Podcasts about plex pass

On today's show we look at an article published at Slashgear.comthe scientifically proves that expensive cables are a waste of money. We also look at five Google TV features that you are probably not using. And of course we read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Yamaha Introduces Two New AV Receivers Apple TV to broadcast first major professional live sporting event shot entirely on iPhone 17 Pro Price of lifetime Plex Pass jumping by $500 Other: Costco's Cheap Acoustic Panels Are Amazing Netflix is sharing your watch history — take 60 seconds to stop it Scientific Proof That Expensive Cables Are a Waste of Money Long time listener Scott sent us an email pointing us to an article at Slashgear.com titled WE NOW HAVE SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT EXPENSIVE AUDIO CABLES ARE A WASTE OF MONEY. Today we share three key takeaways from that article. The entire article is linked and you can check it out for the full details. Here are the three key takeaways from the article: Expensive audio cables perform no better than cheap ones In rigorous scientific testing by Audio Science Review, $7 Amazon Basics RCA cables performed identically to $4,000+ Kimber Kable premium cables across key metrics like frequency response, total harmonic distortion + noise (THD+N), and signal-to-noise ratio. The expensive cables even showed slightly more interference in some tests. Claims about premium cables are mostly marketing hype. High-end cables often boast exotic materials (solid silver, special dielectrics, etc.), but these make no measurable or audible difference in real-world performance for human hearing. The article highlights that this is a common area where audiophiles get overcharged. Spend your money on what actually matters. Instead of expensive cables, invest in better speakers, amplifiers, DACs, source quality, or room acoustic treatment. These components make a far bigger difference in sound quality than cables ever will. Bottom line: The article concludes that for most people (even serious audiophiles), cheap, well-made cables are perfectly fine. 5 Google TV features you're probably not using but definitely should Today's show is completely fueled by our listeners. Mark fromFloriday sent us a link to Tom's Guide that lists 5 Google TV features you're probably not using but definitely should. We will go through those bow but the full details can be found at the linked article.  Here's a summary of the five Google TV features: Apps-Only Mode: Turn your cluttered home screen into a simple app launcher by enabling Apps Only mode. This removes most recommendations and shows just your installed apps (with one banner ad remaining). Personalize Recommendations: Customize your home screen suggestions by selecting which streaming services you want included. This reduces unwanted content while keeping helpful recommendations from your preferred apps. Ambient Mode: Transform your TV into a digital picture frame or art gallery. You can display beautiful artwork or your own personal photos when the TV is not in use. Find My Remote: Quickly locate a lost Google TV remote by making it play a loud sound. Accessible through Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Find my remote. Basic Mode: Strip Google TV down to a "dumb TV" experience. It disables apps and ads, showing only live TV and connected external devices (requires a factory reset to activate).

