And you couldn’t just play the video over smb in VLC for the ten minutes it was down? Like it really seems like a non-issue that a paid SAAS would expect an internet connection.
The server is running on my local network. It was blocking watching content on my local network from within my local network because it couldn't phone home.
Because developers have to eat? And my experience with Plex is that they handle all the network negotiation so you can smoothly stream from home anywhere, that’s the core of the service.
Although many projects are offered free of charge, individuals can choose to donate or seek sponsorship to ensure their continued development. Not all freely available software depends solely on financial support, with some projects choosing to develop without any monetary compensation. However, it can be frustrating to feel like the Plex Pass and associated account offerings are being pushed upon you.
This alone, finally got me and my husband to switch.
Jellyfin is FANTASTIC, and I wrote a simple script with ChatGPT to help with tagging and metadata for our home collection.
I found that Plex was pretty upfront about how membership works. I was happy to pay for a lifetime membership given the usage I’ve gotten out of it.
(though if I’m honest the lifetime membership concept feels like a bad idea on their side. Despite using their product regularly they now get no more money from me)
Where’s the trick? Pretty much every feature a typical user would use is free. Everything else is clearly outlined on their website. Just because you don’t want to pay for software you use doesn’t mean it’s a trick.
