Lost me at Premium

[b0dyr0ck2006 57]

[Redshirt 1487]

There's a lot of emotion regarding this but has anyone actually said the Theater app won't ever be free?

 

From the limited official comments I've seen, it can be summed up as "for now we're offering this to emby premier customers only". That's just a really shitty way of saying "As a reward to premier members, we're opening up the beta to premier members only". One comment elicits bad feelings, the other makes premier members feel good about the decision they made. Am I missing something?

[whitestrat13 33]

I'm not one to get in the middle of a conversation this heated, but I'll offer another OPINION.

 

I, like many of us here, had been waiting a long time for the new theater release. People were getting impatient, and I watched this entire community put A TON of pressure on the devs to "just release it already". While I have no way of actually knowing, I firmly believe the devs didn't want to release this before the software was perfect and ready for a full release. I see them releasing this to the supporters, which am I one of, as a sort of compromise. It gives those who invested in the product a sneak peek into what is coming, so they know the devs were putting their money to good use.

 

On another note, I have spent a few years working in IT, and we have been told many times by software vendors to wait for new versions with absolutely no actual time frame. And many times we are paying tens of thousands of dollars a year for a product, and have had to delay upgrading server hardware or other infrastructure because they take 1-2 years to support the latest OS's.

 

I think we would all be better off if we took a minute to try and give these guys the benefit of the doubt. We are all only human after all. All of this anger doesn't actually make anything better.

[Xzener 729]

Where were you guys when MB3 first came about?? ALL of Emby has been forged from hard working Devs doing this as a hobby. Now that we have some paid devs, a few people want to turn their backs. Wow. Emby is worth every bit of money I've tossed into it. I agree, the way this all panned out looks bad, it wasn't intensional I assure you. Let's help keep these amazing programmers gainfully employed and well fed. Keep up the great work Dev team!

[b0dyr0ck2006 57]

Well said @@Xzener

[Jerisam 0]

I am angry that new paid version . I say NO and leaves Emby , while I was among the first to use it.
I will use a more honete competitor .
Bye.

[Jdiesel 1114]

I am angry that new paid version . I say NO and leaves Emby , while I was among the first to use it.

I will use a more honete competitor .

Bye.

Your first and only post is to announce that you are leaving...your contributions to the community will surely be missed.

[Redshirt 1487]

Where were you guys when MB3 first came about??

 

I was at home doing this lol.

 

 

[Xzener 729]

Right there with you buddy... I was on the other end of that network connection reporting bugs.

[overClocked! 63]

I think the fact that people having issues with the old free version have been hearing for a year to wait and try the new rewrite only to find out only when it was finally available you couldn't try it out unless you pay... That would certainly piss me off so I can see the annoyance

Yes. That's a valid frustration.

 

Just imagine the frustration of the developers, though, having to endure all this criticism for after working so hard to keep us happy.

 

Can't please everyone apparently.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[berrmich 5]

I think this is exactly why there is no option to purchase only ET like you can currently do with the mobile apps. The software is still in beta. Could you imagine what people would be saying if they have paid for a beta program? That's why you likely can't purchase ET on its own right now. What's wrong with rewarding supporters with early access to a beta? Wait until ET is ready and then purchase it if you aren't ready to put down the cash now.

I don't think that there is anything wrong with it at all.  In fact very reasonable.  Unfortunately, no matter how you spin it, to the current nonsupporter, it feels like they are selling the beta.   A little communication would have gone a long way.  Now the whole thing just seems shady (though it really isn't).  I think Vidman said it much better than I did. 

 

I would actually much rather this be a paid subscription or paid software as it would probably increase our chances for a polished piece of software.  I just don't really have a good idea of what I'm paying for at this point.  What does a lifetime membership actually mean in regards to Emby Theater?

 

-Mike

[speechles 1917]

http://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/10343-will-mbt-final-be-free/

 

This is the thread people are refer to when they say they were lied to. Scroll down through it and see that Luke does indeed make the statement that MBT will always be free. Realize he says MBT not ET. MBT is still free.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Edited January 18, 2016 by speechles

[Luke 37060]

Thanks Speechles. I said that nearly a year and a half ago and Media Browser Theater is still free and always will be. Emby Theater is not the same app. Since then we rebranded to Emby, built new apps and features, which in turn has driven up our costs. It is really out of necessity that we are doing this.

