That's handy!
But still.... doesn't really lessen the hassle & extra step of changing "d/l & stream" to "d/l, then u/l again... THEN stream".
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'Plex Cloud' for Accessing Media Anywhere is Now Available to All Plex Pass Users
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That's handy!
But still.... doesn't really lessen the hassle & extra step of changing "d/l & stream" to "d/l, then u/l again... THEN stream".
What is better about Infuse? I just visited the site. The interface looks almost exactly like Plex on iTV.
The big difference between Plex and Infuse is that Plex uses a central media server that hosts the library, while Infuse just needs access to the files (i.e. you don't have to run server software like PMS on your server) and then builds a local library on the ATV. This has pros and cons:
- If you add or reorganize media files and run multiple ATVs with Infuse, every one of them has to scan the files and update its local library separately, while the Plex libarary only needs to be updated once on the server (however, you can sync watched status across multiple ATVs with Infuse using its trakt.tv integration).
- Plex relies heavily on the Plex server to transcode video and audio formats that the ATV4 cannot play natively. Infuse can play almost every popular format directly on the ATV. As a consquence, it can play a number of formats (e.g. VC-1 video or high-definition audio formats) losslessly while Plex can't. Also, you can use a cheap NAS without a lot of CPU performance for Infuse, while for Plex you may need a beefy computer to be able to transcode demanding video formats.
Some added functionalities such as remote access are not directly supported by Infuse (it's possible though to configure your own VPN server e.g. on your router to access your media remotely using the iOS Infuse). The Plex client is of course available on many devices, while Infuse is tvOS and iOS only.
It's also worth pointing out that there is a third alternative: MrMC is a port of Kodi for the ATV (with some features removed due to Apple limitations). Similarly to Infuse it can play a large number of formats directly on the ATV and builds a local library. But the UI is quite different.
I really wish you didn't have to be a Plex Pass user for Local Sync (for offline playback). It makes no sense as it's still my own content on my own hardware. I could transfer the files to my device and play them back in a normal app, but it would be easier to select files with the Plex app's catalog of my library.
It's just local caching of content. So you can watch it someplace where you have poor/no network connection. Same thing Netflix is just now adding to their service.
Even though I have Plex, I actually run a Subsonic server as well. Subsonic is more music focused, but it can do basic video, too. You have to pay to do remote access on Subsonic, but it's only $12/year. Quite a bit cheaper than a Plex Pass, and I can locally cache my media on my device for off line listening. It has some other features I really like, too.
No prob. Sorry, didn't mean to ramble like that. If you have good data access Plex is definitely a great product for video. I love that it supports fully styled subtitles. I don't like the phone in to a centralized server business either, though.
Plex will do automatic scans, or can do them on a schedule. It's on the settings. Some of this probably depends on how you set up Plex, like on a normal computer or a NAS.
Edit: I sometimes find myself having to manually tell it to update, but might just be me being impatient. It's easy to do that from the normal web interface, but I don't think you can make it do a manual update from an app.
Oh ok thanks. I didn't know that. I set mine up on a normal computer.
Where is it at in settings please ?
Never mind I think I found it!
Server section > Library
Scheduled Tasks also has an option to update all libraries during normal maintenance.
Obviously your computer has to be running when the scans/maintenance are scheduled for.
[doublepost=1489150509][/doublepost]Thanks,
In addition some info.
- MrMC now supports Plex client with direct play. And is the only one which supports DVD with menu support
- Plex has now dropped support for many NAS systems from Synology, WD, Netgear, Readynas, Qnap and others, see https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/ar...nger-supported-starting-with-0-9-17-0-server- ; so there is a risk Plex will drop the support during the life cycle of your Plex server solution
- Infuse Pro 5 also supports the cloud now
In addition to supporting the aforementioned media types, Infuse 5 now permits you to browse, stream and download your videos and other files from anywhere by storing them in the cloud. The app supports a variety of popular cloud services, including Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.
