Matthew DeCarlo
Hold that coaxial cable. You have yet another video streaming platform to choose from if you’re looking to part ways with your cable company (but not your favorite shows). Plex just launched a free, ad-supported video streaming service in more than 200 countries with content from big names including Warner Bros. and MGM.
You probably know of Plex from its media center software that makes it easy to set up your own content streaming server, but now the company has teamed up with some titans in the entertainment industry to launch a fully hosted streaming service with a well-stocked library for you to explore. And you won’t even have to set up a Plex server.
Hell, you won’t even have to pay for a subscription. As mentioned, the platform is open for free and supported through advertising, though the company is reportedly considering direct sales on the streaming platform in 2020. For now, Plex plans to lace content with ads that play before and during videos, though it says the number of ads you’ll see is about 50 to 60 percent less than broadcast television. These ads will play even if you’re a Plex Pass subscriber.
Launch content includes classic movies such as The Terminator, Apocalypse Now, and Rain Man, and if you’re already a Plex user, you should see this new library of content appear with your other media in a separate sidebar category called “Movies & TV.” If this is the first you’re hearing about Plex, the media organization software is available on all virtually all major smart TVs and streaming boxes, including Roku, Apple TV, iOS devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV boxes, and other Android hardware.
While this streaming service isn’t exactly something we’ve never seen before with platforms like The Roku Channel available, Plex has reportedly worked toward arranging deals with entertainment companies to stream content outside the US. Most of the content on Plex’s free streaming service will be available to 220 countries—quite the reach for this kind of video platform. The company is said to have some 15 million registered households using its other services, so that should give its new streaming platform a boost toward competing with rivals.
