Anybody tried the other DLNA apps available yet? There are a few, but paid so hoping to find out which ones work best before purchasing. I still use my PS3 and PS3MediaServer but was hoping to migrate over to something on AppleTV that *HOPEFULLY* will support Siri search when that's opened up.
I tried adding the movie folder locations manually but it only seemed to take a single location which was no good as I have movies on 3 different drives.
You just add those three locations into Plex, it will maintain them all under that Movies title.
The headline is wrong; Plex app on Apple TV turns Apple TV into a media client for Plex Server. And that's great news, because Plex is totally awesome and works infinitely better than iTunes and the myriad of craptastic apps that Apple TV uses to connect to it.
I have not used Plex in the past. A lot of good info here. I will be setting up a server tonight. It is always good to get constructive discussion going here.
Actually... your computer is the personal media server. Plex on the new Apple TV is only a player of such content. You need their server app installed on your machine for this.
Ah, so it it a client and a computer on the LAN is the server, like iTunes and Home Sharing used to be with the extra nice touches of pulling data from the net. I might have a use for this after all. I have many kids movies on a hard drive used to entertain visiting grandchildren.
I have not used Plex in the past. A lot of good info here. I will be setting up a server tonight. It is always good to get constructive discussion going here.
Why would I want this? What content capability does it provide that I cannot duplicate through the Apple ecosystem?
Several folks have given examples of why, but to sum up...you use Plex if you don't want to be confined to Apple's ecosystem, a walled garden governed by a benevolent dictator. I don't mean that as a knock against Apple, just recognizing the ecosystem for what it is. It works, and is probably best, for most folks. But the walls keep getting higher and higher and some of us have needs outside of the garden. For example...
Quote:
Originally Posted by dchao99
You still do not need Plex
You can either put all your videos into iTunes library on a Mac and use Home Sharing, or use AirParrot to stream it from the Mac to ATV.
It used to be that iTunes could play pretty much any video you could throw at it (anything QuickTime could play on your system). I don't believe that is the case any longer. And both iDevices and Apple TV could only ever play video in very specific formats. Those are good formats, but if your video isn't already in one of those formats you'll have to transcode it.
The only thing Plex can't play that I wish it could is video_ts extracted from DVDs to preserve the DVD menus and extras. Someone needs to make a FrontRow app!
How are you able to access your content remotely? Does Plex manage the "connection" to your home machine?
Thanks
Yes! PLEX is like your own personal Netflix type service!!! you can put your Movies, TV programs, Music, Home Videos on it. PLEX will grab all the TV or Movie Data and box Art, Descriptions, etc, Automatically, set it up nice and fancy. PLEX with Auto Transcode the video into the required format for the display you are using. I can watch a 1080P Movie on any of my HDTV's at home, and then run the PLEX app on my iPad at work and watch some of it while on my break. I've watch one of my movies on my PLEX server at home at my Brothers house, AirPlaying from my iPhone to his AppleTV. it looks great. I can watch any of that content anywhere in the world with a Internet connection.
Just Ripping all my Movies and putting them on my NAS and using PLEX to watch on any of my HDTV's is the greatest. Once it's in Digital format, I put the Discs into one of my 300 Disc Binders and throw it in the closet as a last resort backup. Then throw that big bulky case away. Saves a ton of space. I own it. I'll always have it. Unlike Netflix, It doesn't come and go. A really good program on the MAC that can rip your discs and it's FREE is called Handbreak. It's also on Windows.
I tried Plex recently, installed on my Mac mini server. It added my iTunes as a channel but just dumped all videos, tv shows and movies, into the movies folder under Plex. One massive list of 4000 videos.
I tried adding the movie folder locations manually but it only seemed to take a single location which was no good as I have movies on 3 different drives.
Gave up and stuck to iTunes.
4,000 movies? The FBI is heading over to your house now to "interview" you.
I tried Plex recently, installed on my Mac mini server. It added my iTunes as a channel but just dumped all videos, tv shows and movies, into the movies folder under Plex. One massive list of 4000 videos.
I tried adding the movie folder locations manually but it only seemed to take a single location which was no good as I have movies on 3 different drives.
Gave up and stuck to iTunes.
