The Plex Switch

[RedWMC]

I have chosen to drop WMC due to the fact of the EPG Guide ending and Windows 7 support dying in January. There are options such as:
EPG123 w/ Windows 7
EPG123 w/ Windows10 and port WMC to Windows 10
EPG123 w/ Windows8.1 and port WMC to Windows 8.1 (or if you had purchased that).

None of these options seemed valid to me, but if you really like WMC, I would say look at those options.
I ended up going to Plex, as I had already been using it for years to stream things. It is definitely different than WMC and I will really miss WMC, but I did not want to be in a constant flux of uncertainty with what I have been through. I am really sad to be leaving WMC, and I will will remain watching this community to see if it makes sense to ever go back, but for now, that's the decision that had to be made.

Findings:
I wanted to share my findings with Plex to help anyone else that is considering making the move:
1. You need PlexPass to do LiveTV and DVR (I'd recommend lifetime membership, but if you are just trialing it out maybe do a month or two and decide based on that).
2. I found Windows 7 to have major issues sending to my new 4k tv (video would flicker in WMC (after use for a few hours), and had some weird issues in the Plex app), so I went with Roku Ultimates to stream from my W7 machine (which will be shortly upgraded to W10).
3. With the Roku Ultimates in my scenario I had to enable MPEG2 in Roku to seamlessly stream live tv content.
4. I had to disable hardware encoding as I was getting major pixelation.
5. Make sure you look up what has grid-view for the Plex Streaming system you want, not everything has it and their alternative options isn't really for livetv.

Disappointments:
1. Can't change channels based on channel #.
2. No favorite channel list.
3. No screensaver of pictures (unless maybe if your using something other than Roku).
4. New User Interface - Not a major con, just a big learning curve
5. Takes a few seconds longer to tune to another channel then WMC did.

Server Setup:
Win7 Server Running Plex
Roku Ultimates streaming from Plex, as well as iPhones/iPads/Fire tablets.

Good Luck and Merry Christmas

[rogoued]

I was in the same boat - to me I am RUNNING away NOW!!

1) YES, it has a REAL EPG built-in which is great!
However

1) no keyword recordings - not a supported feature
2) No ability to delete a single recording of an upcoming show that is part of a series
3) No REAL WMC like interface - no remote - no HTPC like look and feel
Yes, they have an app - but it is not anything like WMC and you cannot easily maneuver within it using a remote.

I bailed hard - looking at other options

[Mpgrimm2]

@Redwmc,
Thanks for the post. I've got a day or two off to start dorking around with this issue and decide if I can get EPG123 to work with win7 easily, get Plex with Live TV/DVR working on my Win7 machine (Hauppauge Quad OTA) & all my Roku TV's or ditch it all and pick up a Tablo Quad DVR box and be done with it all (Tablo seems the simplest solution). Definitely need a wife friendly (WAF) and reliable solution I don't have to "manage" on a reqular basis. I'm unfortunately too busy with 2 jobs to dive into all the details anymore (fun as it is).

@Rogoued ...
Are you saying that Plex live TV/plex pass doesn't work with an IR remote (ie harmony) like I had working with MCE?

[adam1991]

Channels DVR, then.

But: you can run, but you can't hide from 7MC. In the end, you'll come to realize There Is No Better.

[RedWMC]

@rogoued. Agreed it definitely isn’t a like for like replacement of WMC, but it does appear to work well so far.
Let me know if you do find something, in my searches it seems that there isn’t much (especially for cable cards).
I was able to search in the search bar to find series and movies, so not sure what keyword issue you are experiencing.

@mpgrimm2
I’m using a harmony to control the Roku/TV/Soundbar (switched from receiver/TV/Computer), you are limited to what you can do:
1. Everytime I open the guide it starts at the first channel and I have to use the fast forward button to quickly scroll to HD channels (missing the functionality of inputting a number to go to a specific channel).
2. Missing the functionality to flashback to a channel you were watching.
3. The Roku I have doesn’t appear to have IR so the harmony I have has to use the Hub to connect over the LAN.

I’ve heard good things about Tablo I have several friends that have it and like it. FireTV also has a recast for OTA, haven’t heard anything about it but might be worth checking out.
I can’t get OTA in the area I’m at due to hills in the way of the signal.

My wife was definitely disappointed about some of the lack of functionality on Plex. And we haven’t been running it for LiveTV for long (a few days), but overall she is getting used to it and it is “acceptable” especially considering the alternatives (lack of).

@adam1991 Are you using channels? I agree WMC was a great system, and I’m glad there are options for people wanting to use it still. I just personally don’t want to live in that questionable state. I really wish Microsoft would do something to continue to support it, but since everything is moving to streaming I think that no company really wants to invest in cable card or OTA DVR besides the ones that are already there.

[adam1991]

No, but Channels is on my radar. I have a NAS and may try it out, but truly, as long as WMC is working...

I don't think of Win7 as being in a "questionable state". I have nothing else on there, but WMC, and I use it for nothing but WMC. As a pure DVR, it's perfectly fine.

[RedWMC]

I don't think of Win7 as being in a "questionable state". I have nothing else on there, but WMC, and I use it for nothing but WMC. As a pure DVR, it's perfectly fine.

Agreed, just wasn’t an option based on what I have running on the system. Hopefully it continues to work for everyone it’s an awesome product!

[jriker1]

I would think to questionable state is a valid comment. It may work but does it? And will it continue? And if it suddenly stops completely are you ready to pivot or how will your family react without TV? So for example. Mine still works but locks up a lot from what I can tell because of the update to the network feed MP4 codec changes. If Microsoft didn't update their codec to support it right before they stopped the updates it wouldn't have worked with recording a number of channels. That said as mentioned I get more lockups on those channels probably because it works but not fully baked. Now the guide stops so added in Schedules Direct and now paying which a lot of us use WMC to avoid. And I'm still using XBox 360's as extenders but have lost a few from AGE and spending lots on EBay replacements and shelving a bunch of them in case I need them. Plus downgrading a lot of content to WMV/WMA rather than DTS audio as the XBox won't play it full surround. From my perspective I think it still have life left in it, but don't want to be stuck in the "oh crap, it stopped recording, or the hardware fails again, or I run out of XBox devices, or I'll keep accepting lower quality records on my 4k TV ongoing. I'm still in but looking to start replacing things. Hoping right now everything but the physical TV show recordings or now, and live TV I'll keep doing thru WMC and XBox but look for alternatives for watching those recordings and watching my 4k video/audio recordings.

The biggest I notice now, I do a lot of home automation and can't even tell if the XBox 360 is on or not as it doesn't ping and doesn't directly accept commands thru the network, or can't directly tell what what it's playing now.

Oh Yeah and Ceton is dead and HDHomeRun cable card devices are non existent other than eBay.