[Ryan Steagall]

PLEX? Anyone using it? I'm trying to figure out where the configuration files are located so I can manually edit them. Anyone know?

 

[mikefl52]

They are in your users applications library.


There are a number of libraries under the OS-X operating system, but the ones with the plex ralated files is under users (at least on mine).

 

[Will Collier]

I've tried it, and I like all the flexibility in file types (it'll play nearly everything; the only combination it won't play correctly AFAIK is a MOV with a DTS audio track, and that's thanks to an obscure FFMPEG bug), but the controls are a mess. You really can't navigate the menus correctly with just a remote control (going back a menu is horrendous, and the "esc" key isn't mapped anywhere), which is a deal-killer.


They really need to simplify the UI, especially for remote control without a keyboard.

 

[HTPC_Dude]

I'm a Plex user, it's not bad but there are a few bugs they need to fix.

 

[Nathan_R]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Will Collier /forum/post/16841654


I've tried it, and I like all the flexibility in file types (it'll play nearly everything; the only combination it won't play correctly AFAIK is a MOV with a DTS audio track, and that's thanks to an obscure FFMPEG bug), but the controls are a mess. You really can't navigate the menus correctly with just a remote control (going back a menu is horrendous, and the "esc" key isn't mapped anywhere), which is a deal-killer.


They really need to simplify the UI, especially for remote control without a keyboard.

This certainly isn't something that is usually said about Plex. What remote are you using? My Harmony One mapped perfectly (including the Escape/Back button) using the simple setup guide on the Plex forum.


I've used all the HTPC options for a mac now and Plex by far has the best remote-to-GUI responsiveness and control that I've seen.

 

[InflatedEgo]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Will Collier /forum/post/16841654


I've tried it, and I like all the flexibility in file types (it'll play nearly everything; the only combination it won't play correctly AFAIK is a MOV with a DTS audio track, and that's thanks to an obscure FFMPEG bug), but the controls are a mess. You really can't navigate the menus correctly with just a remote control (going back a menu is horrendous, and the "esc" key isn't mapped anywhere), which is a deal-killer.


They really need to simplify the UI, especially for remote control without a keyboard.

I hadn't really thought the controls were a mess. But I guess that is because I haven't messed with the controls much after my initial setup. There are bugs, like library rescan when you add new media doesn't work as I'd like. But basically it works well enough that I am not currently looking for a replacement.


By the way, pairing Plex with a Logitech Harmony remote control works very nicely. Especially with the miscellaneous bunch of equipment I have. Spouse approval factor went way up with that addition.

 

[ghjaxman]

I have been using it for 4 months now and I am convinced that is the way to go. My 4 year old can operate it with my Harmony Remote. It is about all we watch now. The plug ins are great. I just wish my local news could be added and I would then just be watching sports live everything else will work with Plex.

 

[jakerules13]

I use it whenever I have to play a downloaded 720p tv episode i miss the night before. Quicktime and vlc just don't compare. I wish i had a lot more dvds so I could see all them layed out with cover art

 

[toxlab]

I have been using Plex for about 2 months on two Mac Minis, one mini is connected to a couple of terabyte HDs and serves up my media to plex on it and the client mini. It works very well, the apple remote works well with it and having Hulu and my Netflicks instant watch (among many available plug-ins) all accessible through Plex along with my libraries of movies and TV shows makes it an outstanding home theater application. The ability to scrape all of metadata for everything also makes it a very nice app. In fact, on the mini it allows one to use the DVD drive by accessing front row directly and when done drops you back into PLex. Eventually they will have the DVD player function directly accessible form the Plex menu.

 

[XavierYZ]

I am using plex, for all my MKV bluray rips, as well as my dvds, I have a catalog of 200 movies, and 3 of my favorite TV shows, I love the interface and as mentioned before it is buggy but the Plex team delivers updates to the software at a rate of 1-2 a month I picked up a logitech mini dinova media keyboard and its even better now.


My Mac mini 1.83ghz duo 2 core with 3gigs of ram can play all 720p material and sees some frame rate dropping with 1080p, but currently I have no 1080p display so I am not concerned. Out of the box Plex and mac mini play very well together with.


heres something interesting. I have a Quad Core 2.8ghz intel with 4 gigs of ram and a ati HD4350, I thought of switching out the mac mini for this set up with boxee for windows. I couldn't get 720P bluray rips to play smooth. I pissed around for hours with drivers and video codecs trying to get this to work, upgraded to Windows 7 beta (fail) tried some linux distros as well. Finally gave up and moved back to the plex and mac mini I am sure with enough Pissing around and tweaking I can get the pc hardware to work, but its not worth my frustration... PLEX FTW

 

[Will Collier]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Nathan_R /forum/post/16844430


This certainly isn't something that is usually said about Plex. What remote are you using? My Harmony One mapped perfectly (including the Escape/Back button) using the simple setup guide on the Plex forum.