You're doing something WRONG! I have Movies in a few different locations. TV shows in a few different locations. Most are in different folders on my NAS unit, some on my main PC. PLEX has zero problem accessing them all. It's not hard to add any folder you want. I'm not sure what you were trying to do.
It's also generally better you have TV programs and Movies is different folders. Not all mixed up. For one thing when you have a ton of content, it's easier to find things. For another different Databases are used for Movies then for TV content.
PLEX would have zero problem having movies on 3 different drives.
Several folks have given examples of why, but to sum up...you use Plex if you don't want to be confined to Apple's ecosystem, a walled garden governed by a benevolent dictator. I don't mean that as a knock against Apple, just recognizing the ecosystem for what it is. It works, and is probably best, for most folks. But the walls keep getting higher and higher and some of us have needs outside of the garden. For example...
It used to be that iTunes could play pretty much any video you could throw at it (anything QuickTime could play on your system). I don't believe that is the case any longer. And both iDevices and Apple TV could only ever play video in very specific formats. Those are good formats, but if your video isn't already in one of those formats you'll have to transcode it.
The only thing Plex can't play that I wish it could is video_ts extracted from DVDs to preserve the DVD menus and extras. Someone needs to make a FrontRow app!
I don't think holding onto the DVD Menu's and extra's is that big of a deal. I rarely ever watched that stuff. You don't get any of that from Netflix or any other service either, so it seems most just don't care also. That's just more junk to take up space. I'd rather just start at the beginning of the movie and go from there. PLEX is like your own personal Netflix type service. That's how I look at it. If you want to do what you're asking, maybe something like XBMC, though I guess it's no longer called that.
Yes! PLEX is like your own personal Netflix type service!!! you can put your Movies, TV programs, Music, Home Videos on it. PLEX will grab all the TV or Movie Data and box Art, Descriptions, etc, Automatically, set it up nice and fancy. PLEX with Auto Transcode the video into the required format for the display you are using. I can watch a 1080P Movie on any of my HDTV's at home, and then run the PLEX app on my iPad at work and watch some of it while on my break. I've watch one of my movies on my PLEX server at home at my Brothers house, AirPlaying from my iPhone to his AppleTV. it looks great. I can watch any of that content anywhere in the world with a Internet connection.
Just Ripping all my Movies and putting them on my NAS and using PLEX to watch on any of my HDTV's is the greatest. Once it's in Digital format, I put the Discs into one of my 300 Disc Binders and throw it in the closet as a last resort backup. Then throw that big bulky case away. Saves a ton of space. I own it. I'll always have it. Unlike Netflix, It doesn't come and go. A really good program on the MAC that can rip your discs and it's FREE is called Handbreak. It's also on Windows.
Thanks for the additional info - Appreciate the thoughts on the NAS unit - I'm assuming you installed the Plex server on the NAS - is this correct? What NAS do you have, and have you found it fast enough - would you look at a different one if you were setting it up today (e.g., the hardware landscape has changed since you set it up).
My main question was how the ip address was managed - whether Plex managed it, or I needed to deal with it - My ip address stays relatively stable, but have seen it reassigned by my ISP from time to time. But, if Plex takes care of the connection I don't need to do anything special.
The Apple TV isn't meant to use as a computer so you won't see Safari. It is a media and home appliance. It will run you automated home products like webcams, lights, and so on and also give you all the media content to watch movies, TV shows, music and so on.
But you cannot search your iTunes library from the AppleTV (new or old) unless it was purchased from iTunes.
Really? My Apple TV can play all of the videos I have in my Mac's iTunes library, none of which were purchased from the iTunes store. The videos have to be encoded in a certain way (MPEG4 container file format, h.264 video, AAC stereo audio with an optional Dolby AC3 5.1 secondary stream -- just use the appropriate Apple TV preset in Handbrake and don't worry about it) but they will play.
What video formats does Plex for Apple tv support? Can it play mkv files?
Not directly. It supports only the formats in the Apple TV specs. The Plex Media Server running on your PC will have to transcode anything that is incompatible before streaming it to the Apple TV. (Source: comments by Plex representatives on the blog post announcing Plex for Apple TV)
You're doing something WRONG! I have Movies in a few different locations. TV shows in a few different locations. Most are in different folders on my NAS unit, some on my main PC. PLEX has zero problem accessing them all. It's not hard to add any folder you want. I'm not sure what you were trying to do.
