I rip my content primarily to *.mkv files that I store on a Seagate NAS and so far infuse has worked well. Infuse does have a few quirks that i don’t love so I’m wondering (and this may be dumb) why would I use Plex? I don’t know enough about Plex, so I’m hoping someone can teach me a little. Is there a benefit for me to use it?
Many thanks in advance.
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The main benefits for me are that you can stream outside your network really easy and I can change the metadata to what I want it to be. If you like Infuse just the way it is there’s no reason to use Plex then.
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Other benefits are a shared library if you have multiple Infuse instances.
Plex is also a bit “smarter” when it comes to identify and fetch metadata and since it’s a server software it runs in the background doing updates, reindex, download subtitles etc so whenever you want to watch a movie it’s all updated for all Infuse instances.
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I had the same question. I was actually hoping in a Plex frontend using the Infuse media player connected to the Plex server. Like MrMC (and I suppose Kodi) is doing. As it is now it doesn’t change my life much, not even in terms in performances. I don’t see any difference (while the Plex client can be much faster skipping back/forth).
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Yeah that would be my ideal scenario also.
I only just purchased an ATV 4K (I generally don’t do Apple stuff since an iPad 2 underwhelmed me)
Anyways I purchased to see what all the fuss about Infuse was and this despite already owning a Shield.What really shocked me was it took 2 days before i actually installed the default Plex app and I was really blown away by the clean look.
It’s now my go to player and I’m just using infuse to steam 4K UHD remuxes from Google.
I do have a question though… Your comments on MrMC? I only tried it on my Shield and I’m confused. Are you saying that if I install MrMC on my ATV 4K I load up the Default Plex app and it will use MrMC as the player? Or that’s something they are working towards? Or am I totally missing what you are saying?
Well, there is a lite version of MrMC. Just try it yourself. The problem is with the non Pro limitation to 8 videos (or was it 7?), so you may want to setup a second Plex server somewhere to test it with 8 chosen videos. Unless just making a small 8 videos library works, I didn’t test it.
Plex works as a sort of MrMC plugin. You start MrMC, launch Plex from it, login and then it has a sort of Plex interface (again, I am not fully sure now, since I didn’t use it in a long time. And then the limitation made it quite hard to use).
Still, I have bought the ATV4K because of Infuse and I do not regret the choice! Plex with HEVC videos and/or HiRes audio (converted to AC3/EAC3) has started working only recently. And not completely. Then the subtitles management (as the audio stream choice) is still far from ideal.
Ah right. Yeah there is one UI that looks a (very) little like tvOS. I believe they are working on something more like the default app.
With regards to infuse and MrMC though.
MrMC has video preview thumbnail scrubbing and I know it’s an aim in infuse.But generally MrMC seems obsessed with Kodi skins and that’s something i just cannot abide.
Navigation in the skins i have tried other than scrubbing is truly abysmal. (subs & soundtrack switching.) The dropdown in infuse is head and shoulders better.
Generally though I still prefer the default Plex app above any other client interface in Plex. That said to direct play my 4K HDR Remuxes I will probably pay for an infuse lifetime when my trial expires.
Thanks for the info.
I’m not sure at all… and I’m a lifetime Plex pass user - as mentioned Plex does allow streaming outside your network and not a lot more except the probability of major software issues and assorted pains in the arse far, far beyond any minor quirks you may have found with Infuse.
I mean… before this integration, i used Trakt to keep watched status insync between the two, so there’s even less incentive to revisit the frustrations i’ve endured in years oadt with Plex…
and yet, despite that… I still had Plex server running on my Synology, so connected Infuse to it yadda, yadda… and bingo - it failed to see all the episodes that were in fact present in one of the first few shows i checked.
Got rid of the Plex to Infuse share and all was well again.
I could have reported this to the guys at Infuse, chased down some fix or other… but previous experience with Plex just made me shrug, roll my eyes and stop the plex server on my synology instead - life’s too short for that cr@p.
Especially with Infuse supporting the Apple TV now showing side f things, so more or less matchng the Plex ‘On Deck’ feature…
Play with Plex if you like… but you’ve been warned 
Thanks everyone for all the feedback, awesome information. I don’t quite understand what MrMC is? Sorry for all the questions also. My set up is my movies, shows and concert videos ( a combo of *.mkv, *.mp4, *.m4v with a handful of *.avi) are all on a NAS and I stream through an AppleTV4. So far, I don’t think there’s a big advantage in me adding Plex into the mix but I’m open other suggestions.
Your time would be better spent investigating Sickbeard.
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Plex is good for people with extremely large libraries (less metadata stored on-device, no downloading metadata on startup) and those that host their media outside of their network or within their own network and grant access to people outside of their network. It also supports a much larger number of devices than Infuse (or any other trakt-based system that I know of), with consistent editable metadata across all of those devices, and there are some remote media plugins that let you keep everything in one interface.
There are also a lot of developer features, API’s, and third party programs built to support Plex that Infuse does not have.
If you have no interest in those features then don’t use it.
Use the Plex for Kodi addon with MrMC instead of the built-in Plex-as-a-source integration if you want a more Plex-like interface.
MrMC does the same things that Infuse does with a completely different approach and interface - you can use one or the other. MrMC currently has Plex and Emby integration, which Infuse is still working on.
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Already having a Shield and an HTPC I have no need for MrMC at all. I can simply run kodi and therefore Plex for Kodi on either device.When I mentioned default Plex app I was actually referring to the default to the default tvOS app specifically.
Yep and other than the Plex for Kodi addon its the interface that’s the issue. There are some truly hideous options.
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Thanks everyone for your help. I think I finally understand all of it. I really appreciate everyone responding.
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