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[alexisbatman]

Hi,

I've set up my media centre PC from which all my music and video is streamed to my laptop and gaming PC. I can use My Network Places to see the video and music files on the media PC if I want. I play back media on the media centre from another machine without a problem using WMP11 or Divx player.

I want to use MC12 as my media centre. Music and Video are all listened in the library and I can playback music and video in MC12 on the media PC without a problem. Music streams perfectly well via MC12 but I having real problems streaming video.

If attempt to play a video from my laptop (or other PC) in MC12 I get the following (for example) when I looked at the server log.

05/05/08 13:54:42 - Received request for cover art: V:\Video\TV Series\Law & Order\Season 2\06 - Misconception.avi
05/05/08 13:54:42 - Unable to serve cover art, file not found
05/05/08 13:54:42 - Received request for a file: V:\Video\TV Series\Law & Order\Season 2\06 - Misconception.avi

This only happens when I attempt to play the file.

If I sit in front of my Media PC (ie not streaming to another computer) then plays back fine in MC so its not a matter of the file not being where it should be is it?

I'm at a lose. i thought this guy was having the same problem but I dont think its the same http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=29240.0

Running Version 12.0.473 on all machines.

What should I try now? I've even deleted the library and started over - still wont work.

thx

Alex
 

[John Gateley]

How big is the avi file? Give it enough time to download completely and see if it starts playing.

Some video formats are not amenable to streaming - they have metadata stored at the end of the file and require sending the entire file to read that metadata before playing...

j

[alexisbatman]

If i open a movie to run in WMP (the files are about 700mb avi file) from the laptop it loads in about 5 second but with MC12 it just opens in full screen blank screen. Ive left it for ten minutes before and nothing happens.

[John Gateley]

Can you try a shorter one? From the wiki:

http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/Library_Server#Library_Server_and_Video

I see that avi should play, but only after the entire file is downloaded. 700 Mbyte =5600 Mbits = 1 1/2 hours at 1Mbit download speed.

j

[Marty3d]

I'd love to see streaming video to work as in WMP... I can't understand why we still have to use WMP for video over lan. Please make it work! Please...?

[John Gateley]

I'd like to. The problem is that we don't directly render video, we rely on support from QuickTime and friends. This limits the amount we can do...

j

[JimH]

I'd like to. The problem is that we don't directly render video, we rely on support from QuickTime and friends.

Friends like DirectShow filters.

[alexisbatman]

oh dear.

I'll keep using media centre for most things, its still far better than other applications available but can anyone recommend another program (other than WMP) that will stream quickly over lan so i can watch my videos?

[Alex B]

If i open a movie to run in WMP (the files are about 700mb avi file) from the laptop it loads in about 5 second but with MC12 it just opens in full screen blank screen. Ive left it for ten minutes before and nothing happens.

You should be able to play the videos with MC too if you play them directly from the shared network location (without connecting Library Server.)

As a test, you can just drag a video file from Windows Explorer to MC's Playing Now and try to play it.

Personally, I have pretty much stopped using Library Server on our local LAN. One of our PC's is normally used for updating the library (all files are imported from the network). On the other PCs I use the same library so that the files have the same database information. (You can transfer the library from a PC to another by using the Library Backup/Restore tool or by simply copying the the library files from a library location to another library location when both MC instances are closed.)

If a PC does not have the most recent library yet I can always play the new files directly from the network location without importing the files. After the next library update the files will be included in the library too.

It is also possible to share a library location so that all PCs use the same library files. Then only the first opened MC instance will be able to make changes to the library. The other PCs will automatically load a temporary copy of the library on startup. Also this system will play the files directly from the shared disk location instead of using the streaming server.

[alexisbatman]

Great. I'll try this at the weekend and get back to you.

Thanks for your comments everyone

[alexisbatman]

You should be able to play the videos with MC too if you play them directly from the shared network location (without connecting Library Server.)

As a test, you can just drag a video file from Windows Explorer to MC's Playing Now and try to play it.

Just tried this and got an error message straight away (no blank screen this time)

Media Center encountered errors while trying to play the last several files. Please make sure that the path in your media library points to the right location.
Error details:

DirectShow: General access denied error
Code=0x80070005

Any idea what this means? 'Access denied' - could this be to do with my folder share settings or something?

[Yaobing]

DirectShow: General access denied error
Code=0x80070005[/i]

Any idea what this means? 'Access denied' - could this be to do with my folder share settings or something?

That would be my guess.