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[rambles]

Hello. I am looking for a replacement for Plex, there are issues with their flagship Plex Media Player.

JRiver is on my shortlist to try, but before I download and activate the 30 day trial, I have some very basic questions, that I am still not 100% clear about, although I have read some of the wiki and forum. Hopefully someone will be able to make this a bit easier for me, by helping me out with some basic info? 

1. When I have tried JRiver before (many years ago) it left files in all of my media libraries. Does it still do this, or is there a way of preventing that from happening?

2. I am pretty sure I have this right, but worth checking. I have one server machine which is Windows 8 64 bit, and multiple client machines which are mainly Windows 7 / 10 HTPCs. I only want to maintain one server machine, and organise the libraries on there, and all of the client machines connect to that and give the same user experience across all machines. Then play the file at full quality over the home network, without transcoding. Is this all supported?

3. Can I access the server software remotely - eg via the IP address, to manage libraries?

4. Any Trakt support?

5. Windows MCE remotes supported?

6. Does playback include auto refresh rate switching and audio / video syncing (reclocking)?

7. Any support for 4K / HDR video?

8. Can I have custom collections within the libraries and organise my media into categories, such as for different family members?

9. In the main lounge I have a second display connected to a Windows 10 HTPC which runs frontview software, this gives details of what is currently being watched on the TV, and a real time countdown of how far we are into the programme and how long there is to run. So, a now playing status screen. Does JRiver have a similar feature or plug in?

10. I currently use Argus TV to record my TV and drop the recordings into folder which is then part of the media library. I understand JRiver has its own PVR software, so that will be good to look at. Does it support Schedules Direct for EPG data, or is there other data provided as part of the software package?

Many, many thanks for any contributions!

[rambles]

Anyone? 

[~OHM~]

thats alot of questions. It's a holiday weekend give it some time.....

[rambles]

Ah, thanks. I'm in the UK, we had our holiday weekend last week. Happy Holidays 

[RoderickGI]

I read this earlier but didn't feel like a detailed response, so left it. But here is a quick response.

1. Depending on the media type (Audio, Video, etc.) MC will probably put some files next to the media file, depending on settings. For audio files that can be tagged, all the tag information can be stored in the files. For video files, which typically can't store tags, MC will put Cover Art next to the file for movies and TV shows, while Series and Season Cover Art for TV shows is put where you define in settings. But will probably get a Sidecar file, if you have that turned on. But if you use MC properly, and navigate your media using MC functions instead of the folder tree, this just isn't an issue. You won't see the files. You will just get the benefit of having them there.

2. Yes.

3. Yes. However, not all maintenance functions can be carried out from the MC Client. For some functions, typically file maintenance rather than tagging and such, you will need to remotely connect using Teamviewer, RDP, VNC, or similar to the server PC to do the work, or sit at the server and do it there. Search the forum for discussions.

4. No. I had to look that up. Might be a good idea for an improvement. Might not. Some people might be concerned about Big Brother watching what they watch!

5. Yes.

6. Yes.

7. Yes. Again, a quick search of the forum should find lots of recent discussion.

8. Yes.

9. Hmmm, not out of the box. But if two screens are running, and you link video Zones, one could be playing .... Maybe, but that is pure conjecture on my part.

10. Yes. MC has Rovi EPG and OTA EPG support built in. Schedules Direct licencing doesn't allow use of their EPG with commercial applications such as MC. Schedules Direct have another service for use with commercial software, called Percdata. Again, search the Wiki. Of course, JRiver has no control over whether someone uses Schedules Direct with MC. Any EPG source that can produce and XMLTV files can be used with MC, and all EPG sources can be run from within MC on a schedule.


Download the trial. Get started. Search the forum ad Wiki. Use the Advanced Search in the forum, or the Google search of everything "JRiver, the Wiki, and Forum" here: https://www.jriver.com/support.html

[rambles]

Thanks very much, that is very useful 

I have two tiny follow up questions / comments.

1. With the metadata files that JRiver adds to my media library, does everything get deleted in full, ie the movie file, the metadata files, and the containing folder, if a delete is actioned from within MC or from another media player (e.g. kodi)?

2. Yes, trakt support would be great. It could obviously be an optional plug in.

[tij]

i am a plex lifetime member ... didnt prevent me going to JRiver

these days i only use Plex to transfer media to handhelds

I do not use JRiver to manage files (including posters/covers for CDs and movies ... i put those manually where they supposed to be) ... so i turn off sidecar files off ... and just to make sure, created share to media folders with only read-only access ...so jriver is not writing anything extra to my media folders

however, jriver has pretty powerful tools for organising/moving your files based on tags ... just be careful what you doing (ppl suggest try those functions on small batches of replacable files ... before trying it on main library

Video quality is way better than Plex ... thanks to MadVR support ... so 3D HDR HD UHD works nice (except dolby vision ... nothing seems can play THAT on HTPC)

Only thing Plex handles better than JRiver ... SSA/ASS subtitles ... but if you do not watch anime ... thats not a problem

And audio is on different plain of existeance between Plex and JRiver

Also ... community support on forums (main troubleshooting and product support for both products) are great for both ... BUT i feel JRiver support from actual developers on those forums is better than Plex

[rambles]

Now that is interesting. Thanks!

I actually am happy with Plex server, and with the clients on *most* machines.

The bit I am not happy with is just playback in the main room of the house (Windows 10 HTPC) where I want 4K / HDR video and HD audio / Atmos / DTS:X etc.

Is it possible to use use JRiver just as a media player to a Plex server backend, eg through DLNA?

