Open-source Plex client PlxNative targets slow interfaces on older LG webOS TVs

PlxNative draws its interface directly on the television using Rust and OpenGL rather than running inside a browser. The developer says this keeps the app lightweight and lets it open in about a second, with scrolling and menus staying responsive. The interface uses translucent elements so artwork remains visible underneath the controls.

Playback works differently from the interface. PlxNative does not replace the television's video decoder, so video relies on the hardware built into each LG model. Once something is playing, the app supports the usual Plex functions: browsing and searching the library, switching between Plex Home profiles, selecting audio tracks and subtitles, and using direct play or server transcoding. When an episode ends, the next one can be started with a button press.

For users who mainly watch Plex at home, the client can connect directly to a Plex Media Server over the local network after an initial sign-in, which means the library stays accessible if the internet connection goes down.

The developer ran into the slow-interface problem on a 2019 LG television and chose to build an app instead of replacing the set or attaching another streaming box, Android Authority reported. Complaints about sluggish Plex interfaces on LG and Samsung televisions have run for years on Plex's own forums.

Installation is not available through the standard app store for now. Users can install PlxNative through the Homebrew Channel, or sideload it using LG's Developer Mode and webOS Dev Manager. Installations made through Developer Mode require periodic session renewal, including when the Homebrew Channel is installed that way. The developer has submitted PlxNative to LG for official store review, and there is no word yet on when or whether it will be approved.