It's also generally better you have TV programs and Movies is different folders. Not all mixed up. For one thing when you have a ton of content, it's easier to find things. For another different Databases are used for Movies then for TV content.
PLEX would have zero problem having movies on 3 different drives.
All of my content IS in different folders depending on content, movies, tv shows etc all of this is added to iTunes which organises all of them under each category. I have content on 3 DAS units 2 archived libraries and 1 live library. iTunes was set to NOT to copy files to its library when I added the archived DAS units and that function was enabled for future content which is added to the live library which lives on the move library DAS. Each DAS has folders for the different content. This is my existing setup, I don't need flex but I thought I would try it out as a lot of people rave about it.
As it turned out I was missing the ADD option so I removed and reinstalled Plex on my Mini Server when I got in today, added all of the movie folders from the DAS units and stuck the app on the apple tv.
Seemed to take an age to get metadata which was already in all of the files along with cover art (I can only assume that it ignores the local data and jumps straight to the internet to look it up) no idea why as I have a decent 150Mb cable link.
I will have to play about with it to see how to have ALL movies from all folders appear in a single list rather than the separate folders. Doesn't seem as quick as the normal Apple TV computer browser but is nicer looking . going to try the player app out on the phone and iPad.
I don't think holding onto the DVD Menu's and extra's is that big of a deal. I rarely ever watched that stuff. You don't get any of that from Netflix or any other service either, so it seems most just don't care also. That's just more junk to take up space. I'd rather just start at the beginning of the movie and go from there. PLEX is like your own personal Netflix type service. That's how I look at it. If you want to do what you're asking, maybe something like XBMC, though I guess it's no longer called that.
True, it's not a huge deal. I have a few DVDs where you have the option of viewing different versions of the movie. And some of the kid's DVDs have extras the young-uns like to watch from time to time. Then there are the DVDs from TV series which might have half a dozen episodes or so on each disc. Extracting them each individually is kind of a pain (which I've already gone through).
Disk space is cheap. And I've already created video_ts archives of all my DVDs anyway, so the "junk" space is actually taken up be the Handbrake transcoded files I had to create for compatibility, not the video_ts files which I'd keep either way as backups. That way if I ever wanted to re-encode using some future codec I don't have to re-rip from the DVDs. Same reason all my CDs are ripped using Apple Lossless, you can always go back to the original "disc quality" without having to dig out the discs.
You still do not need Plex
You can either put all your videos into iTunes library on a Mac and use Home Sharing, or use AirParrot to stream it from the Mac to ATV.
iTunes doesn't support some popular video formats, requiring conversion, which is lame. Plex for Apple TV solves that problem.
Really? My Apple TV can play all of the videos I have in my Mac's iTunes library, none of which were purchased from the iTunes store. The videos have to be encoded in a certain way (MPEG4 container file format, h.264 video, AAC stereo audio with an optional Dolby AC3 5.1 secondary stream -- just use the appropriate Apple TV preset in Handbrake and don't worry about it) but they will play.
Am I the only person that uses Subler?? It's fan freakin tastic! Combine Handbrake with Subler and it does way more than Plex, even going into the metadata that isn't easily modified. All my ripped stuff looks exactly like the stuff I bought from iTunes (and, as a result, is easily searchable on Apple TV).
Comments
Anybody tried the other DLNA apps available yet? There are a few, but paid so hoping to find out which ones work best before purchasing. I still use my PS3 and PS3MediaServer but was hoping to migrate over to something on AppleTV that *HOPEFULLY* will support Siri search when that's opened up.
You just add those three locations into Plex, it will maintain them all under that Movies title.
Ah, so it it a client and a computer on the LAN is the server, like iTunes and Home Sharing used to be with the extra nice touches of pulling data from the net. I might have a use for this after all. I have many kids movies on a hard drive used to entertain visiting grandchildren.
Agreed.
Why would I want this? What content capability does it provide that I cannot duplicate through the Apple ecosystem?
Several folks have given examples of why, but to sum up...you use Plex if you don't want to be confined to Apple's ecosystem, a walled garden governed by a benevolent dictator. I don't mean that as a knock against Apple, just recognizing the ecosystem for what it is. It works, and is probably best, for most folks. But the walls keep getting higher and higher and some of us have needs outside of the garden. For example...
