Plex Media Center for OS X

pc-modd · 25 Sep 2008 at 13:10

I'm sure some of you already know about this and use it but I thought I would make a little post about it for those who don't.

The applications site is here: http://www.plexapp.com/

Plex originated from XBMC for Mac, I'm sure you are all aware of the huge capability of XBMC.

Since I first started using Plex I have been very impressed with it and although it was a little buggy at first most of the problems have been ironed out and it runs very well for me now. It has a great codec support (I have yet to come accross a file it won't play) and it even handles HD content well.

Since they updated it with the new UI I think it is now better than ever.

The way it organizes your library and lets you view your files is great and is a perfect replacement for Front Row.

It might take a little while getting it set up but once that is done its all happy sailing from there.

I have mine set-up to launch when the menu button is pressed on the apple remote instead of front row, and everything can be controlled with the apple remote.

Seriously, download it and have a little play. You will like it.

Ol!ver · 25 Sep 2008 at 14:01

Never heard of that ! Fancy doing a writeup for the-iBlog ?

pc-modd · 25 Sep 2008 at 16:38

Ol!ver said:
Never heard of that ! Fancy doing a writeup for the-iBlog ?

Yeah I can do.

Ol!ver · 25 Sep 2008 at 17:36

pc-modd said:
Yeah I can do.

Cool, drop me an email if you want.

TriedandTested · 24 Sep 2009 at 23:41

Bump. Just having a play with this. Seems rather good but struggling to set it up.

memyselfandi · 25 Sep 2009 at 05:57

I've been using Plex for a while and find it to be very good. For me it seems that it's buffering when playing back off remote network shares (via SMB) seems to work a lot better than the other available media players on OSX.

I can't say I've done much in the way of configuration with it except adding a few network resources as media sources as I tend to just use it as a video player at the moment.

It will be nice when the current issues with Snow Leopard can be properly addressed (in particular the remote issue ... I would like a proper fix (from Apple) instead of the current hacking of system files).

Blackhawk47 · 25 Sep 2009 at 21:32

Looks nice. A quick question. Does it work with the standard Apple Remote which at the moment I use with Front Row?

Or do you have to control it via Mouse/Keyboard or at least at the moment?

Feek · 25 Sep 2009 at 21:44

Looks like this would be perfect on a Mac Mini under the telly. Of course, I'm never* putting a Mac Mini under the telly until it has an HDMI output.

*I say 'never' but remember - never say never, it could happen one day

Slogan · 25 Sep 2009 at 22:44

Just been getting to grips with this over the last week or so, really starting to like it.

Front Row looks so bland compared to it.

SentineL-X · 25 Sep 2009 at 22:45

I could be very interested in this, at the moment I import my media into iTunes to be able to access my media via Front Row to have it organized nicely and all in once place.

Do I need to convert the files in any way or can I literally point the Movies section to my Movies folder and the same for my TV Shows?

Irish_Tom · 26 Sep 2009 at 04:04

Feek said:
Looks like this would be perfect on a Mac Mini under the telly. Of course, I'm never* putting a Mac Mini under the telly until it has an HDMI output.

*I say 'never' but remember - never say never, it could happen one day

I can't see them doing this as surely it would then directly rival the Apple TV.

However, can you not DVI it out to an HD-TV and use an optical cable to get DD pass-through to an external amp?

Panzer

Blackhawk47 · 26 Sep 2009 at 13:04

Feek said:
Looks like this would be perfect on a Mac Mini under the telly. Of course, I'm never* putting a Mac Mini under the telly until it has an HDMI output.

*I say 'never' but remember - never say never, it could happen one day

I though I had seen converter cables around to do just that. Though I suppose it will not be true HDMI.

Going to give Plex a trial run today.

I can put a DVD in my Macbook and play it through Plex right?

memyselfandi · 26 Sep 2009 at 21:16

Blackhawk47 said:
Looks nice. A quick question. Does it work with the standard Apple Remote which at the moment I use with Front Row?

Or do you have to control it via Mouse/Keyboard or at least at the moment?

On Leopard it works great with the standard Apple remote ... but Snow Leopard doesn't current give applications exclusive access to the remote when it should so iTunes and Frontrow are spawned instead of the remote buttons doing what they should. This is supposedly a known issue and affects other products so I would imagine a fix will be forthcoming.

It should be controllable via a keyboard too.

