Black Screen - No Video with Desktop MacOS Plex Media Player

Plex Players Desktop Players
1

Server Version#:4.147.1
Player Version#:4.29.2 works 1.110.0.351-4e48eb83 = no video

In order to get better Audio Performance, I loaded the latest Plex Media Player onto my MacMini running MacOS=Sonoma 14.8. I have a copy of the legacy Plex Media Player (4.29.2) but have poor audio quality, so I thought I should get with the times and use the current desktop player.

When using the Plex Server/Web interface, audio and video work properly. When using the legacy 4.29.2 Media Player audio and video work properly (Audio is sketchy-poor quality). This applies to both my library of media and using the web LIVE-TV playback.

When using the newest Plex Media Player, I only get audio, no video. Just a black screen on all media types and LIVE-TV.

Suggestions?

Jeff in Detroit
<If providing server logs please do NOT turn on verbose logging, only debug logging should be enabled>

2

Correction: Plex Web Version = 4.147.1. Plex Server = 1.42.1.10060 (as reported by the old version of Plex Media Player)

3

It looks like Sonoma 14.8 was released yesterday. Is your Mini running on M4 silicon?
Mine is running the latest Sonoma 15.6.1. So I can’t try to replicate.

In Plex For Mac maybe get a debug log enabled and see what it shows.

  1. Settings → Debug → Debug Level (Enabled)
  2. Save Changes
  3. restart Plex for Mac and try to play the video for 30sec.
  4. open ~/Library/Logs/Plex/Plex.log
4

Nibbles, you were correct. I had mistakenly (How did Apple let me do this?) upgraded to a version of MacOS that was not intended for my 2012 intel based i7 processor. Machine ran crazy hot, and “White Screen of Death” appeared. I read your note. Did some research, and used Recovery Mode to get my machine on Catalina. I reloaded Plex Server and Player. Did a full rediscovery of my Drobo attached media and bam - back in business. Many Thanks. Took all Day - ALL DAY.

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