You still do not need Plex
You can either put all your videos into iTunes library on a Mac and use Home Sharing, or use AirParrot to stream it from the Mac to ATV.
It used to be that iTunes could play pretty much any video you could throw at it (anything QuickTime could play on your system). I don't believe that is the case any longer. And both iDevices and Apple TV could only ever play video in very specific formats. Those are good formats, but if your video isn't already in one of those formats you'll have to transcode it.
The only thing Plex can't play that I wish it could is video_ts extracted from DVDs to preserve the DVD menus and extras. Someone needs to make a FrontRow app!
How are you able to access your content remotely? Does Plex manage the "connection" to your home machine?
Thanks
Yes! PLEX is like your own personal Netflix type service!!! you can put your Movies, TV programs, Music, Home Videos on it. PLEX will grab all the TV or Movie Data and box Art, Descriptions, etc, Automatically, set it up nice and fancy. PLEX with Auto Transcode the video into the required format for the display you are using. I can watch a 1080P Movie on any of my HDTV's at home, and then run the PLEX app on my iPad at work and watch some of it while on my break. I've watch one of my movies on my PLEX server at home at my Brothers house, AirPlaying from my iPhone to his AppleTV. it looks great. I can watch any of that content anywhere in the world with a Internet connection.
Just Ripping all my Movies and putting them on my NAS and using PLEX to watch on any of my HDTV's is the greatest. Once it's in Digital format, I put the Discs into one of my 300 Disc Binders and throw it in the closet as a last resort backup. Then throw that big bulky case away. Saves a ton of space. I own it. I'll always have it. Unlike Netflix, It doesn't come and go. A really good program on the MAC that can rip your discs and it's FREE is called Handbreak. It's also on Windows.
4,000 movies? The FBI is heading over to your house now to "interview" you.
I tried Plex recently, installed on my Mac mini server. It added my iTunes as a channel but just dumped all videos, tv shows and movies, into the movies folder under Plex. One massive list of 4000 videos.
I tried adding the movie folder locations manually but it only seemed to take a single location which was no good as I have movies on 3 different drives.
Gave up and stuck to iTunes.
You're doing something WRONG! I have Movies in a few different locations. TV shows in a few different locations. Most are in different folders on my NAS unit, some on my main PC. PLEX has zero problem accessing them all. It's not hard to add any folder you want. I'm not sure what you were trying to do.
It's also generally better you have TV programs and Movies is different folders. Not all mixed up. For one thing when you have a ton of content, it's easier to find things. For another different Databases are used for Movies then for TV content.
PLEX would have zero problem having movies on 3 different drives.
Several folks have given examples of why, but to sum up...you use Plex if you don't want to be confined to Apple's ecosystem, a walled garden governed by a benevolent dictator. I don't mean that as a knock against Apple, just recognizing the ecosystem for what it is. It works, and is probably best, for most folks. But the walls keep getting higher and higher and some of us have needs outside of the garden. For example...
It used to be that iTunes could play pretty much any video you could throw at it (anything QuickTime could play on your system). I don't believe that is the case any longer. And both iDevices and Apple TV could only ever play video in very specific formats. Those are good formats, but if your video isn't already in one of those formats you'll have to transcode it.
The only thing Plex can't play that I wish it could is video_ts extracted from DVDs to preserve the DVD menus and extras. Someone needs to make a FrontRow app!
I don't think holding onto the DVD Menu's and extra's is that big of a deal. I rarely ever watched that stuff. You don't get any of that from Netflix or any other service either, so it seems most just don't care also. That's just more junk to take up space. I'd rather just start at the beginning of the movie and go from there. PLEX is like your own personal Netflix type service. That's how I look at it. If you want to do what you're asking, maybe something like XBMC, though I guess it's no longer called that.
Yes! PLEX is like your own personal Netflix type service!!! you can put your Movies, TV programs, Music, Home Videos on it. PLEX will grab all the TV or Movie Data and box Art, Descriptions, etc, Automatically, set it up nice and fancy. PLEX with Auto Transcode the video into the required format for the display you are using. I can watch a 1080P Movie on any of my HDTV's at home, and then run the PLEX app on my iPad at work and watch some of it while on my break. I've watch one of my movies on my PLEX server at home at my Brothers house, AirPlaying from my iPhone to his AppleTV. it looks great. I can watch any of that content anywhere in the world with a Internet connection.
