Looking for suggestions: replacing Plex (Linux/Android)

[axellieb]

Try them both. They each have their pro's and con's. They can coexist.

BTW, do you have a recommendation for a radio app, other than TuneIn? I tried one (Replaio) that had ChromeCast support, paid for it actually, but then it turned out that it wouldn't show the cover art or even the name of the artists or songs when casting.

 

[simbun]

BTW, do you have a recommendation for a radio app, other than TuneIn? I tried one (Replaio) that had ChromeCast support, paid for it actually, but then it turned out that it wouldn't show the cover art or even the name of the artists or songs when casting.

Have you tried the WiiM Home app? For online content it's not bad.

 

[axellieb]

Have you tried the WiiM Home app? For online content it's not bad.

No, I haven't tried anything yet. Will do in due course.

 

[d6jg]

BTW, do you have a recommendation for a radio app, other than TuneIn? I tried one (Replaio) that had ChromeCast support, paid for it actually, but then it turned out that it wouldn't show the cover art or even the name of the artists or songs when casting.

Radio is an area where LMS and Plex differ. Plex has no support for Internet Radio whereas LMS has great support. When you install LMS you will need to add RadioNet and Radio Now Playing plugins to get more than what is available in TuneIn. RadioNet is a station aggregator and Radio Now Playing adds metatdata and cover art to Now Playing.

BBC Sounds and Radio Paradise (RP) are fully supported in LMS.
The RP implementation is streets ahead of that in the WiiM App.

 

[axellieb]

Radio is an area where LMS and Plex differ. Plex has no support for Internet Radio whereas LMS has great support. When you install LMS you will need to add RadioNet and Radio Now Playing plugins to get more than what is available in TuneIn. RadioNet is a station aggregator and Radio Now Playing adds metatdata and cover art to Now Playing.

BBC Sounds and Radio Paradise (RP) are fully supported in LMS.
The RP implementation is streets ahead of that in the WiiM App.

Thanks for this. Interesting. I am a radio guy so this sounds good.

Do I understand this correctly? Neither Plex/Plexamp nor LMS integrate Amazon Music, only the Wiim Home app does? And since the Wiim Home app doesn't get a lot of rave reviews, that would mean that I'll have to give up Amazon Music for something else anyway - if I want maximum integration. (I understand I could always use the Amazon Music app with Chromecast).

 

[d6jg]

Thanks for this. Interesting. I am a radio guy so this sounds good.

Do I understand this correctly? Neither Plex/Plexamp nor LMS integrate Amazon Music, only the Wiim Home app does? And since the Wiim Home app doesn't get a lot of rave reviews, that would mean that I'll have to give up Amazon Music for something else anyway - if I want maximum integration. (I understand I could always use the Amazon Music app with Chromecast).

Correct. Amazon is only available with the WiiM app.

 

[Brantome]

Yeah, Amazon seem to make access to their API very difficult, or only available to kit manufacturers. I don’t think I’ve seen an implementation outside hardware vendors.

 

[solstyce9]

I may just not understand how Plex works but the Android player doesn't seem to allow me to move things around. The video stuff and online services come front and center, while my music library can only be found by scrolling down, clicking on "More" and then finding it on the next screen that opens.

Use PlexAmp as the player on Android - much better for music than the vanilla Plex app.

To change the menu order in the Plex Android app, open the hamburger menu (3 lines), click "Edit", and then you can pin / unpin what you want and drag and drop reorder the items.

 

[axellieb]

Use PlexAmp as the player on Android - much better for music than the vanilla Plex app.

To change the menu order in the Plex Android app, open the hamburger menu (3 lines), click "Edit", and then you can pin / unpin what you want and drag and drop reorder the items.

Thanks. I'm currently playing around with LMS/Material skin and so far I'm liking it well enough that I'm inclined to switch to that, and dump Plex. If you have experience with both, in what aspects would you say Plex beats LMS?

 

[Qnots]

Thanks. I'm currently playing around with LMS/Material skin and so far I'm liking it well enough that I'm inclined to switch to that, and dump Plex. If you have experience with both, in what aspects would you say Plex beats LMS?

I have been using LMS for almost 20 years. Integration with smart phones and tablets is just better using Plex and Plexamp. And Plex retrieves more metadata and organizes it better. It is a more modern approach.

I bought the WiiMs to replace my Squeezebox devices and was happy to see that these also would work with LMS. But I have used LMS only once to test it but never after. It is still running in my network, much like having a vintage car in the garage

 

[axellieb]

I have been using LMS for almost 20 years. Integration with smart phones and tablets is just better using Plex and Plexamp. And Plex retrieves more metadata and organizes it better. It is a more modern approach.

I bought the WiiMs to replace my Squeezebox devices and was happy to see that these also would work with LMS. But I have used LMS only once to test it but never after. It is still running in my network, much like having a vintage car in the garage

OK, thanks for that. Couple more questions.

How do you stream music from Plex/Plexamp to your Wiim? Chromecast?
And if so, does this mean that neither the Wiim equalizer (in the Wiim home app) nor the Plexamp equalizer will work?

 

[d6jg]

Thanks. I'm currently playing around with LMS/Material skin and so far I'm liking it well enough that I'm inclined to switch to that, and dump Plex. If you have experience with both, in what aspects would you say Plex beats LMS?

I use both.

LMS is my music server of choice and has been for close to 20 years where I have watched as a product that Logitech stopped selling over 10 years ago just get better and better.

Plex is a different animal and I have used it for video for maybe 6 years but just recently I pointed it at the same music libarary as I use for LMS (on a NAS) and I am using Plexamp on my phone in the car. Plexamp is CarPlay enabled. I am not using Plex for music anywhere else. I can listen to my LMS in the car using iPeng and Tailscale but it isn't CarPlay.

I am uncertain whether Plex supports synchronised multi room audio. It's metadata handling might be argued to be better but with the Music & Artist Info plugin its a close run thing.

LMS can be used with almost any device capable of streaming audio. Plex is far more limited in this respect.

Edit.
If Internet Radio is your thing or you use Qobuz, Pandora, Deezer or Spotify then LMS wins hands down. Plex only supports local media and Tidal.

 

[Qnots]

OK, thanks for that. Couple more questions.

How do you stream music from Plex/Plexamp to your Wiim? Chromecast?

Yes Chromecast.

And if so, does this mean that neither the Wiim equalizer (in the Wiim home app) nor the Plexamp equalizer will work?

I have no idea, I do not use the equalizers in the app. I use the equalizer on my amp.

 

[Qnots]

I am uncertain whether Plex supports synchronised multi room audio.

It does. You can group devices together in a Chromecast group and then cast from Plex/Plexamp to the group. Music will play synchronised on all devices in that group.