In Touch with iOS episode 424, Dave Ginsburg is joined by Jeff Gamet, Guy Serle, Marty Jencius, Jill McKinley, and Eric Bolden to discuss Apple's latest Vision Pro immersive soccer documentary, WWDC 2026 announcements, AI-powered accessibility features, Google's new smart glasses, and Apple's growing education push with MacBook Neo devices. The panel also covers Plex's massive price increase, Meta layoffs, Fortnite's return to the App Store, new Mac apps, and Apple filming an MLS match entirely on iPhone 17 Pro devices. Plenty of laughs, tech insight, and Macstock excitement round out the show. The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com  Direct Link to Audio  Links to our Show Give us a review on Apple Podcasts! CLICK HERE we would really appreciate it! Click this link Buy me a Coffee to support the show we would really appreciate it. intouchwithios.com/coffee  Another way to support the show is to become a Patreon member patreon.com/intouchwithios Website: In Touch With iOS YouTube Channel In Touch with iOS Magazine on Flipboard Facebook Page BlueSky Mastodon X Instagram Threads Summary In episode 424 of In Touch With iOS, Dave Ginsburg is joined by Jeff Gamet, Guy Serle, Marty Jencius, Jill McKinley, and Eric Bolden for a packed discussion covering Apple news, Vision Pro updates, WWDC anticipation, accessibility improvements, AI-powered gadgets, and plenty of laughs along the way. The show opens with discussion around Apple's latest immersive Vision Pro experience, "Real Madrid: The Weight of Greatness," a new Apple Immersive Video documentary filmed using more than 30 Blackmagic cameras during the 2025 Champions League. The panel talks about Apple continuing to expand immersive sports storytelling while also connecting it to the company's growing MLS partnership. The conversation quickly turns humorous as Guy wonders whether there's a "fake Madrid," while Jeff enjoys Dave's attempts at pronouncing soccer player names. The team then dives into Google's upcoming AI smart glasses announced during Google I/O. These audio-first glasses, developed with Samsung and Warby Parker, sparked debate over privacy, practicality, and whether anyone actually wants AI glasses without displays. Marty compares them to Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, while Jeff jokes they're "birth control glasses." The panel also raises concerns about privacy, facial recognition, and always-on cameras in public spaces. WWDC 2026 excitement continues building as Apple officially announced the keynote schedule and media invitations for June 8. The group discusses rumors surrounding iOS 27, Siri upgrades, AI integration, and the annual anticipation surrounding Apple's biggest software event. Jill shares that she's often more excited about software announcements than hardware reveals, while Dave calls WWDC "a holiday." The panel also spends time discussing Apple's preview of new accessibility features powered by Apple Intelligence. Updates to VoiceOver, Magnifier, Accessibility Reader, subtitles, and Vision Pro wheelchair controls impressed the group, with several hosts sharing personal stories about how accessibility tools already help them daily. The team praises Apple for remaining an industry leader in accessibility innovation year after year. On the Mac side, the discussion focuses on Kansas City Public Schools transitioning 30,000 students away from Windows PCs and Chromebooks to Apple devices, including MacBook Neo laptops. The panel talks about Apple's growing affordability in education, the long-term benefits of students learning on macOS, and how Apple Silicon helped Apple finally compete aggressively at lower price points. Dave also highlights Hovercraft, a new Mac app designed to improve presentations during video calls without fully replacing the presenter's camera feed. The panel compares the lightweight tool to Ecamm Live while discussing whether the app's one-time pricing model is sustainable. A new recurring segment debuts: "In Touch with Jeff's Blog," where Jeff discusses Meta laying off 8,000 employees while aggressively shifting focus toward AI initiatives. The panel critiques Meta's priorities, especially layoffs impacting cybersecurity and integrity teams, and debates whether the company is simply chasing the next big trend. Jeff's second blog topic covers Plex dramatically increasing the price of its lifetime Plex Pass license from $249 to $749. The panel reacts with disbelief, jokes about "lifetime" depending on your age, and discusses how subscription pricing models continue reshaping software businesses. Topics and Links In Touch With Vision Pro this week.  Apple Immersive video on Real Madrid coming this week to Vision Pro  Trailer: Apple Vision Pro: Official Trailer for Real Madrid: The Weight of Greatness Google's First AI Smart Glasses Launching This Fall With iPhone Support Beta this week. iOS 26.5 was released last week no beta this week before WWDC.. we think. In Touch With Mac this week Kansas City Public Schools to replace 30,000 Windows PCs and Chromebooks with Apple devices Hovercraft is a new Mac app that makes video call presentations feel more personal https://sandwich.vision/hovercraft New Segment: In Touch WIth Jeff's Blog Jeff Gamet -Blog Link Zuckerberg Sacrifices 8000 Employees for AI Dream Plex Lifetime Pass Gets a $500 Price Hike Other Topics Apple Announces WWDC 2026 Schedule, Sends Media Invites  Happy 25th Apple Retail Stores Apple's First Retail Stores Opened 25 Years Ago Today Apple unveils new accessibility features, and updates with Apple Intelligence  Apple Re-Releases a Sold-Out iPhone MagSafe Grip in Three New Colors This is for Jeff Cats Lock for Mac Stops Your Cat From Causing Keyboard Havoc Link to app: Cats Lock For Eric: Birdfy Review: Smart Bird Feeders and Bird Bath Put to the Test News Nintendo's New 'Pictonico' iOS Game Turns Your Photos Into Minigames Fortnite Returns to the App Store Worldwide as Epic Signals 'Final Battle' With Apple iPhone 17 Pro Will Make Sports History This Weekend - MacRumors Announcements Macstock X is here celebrating its 10th anniversary ! Dave, Chuck, Jeff, Marty, and Jill are all speaking this year!. With Three Full Days of expert-led Presentations and Workshops, Macstock's sessions are crammed full of productivity-enhancing content. NEW this year is a partnership with sponsor Ecamm. Ecamm Creator Camp: Mac Edition on July 9, 2026 there are only 100 tickets