ive been using kodi (xbmc was better moniker) since google killed sagetv. i recall attempting plex, but it seemed to lack some open/extensibility (its been awhile).
i have a side project i want to make as a modular plugin generating a cable layout with original air orders and networks/channels… kodi seems most optimal, but ill admit its been a long while since i looked at plex.
so why plex over kodi?
The real question is why people pay for Plex when Jellyfin is free and open source
Plex lifetime pass for 60 bucks in 2014
I know they could close up shop tomorrow, but the one-time-purchase of plexpass beats any sort of ongoing subscription. It does a great job of finding subtitles, it doesn't care how shit my file/folder structure is, and the client is user friendly for the rest of the house.
I prefer jellyfin, but I haven't taken the time to get my library in the right layout for jellyfin to display it right.
Been using Plex for 13+ years, have yet to pay a dime.
So much for hardware transcoding eh? lol
Have never needed it, almost all my media is just x264 so it's working on every potato around. Not the same answer for everyone obviously, but useless for me.
Thats fair
h264 and H265 (not 10bit) is so well supported that it is hardly an issue.
You don't have to pay for Plex.
Because some people prefer plex and being a (optionally) paid product it will very likely receive more and better updates.