Plex is entering a new phase in its development as a media center. Its latest feature, which is rolling out to Plex users today, is called Plex Web Shows. It is a partnership between Plex and multiple content studios that brings a ton of web based entertainment to the table.
New partners include Bonnier, Conde Nast, Fandor, Studio 71, FGTeeV, Jukin, Oath, Observ, Ovation, Traversy Media, and TWiT.
Some of the more popular shows from independent creators include: Epic Meal Time, ASAPscience, Household Hacker, People are Awesome, and The Pet Collective, as well as content from other well-known brands such as GQ, Saveur, Epicurious, Pitchfork, and more. At launch it’s about 19,000 different episodes from 67 shows, and growing.
What is the difference between Plex Web Shows and the channel plugins?
Plex has been building out from its original goal of providing a place to access your digital media for years. The Plugins which are most easily added via Plex’s web based platform through a dedicated media server are web based on-demand options that rely on the official network websites for a respective channel. Basically anything you can watch from a computer you can watch via the plugins. Plex used to go as far as calling them channels, but changed the designation some time ago. The Plugins include major networks like CBS, NBC and ABC.
First off and most importantly The Web Based Shows do not require users to access a local server. This means the content can be reached anywhere that there is an Internet connection. The Web Based Shows are content originally created for web-based audiences. In many cases the content can be short form quick hitting things you might expect to find on YouTube. There have been a number of similar portals built over the past few years that have been gaining steam in this field including Pluto TV and XUMO, which have gone as far as curating content into what feels like traditional live channels.
Plex Keep Evolving
Plex has come a long way from where it started as a Mac based solution for XBMC fans. At first launch it was available on very few platforms and far from a household name. The service though has grown up over time and as streaming has changed, Plex’s capabilities have changed with it. The company has slowly built up its own ecosystem of services including photo organization, music organization, movie and TV cataloging. The app now has a built-in news aggregator that allows users to craft their own news broadcast and catch up on what is most important to them on a daily basis. Plex even allows users to utilize the app as a DVR which integrates into a third-party video service with HD Home-Run. It’s Podcast center continues to grow since its launch and features multiple categories for listeners of all tastes and interests. As the app grows it will be interesting to see just how much more it will be able to do.
