This clever Plex app could give your aging LG TV a new lease on life

If you have an older LG TV that still has a great panel and picture quality but a painfully slow UI, a new open-source Plex client could help you get more out of it.

A developer has created a new app called PlxNative, an independent Plex client built specifically for LG TVs running webOS. Its main goal is to make browsing through your Plex library feel fast and responsive again, even on older LG TVs.

The developer recently shared details about PlxNative on Reddit, where the project has received some positive feedback so far. As someone who has used LG TVs for years, I can relate to the problem the developer is trying to solve.

I’ve seen firsthand how aging hardware can gradually make the software experience worse, even when the TV itself is still perfectly good. Plex’s own forums have a long-running thread about the slow Plex UI on LG and Samsung TVs.

PlxNative’s developer ran into the same problem with a 2019 LG TV. Instead of replacing the TV or connecting another streaming box just to get a faster Plex interface, they decided to build their own app.

PlxNative draws the UI directly on the TV using Rust and OpenGL. The developer says this keeps the app lightweight and allows it to open in about a second, while scrolling and menus remain responsive.

The interface also uses translucent elements that let you see artwork underneath the controls.

Once you’re watching something, PlxNative supports the usual Plex features you’d expect. You can browse and search your library, switch between Plex Home profiles, select audio and subtitles, and use direct play or server transcoding when needed. When an episode ends, the next one is also just a button press away.

The developer notes that PlxNative doesn’t replace the TV’s video decoder, so playback relies on the hardware built into your particular LG TV model.

There’s another useful feature for people who primarily use Plex on their home network.

After signing in to Plex initially, PlexNative can connect directly to your Plex Media Server over your local network. That means you can continue accessing your library even if your internet connection goes down.

You can install it through the Homebrew Channel, or sideload it using LG’s Developer Mode and webOS Dev Manager. Developer Mode installations require periodic session renewal, though, including when the Homebrew Channel is installed through that method.

The developer has also submitted PlxNative to LG for official store review. There’s no word yet on when, or if, it will be approved.