Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
VLC and Plex Apps Coming to New Apple TV
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Ever try using an Android Tablet as a primary driver for a TV? I have, it isn't fun. And let say you get around that, a $100 Android tablet isn't going to have storage space for any decent sized media library.
so you're going to also still be investing in another computer / server / NAS device anyways. So you're not saving anything, but Still will have to have some "out of the box" configuration and setup to do.
These Media players are designed, not for us geeks, but for the people who want to buy a box. Go home. PLug it into their TV's, and maybe install 1 desktop program and their done.
But if you're spending $100 on a cheap tablet, at this point, you're not accomplishing anything that a simple $100 roku or $35 chromecast isn't already accomplishing.
Not sure if the copying and pasting screwed up your post. are you asking what the big differences are?
some simple explanations if you're looking on each point:
Database Location: Kodi, each set of files is stored on the client. So on each PC / Tablet that runs Kodi. THe media itself will be there instead of one centralized location. though Kodi CAN be configured otherwise. Plex, There's one central computer(server) that stores all your media content and the database associated with it (the metadata)
Database Management: Kodi has it's own management built into the client. For Plex, since it's Server based, it comes with it's own "web app" that you can access from any web browser within your own netork (or over the internet if you allow it).
Transcoding: This is the ability to re-code(encode) media on the fly when ti needs to. Either downscale for lower QUality devices, change depending on bandwidth, or change formats if the media you have isn't always compatible with the player (wrong encoding of audio, or need to encode subtitles). With Kodi, all this processing is done client side. Right on the device attached to the TV. THis requires sometimes quite a lot of power. Chances are, a cheap $100 tablet isn't going to be able to encode 1080p content on the fly. Especially not if it's higher end compression. Plex, does all the encoding one the centralized server. and does nothing but stream the finished, encoded, ready to play content to the remote player. very little processing is required by a plex player since it's all done centralized.
Client Hardware Support: PLex is available on almost all major hardware devices. Roku, Chrome-casts, AMazon player, ANdroid TV all have Plex apps. Sounds like Apple TV will also get it. Kodi tends to be limited to Android devices and computers running a desktop OS.
Add Ons: Plex has a plugin module that allows for channels. But Kodi does have the open source community that has a LOT of things.
Visual Customization: PLex doesn't really allow for theming. So you get the look that it comes with. Kodi does have an open Theming community if you like customizing how it looks
Ad-on maintenance: If you pay for Plex, any formal add-ons gets real commercial support. Kodi is open source and therefore community driven if something goes wrong.
Cost: Kodi is free. PLex is not. Plex is $5 / client (so iOS, Android, Google TV would all require a $5 purchase for the app. The server is free though for all. However, there is a lifetime subscription that will get you all the Apps, beta access and lifetime support)
Remote Streaming: Kodi is a client side program. So you cant really stream TO it. if you put it on your phone for example, you'll have to copy the media to your phone to play it, even if it's using the Kodi interface. With Plex, you just sign into your account, link your home server (if you're plexpass paid) and you can stream to any device connected to the internet. Even using a web browser from your own library (or friends libraries if they've shared them with you)
Hope this helps understand the difference between Kodi and Plex a little better and why Many many people love using plex
Well one reason is better support for multiple audiotracks and softsubs.
Certainly that's part of why I use it. That and I can include the native video and audio streams in a mkv file. not sure I can do that with mp4.
When I want to watch a movie, I just want the thing to work - XBMC requires too much tinkering and upkeep and hence why I prefer Plex.
Not to argue for the sake of argument:
When I see issues like this, I think "so 2005"...
I use Genesis on a Kodi box, to stream from "repos" that allow me to just watch whatever I want in 720p. No downloading.
Why do I need my 35TB drive pool any more? Hopefully, mostly I don't need it any more.
I would like to stop buying hard drives in the future. (Keep in mind 4TB hard drives are incredibly reliable and 3TB drives are total junk that need to be replaced.)
Meanwhile, I can convert mkv to mp4 in less than an hour with Avidmux2.6 (and notice NO QUALITY differences), so I have that going for me (which is nice).
Splatch-
Sincerely, thankyou,
that's a really informative post, and is mostly what I read in the URL I posted, but not entirely.
But I can't help think, Plex is mostly a great server, and Kodi is mostly a great client/all in one, so if you merge the 2, it might be "really great" and I do know that is possible.
I agree simple is good. But crippled is also "not good".
So I'm thinking Plex Server on PC, then Kodi/Genesis Android clients, and I get the best of both.
Right? (Plexbmc plugin)
Apple's latest fourth-generation Apple TV includes a dedicated App Store, which will allow users to access many apps and features that were not previously available on the older Apple TV. Popular media streaming apps Plex and VLC, for example, are both coming to the Apple TV, with tvOS versions already in the works.
The developers behind VLC announced their work on a tvOS app this morning, though few details have been given. "Some code to build VLCKit for the new tvOS was merged," reads a blog post. "It's very early though, but we have video playback!"
For those unfamiliar with VLC, it's a cross-platform media player that's designed to support multiple audio and video file formats and act as a streaming server. VLC is available on streaming devices that compete with the Apple TV, such as the Amazon Fire TV, but on Apple's platform, it's been limited to Macs and iOS devices.
