.

-- also there was a link to a video explaining the concept further.

Mr. Analog · May 24, 2013, 10:34:33 AM

April 1st eh? APRIL 1ST EH??

Darren Dirt · May 24, 2013, 11:49:23 AM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on May 24, 2013, 10:34:33 AM
April 1st eh? APRIL 1ST EH??

not joking, yes that link is a real link to a real blog post by the real developers of this allegedly slick app, and that blog post was dated the 1st day of the 4th month of the year 2013. There's even a screenshot of code referencing that date.

Thorin · May 24, 2013, 11:59:01 AM

The raw text of the first link: http://elan.plexapp.com/2013/04/01/happy-april-fools-day/

It's right there in the URL. You really didn't notice that? It was clearly a prank and clearly the post was part of extending the prank, since in the post they said they're gonna close up shop: "All those year of planning had finally paid off. [..] And it was time to move on.", yet they're still in operation. Much more likely that they came up with it on a whim in March, added it to the codebase, pushed a new version just before April 1st, had a good laugh, and rolled back their last couple of code commits. The blogger's contention that it was planned for five years sounds like bunk.

Mr. Analog · May 27, 2013, 01:36:14 PM

You know what is a real joke? The new Plex client app REQUIRES an account

So I'm looking for a new client that can consume Plex content, because seriously fuq dat chit

How to turn your app to crap: Add cumbersome external dependencies.

EDIT: So apparently there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth already and they reverted that change but it sounds like some users are having server detection issues.

Lazybones · May 27, 2013, 01:46:39 PM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on May 27, 2013, 01:36:14 PM
You know what is a real joke? The new Plex client app REQUIRES an account

So I'm looking for a new client that can consume Plex content, because seriously fuq dat chit

How to turn your app to crap: Add cumbersome external dependencies.

It exists for two reasons:
1. To provide a dynamic IP service so you mobile client can locate your server and port online easily. (because you know 99% of users know their public IP or have Dyndns setup)
2. To control access to premium features (currently plexsync for plex pass users)
3. Allows access control to your friends to share out your server to them and control access to libraries (again without needing to know IPs or ports)

Generally you can get around using myPlex if you create a VPN connection to your home network and the client is able to discover the server as if it was local.

Mr. Analog · May 27, 2013, 01:49:17 PM

Ahh, I just use it on the LAN via my tablet so I was wondering what all the fuss was about.

I should have read the list of updates before downloading yesterday, it was a complete version change and it wasn't really clear on the Android update page when I grabbed it.

Lazybones · May 27, 2013, 02:02:21 PM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on May 27, 2013, 01:49:17 PM
Ahh, I just use it on the LAN via my tablet so I was wondering what all the fuss was about.

I should have read the list of updates before downloading yesterday, it was a complete version change and it wasn't really clear on the Android update page when I grabbed it.

There are lots of great changes in that release for Android... There was a mass UI overhaul, it was basically a rewrite and uses newer android APIs.

Mr. Analog · May 27, 2013, 02:09:00 PM

Yeah! After work I'm gonna get the latest version and check it out. It looks good

Mr. Analog · December 05, 2014, 08:24:58 AM

For some reason you can't "Gift" a Plex Pass, which I find frustrating

Tom · December 05, 2014, 10:33:59 PM

I managed to use Lazy's share out here. Worked decently, I think we only had one or two pauses during one movie, but our internets was still having issues at that point? Now its a lot better, but we haven't really messed with plex since then.

Mr. Analog · May 27, 2015, 12:11:01 AM

Is there a way to custom edit or add a media mapping?

I have a Cartoon Pilot that hasn't been added anywhere yet (its less than a week old) and Plex can't figure out what to do with it (it actually broke one of my libraries and I had to rebuild it)

Melbosa · May 27, 2015, 12:15:22 AM

If it shows up in your Plex Media Manager all you have to do is use the Pencil icon to modify any of its metadata attributes. If it doesn't then you have to track down its XML file located in /library/metadata/ and see if you can modify it work for your system.

Mr. Analog · May 27, 2015, 12:19:27 AM

Quote from: Melbosa on May 27, 2015, 12:15:22 AM
If it shows up in your Plex Media Manager all you have to do is use the Pencil icon to modify any of its metadata attributes. If it doesn't then you have to track down its XML file located in /library/metadata/ and see if you can modify it work for your system.

Already been down that road, if it incorrectly matches the media it's a hell of a job to unmatch it without also unmatching everything else. I also found that you can't limit "personal media" where you could define specifically the show itself into a folder that exists, I'd have to create another library to do it. For something so simple they sure make it hard to do.

BUT if you say I can manually edit the XML then I'll do that, will be much easier!

Thanks!

EDIT:

Plex metadata is stored in some kind of segmented flat DB