I was just forwarded this someone in my household who watches our server. That’s it folks. I’ve been a hold out for a long time, but this is honestly it.

They want me to pay to stream content that I bought from my hardware transcoded also on my hardware.

I’ll say it. As of today, I say Plex is dead. Luckily I’ve been setting up Jellyfin, I guess it’s time to make it production ready.

Edit I have a Plex Pass. More comments saying “Just buy a plex pass” are seriously not getting it. I have a Plex Pass and my users are still getting this.

20 points

In case people aren’t clear on what’s happening, here is a graphic that illustrates what’s happening.

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5 points

I have never used plex, and never will because I like my privacy, but that 20 usd a year does not sound much. thats less than 2 usd a month

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1 point

People are angry because everyone’s spent too much time on social media and are used to assuming the worst and flying off the handle.

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7 points
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the people giving their bandwidth away for free now want money to pay their bills?

To clarify, I disagree with needing an account (sharing my email) with Plex in the first place, and personally would not purchase what is essentially a CDN or VPN depending on how plex distributes your content to your end users. However, from these comments it seems like this was a free service they offered and now want money for it, because it is not profitable. Enshittification? Sure, but not unexpected. Apparently this doesn’t affect you if you stream locally either.

This does complicate things though since now users have to consider paying a subscription for network security or begin distributing OpenVPN configurations to people. In some cases it won’t be possible, like on your TV.

I’ll share my secret: configure your VPN so only select traffic is sent down it and if you’re on iOS, AirPlay it to the television if it supports it. Or you can connect a raspberry pi up to it.

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5 points

That’s essentially my point of view. Plex enshittified. I was angry at how they handled the enshittification, throwing my users into a flurry, but I’m also not surprised that they’re doing it.

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14 points

jellyfin noises intensify

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1 point

Ok, how do you access Jellyfin remotely?

Well you have to setup wireguard or a vpn tunnel to trick your device to thinking it’s on the same local network as your server.

Ok, how do you think you can avoid paying Plex’s remote streaming if you really really don’t want to just buy a lifetime Plex pass?

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10 points

its not tricking your device, that’s how you maintain a connection to your home network. you don’t even need to send all traffic through the tunnel, most wireguard apps can do split tunneling per app.

setting up wireguard is really not that hard, and you don’t even need to update it because it’s in the kernel.

Ok, how do you think you can avoid paying Plex’s remote streaming if you really really don’t want to just buy a lifetime Plex pass?

with wireguard.

or open up 80 and 443 and let the fun begin if you are adventurous.

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2 points
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I think you’re missing my point. What will Plex see your streaming as if it’s behind wireguard: local, or remote?

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8 points
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The vpn is only needed for if

A. Your behind a CGNat

B. On a dynamnic ip and dont want to setup a dyndns.

C. isolating your network from the outside for security reasons.

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-1 points

Yes, but the point is that if you setup Wireguard then your Plex streaming is now local and free.

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6 points
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Ok, how do you access Jellyfin remotely?

WireGuard. VPN’s are more than just hiding your IP behind another country, they allow you to access resources that are not available to the world-wide-web.

Linking a relevant comment I made

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1 point
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Yes, now keep going with that train of thought and imagine what would happen if you put Plex behind the same wireguard setup. Specifically whether or not Plex would consider that local or remote streaming.

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4 points

I’ve got a lifetime plex pass I picked up on a deal ages ago; at this point it’s more that I don’t like the direction that plex is taking the platform, and policies like this fall under that dislike.

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0 points
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Previously they charged unlock fees to every user of their android and iOS apps no matter what. Now those fees are gone and you just have to pay for remote streaming if the server owner doesn’t have a Plex pass.

I really don’t see any problem with this. It’s just shifting pricing from all users to just users who aren’t paying for a Plex pass.

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1 point
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why can’t you expose it like Plex? You can do it… I don’t get your comment

Just open the right ports or config a reverse proxy 🤔. No need for a VPN

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65 points

I have a Plex Pass and my users are still getting this.

To be crystal clear to anyone getting this email: if the server admin has a Plex Pass, users need to do nothing to continue as normal. The streaming pass is only for users who aren’t connecting to a server that has a Plex Pass.

What I find shitty about this is that it’s being indiscriminately sent to every Plex account. There’s bound to be lots of people who don’t understand what this means who will be tricked into buying a streaming pass they don’t need at all. I’ve been getting messages from my users all day asking wtf is going on, and I’m getting tired of trying to convince them to just ignore the email.

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1 point

Who do you think it should be sent to? Only server owners?

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1 point

Given Plex’s users, I think it’s appropriate to notify everyone with a Plex account for changes like that. No issue there.

What I take issue with is that email. It’s at best lazy and at worst manipulative. It’s worded like “if you stream media you need to buy this new pass”. Ok, clear. This free app I use now costs money.

But then they slap on “alternatively, if you connect to a server with a Plex Pass don’t worry about it”. But that’s not something the majority of consume-only users are going to understand. I have about 15 regular users and the only one who knew what that meant was the one who runs their own Plex server.

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3 points

I asked around a bit, but so far none of my users have recieved an email. Other people with their own server (and a plex pass) also haven’t gotten any complains. But I pretty much only have two types of users, own server + plex pass or no pass but almost certainly only connected to my server (mostly family).

It seems the e-mails were quite selectivly send out only to people that were actually affected by the change.

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15 points

That’s where my head was. If anything, it threw all of my users into a panic, thinking that they had to suddenly start paying. I had a couple immediately uninstall the apps. I don’t blame them, the way it was worded it was pretty much pushing them that they had to. Plex undid years worth of trust right there with them.

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11 points

What gets me is that they didn’t message plex pass holders about this first. I would have gladly let my users know that they need to do nothing. Instead I’m fielding all kinds of panicked messages.

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8 points
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Same. Their wording was obviously meant to push them into just buying the membership. They chose language that sounded like you have to buy it ~or talk to your server admin~.

It should have been “Talk with your server owner, <<Server owner name>> to see if you need to purchase a subscription or not”. Language like that would be very clear - but they chose not to do that.

Or even better. <<ServerName>>, which is ran by <<ServerOwner>> already has a plex pass subscription, you can continue watching without a subscription! Gee, how nice that would have been.

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8 points

WAIT

WHAT?

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8 points

I was reading your comment and the just came in the inbox. Lol I don’t even use plex at this point.

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4 points

I guess if they know that the user only connects to one server that has a plex pass then they can filter down the email, the thing that keeps me from trying to move to jellyfin yet is that most of my users use multiple servers as a lot of my friends host plex so we cross share to get more coverage

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12 points

Yeah if I didn’t buy lifetime pass for like $50 years and years ago I’d be done with Plex probably.

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