Emby

In the world of Google TV’s, why do you still need the Chromecast function?

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In 2020, Google introduced the fourth generation of its Chromecast, dubbed as Chromecast with Google TV (CCwGTV), which was the first time it came with Google TV (a modified Android TV user interface) and a remote. So, in the world of Google TV’s (and Android TV’s in general), is there still a need for the Google Cast function?

Here are the reasons why we still need the Google Cast around:

Queue up YouTube Videos

The one thing I love about the Chromecast is the ability to queue up videos you want to watch from your YouTube mobile app. Oftentimes, when I want to YouTube and chill, I open a video on my YouTube mobile app, cast that thing to my TV with a Chromecast, browse more of the homepage of the YouTube app, then add as many more videos as I like to watch next to the queue.

Although you can queue up videos as well in the web version of YouTube, the same is not true on Android TV’s. I just find it so inefficient to have to quit the video you’re currently watching, browse though the homepage, and select the single video you want to watch next. …

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How to sync Plex with Trakt

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There used to be a plugin that seamlessly synchronized Plex library and watch history with Trakt.tv. Unfortunately, Plex discontinued the plugins feature, and thus leaving its loyal customers, even paying ones, in the dark. Yes, plugins still work, but I don’t think this particular plugin will still work in a fresh instance of Plex.

Of course, there’s the Plex scrobbler made by Trakt, which utilizes the Plex’s Webhooks, but that you need to have a Trakt VIP account to use this. Don’t get me wrong, Trakt is a great service, but I’m not paying $30 per year just for this scrobbler. They already have the vast users’ personal,  movies and TV shows preferences and collections information, those should already pay for the experience. They just need to be creative in order to monetize them.

There are also python scripts, but documentations are so poor, it’s not worth learning python just for that.

There’s a webhook, but it seems to do one way sync only (Plex to Trakt).

So, my questions are why:

  • If Kodi can have a native addon for Trakt sync, why can’t Plex?
  • Why is Trakt the only service that keeps track of your movies and TV shows collection that syncs with Kodi, Plex, Emby or Jellyfin? Where’s the competition?
  • Why Google is not making a service that competes with Trakt? I’m sure there are a lot of user data there that Google can use to enhance their collection.
  • Why Google is not buying Trakt?
  • Why Plex is not buying Trakt?
  • Why Plex can’t have a native library browser, complete with watch history?
  • Why Trakt? Where are the alternatives?

These are the questions that are painfully outstanding. Hopefully, in the near future, we’re not anymore dependent on Trakt.

Update: I have made PlexTraktSync work for my system. This required a little bit of work, installing Docker and running commands in the terminal, but I’m glad it’s working now. Read more about it here.

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