Weekly Rewind
Plex makes over-the-air DVR easier: Plex is best-known for streaming ripped DVDs and downloaded video files to all your other devices, but now it’s expanding into TV recordings. With an HDHomeRun tuner and Plex’s Media Server software, you can record TV shows from a broadcast antenna, then watch them through the Plex app on phones, tablets, computers, and connected TV devices.
This isn’t your only option for whole-home broadcast DVR–Nuvyyo’s Tablo has made this possible for years now–but Plex caters more to the do-it-yourself crowd. You can install the server software on a PC, NAS box, or Nvidia Shield set-top, and use those devices’ existing storage for your recordings. And if you do have a big DVD or downloaded movie collection, Plex gives you one app for watching it all.
That said, it’s still early days, and Plex doesn’t yet support live TV or cheap USB tuners. It also requires a Plex Pass subscription, which costs $5 per month, $40 per year, or $150 for life.
More details on more Roku boxes: According to the ever-reliable Dave Zatz, Roku is preparing five new set-top boxes for this year, including two high-end models with 4K and HDR support. That’s a lot of Roku’s–last year, there were four, and there were three the year before–and the differences between them are becoming less pronounced. The Roku Premiere Plus and Roku Ultra will both reportedly have 4K and HDR, for instance, but only the latter will have optical audio out and USB storage.
Excited as I am for the new capabilities, it might be time for Roku to simplify its product line, which will include five streaming boxes and one streaming stick if Zatz’s report holds up. Look for Roku to firm up its plans in the next month or so.
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