From Plex to Jellyfin Media Server

I have actually been happy with Plex's direction over time. The free ad-supported section of Plex is easy enough to ignore but adds legitimacy to the service and gives revenue to the devs. The last thing I want is for Plex to become Kodi and then get removed from app stores and tvs because it is synonymous with easy and accessible piracy.

Especially since it seems like everybody who wants plex pass already has it and just buy it once from their secret sale emails and then never give them a cent again.

I'm still waiting for the Plex Original Series to start being produced. (ok not that)

Don't need secret sale emails, the lifetime Plex Pass is right there on their page: https://www.plex.tv/plex-pass/

Lifetime Plex for goes on sale a few times a year instead of $120 it goes down to like $75. Everybody (including me tbf) just waits a year until a sale and buys lifetime. I don't know why they keep offering deep discounts on their lifetime pass because their userbase has an upper limit - there's only so many people interested in running their own illegal piracy server

Depending on how long you're willing to wait, their emails regularly have 20-50% off discounts on the lifetime pass

> there's only so many people interested in running their own illegal piracy server

The upper bound is roughly anyone who enjoys watching TV/movies, and owns a computer.

Yeah, that's the theoretical limit but you also need to understand VPNs, torrenting, local networks, etc. Plex/Jellyfin/Emby make it super easy on the network/port forwarding/GUI side but it doesn't help with the media itself.

Or you could go with ripping dvds you legally purchase at Goodwill.

Because their lifetime pass is a good way to increase their customer base, who they'll then have to monetize... because they sold an ongoing service requirement for a lifetime price...

If all you want is a server-based DVR for OTA TV, you need to understand none of those things, but still need Plex Pass for guide data.