plex vr – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

July 18, 2018

‘Plex VR’ Social Viewing Is Now Cross-compatible with All Supported VR Headsets

Plex VR, the free PLEX viewer for VR devices that lets you stream locally stored media to your headset, just got an update that includes cross-platform social watching for all supported platforms, including Gear VR, Oculus Go, and Google Daydream headsets.

Called ‘Watch Together’, the social viewing mode in Plex VR lets you watch and share your own TV and movies with up to three other people. The mode includes voice chat and a dedicated avatar maker.

As one of the many features of ‘Plex Pass‘—a paid extra to the free app that lets you do things like record and play broadcast TV—you’ll need at least one person in the theater with it to run the social viewing room. Plex Pass can be had for a monthly fee of $5, a yearly fee of $40, or a lifetime fee of $120. A trial is also available to try for a seven days from the time you first sign into the app.

To add friends using any supported VR headset for ‘Watch Together’ sessions, simply add the user from your Plex friends list through the app itself, or if you’re on Gear VR or Oculus Go, add them via the Oculus friends list. To add friends to your Plex friends lists, navigate to the Invite Friend button in the Plex app, which lets you send an invitation by specifying the person’s Plex username or email address.

Another Plex Pass perk is the newly announced Virtual 5.1 Surround Sound, which uses spatialized audio for more TV and movie-watching immersion—a cherry on top if you already have Plex Pass for standard media consumption.

To get started, download both the PC-based media server and the VR app. Plex VR can be downloaded for free on Google Play (Daydream View), the Oculus Store for Gear VR, and the Oculus Store Go headsets.

The post ‘Plex VR’ Social Viewing Is Now Cross-compatible with All Supported VR Headsets appeared first on Road to VR.

July 12, 2018

PR Firm IDEA Communication Announces Partnership with VR Company Plex-VR

Public relations and communications company IDEA Communication have announced a strategic partnership with Chinese virtual reality (VR) solutions provider Plex-VR. The partnership will see the two companies working towards a roll-out of Plex-VR-powered educational VR technologies in Singapore and China.

Education is starting to see the benefits of VR technology, in the USA almost half of US colleges have some manner of VR educational facilities in place. The two firms are keen to use their combined resources to apply VR technology to this area in China and Singapore.

Plex

Plex-VR is hoping to elevate its brand as a light field technology solution provider by utilising the resources of IDEA Communication to increase its reach and apply the technology in new areas, such as real estate, education, medicine, retail and tourism.

“I’m delighted to partner with a solid firm with all-rounded know-how of digital technology and the role it plays in consumption upgrading and to bring more relevant applications into the new retail and consumer sectors,” said Mr. Yu Yijing, founder and CEO of Plex-VR, “We are confident that the partnership with IDEA Communication leveraging IDEA’s local market knowledge and resources will propel our business to the next level and support us to meet with the demands of our customers in the region.”

“The strategic partnership taps the complementary strengths of us two companies and is built on the consensus of the broad application outlook of the AR and VR technology in Asia. With the digital transformation accelerating in Singapore and China, the timing is good to introduce the advanced VR and AR solutions to the retail and consumer sectors that demand more engaging and interactive experiences. We are committed to continuous development and customer-oriented solution and I am confident that the partnership will help the two companies grow to the next level,” said Ms. Helena Ma, owner and managing director of IDEA communications, with operations in Singapore and China.

For further coverage of developments in the VR industry, keep checking back with VRFocus.

April 7, 2018

Plex VR Releases Onto Samsung Gear VR

Plex, the service that allows users to watch any of their content from anywhere with access to their network has now released the virtual reality (VR) version of the service, Plex VR, onto the Samsung Gear VR.

Plex

After a release only a few months ago onto the Google Daydream platform, Plex VR is now releasing for Samsung Gear VR via the Oculus Store. Plex allows users to enjoy any and all their content from anywhere they can access their network all in stunning VR. Once inside the app and connected to a server of your choice, all the content that is available on their and on the mobile device you are using can be viewed within VR. Plex VR also supports 3D content and 360-degree video content.