 

Emby Theater may eventually not require Emby Premiere, but I think right now it's a great way to reward those users with an early access program which can also help raise funds for future projects.

[pmac 132]

Emby Theater may eventually not require Emby Premiere...

 

I'd be careful with statements like these @@Luke. With the current climate around here since ET's release you could end up making some very angry customers in the future. I don't see an issue with charging for ET, so don't take my comment in that regard. I'm just saying, from what I've seen from quite a few posts in the Emby Theater section lately there's a lot of people that don't agree with the current pricing model for ET. And if by chance some of these angry users end up paying for a Premiere subscription, or even a life-time account just to get ET since they might feel like it's their only choice if they want non-legacy Emby software; I could only imagine the possible backlash in the future if ET ends up no longer needing the account they've paid up to $100 for.

 

Just something I thought I should put out there. I honestly feel terrible for the devs right now after reading some of the hateful comments that have been posted since Emby Theater's release. As someone who's just released their first app to the public a few days ago, I couldn't imagine what it would feel like if I had people responding to the release of my app in that way. I'm sure over the years (I've been using this product since it was "Video Browser"), I've donated more than the cost of a life-time Premiere account, and I don't regret a single cent of it.

 

I've never seen a product with better customer support, and a more helpful, friendly community. Rarely do threads here go unanswered for more than a couple of hours or sometimes minutes, where some product forums you may never get a reply.

 

I think Emby is heading in a great direction, and it's showing no signs of slowing down any time soon! 

[epayson85 72]

Stop your B.S. right there. I feel cheated by this team, but I do understand they need to make a living.

The way they  have done this change is foxy at best. Theirs is no a subscription based model,  is an application that I would buy, as simple as that.

 

Sell me the software for something like 20 and that is all. I want the new version? ok, I will pay 20 again next year, but sell me a finished and polished product.

 

What the Emby team has done is irresponsible.

Emby connect isn't a service? And how are you cheated? What have you paid?

[flexy123 1]

>>

Complaining about $40 a year or $100 for a life time..

>>

 

FOR A MEDIA PLAYER?

 

Hell yeah! When was the last time you paid $100 for a Windows media player to play some movies?

I am talking about the core functionality here (playing media), and then the price seems steep.

Edited January 18, 2016 by flexy123

[Jdiesel 1114]

I can think of a direct competitor that has an almost identical subscription plan and their lifetime membership is even more. Another popular player charges $70 for their player and another $50 each time your want to upgrade to the latest version. There are already other players that offer core functionality for free for example MBT, the web player, and Emby for Kodi. For the price of 4 Blu-rays you can have software that will run on almost every device and outlast the hardware itself. 

 

That being said I bet a large majority of people here are running Emby on thousands of dollars worth of AV equipment that they will upgrade in a few years but don't want to spend $100 of software to interact with it all.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Jdiesel

[b0dyr0ck2006 57]

>>

Complaining about $40 a year or $100 for a life time..

>>

 

FOR A MEDIA PLAYER?

 

Hell yeah! When was the last time you paid $100 for a Windows media player to play some movies?

I am talking about the core functionality here (playing media), and then the price seems steep.

I need to step in here. I think you have perhaps missed what you actually have here to your disposal.

 

You are not using a media player: windows media player, vlc, kmplayer and gom to name a few are free to use media players.

 

You are using an all in one server and home theatre front end designed to make browsing and playback of your media seamless, elegant and user friendly. Many branches of the emby ecosystem are free to use: the server, the numerous device apps, the web client, the old Media Theatre just as the tip of the iceberg.

 

What you don't seem to grasp is these things can not always be free, many months of hard work has been put into providing these things for you to use, and still provide most of it for free. You can still use media theatre as your go to media browser and not even have to think about the new system. Unless you respect the work that has gone into it and feel the developers deserve payment for the time they have put into providing all these FREE systems for you.

 

I won't defend Luke when it comes to the way things have perhaps been misconstrued, miscommunicated and/or handled but everyone makes mistakes and everyone always has something to learn. What I will defend is the effort, hardwork, commitment and skill Luke and his team have done and continue to do in providing the public with an unbeatable media system.

[Deathsquirrel 741]

Hell yeah! When was the last time you paid $100 for a Windows media player to play some movies?

