AppleInsider Staff
Adding to the quickly growing list of new Apple TV apps, media server solution Plex issued its hotly anticipated tvOS app on Monday with support for local content playback, Internet channels and more.
Like its iOS and Mac counterparts, the official Plex app for tvOS interfaces with Plex Media Server to stream locally stored movies, TV shows, music and photos directly to Apple TV for big screen viewing. For Plex Pass subscribers, the app also includes streaming content from Vimeo, TED Talks, Soundcloud and more.
Using TVML as it works on a truly native app, Plex lets users browse their personal media library while pulling in information from the Web, including Rotten Tomatoes ratings, related content, trailers and more. The app also supports advanced search options allowing those with larger personal libraries to search by actor, director and genre, among others.
Music receives similar treatment with artist bios, album cover art, playlist support and granular search functions.
Plex for Apple TV also supports Plex Companion, a cross-platform remote control system built into iOS and Android versions of the Plex app.
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50 Comments
Why would I want this? What content capability does it provide that I cannot duplicate through the Apple ecosystem?
Why would I want this? What content capability does it provide that I cannot duplicate through the Apple ecosystem?
Watching all those blue-rays one has copied to digital format and organized into a easily accessible and searchable library.
Plus, it supports channels.. I was able to add TWIT.TV and a few other podcast style shows with it. It also can support DVBLink DVR server with an Add-on, so I can watch live OTA HD TV through my Apple TV... Was surprised about that; works well.
So, yeah.. a lot.
Why would I want this? What content capability does it provide that I cannot duplicate through the Apple ecosystem?
What is actually missing in a new Apple TV is Safari. A lot of content is available nowadays for stream in mp4 format which is hard to access without being able to navigate within a browser. I could imagine VLC player would release an app for Apple TV one day, but then you will have to type in the url of a stream to watch.
Why would I want this? What content capability does it provide that I cannot duplicate through the Apple ecosystem?
With a Plex Media Server in place, I can access all of my home content - including anything in the iTunes folder structure - from any device and from anywhere. I can even sync while on the road. It also allows me to play content that isn't already in a media format supported by the Apple ecosystem by transcoding it in real time.
With Plex, I've never felt that the features are held hostage to the competing business needs of making iTunes Store content "just a little more convenient" than content I already own.
You cannot record the Audio Codecs from Blu Ray and expect to play them back with all the Audio choices intact. So Plex still seems to offer no more than ATV will provide....that said... I owned the original ATV because it had a hard drive that let me stream my ripped Music (and yes you cannot record SACD or DVD Audio either)....so I currently see no advantage over my Mini Mac to get the new ATV either.