The open source alternative to my sponsor - Jellyfin vs Plex
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Promos
Check out Secret Lab at lmg.gg Sign up with Zoho Desk at: lmg.gg When we shout about home AV servers, it's like we're shouting into a canyon. We scream "PLEX!" and an echo rings out "JELLYFIN! JeLlYfIn! JellYFiN! jellyfin! ʲᵉˡˡʸᶠᶦⁿ...." So we listened to the void we screamed into, and decided to give Jellyfin a shot. Does it succeed where Plex fails? What are its shortcomings? Is Jellyfin the chosen one where Plex was unsuccessful? Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► COME TO LTX 2023: lmg.gg ► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: lmg.gg ► AFFILIATES, SPONSORS & REFERRALS: lmg.gg ► OUR WAN PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg FOLLOW US --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:39 Device Compatibility 3:31 Server Setup 4:30 Library Setup 5:30 Filtering 6:35 Parental Tools and Account Management 7:50 Video Players, Skip Intro, and Plugins 9:08 Google TV 9:57 Android Mobile and the Download Problem 12:16 iOS, the Apple Problem, and Disappearing Features 13:05 Plex as a Sponsor and Switching to Jellyfin Longterm 15:05 "bUt WhAt AbOuT eMbY?!" 15:39 Closing Statements
The video opens with a personal reflection on the evolution of Plex, framing the discussion around how the product has shifted away from the user’s needs for a reliable media management and streaming experience. The creator contrasts Plex’s broad device support and first party apps with Jellyfin, highlighting that Jellyfin is free and open source, and that its development is driven by a passionate community rather than a for-profit roadmap. The setup portion explains how both Plex and Jellyfin can be installed on common platforms, including Windows and Docker, while noting FreeBSD limitations for Jellyfin and TrueNAS CORE users. The library creation segment compares how metadata handling, local file organization, and subtitle downloads work in both ecosystems, pointing out that Jellyfin can rely on MovieDB for some titles while Plex offers more automated metadata suggestions. Later sections discuss filtering, parental controls, and account management, emphasizing that Jellyfin provides complete parental controls and flexible library restrictions, whereas Plex offers managed accounts with predefined restriction profiles. The video also dives into the video players across platforms, calling out that Plex provides more out-of-the-box features like customizable subtitle options and a robust playback experience, while Jellyfin offers deeper customization, especially for intros skipping, via plugins. The host revisits the topic of offline viewing, noting Plex’s long-standing offline download feature as a major selling point and acknowledging ongoing Jellyfin work toward native mobile apps and offline support, with a candid assessment of current limitations. Throughout, the presenter ties in sponsor content and expresses a desire for continued improvement from Plex, while expressing enthusiasm for Jellyfin’s open source trajectory and the potential for future feature parity, including HDR tone mapping and native apps. The closing reinforces that Jellyfin shows promise as a future-proof alternative, and invites viewer feedback and experiences, while also promoting related content and sponsor links.
Topics · technology · open_source · media_server · home_theater · software_comparison · consumer_electronics · networking · DIY
Questions answered
- What are the core differences between Jellyfin and Plex in terms of library setup and metadata handling?
- Jellyfin allows metadata entry via MovieDB and manual tagging, with straightforward library setup that works across platforms, while Plex offers more automated metadata recommendations but relies more on its own service ecosystem.
- Can Jellyfin currently offer offline viewing, and how does that compare to Plex offline downloads?
- Jellyfin is moving toward native apps with offline viewing, but as of now it mainly supports downloading the original file for offline viewing, whereas Plex supports offline downloads with more established workflows but has had reliability issues reported by users.
- What are the parental control options like in Jellyfin versus Plex?
- Plex provides Managed Accounts with predefined restriction profiles, whereas Jellyfin supports manual per-user accounts with configurable library restrictions and parental ratings translations.