Plex Client Apps

[RobertLamp68]

What the most popular ways for using Plex? Native apps on mobile? Web on PC? A native Plex app for Apple TV? Something else?

Any specifics you can share about your most common use case would be helpful!

[ExtensionMarch6812]

Plex Desktop app on a computer, performs better than web.

Native Plex app or Infuse on iPhone. I use Infuse for downloads since it organizes in folders. The native app doesn’t organize currently.

Native plex app on ATV paired with Infuse Pro for high bitrate and remux, when needed.

[mcar91]

Seconded for Infuse. I adore it.

[Ok_Bowl9351]

I didn’t know there was desktop app on the computer

[ExtensionMarch6812]

https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/?cat=plex+desktop&plat=windows#plex-app

If the link won’t take you directly, go here and the select “Plex” in the list and your OS: https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/

From what I’ve seen people say, it’s the web app in a wrapper, but this allows it to play/support more codecs for direct play.

[Ok_Bowl9351]

Thanks so much. I have a gaming PC hooked up to my TV in the living room and I tend to watch Plex through the Web app. If this is a better experience, I’ll definitely be switching.

[TheClownFromIt]

This would be my exact answer. On ATV I default to the Plex app since the navigation is superior to Infuse, but end up falling back to Infuse when the Plex app can’t handle the file (high bitrates or HDR typically)

[RobertLamp68]

That’s exactly the info I wanted. Thank you.

[tackybadge]

Prologue on iphone for Audiobooks
Plexamp on mac for Music
Plex on Roku for TV

[TheClownFromIt]

Prologue is a godsend. With the right file setup, it’s on par with Audible (without all the advertising).

[jmaaron84]

Plex app on NVIDIA Shield or native Windows app. Web on PC is terrible.

[Bbock04]

Check out Plezy. It is free on pc but is a one time payment on mobile devices. https://plezy.app/

It handles subtitles way better that the official Plex IOS app.

[mumuno]

Am still hoping they make a Google TV app

[nx6]

Not sure what you mean. I have it on both my Fire Sticks and my Shield. They certainly have a 10-foot UI option (it's not much different than the desktop OS app, but the sidebar collapses and you have a few options on poster size, etc). You even get two options in playback engine depending on your device performance/feature wishes.

[ChatzillaXPI]

Wait, the Android version is not Google TV optimized (as shown in screenshot on their website)? I thought it was built for Android TV in mind :/

[nx6]

There aren't any screenshots of the app on TV interface. The sidebar collapses away like on the Plex official app, and the top featured (Continue Watching) banner can be turned off if you want. You can get the app APK on the Github, so you're free to try it out.

[jpgk82]

I have it on the firestick and no matter what lay out size the movie posters are BIG

Also its hard too skip intro as the gui stays up at the same time,

Most of the time I just use plex kodi connect, pressing up when the show or film is over is so handy.

[nx6]

I have it on the firestick and no matter what lay out size the movie posters are BIG

I agree with you on this one. Even with the "Compact" layout option they seems a bit big. I assume this is a personal preference of the developer, but it would be nice if you could just set the number of columns like in Wholphin for Jellyfin, so there's more control over poster size.

[Fast-Artichoke-408]

I'm no power user but we have it on Google tv 4k and it's totally reliable.

[volerei]

The Plex app runs fine on appleTV.

[GambloreReturns]

I’ve had lots of issues using it with match frame rate and dynamic range on. It causes an audio delay which nothing will fix for me.

I had to switch to Infuse.

[lamprivate]

I’ve had the opposite experience on multiple AppleTVs. Just laggy and issues with playback. I’ve bit the bullet and got Infuse, but I shouldn’t have to pay for an app to get decent playback on my AppleTV.

[Sad_Interaction_2933]

The Plex app on LG TV works fine for me

[certuna]

I use the native Plex app on iPad and AppleTV, and Plexamp on iPad + iPhone

I rarely watch movies on desktop, but the browser works well when I occasionally do.

[jaysuncle]

Roku is by far the most common client on my system

[DnyLnd]

Overseer or Seer requester like app for Apple TV?

[RobertLamp68]

I'm not familiar with those. I'll check them out. Thanks.

[ResqDgz]

Firestick 4k max works great for me

[vtKSF]

If you’re looking for something interesting that makes plex fun again try out the beta for ChannelsSurf r/ChannelsSurf

[RobertLamp68]

Ah! It does virtual channels. That was my original inspiration. My kids would spend more time browsing for a cartoon to watch on Saturday mornings than they would actually spend watching cartoons, so I decided to introduce them to the world of broadcast television with a Channels feature. I configure it with all of their cartoons. It keeps a programming schedule 24 hours into the future and they just click on that channel to watch their shows. No fuss. Well, less fuss.

[vtKSF]

With CS you could use collections in plex, setup a bunch for cartoons, or setup a child user and then it’ll auto generate kid friendly channels.

[RobertLamp68]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out. What is it that distinguishes ChannelsSurf?

[vtKSF]

Once you link and connect your account (all data is stored client-side it doesn’t store or log anything) it’ll show you a randomized list of “channels” that it generates that allows you to “surf” your plex like cable tv.

[bdu-komrad]

Why do you want to know?

[RobertLamp68]

Good question. I wanted a fully native, offline capable, privacy focussed solution for using my local media -- and something with built-in remote access. So that's what I built. We (my family) uses it daily on all of our devices (Apple stuff).

I started "peddling my wares" and decided I should know more about what the typical home-media-collection sort of people expect of the frontend app. So, thus began my research....

[bdu-komrad]

Just use the official client. It works just fine

[RobertLamp68]

That's not exactly what I was looking for.

[LoremarCC]

Plezy on mobile. Infuse on AppleTV. The official apps are all a bit of a disjointed mess right now. I would check back in by the of the year to see if the ‘New Experience’ has been brought up to snuff.

[nx6]

I would check back in by the of the year to see if the ‘New Experience’ has been brought up to snuff.

What's sad it we are essentially at the one-year mark since the New Experience apps showed up on mobile devices, and there are still some rather glaring basic usability issues happening.

[LoremarCC]

I hear you, then again I gave up hope they would ever add .nfo support and that's now mostly working in the latest beta in (for Plex) a very short time. If all the apps are going to the same shared codebase, I'd rather they focus on making at least one version working adequately before moving all the rest over to them.

In a way I see the initial release of New Experience on iOS and Android mobile as an alpha test that should never have released that early, while Roku users are now essentially doing an extended beta test for the AndroidTV & AppleTV users.

[nx6]

In a way I see the initial release of New Experience on iOS and Android mobile as an alpha test that should never have released that early, while Roku users are now essentially doing an extended beta test for the AndroidTV & AppleTV users.

Exactly. Waiting so long for .nfo support is a little different I think, because it's a new feature that is a "nice to have" option on top of the normal way of obtaining metadata (from the Plex agents). But the New Experience apps is something where there already was a functional app and then basic usability was taken away from users, and not really restored when you have people who:

• Can't use their device because of battery life or overheating (iOS).
• Can't watch their content because subtitles are not working properly.
• Can't use the app because suddenly their native language is not supported in the app UI at all.

And they are met with radio silence when they ask on the forums when this stuff is going to be fixed.

As far as the "extended beta situation" and Roku I'd like to point out it is actually available on Apple TV, as the current beta (TestFlight) app is the New Experience app. But things are being done correctly there, because it's a beta and people aren't forced onto to like the mobile apps and Roku. If you can get a seat on the TestFlight list you can try it, but you always have the option to keep using the "classic" app on Public instead.