my lifetime pass for jellyfin cost me $0, pretty good value
I didn't get into self-hosting until recently, and people recommended Jellyfin, so I don't even know what I'm missing with Plex, if anything. It feels like Jellyfin does everything I need.
You’re missing getting to pay for it. Imagine how good it would feel to see $750 less in your bank account.
I mean Plex definitely has a value add. Around here people will scoff but Plex is far easier to work with for non technical users.
If you shared your library externally Plex was definitely easier it's just that they have started to extract value from that which does suck.
Easier sure, but it comes at the expense of all traffic (even streaming to a device on your local network) going through their servers. If you have an internet outage or their servers go down, you can't even stream media locally with Plex. No such issues with Jellyfin.
Edit: apparently my frustrations about this were based on something I set up incorrectly, so +1 point for Plex working locally without internet, -1 point for ease of use/setup if I had this wrong for years without knowing it or finding the fix on my own.
This is incorrect, bordering on outright FUD. Plex only uses their servers for the initial server discovery. When you sign into Plex, your device basically contacts the central plex discovery server and goes “hey, which servers do I have access to? And where are they located?” Plex’s server then passes that info back to the device, so the device can reach those servers directly. No actual content hits Plex’s servers by default. Hell, Plex wouldn’t want content hitting their servers by default, because it’s a truly astronomical amount of bandwidth that would be required on their end, for no real benefit.
You can technically use their relay option to bounce the video stream off of their server, but they specifically say that it’s a last-ditch workaround for troubleshooting. Because their relay server is intentionally bandwidth-capped and will throttle your video quality. So the relay is only really meant to be used for troubleshooting and edge cases.
“Aha! But you need to contact their server to get access even on LAN! So it will stop working when your internet goes out!” You can just configure the device to use a direct connection instead. This will allow you to connect directly to a server on your LAN. No need for their handshake server.
You can totally stream locally without internet, I've done it several times. I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that Plex doesn't do direct streams, especially locally?
I got that idea from the times when I couldn't stream to my TV in my home while my internet was down. Switched from Plex several years ago though
Apparently they are going to DOUBLE that amount every year! Outrageous!
Couldn't pay me to use that software lol
Used Kodi and now using Jellyfin.
almost a fucking grand for a media server that you host yourself, and only really rely on their login servers for. Can anyone else say "enshittification"?
They provide the apps, metadata servers, and relay service. It's a lifetime pass. IMO that's worth the price it used to be, $70 or whatever. The new price is just absurd, they want you to pay periodically for life because people spend more that way.
I think software subscriptions are a scam, but I don’t mind buying a perpetual license that is only good up to a certain version with additional fees for newer versions. It’s also fair to charge a recurring fee for something that has recurring hosting costs like a VPN, cloud storage, etc.
If they weren’t such dipshits, the “lifetime pass” should have been a perpetual license you can keep using as long as you want, but charge an optional fee for newer versions if you want to upgrade and get more features. They should also have offered a hosted service to make your instance available to others and charge a monthly fee for that. I think people would’ve been fine with all that.
Well I don't like seeing well reasoned, thoughtful comments in my hate thread. We are supposed to be kicking them while they're down! Not pointing out how a small change would ameliorate the issue and fix everything!
I've always thought the licensing for Jetbrains IDEs is a pretty fair way of licensing software. If you stop subscribing you still get access to the last version of the software you paid for but you don't get new versions anymore. And if you stay subscribed you get a loyalty discount after your first and second years. So it provides an incentive to stay subscribed long term but if you do leave you still get access perpetually to the last version you bought
I saw this email and it just read as a desperate cash grab for a company that doesnt plan to be around in 3 more years. Pathetic.
Wow... Rough! I get they've "added value" over time, but they've also enshittified it too...
If only Jellyfin were simpler to setup for the masses...
If only Jellyfin were simpler yo setup for the masses…
This.
I got in on Plex Pass at $150 so it’s a no-brainer to keep it up for my friends and family who are less tech inclined, but I’m running it concurrently with Jellyfin on my server.