Just Ripping all my Movies and putting them on my NAS and using PLEX to watch on any of my HDTV's is the greatest. Once it's in Digital format, I put the Discs into one of my 300 Disc Binders and throw it in the closet as a last resort backup. Then throw that big bulky case away. Saves a ton of space. I own it. I'll always have it. Unlike Netflix, It doesn't come and go. A really good program on the MAC that can rip your discs and it's FREE is called Handbreak. It's also on Windows.
Thanks for the additional info - Appreciate the thoughts on the NAS unit - I'm assuming you installed the Plex server on the NAS - is this correct? What NAS do you have, and have you found it fast enough - would you look at a different one if you were setting it up today (e.g., the hardware landscape has changed since you set it up).
My main question was how the ip address was managed - whether Plex managed it, or I needed to deal with it - My ip address stays relatively stable, but have seen it reassigned by my ISP from time to time. But, if Plex takes care of the connection I don't need to do anything special.
But you cannot search your iTunes library from the AppleTV (new or old) unless it was purchased from iTunes.
Really? My Apple TV can play all of the videos I have in my Mac's iTunes library, none of which were purchased from the iTunes store. The videos have to be encoded in a certain way (MPEG4 container file format, h.264 video, AAC stereo audio with an optional Dolby AC3 5.1 secondary stream -- just use the appropriate Apple TV preset in Handbrake and don't worry about it) but they will play.
What video formats does Plex for Apple tv support? Can it play mkv files?
Not directly. It supports only the formats in the Apple TV specs. The Plex Media Server running on your PC will have to transcode anything that is incompatible before streaming it to the Apple TV. (Source: comments by Plex representatives on the blog post announcing Plex for Apple TV)
All of my content IS in different folders depending on content, movies, tv shows etc all of this is added to iTunes which organises all of them under each category. I have content on 3 DAS units 2 archived libraries and 1 live library. iTunes was set to NOT to copy files to its library when I added the archived DAS units and that function was enabled for future content which is added to the live library which lives on the move library DAS. Each DAS has folders for the different content. This is my existing setup, I don't need flex but I thought I would try it out as a lot of people rave about it.
As it turned out I was missing the ADD option so I removed and reinstalled Plex on my Mini Server when I got in today, added all of the movie folders from the DAS units and stuck the app on the apple tv.
Seemed to take an age to get metadata which was already in all of the files along with cover art (I can only assume that it ignores the local data and jumps straight to the internet to look it up) no idea why as I have a decent 150Mb cable link.
I will have to play about with it to see how to have ALL movies from all folders appear in a single list rather than the separate folders. Doesn't seem as quick as the normal Apple TV computer browser but is nicer looking . going to try the player app out on the phone and iPad.
I don't think holding onto the DVD Menu's and extra's is that big of a deal. I rarely ever watched that stuff. You don't get any of that from Netflix or any other service either, so it seems most just don't care also. That's just more junk to take up space. I'd rather just start at the beginning of the movie and go from there. PLEX is like your own personal Netflix type service. That's how I look at it. If you want to do what you're asking, maybe something like XBMC, though I guess it's no longer called that.
True, it's not a huge deal. I have a few DVDs where you have the option of viewing different versions of the movie. And some of the kid's DVDs have extras the young-uns like to watch from time to time. Then there are the DVDs from TV series which might have half a dozen episodes or so on each disc. Extracting them each individually is kind of a pain (which I've already gone through).
Disk space is cheap. And I've already created video_ts archives of all my DVDs anyway, so the "junk" space is actually taken up be the Handbrake transcoded files I had to create for compatibility, not the video_ts files which I'd keep either way as backups. That way if I ever wanted to re-encode using some future codec I don't have to re-rip from the DVDs. Same reason all my CDs are ripped using Apple Lossless, you can always go back to the original "disc quality" without having to dig out the discs.
iTunes doesn't support some popular video formats, requiring conversion, which is lame. Plex for Apple TV solves that problem.
he said search, not play.