I am talking about the core functionality here (playing media), and then the price seems steep.

 

There is zero cost for what you're calling core functionality, as has been pointed out many times in this thread and others.

 

You can use the server for free.  You can use numerous clients, including the web client, for free.  Some functions do require a purchase, as do some clients, but there is absolutely no requirement to spend any money to get basic functions up and running.

 

Personally I'd monetize it more heavily than they have.

[Xzener 729]

>>

Complaining about $40 a year or $100 for a life time..

>>

 

FOR A MEDIA PLAYER?

 

Hell yeah! When was the last time you paid $100 for a Windows media player to play some movies?

I am talking about the core functionality here (playing media), and then the price seems steep.

Go get Powerdvd 15... For a limited time, you can get their $250 player 80% off. Hurry while supplies last!! It will play all your media, no need for Emby.

 

http://www.cyberlink.com/stat/events/enu/2015/Q4/PPC/PDVD/blu-ray-player-software/powerdvd15/50P_72hr/us/index.jsp?affid=2581_-1_647&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PowerDVD%20Non-Branded%20-%20US&utm_term=blu%20ray%20software&utm_content=Blu-Ray%20Player%20Software

Edited January 18, 2016 by Xzener

[SHSPVR 119]

Xzener, on 18 Jan 2016 - 3:29 PM, said:Xzener, on 18 Jan 2016 - 3:29 PM, said:Xzener, on 18 Jan 2016 - 3:29 PM, said:Xzener, on 18 Jan 2016 - 3:29 PM, said:

Go get Powerdvd 15... For a limited time, you can get their $250 player 80% off. Hurry while supplies last!! It will play all your media, no need for Emby.

 

http://www.cyberlink.com/stat/events/enu/2015/Q4/PPC/PDVD/blu-ray-player-software/powerdvd15/50P_72hr/us/index.jsp?affid=2581_-1_647&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PowerDVD%20Non-Branded%20-%20US&utm_term=blu%20ray%20software&utm_content=Blu-Ray%20Player%20Software

No need to buy that when all we need is video ripper and there boat load of free converter out there

Edited January 18, 2016 by SHSPVR

[Xzener 729]

I was being facetious.​

Edited January 18, 2016 by Xzener

[elshagon 44]

I haven't read thru the entire thread, but I'm guessing the problem is with the message which prompts one to upgrade which appears on MBT.  I think a better way to have done it would be to have the new MBT presented as an entirely different program.  So present it as a choice between the "free" player and the "paid" player.  This is essentially what it is, but most people were introduced to it by the annoying pop up which comes up every time the old MBT is started.  I think if it was presented more clearly from the start or with a message saying something like "We now have two programs MBT free and MBT premium.  With premium you will soon see themes and other features added."   That  way people see it as a choice whether than pay up or be left behind.  

I'm just thinking out loud, but it's obvious you can't expect a program to be developed and paid for out of the pockets of those doing the work to build it.  They need to get paid something or at the very least be able to cover their costs.  For those who don't want to pay there's still the old MBT and other clients which will work for free.  

[Xzener 729]

Emby Theater, and Emby Theater Premium... I like it. Good way to keep them separated too. The Emby Theater thread now has 2 different versions all mixed up in the forum thread. Very confusing for everyone.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Xzener

[Koleckai Silvestri 1150]

I haven't read thru the entire thread, but I'm guessing the problem is with the message which prompts one to upgrade which appears on MBT.  I think a better way to have done it would be to have the new MBT presented as an entirely different program.  So present it as a choice between the "free" player and the "paid" player.  This is essentially what it is, but most people were introduced to it by the annoying pop up which comes up every time the old MBT is started.  I think if it was presented more clearly from the start or with a message saying something like "We now have two programs MBT free and MBT premium.  With premium you will soon see themes and other features added."   That  way people see it as a choice whether than pay up or be left behind.  

I'm just thinking out loud, but it's obvious you can't expect a program to be developed and paid for out of the pockets of those doing the work to build it.  They need to get paid something or at the very least be able to cover their costs.  For those who don't want to pay there's still the old MBT and other clients which will work for free.  

 

 

One program but with premium features locked behind premium. They have shown they can already do this with the Application. We shouldn't make things more difficult for the developers with two builds of the same app for each OS. Two for Windows, Two for OS X, Two for Linux, etc...