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Official Plex App Now Available for New Apple TV

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The much-anticipated Plex app for the Apple TV is available for download on the new set-top box as of today, allowing users to stream content from their computers to the Apple TV using the Plex Media Server software. First announced in September, the official Plex app was still in review when the new Apple TV launched last Friday, but it's now been approved.

For those unfamiliar with Plex, it's a media server and personal library for content like TV shows, movies, and music. It's designed to organize personal media collections, allowing videos and music to be streamed to TVs and other devices, locally and remotely.

plexmovies.jpg

Plex on the new Apple TV has a gorgeous interface that makes it easy to see all of your media content at a glance. Plex adds artwork for movies, TV shows, and music, plus it includes information like cast members, plot summaries, and Rotten Tomatoes ratings.

Plex has long been available on set-top devices like the Chromcast and the Fire TV, and it's popular with jailbreakers, but it has not previously been available on older versions of the Apple TV in an official capacity.

moviesinterfaceplex.jpg

The Plex app for the Apple TV can be downloaded from the tvOS App Store. The app is free to download, and unlike the iOS version does not require a $4.99 in-app purchase or Plex Pass subscription to unlock functionality. Apple TV and iOS App Store apps are universal, so if you've already downloaded the app for iOS, it can be found in the Purchases section of the tvOS App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Official Plex App Now Available for New Apple TV
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/11/02/plex-app-now-available-for-apple-tv/
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Can anyone explain the advantages of Plex vs what I do today... a fully tagged collection of movies I added to iTunes (iFlick 2 for the metadata) that streams to all my Apple TVs?
 
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What does Plex do that AirPlay doesn't already do? Currently, I can stream anything I want from my computer to my ATV just by mirroring the display. Does Plex have a separate service apart from iTunes?

[Edit: canyonblue737 just beat me to it]
 
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If anyone does get this app, I am curious how it handles HD audio streams or is Apple also castrating yet another device so it cannot play or pass through HD audio (DTS-Master as example). Somehow, I'll guess Plex will play HD audio streams as either Dolby or DTS and less than.
 
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NightStorm said:
Glad to hear this is available... the only downside is that my large library is made up of a both iTunes purchased content and my own Handbrake encodes. Until I can serve everything from one interface, it won't pass the wife factor.
Click to expand...

Patience. Plex will soon gain access to the Siri Search API, so your wife will be using her voice to consume video before you know it.
 
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canyonblue737 said:
Can anyone explain the advantages of Plex vs what I do today... a fully tagged collection of movies I added to iTunes (iFlick 2 for the metadata) that streams to all my Apple TVs?
Click to expand...

jayducharme said:
What does Plex do that AirPlay doesn't already do? Currently, I can stream anything I want from my computer to my ATV just by mirroring the display. Does Plex have a separate service apart from iTunes?

[Edit: canyonblue737 just beat me to it]
Click to expand...

Plex provides a very nice interface that will pull your media from the server and display it on your ATV, automatically inserting cover art, metadata, rotten tomatoes ratings, etc.

So instead of having to drill down through the computer app on the ATV and find the list of movies, or pull the media up on your computer and push it through Airplay, you can just use your remote to browse or search your movies, and the experience is about as beautiful and convenient as looking at your iTunes movies on the ATV.


lewisd25 said:
Apple TV's first killer app.
Click to expand...

Yep. If/when Amazon submits a Prime app for ATV, the other media streaming devices will be running from behind.
 
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dannys1 said:
1080p24 - not 1080p, if you don't know what that is, telecine judder has probably never bothered you, so as you were.
Click to expand...

I don't understand. For video on Apple TV, Apple's page says ".264 video up to 1080p, 60 frames per second, High or Main Profile level 4.2 or lower".

As someone who currently uses Plex on a Mac Mini, what is the issue with not having 1080p24 on Apple TV?

(Sorry - I don't know what 1080p24 is). Thanks.
 
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surfingarbo said:
I don't understand. For video on Apple TV, Apple's page says ".264 video up to 1080p, 60 frames per second, High or Main Profile level 4.2 or lower".

As someone who currently uses Plex on a Mac Mini, what is the issue with not having 1080p24 on Apple TV?

(Sorry - I don't know what 1080p24 is). Thanks.
Click to expand...

1080p24 is played at the native framerate of 24hz
 
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surfingarbo said:
I don't understand. For video on Apple TV, Apple's page says ".264 video up to 1080p, 60 frames per second, High or Main Profile level 4.2 or lower".

As someone who currently uses Plex on a Mac Mini, what is the issue with not having 1080p24 on Apple TV?

(Sorry - I don't know what 1080p24 is). Thanks.
Click to expand...

Seriously, don't worry about it then, or at least Google "24p", "3:2 pulldown" and "telecine judder" and educate yourself
 
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