Server Version#: 1.16.0.1226
Player Version#: 1.0.0.792-d4adb056
This new Mac (and Windows) player app is not a direct replacement for Plex Media Player; full keyboard navigation is not available.
See this thread: API Control
and this blog post https://www.plex.tv/blog/desktop-af/ for more information.
OK, read those two links. Takeaways being (correct me if I’m wrong):
1: It’s broken on purpose
2: No you can’t use API either
Fine, whatever. I didn’t think I was an HTPC user anymore, but my travel/hotel setup has fallen victim to this change. Basically it’s laptop connected to the TV-of-the-week over HDMI, and a Bluetooth keyboard.
I could use some suggestions on what to replace that with, given the circumstances of a hotel environment:
- The wifi often doesn’t work at all
- Devices like Roku’s don’t work if they can’t reach the internet
- The media is on my laptop because the wifi, if it works at all, is useless for streaming
- even if I had a roku, and my laptop, on the same hotel wifi, the 2 devices usually can’t see each other on the network because inter-guest communication is generally disabled.
p.s. I know about these problems because I attempted to replace the laptop setup with a roku and a WD My Passport with built in plex server about a year ago.
Any ideas, short of packing an extremely long HDMI cable?
Thanks.
They dont care, work it out yourself.
Long HDMI is cheap right?
Not that cheap, and pretty bulky.
Ah well its cheaper than them keeping developers on I guess.
Well, I only signed up for a Plex pass to get offline sync for travel. I suppose it’s time to re-evaluate.
You’re not the only one with this use-case so I’ll repeat what I shared with another user:
In your case (and assuming you have PMS installed on the laptop) keep using PMP and don’t upgrade PMS. That set up will probably work for a pretty long time. (Support for PMP stops in 2020, but PMP will still work beyond that).
So the solution is to keep using an older version of a server, and an old app with potentital security holes, and never get any new features…
Thats not a solution thats a weak ass bandaid
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Well if the next MacOS update doesn’t break it, the next one surely will. I appreciate that I don’t have to solve it today, but I can’t ignore it for that long either.
I just noticed that whoever wrote the code snippet to make it ignore the arrow keys forgot about tab. It’s not useful, but it is oddly entertaining.
For years i have travelled with a Netgear WiFi router, and a Apple Airport express and a Roku
when i get in a hotel i connect the Apple Airport Express to the hotel WIFI with “join wifi Network” then plug the network cable into me WAN port on my little Netgear WiFi Router
then in my room i would have my own private WiFi, that i control with a firewall to the Hotel system, them my MacBook and HD with content can run a Plex Server and the Roku can see the Plex server and stream on the network you have created…as a little trick for ease of use i used Aardvark as my SSID so its always at the top of the list when searching on my mac hee hee. even if the internet breaks your Roku will see the Plex server local and it will work ok
Works like a treat watching something on Hotel Telly from my Plex, while still being able to work on my MacBook
the only downside its a bit weighty in your suitcase so i would sacrifice a few socks and pair of shoes lol
“full keyboard navigation is not available.”
Why on earth is it not? Yet another removal of functionality…
I have an all in one travel router with hotspot mode that I’ve used in a bring your own WLAN approach like this. But at least with my Roku, if it can’t talk to Roku HQ when it powers up it’s a brick. It also needs its unique usb cable, hdmi extender, usb extender, special power adapter and original remote control. So even though just the little stick looks like a great option for travel it needs a baggie of proprietary widgets to work. Maybe I can find some other travel friendly plex client tv stick, but the Roku appears to be a lost cause.
Another idea that doesn’t seem to work is doing the BYO-WLAN thing, hang an iPad off the TV, and drive it with a phone. That didn’t seem to work either because the plex app+hdmi out combo was super finicky to get working at all, and didn’t scale correctly during playback. It’s been a while since I abandoned that approach so maybe its worth another look.
Not sure what you mean with your Roku, i travelled with a Roku 3, all it needed was a short HDMI cable, the remote and the power block, worked fine in ever hotel Telly i ever plugged it into and as for it not contacting Roku HQ its a brick, thats not strictly true,
I have run “Pi Hole” on my home network to block mine form contacting Roku HQ, so it cannot auto update any channels etc and it works totally fine streaming from my Plex sever.
That’s a diagram worthy of r/homelab
I may have just chosen poorly when I picked out my Roku. It’s a streaming stick plus, so it needs its OEM usb cable because for some reason that’s where they put the WiFi receiver. Inside the “USB” power cable. It’s also prone to over heating and needs more power than most TVs can supply. Maybe other models have a mode that works offline.
Aside from that I’m with you, but I have a travel router that includes the functions you’re using the airport and the router for in this topology. At least its fewer widgets, though I suspect I would get better WiFi performance with separate devices like you are using.
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