4 ms·

Without a NAS what is the benefit of Plex over a DVD player?

bentcorner 6y ago
My guess is that they're talking about ripping DVDs and storing video files on the laptop HD. It's functionally equivalent to a NAS as far as Plex is concerned.
- cgriswald 6y ago
  I understand that, but the process seems to be rip, watch, delete due to limited storage. I’m sure I’m missing something but I don’t know what benefit this process adds over just watching the DVD.
  - Symbiote 6y ago
    Do DVDs in the last (~10?) few years still have non-skippable adverts at the start? That could be one potential benefit. But otherwise, I don't see any real plus. Unless you have such a large collection that the search/recommend features are useful. You still have to take the DVD out, put it in the computer, run some program, etc.
    - cgriswald 6y ago
      > Do DVDs in the last (~10?) few years still have non-skippable adverts at the start? I honestly don't know, because I rip all my content and play it on Plex. :) This could be the answer and once you're ripping content anyway, Plex is a decent way to stream it to whichever devices.
  - schwartzworld 6y ago
    Truthfully, probably it would just be easier to watch the DVD for watching on the TV, but Plex lets you watch on all devices. I really don't need instant access to tons of movies, but my kids watch a lot of the same ones over and over, so I keep those on Plex, rather than paying for Disney plus or whatever. After ripping I usually increase the crf a little to reduce the file size to host on plex. Movies that we are watching a lot live on Plex, but if we stop watching something, or it seems like a one-time thing, then they can be removed from the library. The burned DVDs are really more of a personal archive. Those movies could get added back to Plex someday. I don't need all of Lost or Breaking Bad on my Plex server, because I've recently watched them, so they'll live in the DVD drawer for a few years.
    - cgriswald 6y ago
      Ah, that makes sense, thanks. I’m past my days of the same episodes of The Wiggles over and over (although I still know all the songs), so didn’t think of that aspect.
sumtechguy 6y ago
Once you get past a particular point of number of movies management becomes a problem. For awhile I was using carousels from sony. But kodi/plex have a decent interface with ease of management. You usually only need a NAS if you get past a particular size of files.
- cgriswald 6y ago
  I run a Plex server. My question isn’t about the value Plex adds in general. It’s about the value it adds if you are regularly removing things (and potentially re-ripping in the future) due to limited storage.
  - sumtechguy 6y ago
    The GUI is nice to use. Plex and it brother KODI have a nice skinning/metadata system. That metadata looks very nice. They are one of the better players out there. Even if you have to rotate. You could use something like VLC or mediacenter but the user exp is just not as good. For my setup I could get away with a VLC and a folder of stuff and just drag and drop it. But that 10ft aggregated view is why I use it. If you just want to watch stuff and then blow it away then it would not be worth the hassle of setup.

My guess is that they're talking about ripping DVDs and storing video files on the laptop HD. It's functionally equivalent to a NAS as far as Plex is concerned.

cgriswald 6y ago
I understand that, but the process seems to be rip, watch, delete due to limited storage. I’m sure I’m missing something but I don’t know what benefit this process adds over just watching the DVD.
- Symbiote 6y ago
  Do DVDs in the last (~10?) few years still have non-skippable adverts at the start? That could be one potential benefit. But otherwise, I don't see any real plus. Unless you have such a large collection that the search/recommend features are useful. You still have to take the DVD out, put it in the computer, run some program, etc.
  - cgriswald 6y ago
    > Do DVDs in the last (~10?) few years still have non-skippable adverts at the start? I honestly don't know, because I rip all my content and play it on Plex. :) This could be the answer and once you're ripping content anyway, Plex is a decent way to stream it to whichever devices.
- schwartzworld 6y ago
  Truthfully, probably it would just be easier to watch the DVD for watching on the TV, but Plex lets you watch on all devices. I really don't need instant access to tons of movies, but my kids watch a lot of the same ones over and over, so I keep those on Plex, rather than paying for Disney plus or whatever. After ripping I usually increase the crf a little to reduce the file size to host on plex. Movies that we are watching a lot live on Plex, but if we stop watching something, or it seems like a one-time thing, then they can be removed from the library. The burned DVDs are really more of a personal archive. Those movies could get added back to Plex someday. I don't need all of Lost or Breaking Bad on my Plex server, because I've recently watched them, so they'll live in the DVD drawer for a few years.
  - cgriswald 6y ago
    Ah, that makes sense, thanks. I’m past my days of the same episodes of The Wiggles over and over (although I still know all the songs), so didn’t think of that aspect.

sumtechguy 6y ago

Once you get past a particular point of number of movies management becomes a problem. For awhile I was using carousels from sony. But kodi/plex have a decent interface with ease of management. You usually only need a NAS if you get past a particular size of files.

cgriswald 6y ago
I run a Plex server. My question isn’t about the value Plex adds in general. It’s about the value it adds if you are regularly removing things (and potentially re-ripping in the future) due to limited storage.
- sumtechguy 6y ago
  The GUI is nice to use. Plex and it brother KODI have a nice skinning/metadata system. That metadata looks very nice. They are one of the better players out there. Even if you have to rotate. You could use something like VLC or mediacenter but the user exp is just not as good. For my setup I could get away with a VLC and a folder of stuff and just drag and drop it. But that 10ft aggregated view is why I use it. If you just want to watch stuff and then blow it away then it would not be worth the hassle of setup.