# PLEX Binding

This binding can read information from multiple PLEX players connected to a PLEX server.

It can be used for multiple scenarios:

Drive light changes based on player status. For instance, turn off the lights when a movie starts playing and turn them back on when the movie is stopped or paused.
Create a page that displays the media currently playing on one or more players connected to the server.
Send a social media message when a player starts playing new media.
Show the end time of the currently playing media.

The binding can also control players (PLAY/PAUSE/NEXT/PREVIOUS), which you can use to:

Start playing music when someone enters a room.
Pause the movie when motion is detected.

# Supported Things

This binding supports two Things.

server: The PLEX server acts as a Bridge to read information from all connected players.
player: A PLEX client of any type/OS connected to the server.

# Discovery

For auto-discovery to work correctly, first configure and add the PLEX Server Thing. Next, play something on the desired player. The player appears in auto-discovery only while media is playing.

# Thing Configuration

Configure the PLEX Server first. The host name of the PLEX server is mandatory, and either the PLEX token (recommended) or the username/password of the PLEX server (not recommended).

To find the PLEX token, follow the instructions from the PLEX support site:

Sign in to your Plex account (opens new window) in Plex Web App
Browse to a library item and view the XML (opens new window) for it
Look in the URL and find the token as the X-Plex-Token value

# `PLEX Server` Thing Configuration

Name	Type	Description	Default	Required	Advanced
host	text	PLEX host name or IP address	N/A	yes	no
portNumber	integer	Port Number (leave blank if PLEX installed on default port)	32400	no	no
refreshRate	integer	Interval in seconds at which PLEX server status is polled	5	no	no
username	text	When using Plex Home, the username of your Plex account is required if the token is left blank.	N/A	no	no
password	text	When using Plex Home, the password of your Plex account is required if the token is left blank.	N/A	no	no
token	text	The authentication token when username/password is left blank	N/A	no	no

# `PLEX Player` Thing Configuration

You can add multiple PLEX players. You can either find the player via auto-discovery or add it manually.

# Autodiscovery

Turn on the player you want to add and play some media on it. Navigate to /settings/things/add/plex and start auto-discovery. When found, add the player.

# Add a player manually

To add a player manually, go to https://plex.tv/devices.xml?X-Plex-Token=YOURTOKENVALUEHERE (opens new window).

It will display the following XML file.

<MediaContainer publicAddress="XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX">
    <Device name="iPhone" publicAddress="XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" product="Plex for iOS" productVersion="8.4" platform="iOS" platformVersion="15.5" device="iPhone" model="14,5" vendor="Apple" provides="client,controller,sync-target,player,pubsub-player,provider-playback" clientIdentifier="B03466F7-BEEB-405F-A315-C7BBAA2D3FAE" version="8.4" id="547394701" token="XXX" createdAt="1633194400" lastSeenAt="1655715607" screenResolution="1170x2532" screenDensity="3">
        <SyncList itemsCompleteCount="0" totalSize="0" version="2"/>
        <Connection uri="http://192.168.1.194:32500"/>
    </Device>
    <Device name="Chrome" publicAddress="XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" product="Plex Web" productVersion="4.83.2" platform="Chrome" platformVersion="102.0" device="Linux" model="hosted" vendor="" provides="" clientIdentifier="e29nk766fd48skpm8uuu1x9l" version="4.83.2" id="660497510" token="XXX" createdAt="1655714525" lastSeenAt="1655714526" screenResolution="1920x975,1920x1080" screenDensity=""> </Device>
    <Device name="MY PLEX SERVER" publicAddress="XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" product="Plex Media Server" productVersion="1.27.0.5897-3940636f2" platform="Linux" platformVersion="20.04.4 LTS (Focal Fossa)" device="PC" model="x86_64" vendor="Ubuntu" provides="server" clientIdentifier="906a992fc4c5722595f36732838bcc330700b2af" version="1.27.0.5897-3940636f2" id="282416069" token="XXX" createdAt="1560609688" lastSeenAt="1655709241" screenResolution="" screenDensity="">
        <Connection uri="http://[2001:1c05:380f:5700:642:1aff:fe08:1c22]:32400"/>
        <Connection uri="http://192.168.1.2:32400"/>
    </Device>
    <Device name="BRAVIA 4K UR2" publicAddress="XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" product="Plex for Android (TV)" productVersion="8.26.2.29389" platform="Android" platformVersion="9" device="BRAVIA 4K UR2" model="BRAVIA_UR2_4K" vendor="Sony" provides="player,pubsub-player,controller" clientIdentifier="97d2510bd3942159-com-plexapp-android" version="8.26.2.29389" id="403947762" token="XXX" createdAt="1601489892" lastSeenAt="1655701261" screenResolution="1920x1080" screenDensity="320">
        <Connection uri="http://192.168.1.19:32500"/>
    </Device>
    <Device name="SHIELD Android TV" publicAddress="XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" product="Plex for Android (TV)" productVersion="8.26.2.29389" platform="Android" platformVersion="11" device="SHIELD Android TV" model="mdarcy" vendor="NVIDIA" provides="player,pubsub-player,controller" clientIdentifier="2c098c67afd0ca79-com-plexapp-android" version="8.26.2.29389" id="508114660" token="XXX" createdAt="1625317867" lastSeenAt="1655693424" screenResolution="1920x1080" screenDensity="320">
        <Connection uri="http://192.168.1.6:32500"/>
    </Device>
    <Device name="iPad" publicAddress="XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" product="Plex for iOS" productVersion="8.0" platform="iOS" platformVersion="14.7.1" device="iPad" model="5,3" vendor="Apple" provides="client,controller,sync-target,player,pubsub-player,provider-playback" clientIdentifier="D9629798-4B91-4375-8844-C62400573E42" version="8.0" id="617442968" token="XXX" createdAt="1646760020" lastSeenAt="1647973844" screenResolution="2048x1536" screenDensity="2">
        <SyncList itemsCompleteCount="0" totalSize="0" version="2"/>
        <Connection uri="http://192.168.1.220:32500"/>
    </Device>
    <Device name="MacBook-Pro.local" publicAddress="XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" product="Plex for Mac" productVersion="1.41.0.2876-e960c9ca" platform="osx" platformVersion="12.2" device="" model="standalone" vendor="" provides="client,player,pubsub-player" clientIdentifier="5ehipgz2ca60ikqnv9jrgojx" version="1.41.0.2876-e960c9ca" id="507110703" token="XXX" createdAt="1625081186" lastSeenAt="1647973509" screenResolution="1680x1050,1680x1050" screenDensity=""> </Device>
</MediaContainer>