I've used all the HTPC options for a mac now and Plex by far has the best remote-to-GUI responsiveness and control that I've seen.

Where the heck is "esc" mapped to on a Harmony (mine is an 880)? I thrashed through the Plex documents repeatedly, and it's not there.

 

[Nathan_R]

These three links will get you started:
http://wiki.plexapp.com/index.php/Harmony_Support
http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php?showtopic=4898
http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php?showtopic=4655


Mine is mapped to the Harmony One's U-turn back arrow (Prev) key. On my bedroom's 880, I have it mapped to a soft key on the Display called "Escape."

 

[Hagfish]

Plex is badass.. The reason I'm having to ditch it is really not the fault of plex. More in the limitations of the mac. I've been doing bluray rips w/ flac to send lpcm to my receiver. Since the toslink can't handle this I'm having to go pc w/ hdmi to achieve truehd/dts master. If you're not worried about lossless audio, plex is just about perfect.

 

[hstewart]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Will Collier /forum/post/16841654


I've tried it, and I like all the flexibility in file types (it'll play nearly everything; the only combination it won't play correctly AFAIK is a MOV with a DTS audio track, and that's thanks to an obscure FFMPEG bug), but the controls are a mess. You really can't navigate the menus correctly with just a remote control (going back a menu is horrendous, and the "esc" key isn't mapped anywhere), which is a deal-killer.


They really need to simplify the UI, especially for remote control without a keyboard.

The "Menu" button on the remote maps to the ESC key on the keyboard. One presses "Menu" on the Apple remote or the ESC key to move 'up' the menu tree.


I found that activating the mouse was easier for initial setup of movies and picking thumbnails, fanart, etc. But the Apple remote works fine for ordinary operation.


BTW, there is a setting which recognizes the Harmony remote as well.

H.

 

[NewOrlnsDukie]

I use Plex in 4 different rooms (each is used w/ a Harmony remote).


Just an incredible app.

 

[greedo]

I've tried Plex numerous times on my Mac Pro, but it always seems to crash or hang on me. I don't have any movies stored locally on the Pro (kept on a mini instead). Even ignoring the crashes, Plex just seems very un-Mac like. The navigation system needs a serious rewrite, as many functions seem extremely unintuitive.

 

[Russ Younger]

PLEX is the best front end that I have found on any platform. Setup is a snap and not having to deal with codec packs is awsome. I set up my first plex box in no time and that is what I think that makes PLEX very mac like indeed. Movies scraped fine TV shows on the other hand eeh, but I got them to work ok in the end.


One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the snatch remote app for the Iphone/Ipod touch that works like a champ. You can get more details about it at the PLEX wiki. Anyway I can run any function I need from the remote and I never have to use the keyboard or mouse except when I want to shut the machine down.

 

[tukom]

I have been using Plex for a while and the first impression has been very positive.


I have to agree particularly with the library functionality as it seems to integrate very well with my existing iTunes library making podcasts and music instantly available. Pictures section also handles iPhoto and Aperture libraries automatically. However, I discovered that my movies and TV shows in iTunes library where not automatically available, but I needed to browse the folders separately to make them available.


Favorites section is another useful functionality that I have not discovered in other media center software. This means that I can save frequently used sections or locations as my favorites for quick and easy access.


Have a look at more thoughts on the Plex media center at
http://mymediaexperience.com/2009/08...enter-for-mac/

 

[HiTekAlex]

Is Plex still unable to understand metadata tags in M4V videos? Always been a show-stopper for me, as my entire video collection is meticulously tagged with MetaX.


Why a leading Media Center software is unable to read standard metadata tags is beyond me

 

[NewOrlnsDukie]



Quote:
Originally Posted by HiTekAlex /forum/post/17014788


Is Plex still unable to understand metadata tags in M4V videos? Always been a show-stopper for me, as my entire video collection is meticulously tagged with MetaX.


Why a leading Media Center software is unable to read standard metadata tags is beyond me

It doesn't read metadata from MetaX. But I personally don't find this annoying b/c all you need to do w/ your video folders is identify them as movies, TV shows, etc, and press 'scan to library,' and as long as the files are titled with something approaching the right name for the movie, the files will come up w/ all necessary metadata anyway post-scrape.