ive been using kodi (xbmc was better moniker) since google killed sagetv. i recall attempting plex, but it seemed to lack some open/extensibility (its been awhile).
i have a side project i want to make as a modular plugin generating a cable layout with original air orders and networks/channels… kodi seems most optimal, but ill admit its been a long while since i looked at plex.
so why plex over kodi?
The real question is why anyone would use Kodi/Plex/XBMC over Jellyfin
Because Plex makes it so much easier for me to share my stuff with my brother who doesn’t live in the same house.
Absolutely. For my non tech proficient family and friends, it’s easy for them to install an app on their streaming box/stick and send me the login code.
How is different from jellyfin? 🤔
They just need to create a Plex account. For jellyfin, they need my server’s up address, right?
I just created accounts for my family, so they didn’t need to create accounts or anything. And no you don’t need ip address specifically if that’s what you meant. You can use dynamic DNS services and reverse proxies so you just have a regular web address like “https://jellyfin.somewebsite.com”
Don’t they need your server’s address with Plex? 🤔 and wait, address or domain? Anyway, is it a problem to give them a link like jelly.john.com or watch.john.com
Have you used Plex before? No they don’t need to know anything. They sign up and you grant them access (or even just give them a user in your home and they just sign in by texting you a code). It is as easy or easier than signing into your typical streaming app. Just extremely easy. Jellyfin is great and I hope they keep going but they’re not at the same level as Plex. I’ve been using Plex for nearly a decade now and I’ve tried out jellyfin a few times. I’ll keep trying because I don’t want to use Plex forever but I’m not going to pretend they’re the same. Hopefully they will be eventually.
In the case we are talking about different self hosting things
I used to have Plex with a domain
It’s not a problem for me to connect domains, dns, reverse proxies, etc. Because i’m already hosting like everything, email, my own dns server, websites, nextcloud, basically everything
Plex has a reverse proxying service and can do upnp for you so it works with dynamic IPs out of the box with no need for a domain or forwarding ports. It defaults to upnp and falls back to the Plex hosted reverse proxy which also uses a dynamically generated subdomain and gives you a free SSL cert. Granted I prefer to host my own reverse proxy anyway with my own domain (when I had a static IP I just forwarded a port and set up an A record) but out of the box Plex does make it much easier for a non technical user to hit the ground running.
If I were you, I would just use jellyfin and don’t mess with Plex Jellyfin is opensource, doesn’t collect any data, and just faster in my experience
I do use jellyfin, I run it side by side with Plex on the same Intel nuc with quick sync - both with the exact same media folders added - and I let my friends choose. I don’t think a single one of them prefer jellyfin unfortunately.
There is program or docker container that syncs between them. It is actually nice.
And crashes more and has more annoying bugs, that they say working as intended. The one that bugs the hell out of me is when you download another copy of an old movie it gets added to the new category. It is my biggest issue but then there is the no intro skip no screen caps well fast forwarding. And yes I know there are plug-ins for both but the authors of the players don’t support third party plugins.
Because my current TV is a Samsung so runs Tizen OS and thus doesn’t have an official Jellyfin app.
(I bought it before I ever got into NAS stuff and it still works fine so I’ll be damned if I buy another TV before this one stops working.)
Edit: A word.
Jellyfin is great and I follow its development and test it every now an then but it is nowhere near fully featured or well supported enough or me to transfer my family over to.
I will eventually, when it’s ready.
Kodi works way better for local network content in my experience
In what way? Curious because I’ve never had any issues with plex on my local network.
Plex is based on XBMC/ KODI, and both excel at basically being a VLC - playing anything and everything locally or over the LAN. Jellyfin on the other hand is excellent at creating a personal Netflix you can access from outside your network, but because it runs through the browser youre more likely to have transcoding issues and you’re not going to have that Swiss-army knife, can-play-everything-you-throw-at-it like Kodi and Plex can. I use both.
Kodi has a nicer interface imo. Kodi as the player and Jellyfin as the “backend” is a great combo imo.
kodi is more ‘media center’…audio/video/static imaging…hell, plugins to gaming… jellyfin/emby is an excellent transcoding/end-user-streaming platform. i see them as complimentary to eachother