Server Version#: 1.40.4.8626
Player Version#: 10.20.0.1427
Android TV OS version 10 w/ April 2024 patches
When launching the App it shows the logo then immediately shuts down. The only action that fixes it is an uninstall/reinstall from the Play store. The issue may be triggered by an updated version of the app being auto-installed. Or it may just happen randomly. I have not tracked it that closely.
There are multiple reports in the Google Play Store of this exact same behavior happening on Sony TVs running Google TV. I also posted feedback on the app, and like everyone there I got the same canned “We are sorry, please post this on our Forum and maybe someone will help” message.
Another individual posted this exact same issue in the forums in March of '23 - it was forum post # 833758. There were no replies from Plex Staff.
I have other devices running Google TV by other manufacturers and do not have the same experience. Perhaps this is an issue with this Sony TV or with the version of Google TV.
It is annoying how bad reviews on Google Play Store always get responses like “We are so sorry to hear you are having an issue. Please post a message in the unmonitored abyss we call a forum and maybe someone else will help you because we aren’t going to…”.
Unfortunately, gathering the data from the app itself is impossible given that when an update has been installed the app refuses to launch. There is no way to know when an update is getting ready to be pushed to my Google TV, so I wouldn’t be able to enable Network Logging within the 20 minute window that I can remotely access logs.
I will, however, attempt to gather the Plex Server logs and attach them to this thread.
That is what I thought, but was hoping perhaps it could provide a clue, like perhaps show a failed login attempt based on an expired token that was cached or something. FYI - I have tried deleting cache and data for the app, but that is unsuccessful.
So far, the only action that I can take to resolve this is to do a full uninstall and reinstall followed by a login. It doesn’t take that long, but is quite annoying because this Sony Bravia TV is the only device out of perhaps 8 in our home where this happens.
I don’t know how the Plex Apps are developed. Is it one APK that is delivered to all Google TV devices - or custom packages for different vendors? The Plex App works perfectly on multiple other TVs running Google TV, so it is either a customization to the App by Plex for Sony or a customization to the launcher by Sony.
Hmm… I guess if I replace the custom launcher with something like Projectivy and the issue goes away I find out…
I think I may have solved this issue, and understand why it isn’t more widespread…
Noticed that Plex was not installed on the internal storage of my Sony TV - but on an external SSD attached via USB. I had to go through a few hoops, but after moving it to internal storage and THEN uninstalling it and reinstalling it I haven’t had the issue since.
Note: Just removing and reinstalling the app without changing the storage location first did not fix it - it would continually install to the SSD.
I’d guess that somehow it being installed on the SSD was causing data corruption during automatic updates by not installing all data in the correct location. I’ll keep monitoring for a few months to see if the issue returns, but it has been OK for most of a month now.
It has been another 30 days and the issue has not reoccurred after I made sure the client app was 100% installed on internal storage. I’m considering this issue resolved - either by my own action or by some other update put in place by Plex or Sony.
FYI: @tom80H