available for the bundle. There are 2 passes available: Macstock weekend pass July 10,11,12, 2026 or the Macstock Ecamm Bundle starting July 9 (only 100 tickets available)  Come join us. Register HERE and use our offer code INTOUCH to save $50 Our Host Dave Ginsburg is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users and shares his wealth of knowledge of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and related technologies. Visit the YouTube channel https://youtube.com/intouchwithios follow him on Mastodon @daveg65, , BlueSky @daveg65  and the show @intouchwithios   Our Regular Contributors Jeff Gamet is a podcaster, technology blogger, artist, and author. Previously, he was The Mac Observer's managing editor, and Smile's TextExpander Evangelist. You can find him on Mastadon @jgamet Pixelfed @jgamet@pixelfed.social and Bluesky @jgamet.bsky.social‬ Podcasts The Context Machine Podcast  Retro Rewatch Retro Rewatch His YouTube channel https://youtube.com/jgamet Marty Jencius, Ph.D., is a professor of counselor education at Kent State University, where he researches, writes, and trains about using technology in teaching and mental health practice. His podcasts include Vision Pro Files, The Tech Savvy Professor and Circular Firing Squad Podcast. Find him at jencius@mastodon.social  https://thepodtalk.net  Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him by email at eabolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, on his blog, Trending At Work, and as co-host on The Vision ProFiles podcast.   Jill McKinley works in enterprise software, server administration, and IT A lifelong tech enthusiast, she started her career with Windows but is now an avid Apple fan. Beyond technology, she shares her insights on nature, faith, and personal growth through her podcasts—Buzz Blossom & Squeak, Start with Small Steps, and The Bible in Small Steps. Watch her content on YouTube at @startwithsmallsteps and follow her on X @schmern. Find all her work at http://jillfromthenorthwoods.com  Chuck Joiner is the host of MacVoices and hosts video podcasts with influential members of the Apple community. Make sure to visit macvoices.com and subscribe to his podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @chuckjoiner and join his MacVoices Facebook group. Guy Serle is one of the hosts of the new The Gmen Show along with GazMaz and email GMenshow@icloud.com  @MacParrot and @VertShark on X  Vertshark on YouTube, Google Voice +1 Area code  703-828-4677

This week’s episode is a Cool Stuff Found marathon, packed with gems you need to bookmark. You’ll get a launcher upgrade with TinyStart, a slick dual-pane file manager in VoidCommander, T-Mobile router control via HINTControl, and a borescope camera Pilot Pete can’t stop talking about. Dave hauls in a clamp-on desk power strip, the Levoit EverestAir-P purifier, and the Airversa AP2, while Adam fires up his Pit Boss combo grill. You’ll also hear about AirPod foam tips that actually stay put, a surprising detour into the evolution of lifetime warranties, and why LTT’s TrueSpec USB cables might finally end your “does this cable do everything?” guessing game. On the AI front, you’ll dig into building SKILLS.md files for your agents, a HomeAssistant MCP server, and the Plaud NotePin S for capturing ideas on the go. Round it out with the Audigo pocket recording studio, a new Steve Jobs biography covering the NeXT years, leather DavisCase iPhone cases, the Smartlet One dual watchband, and Akko Insurance for when things go sideways. Don’t Get Caught missing a single tip. Hit play, take notes, and grab your chance at a free year of Plex Pass in this month’s giveaway. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1139 for Monday, April 27th, 2026 April 27th: World Pinhole Photography Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Plex Pass for a Year Congrats to March's SoundSource winners: Ian, Robert, and Jeff The MGG Merch Store is Live! Cool Stuff Found 00:00:01 Dan DXZDB-CSF-TinyStart, a launcher and emoji picker 00:04:05 MenuMeters 00:04:29 Istvan-CSM-VoidCommander, a dual-pane file manager for Mac Use VOID40 for 40% off 00:06:35 Paul-CSF-1138-HINTControl to control your T-Mobile Home Internet router 00:07:44 Uncle Jamie-CSF-CalCs adds Calendar Complications for Apple Watch 00:09:13 Steven-CSF-Blip for Dropbox File Transfer to External Drives 00:11:43 Adam-CSF-Pit Boss Competition Series 1230CS1 Combo Grill 00:15:40 Pilot Pete-CSF-Teslong Borescope Camera 00:19:25 Dave-CSF-Anker Clamp-on-Desk Power Strip 00:23:54 Ben-CSF-CharJenPro Air Foam Airpod Ear Tips Comply Foam Tips for AirPods 00:27:49 The Evolution of Lifetime Warrantees LLBean Craftsman 00:29:32 Dave-CSF-Levoit EverestAir-P purifier 00:32:52 Dave-CSF-Airversa AP2 00:33:36 AirDoctor 00:32:20 Hector D. Byrd 00:37:34 Sensibo Smart HEPA Filters Sponsors 00:38:31 SPONSOR: NordLayer Browser. The business browser built for how modern work actually happens — giving IT the visibility and control to secure SaaS, stop phishing, and prevent data leaks right at the source. 00:39:48 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG 00:41:02 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support. MOAR Cool Stuff Found 00:42:18 Chris-CSF-Plaud NotePin S note-taker 00:45:14 Steve Hammond-CSF-HomeAssistant MCP server 00:47:45 Todd-CSF-Mac Power Users 841 re: teaching AI skills Robot Assistant Field Guide 00:52:07 Building SKILLS.md files for your AI Agents 00:54:34 QT-Google Docs will show you Google-search-suggested links only if you’re logged in Even MORE CSF 00:55:42 CSF-Audigo – Pocket-sized recording studio. Single mic: $249, and you can use up-to-four at once 01:00:49 Eddie-CSF-LTT TrueSpec USB Cables Dave's The USB/Thunderbolt cables Dave travels with that support “everything” 01:09:17 Andrew-CSF-Steve Jobs in Exile – The Untold Story of NeXT, and the Remaking of an American Visionary 01:11:08 Hans-CSF-DavisCase leather iPhone cases 01:13:39 Kent-CSF-Prestige iPhone Case ESR Screen Protector 01:16:16 Bob-CSF-Smartlet One Classic dual watchband to wear Apple Watch and another watch 01:19:36 Jeff-CSF-Akko Insurance Recommended by a Repair Professional – CrackedGadgets.com 01:22:09 MGG 1139 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete's Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam's new podcast! Dave's Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week's MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