Plex VR also include a number of different locations for you to sit in and enjoy your content. This includes an apartment and a drive-in movie theater each with a number of interactive objects that you can play with while watching your media. Viewers have full control over the position and side of the media window as well meaning they are able to set up the ideal viewing experience right within VR.

Plex VR screenshot 01

As part of the announcement Plex note that a number of features for the Samsung Gear VR release of Plex VR will be available in the coming weeks. This includes the ability to watch together with friends, including the voice chat function, is still in active development and will be available on the platform soon.

In order to use Plex VR on the Samsung Gear VR users will need to use a Samsung Galaxy 7 or new smartphone or the Samsung Galaxy Note 6 or up. The Plex VR app is available to download from the Oculus Store as this instant of Plex VR is different to that on other Android and Daydream devices. Lastly, the Plex Media Server version 1.8.1 or later is required if a user is planning to stream for a Plex Media Server.

Plex is not going to forget about their other platforms now that they are released onto Samsung Gear VR as they confirmed continued development on the Daydream experience, alongside new platforms.

For more on Plex VR in the future, keep reading VRFocus.

January 27, 2018

Plex Hits Google Daydream, Bringing More Media To Daydreamers

Being able to have access to all of your media from anywhere on your network is a wonderful thing, but for many people it’s still difficult to organise and access all of their media. Which is exactly why Plex is such a wonderful thing, making it simple to organise and view all of your content wherever you are on your network. Now though, you can witness Plex in virtual reality (VR).

plex vr

Many of you will probably be aware of the VR project Plevr, which looked to give users access to Plex in VR. Plex themselves admit in a new company blog that they were skeptical of Plevr when it launched unofficially, but after trying it themselves were very impressed. As a result, they’re now launching their own app, Plex VR, and you’ll be able to use it on Google Daydream.

In Plex VR you can enjoy watching content with friends, easy access to your content in virtual environments and more. You’ll even be able to voice chat with the friends you’re virtually watching movies with. Of course, there will be multiple environments in which to enjoy content in.

Plex sell the communal watching as being able to enjoy the same space as people anywhere in the world. Watching TV and movies together can be a great bonding experience, and with Plex, you can still have that experience regardless of wherever you are in the world. If it’s as immersive and impactful as they claim, it’ll be a great way to spend time with people that are far away.

Here’s a short list of features you’ll find on Plex VR on Google Daydream;

The ability to watch your Plex Media Server videos with friends, in real time, with voice chat!*
The ability to play local videos on your Android device (including 3D and 360/180 video)!
A fancy apartment that keeps itself clean, with fully automated, mechanized blinds.
A drive-in movie theater. The whole thing. For real.
Various conflict-free potted plants.
Bragging rights.
A kitten.

They do, however, go on to specify that there actually is no kitten. Which has significantly reduced the value of this product. But do keep reading VRFocus for all of the latest VR applications, when one includes a kitten, you’ll read about it here first.

January 26, 2018

Plex VR für Daydream: Filme zusammen in VR sehen

Eine der beliebtesten Anwendungen in VR ist Bigscreen, mit der man gemeinsam Filme in der virtuellen Realität genießen kann. Nun gibt es für Smartphone-Besitzer mit Daydream eine Alternative. Im letzten Jahr hat Google den Programmierer Keybl beauftragt, eine offizielle Plex-Anwendung zu entwickeln: Plex VR. Mit ihr kann man in der virtuellen Realität nicht nur auf die von einem abgelegten Inhalte in der Medienverwaltung zurückgreifen, sondern auch gemeinsam in der VR konsumieren. Und einen Voice-Chat gibt es oben drauf.

