Plex Watch Together

[e123enitan 236]

I'm a plex life time member, but I have been using Emby for over six years continuously, but there is a feature which I have always thought is missing in Emby which I would like and encourage the developer to consider including especially in this dispensation where families can social or commingle due to COVID 19.

 

Today, I received a notification from Plex about it new feature titled Watch together you can read about it here https://support.plex.tv/articles/watch-together/

 

The feature allows friends and families at distance to watch same movies together instantly, you simply invite all your buddy, once they signed to the system which can be seeing in the server then play and pause as needed, this I think is cool feature should be added to emby.

 

Let's here your though if Emby developer should consider adding this feature to our beloved Emby Media 

 

 

https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Plex+Watch+Together&qpvt=plex+watch+together&FORM=EWRE

 

[Luke 36992]

Hi, yes this is something we're very interested in. Thanks for the feedback.

[Gilgamesh_48 942]

Hi, yes this is something we're very interested in. Thanks for the feedback.

While this would be (and is for Plex) a very flashy feature I suspect strongly that it is only a VERY tiny minority that would take advantage of it.

 

For me the only benefit I see would be if I wanted to have the same thing playing on more than one TV in my home. That would be a tiny benefit and really get used only when my granddaughters visit. (About two or three times a year.)

 

I understand that Emby's developer time is pretty limited and I would much rather see other things, like audiobook support, be fully implemented. Even just the ability to resume an audiobook should be extended to all clients.

 

There are many other things I would like to see implemented WAY before fancy features like this.

 

Plex made the decision to implement "Watch Together" but I think they did it for the advertising value and not because there was much of any real demand for it.

 

It could be, I guess, of value to heavy social media users or to people that like to talk over movies or shows but I see little value beyond that. To me watching something with others is only of value if they are present.

 

I guess with the lockdowns and theater closings this "seems" very needed but I really doubt it would really get much use after the novelty phase wears off.

[Dibbes 430]

Isn't this something we discussed a few years back already when Plex came out with its VR? 

[Spaceboy 2491]

Watch together / multicast features are one of the most regularly requested new features on this site. And the current environment has only increased the relevance of it. Neither can be said of audiobook enhancements.

[Q-Droid 631]

[negativzeroe 70]

Neither can be said of audiobook enhancements.

Enhancement is not equal to necessity.

 

Imagine watching something like Friends or Smallville or Supernatural and emby was 'hit or miss' on whether it saved the fact that you just watched an episode so next time you opened the app it said Next Up is three episodes behind what you actually watched, or never showed you next up episodes and you had to go down and scroll the season to find it - but you're SOL if you're on mobile because it doesn't show you which ones are watched or not. Or if you download it your place isn't saved halfway through an episode but only if you browse via the libraries is it able to continue. That is where audiobooks are at.

 

 

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

Edited June 5, 2020 by negativzeroe

[Spaceboy 2491]

Enhancement is not equal to necessity.

 

Imagine watching something like Friends or Smallville or Supernatural and emby was 'hit or miss' on whether it saved the fact that you just watched an episode so next time you opened the app it said Next Up is three episodes behind what you actually watched, or never showed you next up episodes and you had to go down and scroll the season to find it - but you're SOL if you're on mobile because it doesn't show you which ones are watched or not. Or if you download it your place isn't saved halfway through an episode but only if you browse via the libraries is it able to continue. That is where audiobooks are at.

 

 

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

necessity is in the eye of the beholder

[negativzeroe 70]

necessity is in the eye of the beholder

Not necessarily. There are objective and subjective necessities yes, like one might say that being able to see the progress through the whole book on multiple tracks is a necessity, but that is subjective. But the current state is objectively unusable, I download my books on my phone and use Voice from Fdroid to listen to it because I cannot trust the app to save my spot or not skip 15 tracks upon attempting to move to the next one. There is plenty demand for audiobooks, just search the forums. Though most people run into the same issues and give up because it's simply not feasible to have to jot down where you are in a book using a digital medium. I myself have provided multiple logs in multiple threads to try and help this, as (and I'm sure I'm not the only one) if I don't consume audiobooks, I won't consume books at all. Especially given that I live in a major city, commutes even to the store are just awful.

Edited June 5, 2020 by negativzeroe

[Spaceboy 2491]

Not necessarily. There are objective and subjective necessities yes, like one might say that being able to see the progress through the whole book on multiple tracks is a necessity, but that is subjective. But the current state is objectively unusable, I download my books on my phone and use Voice from Fdroid to listen to it because I cannot trust the app to save my spot or not skip 15 tracks upon attempting to move to the next one. There is plenty demand for audiobooks, just search the forums. Though most people run into the same issues and give up because it's simply not feasible to have to jot down where you are in a book using a digital medium.

but if the function is only being used by 1 or 2 users the the objective unusability of that function to the remaining 99.9% of users is utterly irrelevant

[negativzeroe 70]

but if the function is only being used by 1 or 2 users the the objective unusability of that function to the remaining 99.9% of users is utterly irrelevant

Ok show me where there are only 2 users. Give me metrics. You can't just spew numbers out like vomit and assume that just because you don't use a feature that nobody else does.

 

Out in the real world people use metrics and data to make decisions. Here is an article that disagrees with you.

