I ignored these useful Plex features for years, and now I can’t live without them
These lesser-known features will be part of my Plex experience moving forward.
Plex, a self-hosted media platform, has introduced various features over the years, but some less obvious ones went unnoticed by users. After researching lesser-known Plex features, the author discovered several abilities that they had ignored for a long time. These features were not highlighted or well-known, but once accustomed to them, the author plans to utilize them to enhance their self-hosted media experience.
The author initially thought of self-hosted media platforms as a way to rip Blu-ray discs and stream movies and shows throughout the house, but they did not consider live TV. This oversight was mainly due to poor over-the-air reception at the author's location, and the cost of paying $90/month for livestreaming TV for only one NFL game a week.
However, the author decided to explore a cheap tuner and a digital antenna, which allowed them to access local channels carrying their favorite team's games on screens throughout their house.
Connecting the tuner to the router and letting Plex discover it was simple, and Plex Pass provided a built-in program guide that populated automatically. This feature is easier to use than Jellyfin, which requires a separate XMLTV guide source and additional configuration. Additionally, the author can create their own self-hosted media channels for a TV-like streaming experience by combining Tunarr or ErsatzTV channels with free over-the-air stations in the guide.
Universal search in Plex enables users to find content related to what they are currently watching, even if it's not within the Plex library. This feature helps break the habit of using standalone search functions on other devices, such as the Apple TV, and allows users to spend more time in Plex. Collections are another overlooked feature that helps the author organize their growing media library, which keeps expanding weekly.
Collections group titles together without moving files into separate libraries for each category or franchise, making it easier to access and search for specific content like the author's John Wick films.
Written by urgent.news from XDA Developers's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