- Infuse you have to pay each year for the new version as well as a subscription - not nice, expensive and a waste.
You don't have to buy the subscription - from their FAQ:
"We have also kept the standalone Infuse Pro app (which is a one-time, non subscription fee) for those who prefer it."
Here is where I started posting when I was in the middle of my attempts to get it to work.
The interface never came together into a cohesive, working screen for me. I don't recall being able to play a movie, even on the iMac where the library, PMS, and Plex Theater were installed. The interface looked like a botched Kodi install. I had plenty of hangs and quits. I found that you have to have cookies turned on in your browser to use PMS, and you have to have a net connection to run Plex - even if you just want to have a locally-served and -used library with embedded metadata.
Also, I have hundreds of production still photos that I could get sued for if they leak to the public, so I'm very protective of them. I specifically de-selected photo scanning because of this, yet when the setup was done I found my entire photo library in there. I deleted the Plex install by following their instructions on deleting all the installed files. I tried reinstalling Plex some time later, with better controls on what was available for it to access, and when the install was finished it did not ask me any setup questions; the first run took seconds instead of minutes and it simply brought the previous setup back from the dead. Complete with the photo library and even the "friendly name" I had set for the media server. Here's the thread where I fought with Plex trying to delete everything.
Basically, Plex didn't work for me, and what little it did do on my machine seemed like spyware. Take a look here for a summary.
Plex is bent on getting people to sign up for the free MyPlex account, or whatever they're calling it now, so much so that if you sign up for their support forums, its considered a Plex account and you're now automatically part of their system. I made a joke about them answering tech support emails with "we've used your email address to set up a free Plex account for you!", but I think now thats not a joke, its a reality. They're reeeeeally trying to get people to sign up for it, yet they won't explain why you would need a cloud account with them to access movies on your local machine. They say its simply to access the wonderful features of the software, including metadata for files, but many people have the metadata already, why ignore that?
Their online docs on fully deleting Plex (purposely?) ignore certain files that are hidden in the system, which raised my suspicions further.
I've hammered on Plex on these forums quite a bit, so lest anyone think I'm shilling for iTunes or Infuse let me say I have criticisms of them as well. There is no reason why you should need to sign in to iCloud in order to Homeshare. None. Not when you have both your aTV and Mac on the same side of a firewall, signed in to the same router using WPA2 encryption. You should merely have to display a PIN on the computer and enter it into the aTV, or vice versa. Thats how it works with WiFi printers, why not AppleTV? And Infuse, for all I enjoy it, does exhibit some strange behavior. I have metadata for most of my films, including artwork, yet occasionally Infuse will bring up the wrong poster, or even change the movie data to match to a later film with the same name, or something slightly different. In some cases it almost is forgivable, like when the Billy Crystal movie "Running Scared" is replaced with the Paul Walker movie of the same name. I have both movies and enjoy them. But when I discover that the Ralph Macchio movie "Crossroads" is now a twenty year newer movie starring Britney Spears, I get a little put off by that. Even so, I just correct the mistake - it takes maybe two or three button presses on the remote - and move on. At least the player works, and the interface is very aesthetically pleasing. If all I have to worry about with Infuse is dropped posters once in a while, I'll get over it. Especially since it didn't require me to sign up for an "Infuse" account to unlock awesome features while turning over my data to the parent company.
What about Infuse reminds you of Windows? I loathe Windows and yet there was nothing about Infuse that grated on me, so I'd be interested in your take on it.
[doublepost=1489156255][/doublepost]
Thats strange... I have Infuse set up on my Apple TV and it was free. It didn't update automatically when v5 came out, but I was able to download that for free as well.
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Thanks for your detailed information. I started reading some of the other threads you linked and will finish up later.
I can't say if your experience is unique or not, only that I did not experience the setup issues you have.
I do use a Windows 10 machines with older Zeon processors for my Plex server, however I don't see how that impacts the install per say.