This week on Mac Geek Gab 1138, Pilot Pete, Adam, and Dave tackle your burning questions and deliver the tips that keep your tech humming. You’ll learn how to properly delete images from your iPhone, sort out mesh networking headaches with T-Mobile, and decide whether Updatest and HomeBrew belong in your app-updating toolkit (spoiler: brew install topgrade is a game-changer). Struggling with limited bandwidth? TripMode lets you pause iCloud downloads on demand. Plus, the crew digs into why Plex Remote Access suddenly quit working and how Claude Code can help you recompile apps on the fly. The quick tips are stacked this week: skip the remount dance by using Finder Sidebar for network shares, generate QR codes straight from your clipboard, and tap Show Highlights in Notes to track edits. Listener Dave’s keyboard shortcut (Left-Control + Left-Command + Right-Shift…and then power) will save your Mac from accidental restarts while cleaning the keyboard, and a Synology power supply swap might save your wallet. Don’t Get Caught slipping on the latest Apple Pay hack that drains accounts from locked iPhones, or blindsided by Backblaze now excluding iCloud Drive from backups. Round it out with tickIQ for tracking your mechanical watches, and you’ve got another solid episode in the books. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1138 for Monday, April 20th, 2026 April 20th: National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Plex Pass for a Year Congrats to March's SoundSource winners: Ian, Robert, and Jeff The MGG Merch Store is Live! Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:03:42 Gary-How do I delete images from my iPhone? 00:09:05 Jim-Which Mesh setup will work with my home and TMobile? 00:21:20 Ian-Is Updatest (and HomeBrew) good for updating apps? 00:23:35 Using Claude Code to recompile apps brew upgrade brew install topgrade 00:29:05 GW-How to Pause an iCloud Download when bandwidth is limited? TripMode 00:38:02 Dr. Brad-Why did Plex Remote Access stop working Plex Support Forum – for Plex Media Server Sponsors 00:45:22 SPONSOR: CarGurus. Meet CarGurus Discover, a new search feature where you can look for vehicles based on the way you think—using your own words. No more being boxed in by filters. Check it out at https://cargurus.com/ 00:46:41 SPONSOR: OneSkin. Born from over a decade of longevity research, OneSkin's OS-01 Peptide is proven to target the visible signs of aging, helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code MGG at https://www.oneskin.co/MGG  #oneskinpod #ad 00:48:19 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://Shopify.com/MGG Quick Tips 00:00:01 Jeff-QT-Instead of remounting network shares, just use the Finder Sidebar 00:49:56 Peter-QT-Shortcut to create a QR Code from Clipboard Contents. 00:51:51 QT-Show Highlights in Notes.app to see who edited the Note and when 00:54:09 Dave-Use Left-Control, Left-Command, + Right-Shift to keep your Mac from accidentally restarting KeyboardCleanTool 00:57:50 JP-QT-Synology Power Supply May Be Cheaper Repair Option Don't Get Caught 01:02:05 DGC-Can you steal $$ from a locked iPhone? This Apple Pay Hack Can Drain Your Account Without Unlocking Your iPhone 01:11:03 Paul-DGC-Backblaze now excludes iCloud Drive Cool Stuff Found 01:14:13 DLH-CSF-tickIQ to measure and track your mechanical watches 01:18:26 MGG 1138 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete's Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam's new podcast! Dave's Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week's MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You’ve got quick tips galore this week: if your iPad battery’s draining mysteriously, your Apple Pencil might be the culprit, so pop it off when you’re not using it. Want custom emoji? Now you can create your own. LaunchBar fans, there’s a slick way to jump straight into System Settings, and if you’re self-hosting Bitwarden, the guys walk you through adding a local server with Cloudflare Tunnels. Pilot Pete also breaks down getting your digital ID working at TSA — and makes a compelling case that it’s actually more secure than handing over your physical license — plus there’s a look at TSA’s new Touchless ID system. On the AI side, if agentic browsing still makes you nervous, Dave and Pete have practical advice for easing in, and they dig into why the app you use matters just as much as the LLM behind it — including a look at Claude’s upcoming Mythos model. You’ll hear how to tighten your AI agent’s security awareness (Don’t Get Caught slipping on that one), use Comet to become the ultimate “Reply Guy,” let your LLM tell you which apps are available in Setapp, and even have your chatbot generate QR codes . Wrapping up, there’s a fix for Mail not seeing updated Contacts Groups, a cost breakdown of building your own 2026 27-inch iMac, and an honest conversation about whether Plex is getting worse. Press play and enjoy learning at least five new things, folks! 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1137 for Monday, April 13th, 2026 April 13th: National Scrabble Day The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Plex Pass for a year! Congrats to March's SoundSource winners: Ian, Robert, and Jeff Quick Tips 00:00:01 Ian-QT-1136-Apple Pencil can drain an iPad battery 00:03:37 PilotPete-QT-Create Your Own Emoji 00:06:24 Ben-1136-CSF-Use LaunchBar to launch System Settings 00:08:22 Adding a local Bitwarden server Cloudflare Tunnels Cloudflare Workers Uplock app for Apple Passwords 00:21:39 PilotPete-QT- getting digital ID to work at TSA & why it's likely more secure than your license 00:25:59 TSA Touchless ID Sponsors 00:30:28 SPONSOR: CleanMyMac. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use our code MACGEEK for 20% off at clnmy.com/MACGEEK 00:32:01 SPONSOR: Pocket Hose. For a limited time, you can get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Just text MGG to 64000. AI Side Quest 00:33:40 The Flora-Bama Club 00:35:59 Andy-What can I do if I'm not yet comfortable with agentic browsing? 00:41:20 Your AI app matters as much as the LLM 00:45:08 What's up with Claude's new Mythos LLM? 00:48:42 Jason-QT-Tighten Your AI Agent’s Security Awareness! 00:51:32 Using Comet to help you be “Reply Guy” 00:53:46 Todd-QT-Let your LLM tell you which apps you can get in Setapp 00:55:49 Roy-QT-Let your chatbot create QR codes iQR for QR Codes Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:58:33 Joe-Why is Mail not seeing my updated Contacts Group? 01:04:12 Brent-Cost breakdown of the 2026 27″ iMac 01:06:16 Matt-Is Plex getting worse? If so, can it get better? Emby Jellyfin 01:19:31 MGG 1137 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete's Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam's new podcast! Dave's Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week's MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You get a rapid-fire run of Mac tips that actually make your daily workflow smoother instead of noisier. From finally being able to change your Gmail address and using Markdown to escape Apple Notes, to smarter ways to attach glass screen protectors, auto-mount network shares, prune that graveyard of old Bluetooth devices, and squeeze better battery life from your iPad Pro, this episode keeps you moving instead of doomscrolling. If you're shopping monitors for a Mac mini, curious why Find My wants light, or looking to travel with the right iPhone car mount, you'll walk away with practical, field-tested ideas you can apply immediately. Then you dive into a real-world warning shot: Adobe quietly touching your /etc/hosts file and what that means for taking control back on your own Mac so you Don't Get Caught. You'll also hear listener-vetted iPhone cases—from rugged bumpers and leather shells to newer clear cases that don't yellow—so you can carry your iPhone with confidence and a bit more style. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1136 for Monday, April 6th, 2026 April 6th: New Beer's Eve MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Plex Pass for a Year Congrats to March's SoundSource winners: Ian, Robert, and Jeff The MGG Merch Store is Live! 00:03:01 Grappling With The Weather Quick Tips 00:00:01 QT-You can now change your Google/Gmail username 00:04:47 Todd-QT-Use Markdown to migrate from Apple Notes Bear app's instructions for migrating from Apple Notes 00:06:46 Clif-QT-Install Glass screen protectors in a steamy bathroom 00:09:33 Chris Powers-QT-Connect (more) Reliably to Network Shares on Startup Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:13:38 Greg in NC-How do I bulk-clean-up my Bluetooth devices? ToothFairy for macOS 00:20:17 QT-Bluetooth name changes are saved on the Bluetooth device, not on your iPhone 00:23:57 Randy Walker-How long should my iPad Pro 11″ M2 be able to hold a charge? CoconutBattery Low Power Mode Is it iCloud Syncing? 00:30:02 Larry-Which 5K monitor for my new Mac mini? Refurb LG UltraFine 5K – $799 ViewSonic VP2768-4k – $549 ViewSonic VP2788-5K – $929 Philips 4K UHD 27” – $499 (unavailable) BenQ PD2730S – $1,099 KTC 5K 27” – $549 LG 27UP850K-W 4K – $334 00:46:25 Joe-Why does Find My need light? 00:48:09 Leveraging Claude Code 00:50:08 Uncle Jamie-What iPhone car mount do you travel with? USB A to USB C Adapters iPhone Dash-mount Cradle Sponsors 00:56:39 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG Don't Get Caught 00:57:59 Adam-DGC-Adobe Messed with My /etc/hosts file…and yours, too! Your Favorite iPhone Cases 01:06:09 Chris-CSF-Incipio Duo iPhone Case 01:07:17 NASANut-CSF-Spigen iPhone cases and screen protectors 01:09:20 Clif-The new, cheap clear cases don’t yellow like they used to 01:10:35 Dan-Wuwedo is a bumper/open case for $13 01:12:40 Thad-CSF-Check out Bullstrap Leather Cases 01:13:43 Todd-CSF-Nomad Leather Case and the case for screen protectors 01:15:26 Tony-CSF-Fierre Shann Leather iPhone Cases 01:17:18 CSF-Mujjo Leather iPhone Case 01:18:36 MGG 1136 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete's Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam's new podcast! Dave's Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week's MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