Similarly, popular media organization and streaming app Plex is coming to the Apple TV. A tvOS version of Plex is in development, Plex co-founder Scott Olechowski told ITworld last week. Like VLC, Plex is in the early stages of development, so few details are availableCurrently, Plex works with set-top boxes like the Chromecast and the Fire TV, and it is a popular choice with jailbroken Apple TVs, but it is not available to Apple TV users in any official capacity. Plex is designed to organize personal media libraries consisting of video and music files, allowing them to be easily streamed to TVs and other devices, either locally or remotely.
Plex on the Amazon Fire TV
As of today, developers are beginning to place their orders for Apple TV Developer Kits, so we may soon be hearing a lot more about these two apps and other apps that will be coming to the Apple TV.
Article Link: VLC and Plex Apps Coming to New Apple TV
I am literally like a kid on Christmas...Eve. I can't wait for my iPhone 6S and ATV. I have bought all but one iPhone, and several iPads, MBP, MB Air...blah blah. You get the point. But, I am still excited as i've always been. Love what's coming out. I REALLY want the iPad Pro, and will indeed getting it asap. Love Apple, still after all these years.
I see the End of Evangelion... That's awesome. I have it in my iTunes library too. Sometimes I can't help rewatch certain scenes.Yes! My entire library is ready!
When I buy a new Macbook pro (because it is the best hardware on the planet) I immediately:
1) uninstall iTunes
2) install Chrome
3) install Windows/parallels
4) install "NoSleep" app
Then I can stand to use it, but it's the only Apple device I will own, for now.
;-)
What tinkering and upkeep, point it to a folder and that's it, same as Plex, except Plex can't find most NAS and won't play ISO and VOB.
If Plex was any good I'd buy it, but it's not.
You come across as a naggy little Nellie. I can just hear you saying that with one of those PBS British accents.
Not to beat the dead horse, but my thoughts exactly, and I would like to "Like Plex" but I never have.
Please show me I'm wrong and I just need a new "channel" or whatever?
Cheers
Splatch
Unproductive, uninformative and pointless comment, but whatever dude.
Splatch from San Jose
yes,
sometimes I spend a day and investigate such things. Looks like Plex is nice because:
http://www.htpcbeginner.com/best-plex-client-hardware-2014/
It runs on almost anything. However, it doesn't run all that much, "yet".
Plex is also interesting as a server, because it can organize and transpose formats on the fly, for your plex
clients (or XBMC clients running PlexBMC plugin).
So this is all very interesting and I don't understand all the ins and outs just yet, but I think Plex may make a great HTPC server, and that's not really part of the ATV "program". However,
Android makes a nice little XMBC client
that will stream from your home PC Plex server real nice (without much bandwidth required), as far as I can tell.
So that's interesting, and has NOTHING TO DO with ATV, so far as I see at this time.
you can do that if you'd like. I tried setting up XMBC with the plex plugin and it absolutely worked. Just found that it wasn't the easiest setup.
the best way I can describe what Plex is.
Plex is your own, at home, "Netflix server". it gives you a centralized, all in one, server that contains your Music, TV and Movie libraries with advanced Meta Data, Show info and "watched" status tracking.
is it going to be a useful solution for everyone? Nahhh, but if you've ripped your DVD/Bluerays to a computer, it gives a good centralized storage and management for using the content on any Plex compatible player (Android, iOS and Web, with plugin for Kodi)
Currently, Apple TV doesn't officially support it. So anyone who wanted to use PLex was not using an Apple TV. But this announcements changes that.
Plex is your own, at home, "Netflix server". it gives you a centralized, all in one, server that contains your Music, TV and Movie libraries with advanced Meta Data, Show info and "watched" status tracking.
is it going to be a useful solution for everyone? Nahhh, but if you've ripped your DVD/Bluerays to a computer, it gives a good centralized storage and management for using the content on any Plex compatible player (Android, iOS and Web, with plugin for Kodi)
Currently, Apple TV doesn't officially support it. So anyone who wanted to use PLex was not using an Apple TV. But this announcements changes that.
Pled would be nice! However my Plex movies sit on an external drive so will the new Apple TV be able to see those movies on that drive? Will the Apple TV see external drives?
I used to have 400 or so DVDs ripped to ISO. I was really annoyed that Plex had uneven support for ISOs. I flip flopped between Plex and XBMC (now Kodi) for a long time, and still do. I use Plex for all my remote media consuption, but XBMC for the excellent add-ons and prefer the GUI. Anyway, after converting all my ISOs to mkv (minus the menus), I thought I'd miss them, but I really don't. Physical media is on its way out anyway. Menu systems are going to be a relic soon enough. You can pretty easily create (or copy) a script that will convert all your ISOs to mkvs and the quality can be nearly lossless. 100 movies takes a few days depending on your processing power.
johnnyturbouk
macrumors 68000
I agree this seals the deal for me also, and i think it will work very well with a simple Qnap NAS
That's why I won't use Plex I'm not converting all my movies again and then on top of that buy a new NAS because it won't recognise my two. I've got MKV, ISO, VOB and MP4s, point Kodi to it bang and it's all done, why use anything else.