Switching from plex

[williamdosa 5]

Hi guys, I've been given the suggestion to switch over to emby from plex multiple times after seeing them turn their interests from actual media streaming to web services. I have no interest in web shows or podcasts and I just want streaming done right on my clients. My biggest gripe has been with Android and Android TV clients, can someone chime in on the experience they've had on those specific emby clients?

See my post on the plex sub here for more details

Kodi TutuApp AppValley

 

I'd be installing the emby server on my unraid server via docker container if that matters.

I'm starting off with the free version to see how I like it. Wish I hadn't paid for plex pass, basically paid for features I don't want in the first place.

Edited November 7, 2018 by williamdosa

[Hitsville 37]

I'm in the same boat having just abandoned my lifetime Plex Pass.

Anyways Emby on Android mobile is awesome.

I don't have a regular Android TV but I have a shield and again it's perfect. Just thought I would chime in to start you off.

[saitoh183 137]

I have the Android App and a Sony Android TV and even if i do find the Plex Android TV app a bit more navigation friendly, Emby TV app is still great. My only beef is that I find the Android TV app would be better if it didnt try to mimic the web app and Android mobile layout. I makes the screen very busy. The Android Mobile is just awesome, like lit alot better than plex Android App. Btw i run both...for now...

Edited November 6, 2018 by saitoh183

[Luke 37060]

Thanks for the feedback and kind words !

[KarlDag 25]

Hi guys, I've been given the suggestion to switch over to emby from plex multiple times after seeing them turn their interests from actual media streaming to web services. I have no interest in web shows or podcasts and I just want streaming done right on my clients. My biggest gripe has been with Android and Android TV clients, can someone chime in on the experience they've had on those specific emby clients?

See my post on the plex sub here for more details

https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/9s45qd/so_plex_doesnt_even_pretend_to_care_anymore/

I'd be installing the emby server on my unraid server via docker container if that matters.

I'm starting off with the free version to see how I like it. Wish I hadn't paid for plex pass, basically paid for features I don't want in the first place.

I have a lifetime Plexpass.

 

Been using Emby without premiere on my ShieldTV, only bought the android app. It works beautifully, the UI is nicer to me and more complete, and it plays back more files without transcoding.

 

Will definitely get premiere lifetime in the future, just waiting for my finances to allow it.

[timeslip1974 14]

Ive moved over (again) from Plex to Emby in the last week, whilst the Android TV might not be quite as slick as Plex`s - Though the the Live TV section now far surpasses Plex`s with its latest update (great job!) the normal android app is light years ahead - and syncing actually works!

[thelanranger 11]

Yea, I'm testing out Emby now to switch from Plex. It definitely is more refined. 

 

The biggest thing for me is the Windows App. Plex devs seem to spend more of their time making stupid, worthless features like "You can now use your multiple VR headseats to download a separate app and you and your friend can sit in a virtual living room and watch the same movie at the same time!" Instead of things like you know...making it so you can click on the episode and hit play on FireTV which has been broken for over a month now with no way to roll the app back.

 

 

I also dislike their gradual move to cloud services. It just demonstrates a deep integration into a system of "online services" that I don't want associated with my local media. 

Edited November 7, 2018 by thelanranger

[Chyron 221]

@@Luke, I just now purchased a Lifetime Emby Premiere plan. I'm extraordinarily happy with what you guys are doing here, and I'm happy to support the effort.

 

I feel guilty that my getting a Lifetime Plan doesn't provide recurring income for this project, but I'm really excited to get involved and help the Emby Team improve things where I can. I popped over to the Plex forums today to just poke around and see what people are saying about their new Samsung TV app update, and it's the Android mobile app all over again, with customers complaining and staff frustratingly silent.

 

But I digress. I'm really happy with what you guys are doing, and hope you can put my Lifetime payment to good use.

[Luke 37060]

Thanks for the feedback !

[Hitsville 37]

[ebr 14910]

Thanks for the support.

[Dilbert 0]

I used to be a Windows Media Center user for many years, who has been using Plex and is also now looking to switch to Emby.  I really like it so far, except for music playlists.

 

I have music playlists created in Windows Media Player that I was able to get into Emby.  However, I also rated all my music in WMP and created automatic playlists, such as 'all music 3+ stars'.  I could not get these to work in Emby, it imports the playlist file and I see it in Emby but it is blank and does not play anything.

 

Are there plans to have it work with automatic playlists?  Or do you plan to add ratings to music in Emby?  In Plex I also have an automatic playlist of all songs rated at least 3+ stars for an example.  Thanks.

[Luke 37060]

Hi, we do plan to introduce a smart playlists feature in the future. Thanks !