The Plex Pass price is increasing. Netflix now supports HDR10+ and that's probably good for you! Apple hilariously brings new features to Airpods Max. Auracast inches closer to an Android reality. The post Entertainment 2.0 #682 – Nintendo Switch 2 appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

The Plex Pass price is increasing. Netflix now supports HDR10+ and that's probably good for you! Apple hilariously brings new features to Airpods Max. Auracast inches closer to an Android reality. The post Entertainment 2.0 #681 – Plex Pass Price Propulsion appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

La semana pasada, la gente de Plex anunció ciertos cambios de precio en Plex Pass y en cómo va a funcionar la reproducción remota (entre otras cosas) a partir de ahora. Muchos usuarios pusieron el grito en el cielo pero, personalmente, creo que son cambios justos.

Timestamps: 0:00 i didn't think this one through 0:12 Xbox UI with Steam spotted 1:47 Enshittification: Plex, Discord, Instagram 3:20 Apple sued for false advertising 4:28 QUICK BITS INTRO 5:12 QUICK BITS INTRO 5:20 DirectX raytracing 1.2 6:09 Bigscreen Beyond 2 6:44 Paralyzed man uses BCI to feed dog 7:30 Nearly every Cybertruck recalled 8:16 MSI Lucky RTX 50 promo NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/Hf5Xs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave is joined by guests, Chuck Joiner, Guy Serle, Marty Jencius. We celebrate a major milestone before diving into the latest Vision Pro updates with guests Marty, Guy, and Chuck. We explore VisionOS 2.4 beta's improved guest mode, enhanced usability, and the immersive Metallica concert experience. The discussion shifts to iOS 18 beta 4,We tackle Mac phishing scams, antivirus debates, and evolving digital threats. The episode also covers Apple TV+'s financial challenges and strategy shifts. We wrap up by previewing the upcoming MacStock conference and the continued value of community and knowledge sharing in the Apple ecosystem. The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com  Direct Link to Audio  Links to our Show Give us a review on Apple Podcasts! CLICK HERE we would really appreciate it! Click this link Buy me a Coffee to support the show we would really appreciate it. intouchwithios.com/coffee  Another way to support the show is to become a Patreon member patreon.com/intouchwithios Website: In Touch With iOS YouTube Channel In Touch with iOS Magazine on Flipboard Facebook Page BlueSky Mastodon X Instagram Threads Spoutible Summary Topics and Links The episode kicks off with a celebratory note, recognizing our 350th episode, before diving into the latest developments surrounding the Vision Pro. Marty, Guy and Chuck join me to discuss the newly released VisionOS 2.4 beta. Our first discussion centers around its updates. Chuck expresses excitement over the improvements in guest mode, allowing users to easily share their devices without the cumbersome setup previously required. Both Guy and Chuck share their experiences with the new changes, where guest settings can now be saved for easier access during shared sessions. The discussion reveals the seamless nature of usability enhancements, showcasing how this beta is more user-friendly than ever before. We transition from the Vision Pro updates to the highly anticipated immersive concert experience with Metallica. Sharing reviews and personal reactions, we marvel at the unique viewing methods available on the Vision Pro, allowing viewers to experience concerts in ways that traditional media cannot replicate. The detailed descriptions and the sense of community, coupled with empathy for each guest, highlight how technology again bridges gaps in enjoyment and sharing experiences. We round out this segment by contemplating the musical genres and artists that could follow suit in leveraging such immersive experiences. As we shift gears, we touch on the substantial release of iOS 18 beta 4 and the improvements that come with it. Both Chuck and Marty discuss CarPlay enhancements and how they have improved user navigation. The episode examines the implications of Apple's strides in AI, which seems to eclipse other elements of the updates. The momentum of AI advancements is palpable, and we delve into discussions about how its inclusion in the iPhone ecosystem reflects Apple's strategic positioning in the technology landscape. The conversation also unveils some darker sides of technology with discussions about phishing attacks targeting Mac users. The panelists offer sound advice on how to remain cautious and discerning when faced with potential scams. They emphasize the importance of user education and vigilance while engaging with technology, particularly as attacks become increasingly sophisticated. Switching to the business side, we engage in stimulating dialogue about antivirus software for Macs and whether they are necessary in this evolving digital age. Chuck, Guy, and Marty share personal anecdotes and insights about what safeguards they employ, revealing the diverse approaches to malware protection in a culture increasingly reliant on digital devices. The episode doesn't shy away from controversies either, as we discuss Apple TV Plus and its reported $1 billion annual loss amidst changing streaming landscapes. Here, the dialogue takes a proactive tone, exploring how Apple could pivot and evolve its strategies, learning from the past to navigate future successes. By examining success metrics like subscriber retention and content creation strategies, we underscore the importance of adaptive growth within Apple's service offerings. Lastly, we herald the upcoming MacStock conference, scheduled for July 11-13. The anticipation is palpable as we discuss what attendees can look forward to experience, from workshops to networking opportunities. The excitement for sharing knowledge, connecting with fellow enthusiasts, and growing within the technological ecosystem rings through as we sign off. In Touch With Vision Pro this week.  Apple releases visionOS 2.4 beta 4 with watchOS 11.4, tvOS 18.4  visionOS 2.4 Beta 3 Release Notes   Hands on: Apple Vision Pro guest mode has massively improved since its first iteration We talked about this last week, Dave gives his review. Apple Vision Pro users can check out a short, immersive Metallica concert film this wee Beta this week. Apple releases iOS 18.4 beta 4 for iPhone and iPad Apple releases visionOS 2.4 beta 4 with watchOS 11.4, tvOS 18.4 Latest iOS 18.4 Beta Lets You Turn Off Privacy-Compromising Search Feature In Touch With Mac this week New Mac phishing attack causes fake freezes to nab your Apple ID password | Macworld Do you need this? Best Mac Antivirus 2025: Top Security Software Compared End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging on iPhone coming in future software update Here's How the iPhone 16e's C1 Modem Stacks Up Against the iPhone 16 Qualcomm Modem Future iPhones might ditch the USB-C port. Good News Report: TV+ Losing $1 Billion Annually as Apple Services Falter Chuck's movie pick on Apple TV+ Watch The Gorge - Apple TV+ Plex Raises Price for Plex Pass, No Longer Offers Free Remote Playback for Personal Media Amtrak's Redesigned iPhone App Offers Easier Access to Train Status, Tickets, and More Apple Sports App Updated With Support for F1 Racing and More  Announcements Macstock 9 is here for 3 Days on July 11, 12, and 13th, 2025. Super Early bird tickets here save $100 by March 29, 2025. Register | Macstock Conference & Expo Book your room with a Macstock discount here. Location | Macstock Conference & Expo Our Host Dave Ginsburg is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users and shares his wealth of knowledge of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and related technologies. Visit the YouTube channel https://youtube.com/intouchwithios follow him on Mastadon @daveg65, and the show @intouchwithios   Our Regular Contributors Jeff Gamet is a podcaster, technology blogger, artist, and author. Previously, he was The Mac Observer's managing editor, and Smile's TextExpander Evangelist. You can find him on Mastadon @jgamet as well as Twitter and Instagram as @jgamet  His YouTube channel https://youtube.com/jgamet Marty Jencius, Ph.D., is a professor of counselor education at Kent State University, where he researches, writes, and trains about using technology in teaching and mental health practice. His podcasts include Vision Pro Files, The Tech Savvy Professor and Circular Firing Squad Podcast. Find him at jencius@mastodon.social  https://thepodtalk.net  About our Guest Chuck Joiner is the host of MacVoices and hosts video podcasts with influential members of the Apple community. Make sure to visit macvoices.com and subscribe to his podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @chuckjoiner and join his MacVoices Facebook group.

When your go-to tools flip the script, our thoughts on Plex's new changes, sensors, and the creeping cost of easy.

