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Plex Now Integrates With Apple's TV App on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV

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Plex today confirmed that it now supports Apple's TV app, allowing you to keep track of what you've watched using the built-in "Up Next" feature.

plex-apple-tv-integration.jpg

When you watch one of Plex's ad-supported video on demand offerings, which includes both TV shows and movies, you'll be prompted to allow Plex to share what you've watched with the TV app.

From there, Plex content will be visible in Up Next right alongside all other data sources, letting you keep tabs on the Plex content you're viewing.

With the integration, anyone using the TV app or Siri is able to search for a title, and if the show or movie is available as part of the ad-supported video on demand library, Plex will come up as an option where it can be viewed.

All of Plex's ad-supported content is available to watch for free. The Apple TV app integration applies only to video on demand content sourced from Plex and it is not compatible with personal media content, live TV, or other Plex features.

Article Link: Plex Now Integrates With Apple's TV App on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/03/04/plex-tv-app-integration/
It might be technically impossible to do the integration with personal media libraries, as there is no master source.
 
GizmoDVD said:
Plex already said that. Everything you do in Plex for your personal media is "hidden" to them.
Click to expand...
Not sure why Apple won't allow local content to be indexed and listed. Seems like it would be easy enough for them define API contracts that the Apps can utilize so when a content search is being done it can reach into the various apps to find local content, as well.

Considering Plex indexes various TV series by season and episode, there's no reason Apple couldn't allow "Up Next", as well. The only reason they don't is because they don't want to. It's certainly not an technology limitation.
 
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I was going to ask about local media, but after reading the article, my question was already answered. This feature would have no use to me then, as Plex has always been intended as a local media streaming solution in my setup. Speaking of Apple TV though, I have actually moved to inFuse Pro for media because I can play without having to transcode. While I have a lifetime PlexPass, I don't use it as much with Apple and more with the Roku, or for DLNA.

The only downside InFuse seems to have is, it's limited to Video content only. Audio (such as music) doesn't seem to be supported.
 
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Shoot, doesn't work with local media. I don't use Plex's streaming offerings so guess I misunderstood this feature. I would love to say "watch the office" and have it show Streaming services + my local library that I 100% ripped from DVDs I own of the office.
 
Haha, the old bait and switch.

I was pretty sure Apple TV app needed a static central repository of content that is available to all users and couldn’t be tailored to specific people. I guess this confirms it.
 
PilotC150 said:
Not sure why Apple won't allow local content to be indexed and listed. Seems like it would be easy enough for them define API contracts that the Apps can utilize so when a content search is being done it can reach into the various apps to find local content, as well.

Considering Plex indexes various TV series by season and episode, there's no reason Apple couldn't allow "Up Next", as well. The only reason they don't is because they don't want to. It's certainly not an technology limitation.
Click to expand...
It's the same with Home Sharing. The TV app doesn't seem to be aware of anything in one's personal media collection.

I find the TV app useful for surfacing content from the apps it works with. Next episodes of shows I watch in, say, Hulu or HBO Max or Disney+ appear on my home screen. But it's a shame it doesn't work with Netflix or YouTube.
 
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macplay said:
Plex.. Still in use?
Click to expand...
Absolutely.

I have jumped completely from iTunes/Music.app to Plex to manage my media library. It just works and it gets out the the way. I also trust that the work I put into building the collection will have better longevity than investing time and effort into Apples own apps.

And while I was at it, I migrated from Photos and iCloud photos to Piwigo. Slightly less convenient, but makes up for it with peace of mind for owning all of my own data.
 
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Nice to have the option, but personally I won’t be sharing my Plex viewing habits/library/files with Apple or anyone other than Plex.

To be honest Plex runs rings around Apple’s setup anyway, so I’d rather just use On Deck as I do now. Also Apple’s Up Next has a mind of its own sometimes and isn‘t very reliable.
 
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MacinMan said:
I was going to ask about local media, but after reading the article, my question was already answered. This feature would have no use to me then, as Plex has always been intended as a local media streaming solution in my setup. Speaking of Apple TV though, I have actually moved to inFuse Pro for media because I can play without having to transcode. While I have a lifetime PlexPass, I don't use it as much with Apple and more with the Roku, or for DLNA.

The only downside InFuse seems to have is, it's limited to Video content only. Audio (such as music) doesn't seem to be supported.
Click to expand...

I never understood why anyone would want to use Plex on Apple TV when it works perfect on a Nvidea shield
 
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fenderbass146 said:
maybe because they have an apple tv and not a shield? I've had both but like my Apple TV better.
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I have both as well-2 Apple TV’s actually. I like the Apple TV for streaming and mirroring and the Nvidea shield is much more powerful and open source for everything else. Plays way more codecs as well.
 
hagar said:
It will never work with local media because Apple can’t make money from it.
Even their own local library support is horrible, hence the need for Plex.
Click to expand...

Sigh.

The reason it doesn’t work with local media is:

“This feature will only work with our free on demand movies and TV shows. We’d love to integrate personal media as well but that’s not technically possible for a couple reasons. To make this work we provide Apple with a list of content we have available for streaming. As detailed in our privacy policy, we don’t know what content our users have in their personal media libraries.”

But go ahead and cast as many baseless aspersions as you’d like.
 
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adamjackson said:
Shoot, doesn't work with local media. I don't use Plex's streaming offerings so guess I misunderstood this feature. I would love to say "watch the office" and have it show Streaming services + my local library that I 100% ripped from DVDs I own of the office.
Click to expand...
yeah, plex works with Alexa so you can say "play the office" and it will play whatever episode you left off on watching, so theres that. Works on roku or fire tv.
 
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FoxMcCloud said:
I understand the reasoning why it won’t integrate with our local media.

But I’m wondering how Android TV does it as that integrates fine. Maybe they have local APIs
Click to expand...

Because Android is basically a Rabbit proof fenced garden. Nothing is secure. While that is great in some ways, like this, in others it’s a privacy nightmare.
 
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