Wait. Jellyfin’s client isn’t any harder to set up than Plex..
It very much is on some TVs. While there are apps in the corresponding store for Roku, WebOS, Android TV, and Xbox, that still leaves out Playstation and Samsung for instance. Samsung has more than 50% marketshare of premium TVs.
While you can install an app by jumping through hoops, it's not an easy one click install which is what average users need. You can install a Jellyfin server by clicking next a bunch of times. You can get your media there by dragging and dropping it into the media folder. You can install the TV app on most TVs just as easily, but for Samsung you need to do all sorts of extra steps.
A quick Google does give step by step instructions on reddit for instance... but it requires users to download a specific version of Tizen Studio with the CLI (which most people are scared of, they need a GUI to use their devices). They need to connect to their TV remotely via that tool. They need to generate and install security certificates. They need to get specific versions of the Tizen Jellyfin app, that aren't managed by the Jellyfin team, from a random Github. Then rename those files to extract them, inject their certificate, rebuild the package, and send it to the TV remotely... all in the CLI.
That is WAYYYYYY too complicated for the average person. Even with the step by step instructions, people skip steps and skim things without even thinking about it. Most people can barely click next a bunch of times to install things without messing it up somehow. Anyone who's ever worked support can tell you that. My parents and probably half my friends would NEVER be able to follow those instructions without messing it up to connect to my server. And that even assumes they have a PC to run the software in the first place, many people no longer have a PC, they just have their phone and maybe a tablet.
On the other hand, Plex has an app in the Tizen store. Emby, which Jellyfin was forked from, also has a Tizen app in the store. Those people can just go and click install and they're done.
I thought the last couple moves were the nail in the coffin, but this might be it 🤣
Unless, like me, you got it for $49.
Still, jellyfin.
Exactly, got mine with an Nvidia shield purchase, still moved to Jellyfin like a year ago and never looked back
I think it is. A price hike this massive can only mean they‘re banking on panic buyers who think they can save hundreds of bucks if they buy it now. Meaning Plex probably knows it‘s over and they just want to make as much money as possible before filing bankruptcy or something. At least that‘s what it looks like to me.
My guess was almost this. They obviously want to cash in on the panic-buyers. But I don’t think it’s because they’re going under. I think the goal is to put the lifetime pass out of reach for most people, meaning they’ll default to the subscription instead. Because Plex wants people on subscriptions. They’re more reliable income, which the company can more accurately budget for. There’s a reason everything is moving towards SAAS, and Plex is doing the same. This is simply an attempt to push/lock everyone to the subscription model instead of the single purchase.
And they'll likely "forget" you are lifetime as often with them as they did with us early adopters who got it for cheap.
There's a reason I use Jellyfin, now. Well, more than one.
Plex kept trying to charge me again, and every time I looked at it there was more clutter and spam being forced in front of my face by their "partners."
Kodi on device, great interface especially when you are using touch, if I need remote access I swap to Jellyfin. There's even plugins to sync between the two so your stats and history don;t get messed up by using both.
People still use plex?
I do. It works well enough and my grandmother doesn't have to configure Tailscale. Would I buy a lifetime pass today? Hell no. But I got in early, so why not?
Yes millions
Turns out, lifetime is difficult to budget for
It would be fine if Plex wasn't hooked on VC capital and needed to make the line go up constantly. Most self-hosters like me have zero interest in what they are funding with subscriptions.
I did pay 120 or something 8 years ago, I didn’t mind the price at the time but this is not worth it for ppl who don’t don’t have it.
I have 2 Plex licenses I bought for something like $80 AUD each, but I then went and bought an Emby license and moved 6 months ago. I have tried Emby, Jellyfin and Plex. If anyone if curious on some feedback
Plex has the best interface, it is logical and everything works. That said, the stuttering on some the Apple TV on hdr /4k files for years without being fixed was the breaking point for me
Emby has some quirks in the player where some functionality isn’t logical, the android apps on a 4K Tele look terrible, but the server software itself is fantastic
Jellyfin does what it says on the box, but it is terribly slow to index and is very basic. I use it to host some music, but that is about it
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