La buena gente de Plex, el servidor de contenidos que yo uso en mi NAS, han sacado una nueva e interesante característica. Ahora, los usuarios de Plex Pass podemos saltarnos los créditos finales de nuestras series y películas, con bastante inteligencia además.

Plex anuncia una red social (con problemas de privacidad?) / Hackean antenas de Starlink / Una pantalla de TV que no necesita altavoces / Rusia no se retira de la EEI / Nuevos plegables de Samsung

Plex es dos cosas, en realidad: Servidor de medios que ejecutas en una unidad de PC o NAS en tu hogar y un conjunto de aplicaciones cliente, que te permiten acceder al contenido de ese servidor de medios desde dispositivos como Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, consolas de juegos, teléfonos, tabletas y mucho más. Juntos, estos dos elementos forman una poderosa plataforma multimedia. Orientado a Desgargas Una vez instalado, el Plex Media Server: Recorre las carpetas que le has definido como repositorio de medios aumenta automáticamente tu colección de películas, programas de televisión y música con contenido relacionado de fuentes en la web cómo portadas de películas y de álbumes, detalles sobre el reparto y los miembros del equipo, descripciones de episodios y fechas de emisión originales y mucho más. En minutos serie de archivos y carpetas ->experiencia similar a Netflix. Comparte Puedes compartir tu biblioteca Plex con otros usuarios, sin tener que cargarlos a un servicio en la nube, como Google Drive o iCloud. Dependerá de: La potencia del servidor Plex El ancho de banda de tu conexión de internet. Ver juntos Funciona muy preciada en la pandemia… Cualquiera que lo use puede reproducir, poner pausa, o buscar durante una sesión. Esta versión de Watch Together de momento es gratuita, aunque podría ser igual que Plex Pass en el futuro. Si posees un teléfono Android compatible con auriculares Samsung Gear VR o Google Daydream, o un Oculus Go, puedes usar la aplicación Plex VR para ver películas o programas de TV con hasta cuatro amigos. Todo se lleva a cabo en un apartamento tipo loft virtual o en un autocine. Mientras miras, puedes interactuar con la voz e incluso mirar a los avatares de tus amigos sentados en el sofá. La versión VR de Watch Together es gratuita durante la primera semana, pero después necesitarás una suscripción Plex Pass para seguir usándolo. Contenido de transmisión gratuito Plex también opera su propio servicio de transmisión de video gratuito con publicidad al que puedes acceder junto con tus archivos personales. Encontrarás un gran depósito de películas y programas de televisión, con listas seleccionadas para ayudarte a encontrar las mejores opciones. Conocido simplemente como Plex Movies and TV, puedes acceder al servicio a través de la web o cualquier dispositivo Plex, Incluso si nos ha configurado el servidor de medios Plex. TV en vivo, DVR y más Con una suscripción opcional a Plex Pass, puedes acceder a más funciones como TV en vivo con DVR. controles parentales. sincronización inalámbrica de archivos y fotografías que tengas en tu teléfono al servidor de medios. Descarga de Aplicaciones https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/ Rrequisitos Hardware https://support.plex.tv/articles/200375666-plex-media-server-requirements/ NAS compatibles con PLEX https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MfYoJkiwSqCXg8cm5-Ac4oOLPRtCkgUxU0jdj3tmMPc/edit#gid=1274624273

Una opción de pago para nuestro servidor Plex que aumenta sus capacidades en muchos aspectos. Para mi, sólo por la decodificación hardware ya vale la pena. Estad atentos al Black Friday porque suelen sacar oferta para la opción vitalicia.

In this episode we’re going to see what list of companies want to purchase TikTok this week. Will it be Amazon? Will Microsoft cheat on Twitter? Will Wal-Mart get involved? The saga continues with our... The post Ep. 19 – TikTok, Neuralink, Cybersecurity with Vanessa Sekati, Crock-Pot Chicken, Windows 95, Plex Pass, and Wget appeared first on Back From The Future.

Intervención en BairesMac BAIRESMAC-2: Descubriendo Shortcuts para iOS Plex Pass: Actividad, similar a Tautulli pero en pobre. Chipolo Compra aquí con 20% KooGeek - Alexa Instlalar / vincular Skill En la app de koogeek hacer un force touch a uno dels enchufes, y hay una opción para configurar con Alexa Buscar dispositivos nuevos en Alexa Nest - Alexa Instalar apk UK en Android Instlar skill NEst y vincular (No hacer nada más) cerrar sesión Iniciar Sesión normal en IOS “Alexa busca dispositivos nuevos” Web del libro Descubriendo Shortcutos para iOS iBooks Store http://shrtcts.es/l//ebook Amazon(Kindle) http://shrtcts.es/l//eAmazon

Sign up for a Plex Pass: http://lon.tv/plexpass - This week I talk about why marketing departments are bad for the future of social platforms, Apple's big leak, and more. NOTE: the task management segment was bumped to next week due to time. See all of this week's mentioned content: http://lon.tv/ww216 and subscribe! http://lon.tv/s VIDEO INDEX: 00:56 - Supporter / Member Thank Yous 01:25 - Ad: Plex http://lon.tv/plexpass 02:37 - Extra's Channel week in review: http://lon.tv/extras 03:01 - Week in Review : Main Channel 04:22 - News: iPhone Xs & Apple Watch Series 4 Leak 08:23 - Apple Watch a sleeper hit? 09:28 - On My Mind: Week 80 09:35 - Almost to 200k! 10:15 - Windows Central Influencier List 10:50 - Speedometer Benchmark and Chrome improvements 12:13 - Q&A For You: Comparing browser benchmarks 13:28 - Why PR, not marketing, should communicate with creators 21:27 - Q&A : iPad vs. Surface Go 24:19 - Q&A: Windows 10 Needs a "Lean Back" TV Interface 26:43 - Channel of the Week: http://lon.tv/macsparky 27:40 - Coming up this week 29:48 - Supporting the channel 30:47 - Connecting with the channel Subscribe to my email list to get a weekly digest of upcoming videos! - http://lon.tv/email See my second channel for supplementary content : http://lon.tv/extras Join the Facebook group to connect with me and other viewers! http://lon.tv/facebookgroup Visit the Lon.TV store to purchase some of my previously reviewed items! http://lon.tv/store Read more about my transparency and disclaimers: http://lon.tv/disclosures Want to chat with other fans of the channel? Visit our forums! http://lon.tv/forums Want to help the channel? Start a Member subscription or give a one time tip! http://lon.tv/support or contribute via Venmo! lon@lon.tv Follow me on Facebook! http://facebook.com/lonreviewstech Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/lonseidman Catch my longer interviews in audio form on my podcast! http://lon.tv/itunes http://lon.tv/stitcher or the feed at http://lon.tv/podcast/feed.xml Follow me on Google+ http://lonseidman.com We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

On this week's episode of HomeTech: Jason and Seth take a deep dive into Plex, a market-leading media server solution. From exploring the Plex's origins as an answer to XBMC for Mac users to its rapidly expanding functionality as a live TV DVR solution with Plex Pass, this solution has clearly come a long way. For anyone considering alternatives for locally-stored, streaming, or live TV, this episode is a can't miss.That plus...LifeDoor, a Kickstarter project that could save livesTP-Link's new mesh router can also control smart home devicesAmazon's new delivery service, Hub, aims at apartment dwellersVivint launches new Google Home integrationsThoughts on Amazon's new Fire TV CubeAnd much more... Fan of the show? Want to support our efforts? Please consider becoming a Patron!