Find the Device block of the player you want to add and set the clientIdentifier as the playerID.

Name	Type	Description	Default	Required	Advanced
playerID	text	The unique identifier of the player. `clientIdentifier` from [https://plex.tv/devices.xml (opens new window)]	N/A	yes	no

# Channels

The PLEX Server supports the following channels:

Channel	Type	Read/Write	Description
currentPlayers	Number	RO	The number of players currently configured to watch on PLEX
currentPlayersActive	Number	RO	The number of players currently being used on PLEX

The PLEX Player supports the following channels:

Channel	Type	Read/Write	Description
state	String	RO	The current state of the Player (BUFFERING, PLAYING, PAUSED, STOPPED)
power	Switch	RO	The power status of the player
title	String	RO	The title of media that is playing
type	String	RO	The current type of playing media
endtime	DateTime	RO	Time at which the media that is playing will end
progress	Dimmer	RO	The current progress of playing media
art	String	RO	The URL of the background art for currently playing media
thumb	String	RO	The URL of the cover art for currently playing media
player	Player	RW	The control channel for the player `PLAY/PAUSE/NEXT/PREVIOUS`
ratingKey	String	RO	The unique key in the Plex library identifying the media that is playing
parentRatingKey	String	RO	The unique key in the Plex library identifying the parent (TV show season or album) of the media that is playing
grandparentRatingKey	String	RO	The unique key in the Plex library identifying the grandparent (TV show) of the media that is playing
user	String	RO	The user name

# Full Example

.things file:

Bridge plex:server:plexrServer "Bridge Plex: Plex" [ host="IP.Address.Or.Hostname", token="SadhjsajjA3AG", refreshRate=5 ] {
    Thing plex:player:MyViewerName01 "My Viewer Name 01" [ playerID="ClientIdentifierFromDevices.XML1" ]
    Thing plex:player:MyViewerName02 "My Viewer Name 02" [ playerID="ClientIdentifierFromDevices.XML2" ]
}

.items file

Number    BridgePlexCurrent            "Current players"           { channel="plex:server:plexServer:currentPlayers" }
Number    BridgePlexCurrentActive      "Current players active"    { channel="plex:server:plexServer:currentPlayersActive" }
Switch    PlexTVPower01                "Power"                     {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:power"}
String    PlexTVStatus01               "Status [%s]"               {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:state"}
Player    PlexTVControl01              "Player"                    {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:player"}
String    PlexTVUser01                 "User [%s]"                 {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:user"}
String    PlexTVTitle01                "Title [%s]"                {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:title"}
String    PlexTVType01                 "Type [%s]"                 {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:type"}
String    PlexTVEndTime01              "End time"                  {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:endtime"}
Dimmer    PlexTVProgress01             "Progress [%.1f%%]"         {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:progress"}
String    PlexTVCover1                 "Cover"                     {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:thumb"}
String    ShellArt01                   "Background art"            {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName01:art"}

Switch    PlexTVPower02                "Power"                     {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:power"}
String    PlexTVStatus02               "Status [%s]"               {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:state"}
Player    PlexTVControl02              "Player"                    {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:player"}
String    PlexTVUser02                 "User [%s]"                 {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:user"}
String    PlexTVTitle02                "Title [%s]"                {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:title"}
String    PlexTVType02                 "Type [%s]"                 {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:type"}
String    PlexTVEndTime02              "End time"                  {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:endtime"}
Dimmer    PlexTVProgress02             "Progress [%.1f%%]"         {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:progress"}
String    PlexTVCover2                 "Cover"                     {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:thumb"}
String    ShellArt02                   "Background art"            {channel="plex:player:MyViewerName02:art"}

.rules file

rule "Send telegram with title for My Viewer Name 01"
when
    Item PlexTVTitle01 changed
then
    val telegramActionPlexBot = getActions("telegram","telegram:telegramBot:PlexBot")
    telegramActionPlexBot.sendTelegram("Bedroom Roku is watching %s", PlexTVTitle01.state.toString)
end

rule "Send telegram with title for My Viewer Name 02"
when
    Item PlexTVTitle02 changed
then
    val telegramActionPlexBot = getActions("telegram","telegram:telegramBot:PlexBot")
    telegramActionPlexBot.sendTelegram("Bedroom Roku is watching %s", PlexTVTitle02.state.toString)
end

Caught a mistake or want to contribute to the documentation? Edit this page on GitHub (opens new window)

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