[mythtv-users] Plex

[Greg Oliver]

On Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 9:21 AM, James <jam at tigger.ws> wrote:

> Hi all, opinions please
>
> My Samsung TV chokes on myth’s uPnP files. I need to transcode (or put my
> recordings on a thumb-drive !!)
>
> One of the solutions I’ve been looking at is Plex media server.
> But I’m naive about this whole area.
>
> Will some knowlegable please comment.
> eg I think appleTV’s mythtv app uses mythtv streaming
> Is the interface ‘nice’?
> What are the options to receive (and watch) a stream.  eg plex has an
> appleTV app. eg (australian) ABC has a streaming app on the Samsung so some
> sort of SDK must exist.
> I want a stream server. Is myth video a good generic library server?
> (I do use myth video, but that is my *only* experience of hosting a stream)
>
> Apple may be akin to shark droppings, but (to seamlessly drain all your
> money while you smile) they do make very nice hardware (eg bluetooth mouse
> and keyboard work at the bios screen eg their trakpad is a joy to use (left
> click, right click, double click, scroll, click-and-drag etc)
>
> James
>

I use Plex for watching anything remotely (off my local network).  For
realtime transcoding per watching device, etc - it is definitely the best
out there.  I use mythfrontend inside the house, and tinker with Kodi
inside the house.  Kodi lacks on comm skipping, or I would use it full time
with low power devices / Android devices.

Plex DVR sucks a$$ though.  The decisions they make for the user makes me
think they are all ex apple engineers who want to make it so easy for the
end user, they just figured "no one ever needs more options than this"..
etc..  They support a lot of capture cards nowadays, but their guide makes
me want to go get a monkey from the zoo to throw feces at the TV.

I smlink mythtv recordings into my plex directory with readable names and
plex adds and plays them well though.

Like another user just posted, there is also Emby.  It does not transcode
nearly as well as Plex (not even close actually).  Plex will take a raw
bit/s number and make sure that when it transcodes, even the places who
need higher bit rate to remain smooth will get pre-buffered in their
client.  The yspent a lot of time on that part of their solution and got it
right.  No other software out there does this - none that I know of.

The only drawback to Plex is if you run it natively on TVs, etc..  You are
up to the TV manufacturer to update their app.  I have a high end Samsung,
and once the initial year was over, it no longer receives updates.  I can
buy a Smart replacement module every year for a couple hundred dollars, but
I never use the native TV apps after I learned they were all dipshits who
have no business putting products on an IP network.  You would think the
smartphone arms of all of these companies would be supplying the TV people
with IP interfaces to use, but nah - it is just easier to sell really
expensive TVs that can be easily hacked :)

Just my .02

-Greg
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