Si parla di chi usa il telefono mentre guida, dei problemi delle tastiere dei Macbook, di un bug assurdo della calcolatrice di iOS e del Plex Pass.

See all of this week's mentioned videos: http://lon.tv/ww153 - This week I take a look at some of the announcements at Apple's WWDC conference, look at the Geek Squad working with the feds, and more. Subscribe for more! http://lon.tv/s --- Index below: VIDEO INDEX: 00:11 - Patreon Thank Yous 00:24 - Non-sponsor ad: 6 months of Plex Pass with Nvidia Shield TV 01:29 - Week in Review 03:39 - Lenovo Yoga 720 Thunderbolt PCIe lanes- http://lon.tv/ev6w9 05:09 - Interview on Creator's Hub http://lon.tv/creatorshub68 05:34 - Week 13 Vlog 06:08 - Help Wanted: Remote editing? 07:39 - WWDC: Apple iMessage less private with sync? 10:23 - WWDC: New iMac Pro and difficulties repairing them 13:17 - WWDC: New iPad Pro 10.5 14:52 - WWDC: Apple Watch update, most sold wearable device 17:38 - New Intel Core i9 chips 18:07 - Justice Department sued over training Geek Squad employees 22:12 - Q&A: Covering Computex and other trade events 24:41 - Q&A: Amazon using my content? 26:26 - Q&A: Content Thief Gets Ripped Off & gets a copyright strike 28:51 - Q&A For You: Wrapups running too long? 29:44 - Channel of the Week: John's Arcade, http://lon.tv/johnarcade 30:38 - Coming up this Week 33:55 - Supporting the channel Subscribe to my email list to get a weekly digest of upcoming videos! - http://lon.tv/email See my second channel for supplementary content : http://lon.tv/extras Visit the Lon.TV store to purchase some of my previously reviewed items! http://lon.tv/store Read more about my transparency and disclaimers: http://lon.tv/disclosures Want to chat with other fans of the channel? Visit our forums! http://lon.tv/forums Want to help the channel? Start a Patreon subscription! http://lon.tv/patreon or donate to my Tip Jar! http://lon.tv/tipjar or contribute via Venmo! lon@lon.tv Follow me on Facebook! http://facebook.com/lonreviewstech Follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/lonseidman Catch my longer interviews in audio form on my podcast! http://lon.tv/itunes http://lon.tv/stitcher or the feed at http://lon.tv/podcast/feed.xml Follow me on Google+ http://lonseidman.com

Por si fuera poco detienen al vicepresidente de Samsung. Os hablo de Plex Pass.

Plex Server on the Nvidia Shield Since the beginning a video server has been high on the HT Guys list of gear that everyone should have in their setups. Back then there was a product that did exactly what we wanted but it cost upwards of $50,000! The Kaleidescape was THE video server we all wanted. It had a great user interface with best looking experience. Over the years there have been many media center products come and go and we have tried many of them. There was Windows Media center which at one point had third party manufacturers building hardware with the player software installed. You still needed to buy a PC that had the server side. On the open source side was Xbox Media Center (XBMC) which turned    your xbox into a media center. The XBMC (now known as Kodi) software was ported to many platforms with variants that included Media Portal, Tofu, and what we are going to talk about today, Plex. Our discussion consists of two parts, the hardware (in this case the Nvidia Shield)  and the software Plex. By the way, this is not a full discussion on Plex or a full review of the shield. We did do a review of Plex in January of this year. You can check it out here.     Plex       On the software side is Plex. Plex is a free client-server media player system and software suite comprising two main components. The Plex Media Server organizes your content and streams it to the Plex Player. The players can either be the Plex Apps available for mobile devices, smart TVs, and streaming boxes, or the web UI of the Plex Media Server called Plex Web App. Although the free version of Plex is quite capable, you'll want to buy the Plex pass ($4.99/ month, $39.99/year, and $149.99/lifetime)  to really get you the Kaleidescape killer. With the PlexPass you get: Offline Access, Music Enhancements including lyrics, trailers and extras, and early access to new features and updates just to name a few. The full list is available on their site Nvidia Shield On the hardware side is the Nvidia Shield (Buy Now $199). The Shield is an Android TV based set-top box targeted for both home entertainment and gaming. We will strictly be focusing on the entertainment aspect of the shield and specifically Plex. But for completeness the shield does offer android games and entertainment apps like Netflix (4K HDR supported), Hulu, Pandora, Youtube 4K and others. Two Products in One A big advantage the Shield has over other setups is that it can be both the server and client. In Ara's setup he has the Plex Server running on his Mac mini and he uses the AppleTVs as clients. Not a big deal, but what if you want a simple solution. Take the Shield, you can buy the stripped down model for $199 and add an external hard drive for say another $50 and you have server and client that you can connect to your HDTV in about 30 minutes. If you have other TVs you can add an AppleTV, Roku, or FireTV and you'll have access to your media on every TV in your home. Plus there are mobile apps for access both inside and outside the home. For more info on Plex go to their website at Plex.TV Setup This is not a step by step tutorial. There are plenty of resources available online for that so we decided to document our process to give you an indication of the effort required. We also created a video of the process that helps in conveying this information. It's embedded below. We copied the movies that we had onto a 3TB Western Digital hard drive ($115), connected that to the Shield, connected ethernet, and power and started the process. The process consisted of signing into our Google account and then upgrading the firmware. This took about twenty minutes. Then we signed into our plex account and finished configuring the server. That took about five minutes. The plex setup requires you make a connection with another device like a laptop or tablet. The last thing we had to do was point our server to the content. That also was done with an external device. The interface for the server is HTML so you need a browser to communicate with it. Once that was done, the server began cataloging the movies and adding the meta data. One thing to consider about using the 16GB Shield is that it does not have a lot of space for files. Fortunately you can add a SD card for this information. The shield can't write to a PC formatted disc which is how the WD drive is formatted. You could allow the shield to format the drive and then it will be available to the shield to for metadata but then is becomes a pain to copy your content to it.  Because of this we decided to go with the SD card. You can also buy the shield with the 500GB internal drive for an additional $100 (Buy now $300). If you want to add more content to the drive you'll need to disconnect it and take it to a machine that has the movie on it and manually copy it over. You can also use networked storage which may be the way to go but that adds cost. Use Plex looks beautiful! Here is a slideshow of what it looks like on our system. We did notice that the client interface on the Shield looked better than that of the AppleTV, which already looked great! As far as performance goes, we were able to stream four concurrent movies (H.264 6-10 Mbps each) with no issues whatsoever. We are sure that the server could have done more.  We then transcoded three streams from 1080p down to 320X240 and watched them from outside the network. Again no issues. The Shield is a beast! If you want Blu-ray quality and HD Audio this is where you may have some issues. Rob H, from the AV Rant Podcast, exchanged a few emails with us on this subject. From Rob: But for folks who want the full HD Audio quality or who want Atmos and DTS:X, currently, as far as I'm aware, you have to use the Plex Media Player, and that is currently only available with a Plex Pass, and you can only get it for Windows, Mac, or one of the 64-bit "Embedded Platforms". You should be OK on the video quality side though. The Plex server had no issues with MKV files. Although we only watched one at a time. The only complaint we had was the controller. To be fair it's main use in life is a game controller and they do sell a “TV” centric controller for $50. If you don't have a universal remote solution in your home theater setup we would recommend buying the TV controller. It will make navigation much smoother. In the meantime we will use our Simple Remote. Bottom Line There is no question in our mind that for about $300 you can have the Kaleidescape experience in your own home. Add additional zones for as little as $100 or for free on your mobile device. Let's compare that to what a Kaleidescape system cost. Server unit, starts at $27,000. Players, $3,500. It's no wonder that Kaleidescape is closing their doors. It was a great product but technology closed the gap and now we don't have to be millionaires to enjoy our content how and when we want.  

