As great as it would be to believe that the era of streaming has really solved all of the problems and issues that people had with cable and satellite plans, it’s simply not the case for many. The sheer number of streaming services out there, from the free sites to the premium studio-driven companies, makes it all but impossible to keep constant track of when and where new content is coming, as well as where all the licensed TV and Hollywood classics are being housed these days. The online platform Plex has helped to eliminate some of the excess that comes with finding something to stream at any given moment, and its latest updates introduced a pair of features that make it a pretty ideal streaming hub.
For those who aren’t already familiar, Plex is a streaming platform that provides access to more than 50,000 titles, movies and TV shows — such as hit action movies, iconic romantic comedies, holiday classics, and more. Users can watch over 250 live TV channels to watch for free on a 24/7 basis, and Plex also features over-the-air broadcast networks, via tuner and antenna. Those who opt in for the Plex Pass monthly fees will have unlimited DVR storage, among other exclusive features, and Plex also helps organize one’s own personal media, including videos, music, photos, etc. As great as all that was already, let’s take a look at the two newest features.
Update #1: The Discover Search Engine
Learning when new movies are hitting theaters, or when new TV shows are premiere, isn’t such a hard task, since those dates are often heavily promoted. But it’s far harder to get early concrete information on series’ and movies’ streaming futures, at least outside of mega-blockbusters and massive TV hits like The Big Bang Theory and Yellowstone. (The latter’s split between Peacock streaming and Paramount Network linear is an especially weird situation.) And while there are some sites out there that offer insight, Plex is ready to put those other options to bed with its Discover feature.
Basically, search for any movie you’d like to check out. If it’s available somewhere to stream, Plex will present the options to choose from, but that’s not all. Thanks to the current update, fans can now watch directly through the Plex platform on whatever streaming services they’re subscribed to, with just about every mainstream platform included. As such, if you’re checking to see where Adam Scott’s Severance is at, you can let Plex find it and route you there, provided you're already logged into that service. It may not seem like that much time or energy is being saved, but try it out for a while and then go back to doing it the other way to see how long you last.
Update #2: Plex Universal Watchlist
As helpful as Plex can be, the company can’t manifest content out of thin air, and there will obviously be times when the show or movie you want to see won’t be available. In those cases, there’s no longer a need to remind yourself to keep checking for updates. Thanks to Plex’s Universal Watchlist, users can add currently in-the-abyss projects and will later be alerted when those shows and movies have landed official streaming homes. It seems like a great way for cord-cutters to keep track of which new TV shows will be available for next-day streaming, and which will be held off until after the season is completed.
And it’s definitely not just for unavailable content. The Universal Watchlist is also the spot where users can add all the currently available shows and films that they have yet to watch, as well as evergreen favorites that never grow tiresome.
Considering it would be in line with pure fantasy (or something more criminal) for the service to offer users completely free access to shows and movies on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video and beyond, these updates are the best case scenario for the time being. So check Plex.tv out now to see how well it fits in with your entertainment needs.