Plex VR

Plex VR: Medien gemeinsam schauen und kommentieren

Die Medienverwaltung Plex ist ein Urgestein und ermöglicht beispielsweise die Verwaltung umfangreicher Film-Bibliotheken. Mit Plex VR erhalten Besitzer eines Daydream-fähigen Android-Smartphones eine App, mit der sie direkt in der VR auf Inhalte der Bibliothek auf dem PC zurückgreifen können. Man muss sich dazu lediglich in der App mit dem Server auf dem PC verbinden. Anschließend lassen sich die Inhalte streamen, was das ganze Prozedere sehr vereinfacht. Der Plex Media Server ist als kostenloser Download verfügbar. Ein Stand-alone-Betrieb der App ist zwar auch möglich, allerdings nicht besonders sinnvoll.

Nach den ersten Schritten stehen dem VR-Kinogänger virtuelle Umgebungen zur Verfügung, in denen man Filme und Fotos betrachten darf. Dazu gehören beispielsweise ein Drive-in-Kino und eine Weltraumkulisse. Für das passende Äußere der eigenen Gestalt sorgen vorgegebene Avatare. Außerdem gibt es Popcorn, das man durch die Gegen werfen darf. Oder man kann hinter einer amerikanischen Limousine Platz nehmen und die Hupe an passenden Stellen betätigen.

Besonders interessant ist die Möglichkeit, mit Freunden Filme zusammen zu schauen – bis zu vier Plex-Bekannte können gemeinsam abhängen. Allerdings benötigt man für diese Option nach einer kostenlosen Woche den Plex Pass. Monatlich schlägt der mit 5 Euro zu Buche, das Jahresabo kostet 40 Euro.

Das könnte Plex VR das Leben schwer machen, denn der VR-Platzhirsch für das gemeinsame Filmerlebnis ist Bigscreen. Bigscreen ist bisher zwar bisher nur für die Oculus Rift, HTC Vive und Windows-Mixed-Reality-Brillen erhältlich, soll aber dieses Jahr noch Unterstützung für die Gear VR, Google Daydream, PSVR und Oculus Go bieten. Dabei soll die kostenlose Lösung sogar Crossplattform-Support bieten.

(Weitere Informationen und Downloads: Plex)

Der Beitrag Plex VR für Daydream: Filme zusammen in VR sehen zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

January 25, 2018April 6, 2018

‘Plex VR’ App Comes to Gear VR, Social VR Viewing to Arrive ‘in a few weeks’

Plex, the media server software that lets you stream your own video, music, and photos to a bevy of devices, has landed on Gear VR with its latest app Plex VR. The app, which includes support for 360180-degree and 3D videos, first made its way to the Daydream platform earlier this year.

Update (04/06/18): Plex VR is now available on Gear VR for free, giving you all the abilities of the Daydream Plex VR app minus the ability to host multi-user viewing sessions. Plex says in a recent blog post that the social VR function will be available on Gear VR “within a few weeks.”

The original article follow below.

Original Article (01/25/18): On top of letting you stream any content stored on your Plex media server, the app features interactive environments and social viewing with 3D avatars. At the time of this writing, environments include a luxury apartment, a space-based ‘Void’ theater, and a traditional drive-in theater.

The drive-in theater is for Plex Premium members only however, a subscription service that lets you additionally record TV for free over the air, sync your media for offline viewing, enable parental controls, and have ‘enhanced’ media playback.

In the VR app, you can resize and reposition content windows, bookmark a show by creating interactive magazine-like objects, and view 3D and 360 video. More importantly, you can pop into a friend’s media server and watch their locally-store content with them—sort of like popping over to a friend’s house to watch their TV.

You can download the new Plex app through the Daydream Store, or get Plex VR on Google Play.

The post ‘Plex VR’ App Comes to Gear VR, Social VR Viewing to Arrive ‘in a few weeks’ appeared first on Road to VR.

February 14, 2017

PleVR Is Like The Matrix Stockroom Scene For Your Movies, TV Shows And Music

VR headsets are the gateway to incredible experiences, but they can alienate you from your other forms of media. Previously, unless you were using apps like BigScreen, you’d have to remove the headset and return to the real world when accessing your browsers, music, or movies but creators are regularly creating applications that bring a lot of your PC content into virtual space. Plex is a media server that was created so that you could stream the media on your PC or in a cloud to all of your devices including mobile. Now, PleVR (Plex for VR) is bringing media consumption to your virtual escape.

