Roku Media & Plex Channel Updates

roku-media-player

Yesterday’s news, today! While we patiently await smartphone search from our Rokus, two notable updates worth sharing slipped my radar late last year. First, the originally anemic “USB Media Browser” has steadily improved as it evolved from a private app into a Roku-branded initiative… now featuring DLNA support, in addition to the new “Media Player” label. Next, the formerly free Plex channel has implemented a one-time $4.99 fee. Fortunately, those of us who’d previously installed the channel have been grandfathered and Plex provides new users a free 30 day trial – so folks can see for themselves how useful it is in handling our digital media libraries ahead of a purchase.

13 thoughts on “Roku Media & Plex Channel Updates”

  1. “It’s a fork, and it is far superior to Plex’s original version. They managed to hack a grid view into the roku channel.”

    If it’s truly superior, IMHO, then you should use rarflix but still buy the Plex version. Give ’em a few bucks to help support their whole enterprise. It’s only the price of a Starbucks beverage, y’know.

  2. Huh? No, if you like rarflix you should donate to the author, who has a “send me money” button on his page.

    I was grandfathered into the plex roku channel, so I don’t feel any overwhelming need to give them money. I already got the android and ios plex apps anyway.

  3. dch, pretty sure I said “late last year” ;)

    I’m not familiar with the open source licensing specifics at play here, but do remember Boxee built a commercial product and company off XBMC as well (and TiVo runs on Linux). More specifically, it’s safe to assume the Plex and Rarflix Roku clients were developed independently. And I hope the two worked out some sort of revenue share to take the client and in hopes of ongoing support/development.

  4. “Huh? No, if you like rarflix you should donate to the author, who has a “send me money” button on his page.”

    Well, IMHO, then you donate to the rarflix author and buy the Plex client, since rarflix is dependent on the Plex Media Server, so you should thus throw a few bucks to Plex.

    “I already got the android and ios plex apps anyway.”

    Well, then you’ve already thrown a few bucks to Plex, and are thus ethically fine by my personal lights, without the need for further contribution. Be grandfathered with my blessings.

Comments are closed.