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    The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It

    Water Closet
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    • hobbit666
      hobbit666 last edited by

      Not sure if this should be a separate topic.

      I'm interested in knowing how people here are using Plex and their Media.

      I have a Plex server that has basically about 12 films, and 6 or so TV series I've ripped from DVD. All I do is just use the client on our firesticks and stream the content.

      How do people here use Plex? Is there more to it that I'm missing the point to?

      How do you get your content? Are you ripping physical stuff or getting on demand stuff? What size is your server?

      EddieJennings 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • EddieJennings
        EddieJennings @hobbit666 last edited by

        @hobbit666 +1 to separate topic. Maybe @scottalanmiller can fork.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
        • scottalanmiller
          scottalanmiller last edited by

          Tagging @Grey

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • scottalanmiller
            scottalanmiller last edited by

            I use it to stream videos that I'm editing so that we can watch them on the big screen to see how they look.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • hobbit666
              hobbit666 last edited by

              Are people using the "pass" and what extra do you get?

              scottalanmiller 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • black3dynamite
                black3dynamite last edited by

                I originally started using Plex for my Music and then my small movie collections. I have a lifetime Plex Pass.

                https://support.plex.tv/articles/200288566-what-is-plex-pass/
                b643a707-5311-4ef6-a19a-db2b77a4e9cf-image.png

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • scottalanmiller
                  scottalanmiller @hobbit666 last edited by

                  @hobbit666 said in The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It:

                  Are people using the "pass" and what extra do you get?

                  I'm not.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • JaredBusch
                    JaredBusch last edited by

                    @hobbit666 said in The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It:

                    Are people using the "pass" and what extra do you get?

                    I have a plex compatible tuner hooked up, but I do rarely make use of it.

                    I use managed users, so all 4 of us in the house do not get our history crossed on what is watched and not.
                    1da6805e-5887-4ab8-acc8-71c6dc2e6f4f-image.png

                    I rarely uses the download to device functionality, because I typically have no issues streaming directly.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • siringo
                      siringo last edited by

                      I don't know anything about Plex, but am I correct in thinking it's a cloud based service/server that you upload your own content to and then share with whoever?

                      Like your own personal Netflix?

                      If so, how do you cover licensing and copyright issues?

                      travisdh1 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • Dashrender
                        Dashrender last edited by

                        I have one, I don't share it outside of my house.
                        I have plex pass and a compatible tuner so I can record Jeopardy for the wife.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • brandon220
                          brandon220 last edited by

                          We use ours for movies and music. All ripped from discs so far. Just looked at the dashboard - 7547 music tracks and 694 movies. No tuner card and no Plex Pass.
                          As of now we don't share with outside users.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • travisdh1
                            travisdh1 @siringo last edited by

                            @siringo said in The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It:

                            I don't know anything about Plex, but am I correct in thinking it's a cloud based service/server that you upload your own content to and then share with whoever?

                            No. It's your own personal media server. Generally not shared on the internet (you can, but licensing becomes a PITA).

                            Like your own personal Netflix?

                            Yes, just not cloud based.

                            If so, how do you cover licensing and copyright issues?

                            It's for anything you can watch in your own house, so licensing and copyright shouldn't come into play.

                            siringo 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • siringo
                              siringo @travisdh1 last edited by

                              @travisdh1 said in The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It:

                              @siringo said in The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It:

                              I don't know anything about Plex, but am I correct in thinking it's a cloud based service/server that you upload your own content to and then share with whoever?

                              No. It's your own personal media server. Generally not shared on the internet (you can, but licensing becomes a PITA).

                              Like your own personal Netflix?

                              Yes, just not cloud based.

                              If so, how do you cover licensing and copyright issues?

                              It's for anything you can watch in your own house, so licensing and copyright shouldn't come into play.

                              Thanks alot, that clears it up.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • hobbit666
                                hobbit666 last edited by

                                For those ripping content. What you using and what compression etc are you using? Trying to see how to get best results with low storage.

                                I'm only on 4tb server at the moment.

