[Bug]: LG & Samsung TV - Returning externalUrl in a stream breaks the addon (endless loading spinner)

[stremioratings]

Stremio Platform

LG Native TV App

Describe the bug

On Stremio for LG TV & Samsung TV, returning externalUrl in a stream (instead of url / infoHash breaks the addon (and leads to an endless loading spinner).

For example, this will break the addon (leading to an endless loading spinner):

res.send(
  { 
    streams: [
      {
        name: 'Age Rating',
        description,
        externalUrl: 'https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16366836/parentalguide/'
      }
    ]
  }
)

Whereas, using url or infoHash will not break the app. These work fine:

res.send(
  { 
    streams: [
      {
        name: 'Age Rating',
        description,
        url: 'https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16366836/parentalguide/'
      }
    ]
  }
)

res.send(
  { 
    streams: [
      {
        name: 'Age Rating',
        description,
        infoHash: '24c8802e2624e17d46cd555f364debd949f2c81e'
      }
    ]
  }
)

Only when we use externalUrl does it break.

I can verify that using externalUrl works fine in all these other Stremio apps / platforms:

• Fire TV
• Android TV
• Sony TV
• Mac
• Windows
• Android
• iOS PWA
• Stremio Web

I've since learned (from @jaruba ) that externalUrl has been banned by the LG & Samsung stores (unless they use internal Stremio links) which I assume is where this bug originates.

Perhaps a graceful fallback would be to:

• detect a non-internal link in externalUrl being used (on LG & Samsung)
• replace this externalUrl with url - which points to a video with text saying "External links are not supported on LG & Samsung TV"

This would solve the problem for both users and devs (who might get stuck on this issue, as I did).

Please accept my apologies for needing to repost this issue.

To Reproduce

1. Create an addon which displays a simple stream, e.g with Node.js & Express:

app.get('/:query?/stream/:type/:id/:videoId?.json', async function(req, res) {
  res.send({ streams:
    [
      {
        name: 'Test name',
        description: 'Test description',
        infoHash: '24c8802e2624e17d46cd555f364debd949f2c81e'
      }
    ]
  })
})

2. Deploy the addon and install it in Stremio
3. Open Stremio on LG TV
4. Note that the stream displays without issue
5. Now, replace infoHash with an externalUrl, e.g:

app.get('/:query?/stream/:type/:id/:videoId?.json', async function(req, res) {
  res.send({ streams:
    [
      {
        name: 'Test name',
        description: 'Test description',
        externalUrl: 'https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16366836'
      }
    ]
  })
})

6. Redeploy the addon and install it in Stremio
7. Open Stremio on LG TV
8. Note that the stream does not appear, instead, an endless loading spinner is displayed

Expected behavior

• I expect the stream to be displayed
• I expect that, when the stream is clicked, I'm taken to the URL specified in externalUrl

Screenshots

No response

Desktop (if applicable)

No response

Smartphone (if applicable)

No response

TV (if applicable)

Device: LG 32 Inch 32LR60006LA Smart FHD HDR LED Freeview TV | [LG] webOS TV LR60006LA
OS: webOS
Version: webOS23
TV Version: 8.4.0-21

Logs

Notes

No response