The much-anticipated Plex app for the Apple TV is available for download on the new set-top box as of today, allowing users to stream content from their computers to the Apple TV using the Plex Media Server software. First announced in September, the official Plex app was still in review when the new Apple TV launched last Friday, but it's now been approved.

For those unfamiliar with Plex, it's a media server and personal library for content like TV shows, movies, and music. It's designed to organize personal media collections, allowing videos and music to be streamed to TVs and other devices, locally and remotely.

plexmovies
Plex on the new Apple TV has a gorgeous interface that makes it easy to see all of your media content at a glance. Plex adds artwork for movies, TV shows, and music, plus it includes information like cast members, plot summaries, and Rotten Tomatoes ratings.

Plex has long been available on set-top devices like the Chromcast and the Fire TV, and it's popular with jailbreakers, but it has not previously been available on older versions of the Apple TV in an official capacity.

moviesinterfaceplex
The Plex app for the Apple TV can be downloaded from the tvOS App Store. The app is free to download, and unlike the iOS version does not require a $4.99 in-app purchase or Plex Pass subscription to unlock functionality. Apple TV and iOS App Store apps are universal, so if you've already downloaded the app for iOS, it can be found in the Purchases section of the tvOS App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Plex

Top Rated Comments

lewisd25 Avatar
103 months ago
Apple TV's first killer app.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jim.arrows Avatar
103 months ago
I don't understand. For video on Apple TV, Apple's page says ".264 video up to 1080p, 60 frames per second, High or Main Profile level 4.2 or lower".

As someone who currently uses Plex on a Mac Mini, what is the issue with not having 1080p24 on Apple TV?

(Sorry - I don't know what 1080p24 is). Thanks.
Briefly, the native frame rate of films is 24 frames per second, a 1080p60 television displays 60 frames per second so the 24 frames of the original film content don't divide equally into the 60 fps the tv is displaying. In order to work around this, some frames from the original content are shown 3 times each while others are only shown twice, a technique known as 3:2 pulldown. This results in a picture that isn't perfectly smooth, and the artifact of the technique is referred to as "judder." A 1080p24 device simply shows each of the original frames once each, for 1/24th of a second, resulting in a smooth "film like" quality preferred by enthusiasts. Hopefully this quick and dirty explanation helps...
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdlink Avatar
103 months ago
Glad to hear this is available... the only downside is that my large library is made up of a both iTunes purchased content and my own Handbrake encodes. Until I can serve everything from one interface, it won't pass the wife factor.
Patience. Plex will soon gain access to the Siri Search API, so your wife will be using her voice to consume video before you know it.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macfoxpro Avatar
103 months ago
So, what was all that whining about the new ATV again?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdlink Avatar
103 months ago
Can anyone explain the advantages of Plex vs what I do today... a fully tagged collection of movies I added to iTunes (iFlick 2 for the metadata) that streams to all my Apple TVs?
What does Plex do that AirPlay doesn't already do? Currently, I can stream anything I want from my computer to my ATV just by mirroring the display. Does Plex have a separate service apart from iTunes?

[Edit: canyonblue737 just beat me to it]
Plex provides a very nice interface that will pull your media from the server and display it on your ATV, automatically inserting cover art, metadata, rotten tomatoes ratings, etc.

So instead of having to drill down through the computer app on the ATV and find the list of movies, or pull the media up on your computer and push it through Airplay, you can just use your remote to browse or search your movies, and the experience is about as beautiful and convenient as looking at your iTunes movies on the ATV.


Apple TV's first killer app.
Yep. If/when Amazon submits a Prime app for ATV, the other media streaming devices will be running from behind.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
elmateo487 Avatar
103 months ago
The whole reason I bought AppleTV was to access my media collection through my MacMini running HomeShare. If I wanted Plex, I would've just bought a Roku. I don't see what everyone is so happy about having Plex on the ATV when HomeShare is free and native across Apples platform.
Wow. This guy and the people who liked this comment don't know what plex is for....

Plex is a full workflow with trailers, music, descriptions, any format, you can stream across the Internet... Have user accounts.

My plex setup goes as such. Buy a movie... Any movie... Place into a folder on my computer (rip of a bargain dvd, or digital format). And everything else happens automagically. Tagged, cover, renamed and organized into folders. Ready to watch on any device, anywhere with a network connection. Not just Apple devices. OR I can just click a button on the device I want the movie to be, and bam, synced and converted to my device.

If you don't need anything complex, sure go for free home sharing. But wait there is more.... Plex is free. Everything I mentioned is free besides the device syncing.

Not to mention..... Why would you buy a Roku? When you can now have an Apple TV to AirPlay to, AND have plex.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 for All iPhones and iPads

Tuesday September 26, 2023 12:47 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates, with the software coming five days after the releases of iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1. Today's iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates arrive as build 21A351 and can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Note that iOS 17.0.2 was previously made available for iPhone...
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:57 pm PDT by
Just a week after releasing iOS 17, Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers. iOS 17.1 adds some features that Apple promised were coming to iOS 17 in the future, plus it refines and improves some existing features. This guide covers everything new in the first iOS 17.1 beta. Apple Music Favorites You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Concerns Highlighted in Two More Reports

Thursday September 28, 2023 6:25 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max overheating concerns continue to make headlines this week, with the topic highlighted by The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. Both of the reports document anecdotal complaints from customers, and outline potential causes, but it's unclear how many devices are actually affected. Bloomberg said the overheating could be caused or compounded by the iPhone's setup...
iPhone 15 Pro Lineup Feature

Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issues Likely Due to Thermal Compromises, Not 3nm Node

Tuesday September 26, 2023 9:12 am PDT by
Complaints about heat issues with the iPhone 15 Pro models are not related to TSMC's 3-nanometer node that was used for the A17 Pro chip, according to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says that overheating could be caused by "compromises made in the thermal system design" that allowed Apple to cut down on the weight of the iPhone 15 Pro models. Kuo says that the reduced heat...
iPhone 15 USB C Port Keynote

Some USB-C Power Banks Fail to Work With iPhone 15

Thursday September 28, 2023 2:06 pm PDT by
Apple added a USB-C port to the iPhone 15 lineup this year, allowing it to work with USB-C cables, USB-C power banks, and more. It turns out that some USB-C battery packs are not working properly with Apple's iPhone 15, resulting in charging issues. As highlighted on Reddit and the MacRumors forums, not all existing USB-C power banks can be used with the iPhone 15 models, perhaps due to the...
Mac Gaming

Apple Explains How Game Mode Works in macOS Sonoma

Wednesday September 27, 2023 2:24 am PDT by
In macOS Sonoma, Game Mode prioritizes CPU and GPU performance for gaming purposes on Macs. For those unfamiliar with Game Mode, Apple on Tuesday published a support document providing more information on how to use the new feature. Game Mode optimizes your gaming experience by giving your game the highest priority access to your CPU and GPU, lowering usage for background tasks. And it...