I have an 1813+ and it's also been a champ. Unless the computer inside it dies, I will continue to use it indefinitely.
However, I have offloaded all server duties other than storage to other devices. I do not ask my Syno to run Plex or any other services else besides DNS. As long as those SMB shares stay up, it's doing what it needs to do. And gigabit will be fast enough for a long time to come.
My friend, there is retro... And then there is masochism. :)
The problem I have with Plex is that default UI is bloated...
Also an avid Plex user.
The Plex new user experience is absolute garbage. What if you just want to share a family video with your grandma? Someone better be there to do the initial app setup because it is overloaded with nonsense like Discover. Sharing Plex with a normal person? You still need to walk them through setup or they will not find your stuff, and stumble into the ad-supported streams.
Oh, and every client app is kinda different, which is terrible.
I do use and like Plex but man, I wish they would make some changes.
I once pirated a book I wrote because it was faster to download a pirate PDF than to find my original files and export a PDF myself.
It still counted as piracy because the book was owned by a company I used to own.
This is a good alternative client for Android TV.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.s0und.s0undtv&hl=en_US&gl=US
And this is a Chrome extension that is an alternate client with ad blocking. It's pretty good though unfortunately it does not seem to support raids, your video will just end instead of switching to the new channel.
Not a tracker, but #bookz on undernet has been good to me.
I just placed my first order with them a couple of days ago. It looks like a great source, and there are lots of happy users.
Plexamp is pretty great but it won't feel very slick without a connection to the server. You can download tons of stuff, but that means digging into the downloads section, and ignoring most of the stuff on the front page where it offers artist mixes, etc. For a person who needs a simple interface, it would be a minefield of buttons that lead nowhere.
I am all about raising the Jolly Roger, but honestly think that if it is affordable, the best option would be just subscribing to a music service. The user will have access to everything, can probably use voice commands on the device, and can enjoy whatever auto-playlist features are on offer. "Hey google, play oldies music."
Depending on how well the user is able to operate a device, a set of internet radio stations like SomaFM might be better.
Good to know, thank you!
(Yeah, weird that Bandcamp has zero genre tags, ever!)
What kind of files can you get, and do they come tagged well?
Deemix is so good. It's a great benefit to having a legit sub.
I partially agree.
Reference books, with high-resolution images and diagrams, or subjects that invite constant page flipping, are great as physical objects. Most other books I prefer to have digitally. I do not need to have an object full of short stories or history lessons taking up space in my home.
I do like the feel of books and the look of a bookcase... But not as much as I like having that space for other things.
Everyone finds their own path in this, there are no wrong answers.