Blackhawk47 · 26 Sep 2009 at 22:15

Going to try it out tomorrow but if the remote isn't working on snow leopard then I think I will stick with front row for now.

JAMAL · 26 Sep 2009 at 22:31

Tried it and i think its brilliant, so tempted get a cheap mac mini for this..........

Either that or an apple tv and xbmc

PardonTheWait · 27 Sep 2009 at 09:39

Blackhawk47 said:
Looks nice. A quick question. Does it work with the standard Apple Remote which at the moment I use with Front Row?

Or do you have to control it via Mouse/Keyboard or at least at the moment?

Yes it runs with the standard remote, you also saw the iPod Touch remote I use through Snatch in the Mac Hardware thread. Works just great with the Apple Remote as well though, all you need to do is launch Plex. You can just set it to open on login if you like.

Feek said:
Looks like this would be perfect on a Mac Mini under the telly. Of course, I'm never* putting a Mac Mini under the telly until it has an HDMI output.

*I say 'never' but remember - never say never, it could happen one day

Mine just goes through a DVI-HDMI lead to the TV from the Mini-DP adaptor you get with it. Audio goes through the optical to my amplifier. Do it!

JAMAL said:
Tried it and i think its brilliant, so tempted get a cheap mac mini for this..........

Either that or an apple tv and xbmc

Apple TV is NOT fast enough. I tried Boxee and XBMC and neither of them ran well enough for me. Couldn't do 'real' 720p (iTunes 720p is a much lower bitrate) and even Handbrake rips optimised for Apple TV were too much for it. The current version of Handbrake was making files that were too big for it. I didn't hang around for it to be fixed, I just sucked it up, took the Apple TV back and got myself a bottom spec Mini and stuck 4gb in it.

Honestly, the Apple TV is at full stretch running front row, there's just not enough extra power in there to do this sort of stuff satisfactorily.

I'm not an expert on it, but I have been using it on my Mini under the TV all set up quite sweet for a while now. HDTV, optical digital audio through 5.1 etc, so I'll try to answer any questions if I know the answer, but again I'm no expert just a user who's *really* pleased with how it all works

Si. · 29 Sep 2009 at 16:15

I've been running Plex since day 1 on a mac mini.. as above Mini under the TV, optical audio to Amp, just use apple remote, 2x 1tb USB drives..

The only complaint I have is that the Mini struggles with 1080p content.

JAMAL · 29 Sep 2009 at 19:13

PardonTheWait said:
Yes it runs with the standard remote, you also saw the iPod Touch remote I use through Snatch in the Mac Hardware thread. Works just great with the Apple Remote as well though, all you need to do is launch Plex. You can just set it to open on login if you like.

Mine just goes through a DVI-HDMI lead to the TV from the Mini-DP adaptor you get with it. Audio goes through the optical to my amplifier. Do it!

Apple TV is NOT fast enough. I tried Boxee and XBMC and neither of them ran well enough for me. Couldn't do 'real' 720p (iTunes 720p is a much lower bitrate) and even Handbrake rips optimised for Apple TV were too much for it. The current version of Handbrake was making files that were too big for it. I didn't hang around for it to be fixed, I just sucked it up, took the Apple TV back and got myself a bottom spec Mini and stuck 4gb in it.

Honestly, the Apple TV is at full stretch running front row, there's just not enough extra power in there to do this sort of stuff satisfactorily.

I'm not an expert on it, but I have been using it on my Mini under the TV all set up quite sweet for a while now. HDTV, optical digital audio through 5.1 etc, so I'll try to answer any questions if I know the answer, but again I'm no expert just a user who's *really* pleased with how it all works

There is a hardware decoder that can used soon so hopefully it will do 1080p then

Jet · 29 Sep 2009 at 19:39

Maybe we could make this a media centre thread and help each other get them set up? Hardware/software, etc.

I'm currently using XBMC with the Aeon skin and love it. I've spent the last couple of weeks setting it all up, tweaking it, getting it exactly how I want it etc. I tend to control it with the Apple Remote although the iPhone app works well too if I need more buttons.

Some screens from mine atm:

I've also tried boxee which was great for functionality but can't quite match XBMC for looks.

Atm I'm only using it on my iMac but when I get some money I'm planning on getting an HDTV and Mac mini to run it properly.

Rooky007 · 29 Sep 2009 at 21:44

Does anyone know if we can have subititles on films within Plex media?