                                Might upgrade over the next 12 moths. If I change the server to something with 2.5" drives.

                                Danp dafyre 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • Danp
                                  Danp @hobbit666 last edited by

                                  @hobbit666 Just started this whole process yesterday. I setup a VM with Plex server and I'm using my NAS to store the media.

                                  Based on recommendations from a separate thread, I'm using MakeMKV to rip the DVD content. I haven't taken any steps to change format, compression, etc. Currently I've got 19 movies taking up 97GB

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                  • dafyre
                                    dafyre @hobbit666 last edited by

                                    @hobbit666 said in The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It:

                                    For those ripping content. What you using and what compression etc are you using? Trying to see how to get best results with low storage.

                                    I'm only on 4tb server at the moment.

                                    Might upgrade over the next 12 moths. If I change the server to something with 2.5" drives.

                                    If you are ripping on Windows, I recommend DVDFAB. I haven't run into anything it won't Rip. It's pricey, but worth it, IMO.

                                    If you're on Linux, MakeMKV is also excellent. I'll rip it to MKV and then use Handbrake to convert it to MP4 and save a few GB.

                                    hobbit666 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                    • JaredBusch
                                      JaredBusch last edited by

                                      If you are not using 10-bit H.265 you are doing it wrong. Nothing is better for compression and retaining quality IMO.

                                      be50c072-067d-45e0-8dd1-3b4221fbe191-image.png

                                      I use 1080p30 for everything because I do not have 4k source material anyway.

                                      27d613c4-f46e-4f49-8428-0899e6d99af0-image.png

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                      • M
                                        marcinozga last edited by marcinozga

                                        I used to rip BluRays with MakeMKV, DVDs went into shredder, it’s such a low quality compared to 1080p. Then I learned about Couchpotato, later Sonarr and Radarr, so I stopped ripping. My workflow with Plex is 100% automated, I don’t even have to add shows and/or movies I want to watch. Above applications allow you subscribe to various lists, top 250 IMDB, or highest grossing this week, etc. then search for it, send it to download client, when done downloading rename it, copy/move/hardlink to Plex library location, and finally notifying Plex so it scans it.

                                        I have lifetime Plexpass, if you want to buy it, wait until Black Friday or Christmas’s, they usually have sales then, 50% off.

                                        I don’t share my libraries with anyone, just me and my wife. Storage wise it’s about 90TB right now, growing daily. 2700+ movies, 12000+ tv show episodes, 37000+ music tracks. Believe it or not, that’s rather small library.

                                        hobbit666 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • hobbit666
                                          hobbit666 @marcinozga last edited by

                                          @marcinozga said in The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It:

                                          I used to rip BluRays with MakeMKV, DVDs went into shredder, it’s such a low quality compared to 1080p. Then I learned about Couchpotato, later Sonarr and Radarr, so I stopped ripping. My workflow with Plex is 100% automated, I don’t even have to add shows and/or movies I want to watch. Above applications allow you subscribe to various lists, top 250 IMDB, or highest grossing this week, etc. then search for it, send it to download client, when done downloading rename it, copy/move/hardlink to Plex library location, and finally notifying Plex so it scans it.

                                          Hmm that sound interesting but is that above board if you haven't "purchased" the content?

                                          I have lifetime Plexpass, if you want to buy it, wait until Black Friday or Christmas’s, they usually have sales then, 50% off.

                                          Good tip will have to remember that one

                                          I don’t share my libraries with anyone, just me and my wife. Storage wise it’s about 90TB right now, growing daily. 2700+ movies, 12000+ tv show episodes, 37000+ music tracks. Believe it or not, that’s rather small library.

                                          My god how big is your NAS/Server?

                                          scottalanmiller DustinB3403 M 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • scottalanmiller
                                            scottalanmiller @hobbit666 last edited by

                                            @hobbit666 said in The Skinny on Plex: How Are People Using It:

                                            My god how big is your NAS/Server?

                                            Bigger than 90TB!!

                                            hobbit666 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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