I was a little bit surprised when I got to these forums and couldn’t find anyone else with my issue. I have been using Plex for quite some time, but when the new app came out… It made me feel dumb for ever paying for Plex.
I will spare you my litany of complaints about the new version, but what I really want is a way to go back to the days when Plex did it’s job, and did it well. How can I get the old version back on my streaming devices?
Fire up the Flux Capacitor in your DeLorean, set the destination for about 2005 and accelerate to 88 mph. Flash boom bang and there you are at a time when Plex was actually quite good.
Other than that you just need to learn how to use Plex as it is because that is all you get.
Without that you’ll have a hard time finding anybody able to help.
As in politics, people have a very different concept of what to be considered “the good old times” – this can mean a lot of different things for a lot of different people… so you’ll need to be a bit more specific 
You can sideload older versions of the Plex client on Android / Fire TV.
Are there instructions anywhere on how to do this sideloading? I have a Sony Bravia Android-based TV. I have no idea how.
I’ve seen a few guides to this but none of them seem to help on a TV with no keyboard or browser…
You need a file explorer app that’ll allow to install/run other apps (e.g. from the installed Play Store).
Download links to older Plex for Android versions are all over the place in the release announcement thread.
You can put that file on a USB thumb drive or make it available inside your home network (if the file explorer app can also deal with network drives). Just be careful about how far back you go. There’s dependencies and you’ll certainly start losing newer features or bug fixes along the way. Side loading can be helpful if you run in a super specific issue from one version to another – not necessarily a viable long term strategy.
I use the Downloader app. You just put the URL for the file from the Plex for Android thread tom80H mentions above (takes a little time because of the build numbers in the URL), open the apk, the device offers to install it, the end.
If you want an older Interface style you might try installing Kodi and the Plex for Kodi add-on. That will take away the UNO interface but your device will direct-play more stuff, too. The add-on also supports the Skip Intro feature.
I love this comment. Thank you.
This is fair, and if I found myself with more time than I knew what to do with I might file some bug reports.
I think I probably knew in my heart all along that this was my only option, but it doesn’t help me in the slightest for non-android streaming boxes.
I adjusted the topic. I guess an ideal solution, in my humble opinion, would be different version of Plex that just let me have my own media. One that didn’t try to cram ad-supported content down my throat. The very same model that Plex, originally, helped me escape from.
Plex has come full circle, so it may be time to part ways.
The ad-supported content you can easily disable in your account settings so it doesn’t show up on any of your devices, you mean?
Well, that does save some time when setting up new devices. Since I have already gone through the UI and hidden all the of new garbage, it doesn’t help me. Does that also revert the home screen and settings screens back to their previous state?
I think this thread does a nice job of summarizing the feelings I’ve been having with the new UI
Not sure if you’re asking if it resets your personal customizations, or if it actually changes the whole interface back to the Plex client from last year.
All it does is remove the virtual “Plex” shared server you see when you go to the +More option, and by extension any pinned libraries from it that were on your home screen. There wont be any Plex TV & Movies, Live TV (Plex “Channels”), Web Shows, News, etc. All that would leave is your own server(s), and the severs of any friends you are being shared with.
Plex’s goal is to standardize the client interface across all platforms. They aren’t going to keep including previous interface styles in new app versions. The only way to keep “Plex of 20__” and not have things stop working (eventually) is to stop updating your server and client apps (where possible).
I’m just mad, don’t mind me.
“The only way to keep “Plex of 20__” and not have things stop working (eventually) is to stop updating your server and client apps (where possible).”
Is there a way to actually do this? I just got an e-mail saying that my current (old) version of PMS on my NAS will no longer be supported on the Plex Roku player in a few weeks and that I should update my PMS on the NAS. Trouble is, I already had issues with some of the 1.18 PMS updates and had to roll back to version 1.17.0, which I’ve been happily running since before the 1.18 updates started. It does everything I need it to do, and I really don’t want to risk having to go through the kinds of disruptive problems I had with those previous updates. Is there any way I can simply freeze all my Plex Roku player versions to keep them from being updated, so I can keep my existing NAS PMS version that I know works just fine?
The only effective way to avoid updating apps on a Roku is to disconnect it from all access to the internet. Sone have had success by blocking access on their router to certain addresses but that is uncertain and unreliable and a lot of trouble and well beyond what most people can do.
There are a few ways to go to get decent service:
Whatever you choose I believe that, in the long term, you will be much better off keeping your hardware and software up to date. Trying to remain in the past just dooms one to frustration and eventual failure. Of course that is exactly what some people want.
Blocking the update servers doesn’t help if you’re already using a newer version, not to mention the various problems with a hack like that.
I’m already resigned to move on from Plex. Emby might be worth another look, it wasn’t ready last I tried. I could always go back to running a NFS share and having XBMC/KODI on whatever set top box. I’ll have to put on my big boy pants and spend some time and money.
Thanks for the responses. Is there a good/simple way to find out what addresses would have to be blocked to keep the Plex players on the Roku TVs from being updated? Taking the Roku TVs off the internet would kill all the other streaming services they are used for, so that’s not an option. With over 20,000 items on my Plex server, the thought of voluntarily trying to move to another platform isn’t very appealing, so unless I can block these future updates I guess I’ll just have to hope they don’t screw me over too bad when they force the updates. I wish they would give us an option to just leave well enough alone - I love what they’ve done with Plex but I hate being held hostage to somebody else’s notions about what’s “new and improved”.
In my humble opinion, side loading an older version onto a capable STB, or streaming stick, would probably be the best compromise. If you aren’t already the type of person to dig in a problem like this, I would advise you avoid the heart ache.
I don’t know ehich URLs block updates but if you do find one remember thst it’s going to block updates to all channels, not just Plex.
I tried a list of URLs to block ads and all it successfully did was block the stock Roku wallpapers. 
"In my humble opinion, side loading an older version onto a capable STB, or streaming stick, would probably be the best compromise. "
Well, it would be a bummer to have to add some external streaming sticks to all of these (relatively) new Roku TVs when the whole point of buying the built-in Roku TVs was to get to a simple, single-remote setup, but that may be something I’ll have to consider if the upcoming update really does render my NAS’s PMS incompatible with the Roku players. However, I have no idea where to find or how to load the old/current Roku Plex players onto the new streaming sticks - is that info readily available somewhere? Also, would there be any way to prevent the Plex players on the new streaming sticks from being updated? (Otrherwise, it seems like I’d be back in the same trouble I’m trying to avoid with the existing players on the Roku TVs).