Plex Media Server If you have been with us for a while you know how fond we are of media management. The first time we saw the Kaleidescape system back when we first started the podcast we became obsessed with having all our videos available to stream to our televisions. Over the years we tried many different solutions from XBMC and Boxee to iTunes and the AppleTV. Ara settled on the iTunes solution because he was so heavily entrenched in the Apple eco system that it made the most sense.  Over the years we have received plenty of emails asking us to check out Plex and Ara did, but because he was so committed to the AppleTV it was nothing more than a rudimentary look. That all changed when Apple opened up the AppleTV to developers. The developers at Plex quickly released a version of their client SW for the AppleTV and now Ara had no excuse for not thoroughly looking at Plex.    What is Plex? Plex organizes your video, music, and photo collections and streams them to all of your screens both in your home and when you are away. Whether you are watching on a smartphone, tablet, computer, or set top box, your entire library is available to you. View Plex user interface slide show. Key Features: Stream your content from anywhere that you have an Internet connection Automatically add metadata in a gorgeous interface Total control of your media. You manage who can see what. (Plex Pass) Beautiful Music Interface Automatically get access to high quality online trailers and extras for the movies you have in your Plex library. (Plex Pass) Mobile Sync - Simply tell Plex what you want to take with you on your phone or tablet and Plex will keep your content up to date. (Plex Pass) Cloud Sync automatically optimizes the media you choose and uploads it to places like Dropbox, Google Drive, Bitcasa and Box. It's like having a media server that's always on. (Plex Pass) Plex Channels provide access to numerous sources of online content, like TED Talks, Vimeo, Revision 3, and more. Easily save online videos from your favorite sites to watch later, even on the big screen. Supports DLNA What do you need? Plex Media Server - This is the brains behind the operation. The media server is the host for all your content. Support for Windows, Mac, Linux, and a bunch of NAS devices. Plex Mobile Apps - Plex apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Windows Phone let you browse and enjoy on your device of choice. Plex for smart TVs, game consoles, and streaming devices - Watch your content on the Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, Xbox, PlayStation®, and other devices stream from your Plex Media Server with ease. Plex Media Player - Bring your content to your computer screen. With support for Windows and Mac Setup Getting up and running is quite easy. You install the server and then point to where your media resides. Plex will then analyze your content and download the necessary meta data. We found that it was really accurate but there was some tweaking that needed to be done. Part of the setup is signing up for the optional Plex Pass ($40 upgrade) which gives you access to premium features. Plex Player Our experience with Plex from a playback point of view was on the iPhone, iPad, Computer, and AppleTV. The features are identical but the interactions are a little different. We won't delve into the details of the interaction but rather the experience as a whole. Also, there are a lot of features and we won't cover all of them here. We encourage you to visit Plex online for more information. The GUI is gorgeous! Movie and music art look stunning! There is quite a bit of information about your movies plus there are extra features similar to DVDs and Blu-rays on most movies. The extra features are streamed from the Internet. There are ratings from Rotten Tomatoes on on the AppleTV there are reviews. You can even see who is in the movie but it looks like that feature is still a work in progress. One of the nice things about Plex is that it allows you to play just about any format file. That's why you need a reasonably powered server so it can transcode on the fly. We threw mp4 and mkv files and had no issues over our LAN. We even watched the videos over the Internet as well albeit at a lower data rate. You can setup your player to use different data rates and resolutions depending on whether you are watching in your home of away.  You will have to know how to open up ports on your router to be able to watch over the Internet but there are easy to follow instructions online to walk you through it. Music is just as wonderful. The album and artist art adds polish to the interface. If you have paid for the Plex Pass you can even watch Vevo videos for your tracks. In fact you have access to all the videos of an artist regardless whether you have the track or not. You don't have access to any premium music service tracks that you may have downloaded. Conclusion One of the reasons Ara didn't give Plex a fair shot was because of how invested he was into iTunes for music, TV, and movies. Having Plex on the AppleTV now allows him to co-mingle his vast TV season passes on iTunes, Netflix, and Hulu and listen to his Apple music while presenting his movie collection in a user interface that impresses everyone who sees it. Add the ability to watch movies outside of the home and sharing capabilities and you have an absolute must have for the AppleTV, FireTV, Roku and pretty much anything else!!