In regard to Windows, I don't have anything against it as I use both Mac and Windows.
However my experience with Infuse (Summer 2016) was the fist thing I see are folders when I launch it.
This differs from Plex as I see a deck of lastest watched, latest TV and Move additions, etc, when I first enter app on Apple TV, or on PC/Mac.
Perhaps I didn't set it up correctly or there is a newer or paid version more similar to Plex?
Secondly, I have a lot of media. Infuse takes forever to ingest this content on initial setup.
I do like your points about not phoning home so this weekend I will use a test machine and give it another go. Might even pay for the Pro version.
One question, where is the metadata stored with Infuse?
Thanks
Actually there is also a version of the app that has a perpetual license. However, this only covers the current major version. They frequently add new features to the app, so I think going with the subscription version is probably the better choice. And at the price of a single Big Mac meal per year, it's hardly "expensive" and definitely not a "waste".
[doublepost=1489158972][/doublepost]
Yes. Infuse has a library view (which was added sometime early/mid 2016).
Yes, primarily because it downloads metadata and artwork from the Internet. Subsequent updates are obviously faster.
On the ATV. If you edit the metadata within Infuse, it can now sync your changes via iCloud. It also understands .nfo files, so you can pre-populate the metadata on the server if you want to.
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Still they have no way to prove you got that illegally regardless of how many people.
With torrenting they can literally see that you are sharing/getting it illegally hence legal action is possible
The base version is free, but to get all features you need the Pro version. You can either use the yearly subscription via in-app purchase, or get the separate Infuse Pro app from the app store.
For the additional features of the Pro version, see this page (at the bottom):
https://firecore.com/infuse
Thanks for the info.
Is there a screenshot somewhere of Library view?
How do you edit metadata within infuse? Is there an app for Mac to PC to do this?
As far as I can see, there is no easy way to tell how much space is used by apps and such on ATV4 (meaning there is no space available / spaced used line item)
Is there anyway to estimate how much metadata space Infuse will use on ATV4?
There's one here:
https://firecore.com/blog/15459
One feature I love that they recently added to the library view is "collections", which automatically groups movies that belong together (such as sequels or all the James Bond movies).
You can edit some basic metadata (such as the title) directly in the app.
Not that I know of. I estimate it's on the order of hundreds of MB (mostly artwork) if you have a somewhat large library, so no big deal. I have several hundred movies and a 4-figure number of TV episodes and no issues with memory.
Thanks for the screen shot and again thanks for the additional info.
I did see that screen on Infuse's website but you clarified it further for me.
This looks a lot like the iTunes/Computer icon on ATV4. And it looks like it may have some similar limitations / [as well as other advantages that neither Plex nor Home Sharing have].
I added some content again to Infuse on ATV4.
The version I have now on ATV4 is newer than what I remember, which was a bunch of folders.
Also, I thought Infuse was more granular in regards to categories.
I thought there was a option for grouping by Actor among other categories,
Somethings I can't seem to find:
1: Search?
2: Playlist?
3: Item count?
4: On Deck screen?
5: When I launch Infuse, I am presented with a screen of three icons. Movies, TV Shows and Library.
Is there away to launch straight into Library as this screen is pretty useless as it presents no media for immediate use.
Do those exist for Infuse?
(My apologies for all the questions but it seems you have some in depth knowledge of infuse. I researched a couple of the line items above put I am being pointed to old data and questions.)
After adding a small selection of some 800 plus movies, Infuse only used 28mb according to Manage Storage which is a good thing compared to Plex.
In regard to this statement:
"while the Plex library only needs to be updated once on the server (however, you can sync watched status across multiple ATVs with Infuse using its trakt.tv integration)."
are you saying the "watched status" is not available using Plex with multiple ATVs?
This is not a ATV4 screenshot but it similar to what you see on ATV4 which I find very handy if you are in the middle of a lot of TV shows, movies.
Something like this is what I was hoping to see in Infuse.
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