[Spaceboy 2491]

Ok show me where there are only 2 users. Give me metrics. You can't just spew numbers out like vomit and assume that just because you don't use a feature that nobody else does.

 

Out in the real world people use metrics and data to make decisions. Here is an article that disagrees with you.

only you and one other user here complaint about this. You can’t just link irrelevant articles and expect them to be taken seriously. Anyway go back to your audiobook thread and moan there

[negativzeroe 70]

Did you use the search functions? I'm seeing threads started by letterman, pXius, bradtiming, markand, and that is without scrolling the first page. Now I'm no mathematician but I think I just listed more than two people.

 

But I digress, the point is, I know we are in the minority but we do exist and we would like to be able to use a function that IS there and like it to actually work and I don't think that is too much to ask.

Edited June 5, 2020 by negativzeroe

[Vidarr 6]

Is there any news about this feature ? Specially in theses time the feature would be really appreciated.

[Luke 36992]

11 minutes ago, Vidarr said:

Is there any news about this feature ? Specially in theses time the feature would be really appreciated.

It's something we're interested in for future updates. Thanks for the feedback.

[Carlo 4329]

Just curious for those who also have Plex.  Have you tried it?  What do you think about it?

When watching synced were you also doing a phone or video conference?  Just wondering what compelled you to watch things together?

I know the last season of GOT my family watched it together "live" while doing a video conference which was kind of cool.  So I'm just wondering how/when you would use this and what other communication you have going with other friends/family while watching.

Carlo

[rbjtech 4218]

I might be interesting to have a virtual 'lobby' where people meet (login..) and then a film is started at a certain time (like at the cinema I guess). 

I do know that some of my family have trouble choosing a film sometimes due to sheer amount on offer - so if there was a 'film night' and pre-selected films - then this would re-create the cinema experience for them.

I don't believe the technology of multicast can be worked into Emby easily plus the fact Emby is a client/server model and not centrally controlled (unlike Plex) so I'm not 100% sure how Emby is going to request a video be played simultaneously with other.

It's an interesting and novel concept - but as there are many aspects of Emby that are still not working at a basic functional level - other than bragging rights (and/or keeping up with Plex..), I'm not sure this is worth the development effort.  Personally I like my tools to be solid first and THEN add the bells and whistles ...

[BillOatman 495]

I can't really see the usefulness of the lobby concept inside of Emby (or Plex).

Wouldn't having everyone connected to the same Emby server, meet in Zoom or wherever as the lobby, and all start the movie at the same time accomplish the same thing? People could stay in zoom and talk if they wanted to, and those that do not like that could mute. Adding a zoom-like capability to Emby seems a stretch for a media center.  Maybe someone who likes the concept could create a plugin to sync all of the playbacks to all pause/resume at the same time to make that aspect a little better.

Edited November 7, 2020 by BillOatman

[Vidarr 6]

21 hours ago, Luke said:

It's something we're interested in for future updates. Thanks for the feedback.

Thank you Luke we are looking forward it .

[neik 835]

Has anyone tested this?

 

[BillOatman 495]

This is the topic link.  Looks interesting.

 

[khat17 2]

On 11/6/2020 at 7:08 PM, cayars said:

Just curious for those who also have Plex.  Have you tried it?  What do you think about it?

When watching synced were you also doing a phone or video conference?  Just wondering what compelled you to watch things together?

I know the last season of GOT my family watched it together "live" while doing a video conference which was kind of cool.  So I'm just wondering how/when you would use this and what other communication you have going with other friends/family while watching.

Carlo

Friends and family in different parts of the world. We use WhatsApp/Telegram/Messenger to keep in touch. Watching an old show together where its in sync and anyone can pause to then say they going bathroom or something makes it easy for everyone to be on the same page. 

The main reason - before the pandemic - was to watch stuff with said friends and family when we all have time. After the pandemic a lot of people have more time on their hands. Being able to catch up or watch stuff together to chill without the risks of curfew or whatever makes the feature nice. 

I'm waiting for this as I rather Emby for a number of reasons. Plex was my backup, but the watch together has pushed it ahead currently. For that feature alone. 

[Carlo 4329]

That's kind of what I envisioned where you either use an app on phone/computer or phone conference while watching the shows/movies.

[INITIATIVE 1]

 

On 11/7/2020 at 11:45 PM, BillOatman said:

I can't really see the usefulness of the lobby concept inside of Emby (or Plex).

watch together will keep you and your family synced while watching. simple, right? For me, this is very cool feature of Plex. I found it very useful especially in this pandemic, we're in the quarantine zone (can't reach my family). With Plex's Watch Together feature, we can still have our "Family Time" even in long distance.

On 11/7/2020 at 11:45 PM, BillOatman said:

Maybe someone who likes the concept could create a plugin to sync all of the playbacks to all pause/resume at the same time to make that aspect a little better.

I doubt if it's possible through plugins. you might be needing to alter the player's behavior. I haven't reviewed the plugin's documentation but from what I observed from the existing plugins (as a developer), looks like it's not possible.

Edited December 6, 2020 by INITIATIVE

[Vidarr 6]

Hello @Luke do you have any news on that matter many of us are requesting for such feature is it even in the roadmap ?