Plex app on LG TVs freeze when playing LAN content and the Internet is down

Plex Players Smart TVs
1

Server Version#: 1.40.5.8921
Player Version#: 5.89.1
Platform Version#: 4.4.0

Today I had guests and I was using my LG TV to play personal videos from my home collection located on a NAS drive in my local network.

While playing, the Internet from my ISP dropped for about 90 minutes and the local playlist stopped on the next video (immediately after the Internet was down) with Error message.
The Plex app got frozen on the error message screen and did not accept anything until the Internet got restored.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • My local network was not affected by the Internet outage.
  • The Plex app on the LG TVs requires Internet every time when the TV got restarted, so it can download the latest version from the Plex servers. Because of that, I was not able to restart the TV (I did not have Internet at this time).

On top of that, when the Internet connection got restored (I did not rester my LG TV), I was able to confirm that other applications on the TV have Internet access, but on the Plex app the error screen changed to the authentication screen.
On the Plex app authentication screen it did not accept my PIN (no errors) and kept showing it (the authentication screen). At this point I restarted the TV and the Plex app started working again.

Is it possible someone from the PLEX community to confirm if the PLEX app on LG TVs works or freeze when the Internet is down and the TV trys to play local media content?

Thank you.

Plex GUI slow on LG & Samsung TVs
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I’m not 100% sure but I think thats the (unfortunately) expected behaviour on all SmartTV’s because of the reliance on checking for the latest version from the internet at startup.

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@ianfretwell719

You are correct. When the LG Smart TV is powered on, you need Internet to be able to start the Plex app for a first time.

In my Use Case, I am talking about the Plex app already been loaded before the Internet is lost.

Is it possible someone from the Plex community to test the following scenario:

  • Power on the LG Smart TV

  • Confirm that the LG Smart TV is connected to the Internet.

  • Open the Plex app.

  • (if applicable) Apply the Plex app login PIN.

  • Confirm that you can see a list of video content (Movies, TV Shows, Other) on the Plex app screen. It is important the content to be on your local network and not through the Internet.

  • DO NOT CLOSE THE PLEX APP. Keep it open on the LG Smart TV screen.

  • Stop the Internet feed to the LG Smart TV but do not disconnect it from your local network. For example, unplug the Internet cable (WAN) on your Internet Router and make all devices on the local network (PCs, Laptops, Smart Phones, Smart TVs, other IoT devices, etc.) to lose Internet access.

  • On the LG Smart TV try to play local video content through your Plex app. It is important the content to be on your local network and not through the Internet.

At this point, on my LG Smart TV I see an error message and I am unable to go through and play any content.

NOTE: After the test is completed, please do not forget to restore the Internet access to your LG Smart TV.

Thank you.

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