[Dilbert 0]

 

Hi, we do plan to introduce a smart playlists feature in the future. Thanks !

That is great to hear. I have both Emby and Plex installed on my computer now, and only go back to Plex when wanting to use the music playlists.

 

In Emby I especially liked how it read all my ripped DVD folders (video_ts folders). Media Center would also play them, but Plex wants me to converts hundreds of DVDs to MKV or MP4 to play them that way instead.

Edited November 10, 2018 by Dilbert

[Luke 37060]

In fairness, we suggest that you convert them as well. Our support for them is mostly experimental.

[jbirmingham40 7]

I made the switch three weeks ago.  Absolutely love Emby. 

 

The Live TV is sooooo much better than Plex.  Only issue I have found is the lack of a conflict management UI for recorded programs and the ability to cancel a recording program if all tuners are in use an you want to watch live tv.  Otherwise I could not be happier. 

 

In addition Emby actually provides support.  The few issues I have submitted have ALL been responded to and all in a matter of hours.  I have yet to receive a response from any of my Plex issues.

 

Way to go!

[jburgess 13]

I have also made the decision to move from Plex to emby. It is the best decision I have made. I no longer watch something on my Android TV, fire TV, phone, web and worry about it stopping, buffering.

 

The support is incredible. Every time I have a question (not a problem because I haven't had any) the response time is insane.

 

It's fluid, quick, light and just works. It hi early just kicks Plex around the park.

 

These guys have got it right.

 

Rip Plex.

[Karl Blixt 8]

ah man, I started with Plex and eventually got a lifetime Plex pass but now I'm slowly transitioning over to Emby. I've finally started to introduce it to my Plex users after having set it up to my liking. 

 

here is a list of pros/cons for Emby in comparison to Plex that I've made up so far.

 

pro: 

 

+ much better metadata handling. (pictures and nfo file in the same folder makes rebuilding in case of a catastrophe a breeze. 

+ better android app player. double tapping to skip forward/backward is a game changer imo.

+ them songs for movies (also theme videos)

+ play next episode integration for TV-shows (awesome)

+ no online authentication. (seriously plex?)

+ better scrolling. pictures don't need to be downloaded again if you'd scroll back up again.  (for now your limited to 100 movies but hopefully this will change)

+ better persons pages, you actually get a nice big picture with a short bio along with the movies they are in.

+ nicer details page. emby actually uses the backdrop for the background. And the info is just presented nicer on all clients that I've used.

cons:

 

- no default ssl set up that plex have.

- can't specify a different language for specific metadata fields ( personally I want to have everything in English except for a few fields that I want to have in Swedish)

- AppleTV client. (yeah, it's nice to not have to exit the movie to change subtitles but other than that the client seems a bit forgotten albeit very functional)

- no SubZero. srsly, subzero is great. even when I've fully migrated to Emby I expect to run a Plex instance just to have this Plug-in.

- syncing. plex have a better sync, and that's saying a lot...

- no scrubbing thumbnail .

 

But the real reason that really made me switch is the fact that devs are active on the forum and that they seem to be much more in touch with their users and the development feels much more focused. I've had my issues fixed literally in minutes by @@Luke... that guy is amazing.

[Perplexed 25]

... plus the fact that Emby adds features that are actually logical - I haven't seen a single addition yet that made me cringe!

[Chyron 221]

  That is great to hear. I have both Emby and Plex installed on my computer now, and only go back to Plex when wanting to use the music playlists.

 

In Emby I especially liked how it read all my ripped DVD folders (video_ts folders). Media Center would also play them, but Plex wants me to converts hundreds of DVDs to MKV or MP4 to play them that way instead.

 

To be fair, using MakeMKV to convert DVD/Bluray to MKV is extremely easy and creates lossless copies of the original data. Using MakeMKV to mux files from a disc is only barely more complex than straight up copying the files themselves and takes just about as much time.

Edited November 12, 2018 by chyron8472

[Dilbert 0]

To be fair, using MakeMKV to convert DVD/Bluray to MKV is extremely easy and creates lossless copies of the original data. Using MakeMKV to mux files from a disc is only barely more complex than straight up copying the files themselves and takes just about as much time.

 

Yes, I did decide to go ahead and convert my old DVD rips to MKV format and it isn't hard, just time consuming.  I found the MakeMKV batch converter and now have it cranking away on my DVD collection, but even with my Threadripper it is going to take a day to convert everything.

[Peter Nent 50]

Converting DVD or any other format by batch into MP4 or MKV (and also taking care of subtitels, menu's, audio, scenes, etc.) can easyly be done with the free / open source tool: VIDCODER (http://vidcoder.net).