In mid-January, Alex Keybl showed off a Plex client in Beta form that showed off a virtual wall of media reminiscent of the stockroom scene from The Matrix. Keybl is the founder of FerVRLabs and what he showed off here was minimalist, but functional. In the video, Keybl starts by showing off a feature that allows you to mirror your virtual recliner to whatever seating area you’re utilizing in your physical space. You can scroll the wall from a seated position, but it’s built for you to choose while standing so that you can slide multiple rows comfortably. Once you’ve made your decision, you sling the selection to a screen where it starts to play and you can easily travel the video’s timeline with your VR controller.

A neat touch to the interface is that, when you grab a video from the wall, it attaches to your Vive controller and starts to play a clip or trailer while in your hand. It’s a small feature, but it really brings your collection to life as you filter through your choices. You can sign up for launch emails on the website and there’s no teases release date for the app, but it did get greenlit on Steam at the beginning of February so look for some news very soon.

Tagged with: matrix, Plever, Plex VR, VR

January 19, 2017

Plex VR App ‘Plevr’ Shows Major Update with 3D Video Support, 360 Videos Coming Soon

Plevr is a third-party application in development which brings the popular personal media streaming platform Plex to VR. The app is due for an initial release by the end of the month, and a new devlog video shows a major update including 3D video support.

Plevr developer Alex Keybl posted a new video showing the latest beta build of the app. There’s been a major UI overhaul, including the important addition of a seatside clock (to keep you from losing track of time in VR, of course).

The new interface greatly expands the ability to browse your Plex catalogue which offers up content that streams from your personal media library. As before, you can physically reach out to grab the movie and video posters to see a description on the back, and now you’ll see a little trailer included on the back as well. You can also now access the media libraries of your Plex friends as well.

The novel ‘throwing’ interactions are still there: if you want to hide something in your library, just toss it off into the surrounding abyss. If you want to watch it, just throw it at the screen and it will start playing.

Plevr now supports 3D video, which is great because VR headsets of course offer native stereoscopy with no cross-talk (which means sharp, comfortable 3D video). Although it isn’t shown in the latest devlog video, Keybl confirmed to Road to VR that 360 video support is in the works and will be coming in V2 of the Plevr app. “I really want to nail the 360 experience,” he says.

Keybl plans to make an initial release of Plevr on the HTC Vive in January. You can sign up for a chance at early access to the private beta via the official Plevr site.

The post Plex VR App ‘Plevr’ Shows Major Update with 3D Video Support, 360 Videos Coming Soon appeared first on Road to VR.

December 14, 2016

Third-party VR Client for Plex is in the Works to Stream Your Own Media Library in VR

While much of the world moves to cloud streaming media libraries, there remains those of us that like to maintain our own personal local media library. Plex is a popular application for streaming your own library to other devices, and now a developer is creating a VR client that builds on the Plex platform.

Plex lets you take your local media library of videos, photos, and music, and turn it into your own personal cloud that can stream to other devices.

Developer Alex Keybl is creating a VR client for Plex that’s already looking mighty impressive (see video at the top of the article). He calls it Plevr (pretty clevr, eh?) For now it runs on the HTC Vive, but there’s plans to add compatibility for the Rift as well.

Keybl is showing off an early build that only streams video, but it already looks to do so quite well. He showed Plevr’s interface, which consists of a familiar tile-format display TV show covers, but the difference here is that you can reach out and grab the tiles and flip them over to read the description. If you don’t like what you see, just toss it away to remove it from the list. Or if you do like it, keep the tile and, when you’re ready, toss it at the screen to play.

It’s a novel interface, and likely to change as Keybl further develops the client, but we’ll give him a few points for straightforwardness anyway.

Keybl showed Plevr streaming video perfectly on a virtual bigscreen, and also demonstrated basic controls using the Vive controller touchpad: there’s start/stop and skip forward/backward, just the basics for now, but he says he’s got a lot of ideas for further development.