Plex launches ad-supported video on-demand service featuring thousands of titles

[Matrix]

 

 

 

What just happened? Media server software specialist Plex on Wednesday announced a new video on-demand (AVOD) platform featuring “thousands” of movies, TV shows and documentaries to complement your existing library of titles. You'll have to sit through some ads but hey, they're otherwise free.

Plex isn’t the first to dole out such an offering – Crackle, Pluto TV and The Roku Channel are just a few of the many similar services that immediately come to mind – but it is a welcome addition nevertheless. After all, free is free, even if you do have to sit through some advertising.

 

 

Per TechCrunch, the offering will serve both pre-roll and traditional ad breaks albeit with an ad load that is up to 60 percent less than traditional television.

 

Like the competition, one shouldn’t expect to find the latest box office hits populating the proverbial shelves. That of course doesn’t mean there aren’t some absolute gems here. Indeed, flicks like Rain Man, The Terminator, Thelma & Louise, Ghost in the Shell 2.0 and Frequency are just a few of the many movies worth watching, even if they are a bit older.

 

 

None of this is being forced upon users, either. You’ll have the option of positioning the freebie source wherever you choose on the sidebar – or you can even hide it entirely if you aren’t interested.

Plex’s new service goes live today in roughly 220 countries globally.

 

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