Jellyfin just launched on Samsung TVs, and Plex should be worried
Summary
Plex has solidified its status as a leading self-hosted media solution by offering user-friendly features that appeal to all, even those unfamiliar with technical terms. The lack of a native app on major TV platforms has hindered broader adoption.
Key Insights
What is Jellyfin and how does it differ from Plex?
Jellyfin is an open-source media streaming platform that allows users to stream their own video content from self-hosted storage, such as network-attached storage devices or PCs. Like Plex, it enables users to watch their personal media libraries over a local network. The key difference is that Jellyfin is open-source and free, whereas Plex is a commercial service. Both support transcoding to allow videos to play smoothly across different devices. Jellyfin has emerged as a popular Plex alternative, particularly for users who prefer open-source solutions or want to avoid Plex's reported issues, including buffering problems and slow performance on Samsung TVs.
Which Samsung TV models can now use Jellyfin, and why was this launch significant?
Jellyfin is now available on Samsung TVs running Tizen 6.0 or higher, which includes models released in 2021 or later. Samsung disabled the option to publish new apps for TVs launched in 2020 or earlier, limiting initial availability. This launch is significant because developers had been working on a Tizen-based version of Jellyfin for at least three years. The app was submitted to Samsung for review last month but initially failed testing before finally being approved. With Jellyfin now available as an official app in the Tizen store, millions of Samsung TV users can install it as an officially supported app and stream their media libraries directly from self-hosted Jellyfin servers, removing a major barrier that previously hindered broader adoption of the platform.