[JimH]

Why don't you just try it?  You could quickly find the answer.

[rambles]

Well, yes, fair point.

A couple of reasons really.

It will be time consuming for me to download the trial version and get to grips with the basics, and I will have to commandeer a windows machine to try it on, and run it as a temporary server during the trial. So, if I do all of that and discover that the software doesn't have some of the features that I need, I would have wasted a lot of time, and possibly risk having JRiver write a lot of additional files to my media folders, that I will then have to go through and manually delete.

So, before I begin that venture, I just wanted to ask for some basic help at the outset.

Secondly, the trial is only for 30 days, and I don't want to waste some of those days, getting to grips with things, or trying to get it to do things, that it is not designed to do.

And finally, as a commercial product, I am also checking to see what sort of support is offered with the software. Either from JRiver staff, or from the friendly and helpful experienced users via this forum.

One of the reasons that I am getting fed up with Plex is because of the lack of support and communication with Plex staff over issues / questions. It used to be okay, but has recently gone downhill.

So, replacing Plex with an alternative product that brings along with it, a friendly and helpful forum, where I can ask simple questions, or complex questions, and have others help me out, would be a very valuable resource, and might help me in making my decision whether to switch or not.

I have of course, read the wiki and the forum to some extent. But, I am sure most people will appreciate, that as an absolute beginner, some reassurance and consolidation of my understanding from J River staff, or from other users, is very valuable and appreciated.

[Yaobing]

1. With the metadata files that JRiver adds to my media library, does everything get deleted in full, ie the movie file, the metadata files, and the containing folder, if a delete is actioned from within MC or from another media player (e.g. kodi)?

Yes if delete is done within MC.

[RoderickGI]

Well so far you have had the owner and CEO of JRiver, plus one of the developers, answer your questions or respond. That isn't a bad start, is it!

Yes if delete is done within MC.

Perhaps it should be noted that the delete within MC offers the options of Delete from Library, Delete from Library and Recycle, or Delete from Library and permanently delete from disk. All are useful at times.

You should do some research on Atmos and DTS:X in the forum.

But as Jim says, just try it. That wouldn't take long to get an idea.

[Spike1000]

It will be time consuming for me to download the trial version and get to grips with the basics. . . .

The videos in my footer will save you a lot of time. . .

Spike

[rambles]

Thank you everyone for all your help, those videos look exceptionally helpful 

One final question before I launch into it and disappear down a JRiver rabbit hole for a few days....

Can I use the MediaCentre video player without using the JRiver server. So, can I use the player to play files from my Plex server, or will it only play files that it finds within it's own library?

[JimH]

You can play from any DLNA or UPnP server.

[tij]

Thank you everyone for all your help, those videos look exceptionally helpful 

One final question before I launch into it and disappear down a JRiver rabbit hole for a few days....

Can I use the MediaCentre video player without using the JRiver server. So, can I use the player to play files from my Plex server, or will it only play files that it finds within it's own library?

MC does not really make a clear cut disctinction on client/server. So all clients can be set up to run as servers (very fat clients ... exceptions are Android and iOS app ... those are true clients)

Yes ... you can have an empty MC library ... and just browse DLNA library ... or just plain file browsing within MC (or outside MC).

i keep same the library in Plex and MC ... yes, it requires extra effort

The main difference between MC and Plex is their approach at how things run “everywhere”. Plex have apps on almost all platforms (including most smartTV) and they have access through browsers.

MC has apps on Android and iOS ... other than that need to run MC on supported platforms (Windows Linux or Mac). They do have access through browser too. Also, while using Android or iOS app (or actual MC on Windows/Linux/Mac) ... you can send output to any DLNA renderer ... so you can browse MC music on iPad then send song/playlist to your DLNA capable stereo ... or browse MC videos on Android and send it to smartTV for displaying

[fitbrit]

Can I use the MediaCentre video player without using the JRiver server. So, can I use the player to play files from my Plex server, or will it only play files that it finds within it's own library?

I know you can do the opposite - you can use other players to play file types that are in the JRiver library. By that logic, you may want to check whether Plex can play files in other players, and then use JRiver as the one.

[tij]

I know you can do the opposite - you can use other players to play file types that are in the JRiver library. By that logic, you may want to check whether Plex can play files in other players, and then use JRiver as the one.

both plex and jriver can be set up as DLNA servers ... both of them can access DLNA server ... so technically both can act as main library

i generally dont like browsing DLNA library ... tags that not supported by DLNA get lost ... on LG WebOS DLNA browsing is plain ugly

My personal opinion on this ... MC Theatre View is more customizable than Plex MP ... browsing in Theatre View is a faster ... no framepack 3D in Plex ... and frankly its hard to beat MadVR base players like MC or MPC-HC... control over scaling, resolution, refresh rate, HDR ... and 3Dlut (if one day you decide to have perfect colors ... calibration through 3dlut is supposedly waaay better than just calibrating your display ... without HTPC you pay big for these features through video processors like lumagen)

[fitbrit]

I’m not really going to count DLNA for video. If you want lossless sound with your video you are not going to get it. I have never found playback satisfactory or worth the time tweaking the server to the renderer’s abilities.
Playback of the native file is my preference all the way for video.

[rambles]

Thanks everyone. So, let me just confirm this.

If I keep Plex as my server, and use JRiver as my player. Then use DLNA to play back files from my server, JRiver will not play them natively? So, I won't get direct play with full quality video and bitstream audio?

[JimH]

Please download, install, and try it.  MC will play whatever Plex sends.

Closing this now.