Roku 3 tips and discussions.

techead said:
Valuable info, thanks :)

When you say Plex, I assume its an app that is available on the Roku. You use it to connect to a media server of yours? Windows share? Any connectivity issues?

WDTV connecting to Windows shares is a nightmare, and is just not reliable at all...
Click to expand...

I have a microserver running as a media server which runs PLEX on top. Once you have created folders in PLEX for movies, series, home movies and pointed PLEX to the respective folders on the drives, it catalogues and indexes all of the files and downloads covers and info for each episode \ movie. Think of it as the DSTV Explora but on steriods - it is an awesome piece of software.

ROKU then has a free app which you run and this connects and streams the media from your plex server. I also have the android PLEX app so that I can stream to my phone. You can do things like watch a series episode on your tv, then halfway through stop and resume on your phone or other ROKU.
 
FlashSA said:
I have a microserver running as a media server which runs PLEX on top. Once you have created folders in PLEX for movies, series, home movies and pointed PLEX to the respective folders on the drives, it catalogues and indexes all of the files and downloads covers and info for each episode \ movie. Think of it as the DSTV Explora but on steriods - it is an awesome piece of software.

ROKU then has a free app which you run and this connects and streams the media from your plex server. I also have the android PLEX app so that I can stream to my phone. You can do things like watch a series episode on your tv, then halfway through stop and resume on your phone or other ROKU.
Click to expand...

Are you referring to the "Media Player" App?

There is an actual Plex App as well but I think that's a paid one.
 
FlashSA said:
I have a microserver running as a media server which runs PLEX on top. Once you have created folders in PLEX for movies, series, home movies and pointed PLEX to the respective folders on the drives, it catalogues and indexes all of the files and downloads covers and info for each episode \ movie. Think of it as the DSTV Explora but on steriods - it is an awesome piece of software.

ROKU then has a free app which you run and this connects and streams the media from your plex server. I also have the android PLEX app so that I can stream to my phone. You can do things like watch a series episode on your tv, then halfway through stop and resume on your phone or other ROKU.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I have a microserver + sickbeard + SABnzb and that downloads all the meta data for me. Currently set to WDTV format, so it downloads the bits and bobs for my WDTV.

Im thinking of trying out this Plex, but I dont have a box to connect to the server. Hence the options Im looking at.

DroidTV seems a LOT more popular, but I dont care about all the free stuff and hassle of installing files and crap. I just want something that works with Netflix and that I can connect to my microserver in a reliable manner.
 
AfricanTech said:
Are you referring to the "Media Player" App?

There is an actual Plex App as well but I think that's a paid one.
Click to expand...

No, Plex app for ROKU is free. PlexPass is a paid subscription. Plex app for Android is a paid app
 
FlashSA said:
No, Plex app for ROKU is free. PlexPass is a paid subscription. Plex app for Android is a paid app
Click to expand...

Hmm, from Roku site


Plex

Categories: Most Watched, Music, Photos & Video

Plex organizes all of your personal media, wherever you keep it, so you can enjoy it on any device. With Plex, you can easily stream your videos, music, photos and home movies to your Roku using your Plex Media Server (available for free at http://www.plex.tv).

Read more

1 star 2 star 3 star 4 star 5 star 28907 ratings average 4.5

Installed
SERVICE MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FEES

Will check on player itself tonight
 
FlashSA said:
No, Plex app for ROKU is free. PlexPass is a paid subscription. Plex app for Android is a paid app
Click to expand...

Roku Plex app is not free. It has a 30 day trial period, after which it costs $4.99.

You can however use RarFlix which is free.

EDIT: $4.99 is really not a lot of money and it supports further development. So I wouldn't hesitate to recommend that you purchase the app.
 
@FlashSA

I just installed Plex on my microserver, seems simple and straightforward enough. I created a separate folder called TV with show xyz inside. I added TV as a parent folder. It picked up show xyz and said it was doing something :)

I see it doesn't add metadata files to the actual folders, but stores the metadata in some db somewhere out of the way?

Now to get my hands on a player to connect to the running Plex service on my microserver

curiously, it doesnt add a poster or anything when you are in the homepage of the server (in the browser). I would have thought it would have done that automatically, but I see you need to add it manually
 
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DrJohnZoidberg said:
Roku Plex app is not free. It has a 30 day trial period, after which it costs $4.99.

You can however use RarFlix which is free.

EDIT: $4.99 is really not a lot of money and it supports further development. So I wouldn't hesitate to recommend that you purchase the app.
Click to expand...

WRONG! I have been running the Plex app on both my ROKU's since November last year and have not paid a cent!

In fact, I changed both my ROKU 3's to a different ROKU account on Sunday to enable Netflix and it installed the PLEX app again free of charge.
 
techead said:
@FlashSA

I just installed Plex on my microserver, seems simple and straightforward enough. I created a separate folder called TV with show xyz inside. I added TV as a parent folder. It picked up show xyz and said it was doing something :)

I see it doesn't add metadata files to the actual folders, but stores the metadata in some db somewhere out of the way?

Now to get my hands on a player to connect to the running Plex service on my microserver

curiously, it doesnt add a poster or anything when you are in the homepage of the server (in the browser). I would have thought it would have done that automatically, but I see you need to add it manually
Click to expand...

Correct - it uses database files to store all of the metadata - I have backed mine up before but can't recall where excactly the location is.

Why not install the PLEX client on another windows pc at home and play around - I have the free PLEX client on my Windows 8 Laptop and it gives a good feel what to expect on a ROKU
 
It makes me happy every time I see someone on the forum start to use Plex, it's my favourite piece of software, I even have a lifetime PlexPass.
 
FlashSA said:
Correct - it uses database files to store all of the metadata - I have backed mine up before but can't recall where excactly the location is.

Why not install the PLEX client on another windows pc at home and play around - I have the free PLEX client on my Windows 8 Laptop and it gives a good feel what to expect on a ROKU
Click to expand...

much more efficient in my view to store to a DB instead of these hundreds of small files everywhere!! :mad:

I have windows 7 which I could install the client on? Would that suffice? (I would assume so) Alternatively I have an Android tablet which I could install the client on (though I think there is a cost for this one)
 
Soul Assassin said:
It makes me happy every time I see someone on the forum start to use Plex, it's my favourite piece of software, I even have a lifetime PlexPass.
Click to expand...

It really does look like an attractive option at this stage. Selling off some old cellphones, hdd's, wdtv and whatnot so got some cash for a roku 3
 
FlashSA said:
WRONG! I have been running the Plex app on both my ROKU's since November last year and have not paid a cent!

In fact, I changed both my ROKU 3's to a different ROKU account on Sunday to enable Netflix and it installed the PLEX app again free of charge.
Click to expand...

If you installed the app to your Roku account before it became a paid app you don't have to pay. I'm not certain when the app became paid, I'm sure it was before November though.

I'm not wrong :)

EDIT: Linky: https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/201198796-Activating-the-Roku-App
 
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AfricanTech said:
SERVICE MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FEES
Click to expand...

Most likely refers to PLEXPass for remote streaming and Chromecast support. The App installed on both my ROKU 3's is most definitely free of charge indefinitely and includes regular updates.
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
If you installed the app to your Roku account before it became a paid app you don't have to pay. I'm not certain when the app became paid, I'm sure it was before November though.

I'm not wrong :)
Click to expand...

I created a new ROKU account with a new email address, new country (USA) and new credit card on Sunday. App is free on my devices
 
Users who had installed the Roku App prior to December 2013 will continue to have full access without any additional payment or activation or free if you have a PlexPass.
 
FlashSA said:
I created a new ROKU account with a new email address, new country (USA) and new credit card on Sunday. App is free on my devices
Click to expand...

It is indeed a paid for app now after 30 days. When you first install it from the Roku store it is free but if you go into the settings of the Plex app on your Roku and go to second last option I think it is it will tell you there. Only after 30 days when your trial is over will it ask you to purchase before you can use it again. You can of course go now and purchase it as well.
 
FlashSA said:
I created a new ROKU account with a new email address, new country (USA) and new credit card on Sunday. App is free on my devices
Click to expand...

Soul Assassin said:
Users who had installed the Roku App prior to December 2013 will continue to have full access without any additional payment or activation or free if you have a PlexPass.
Click to expand...

This and..

weelzSA said:
It is indeed a paid for app now after 30 days. When you first install it from the Roku store it is free but if you go into the settings of the Plex app on your Roku and go to second last option I think it is it will tell you there. Only after 30 days when your trial is over will it ask you to purchase before you can use it again. You can of course go now and purchase it as well.
Click to expand...

This.
 
Sorry guys, you are right. Both ROKU's said TRIAL. Factory reset one of them and added it back to my 2013 ROKU account and now it says PURCHASED.
 
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