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[tombert]

Now I've wasted my Holiday evaluating other DLNA servers like wild media, mediatomb, ushare, twonky, mezzmo, miniDlna and others only to find JR MC as the only one working for me ... nevertheless I have a few improvement suggestions I found quite nice in the other servers:
(For testing I used a Sony Bravia TV)

1) The DLNA service is recognized by its display name, however I miss a coloured icon on my TV
2) When selecting the DLNA music service I still see Images and Videos. I've already seen that better - when I select music I wold like to jump directly into the Audio section - I think it was wild media or mezzmo that did it.
3) I'am missing couloured icons/thumbnails for the audio folders - the mp3 files do have icons - but the folders are missing them.
4) I'am missing thumbnails for the video files.
5) It is not possible to scan videos (forward/backward) which are online-transcoded, even better wild media offers to transcode files in advance which allows more convenient scanning.
6) Some DLNA devices already allow DIVX via DLNA, so it would be nice to have more conversion options and not only mpeg2.

thx

[tombert]

I would like to add subtitle support and language selection support for DVDs ...
PS3 MediaServer does this with an additional sub-directory #-Transcode-#

PS3 MediaServer is using mencoder and tsmuxer ... with txmuxer the performance is much better - just for interest - what encoder is MC using?

thx

[bob]

Okey Dokey, I'm going to give these a shot:

Now I've wasted my Holiday evaluating other DLNA servers like wild media, mediatomb, ushare, twonky, mezzmo, miniDlna and others only to find JR MC as the only one working for me ... nevertheless I have a few improvement suggestions I found quite nice in the other servers:
(For testing I used a Sony Bravia TV)

1) The DLNA service is recognized by its display name, however I miss a coloured icon on my TV

Since I don't have a Sony TV for testing, for these replies, I'm using a PS3. You could try turning on DLNAExtra for your TV, it will serve artwork in additional ways.
Any relatively recent version of MC should display the MC color logo in the server list if the renderer asks for it. Works on our PS3 with the current version 15.

2) When selecting the DLNA music service I still see Images and Videos. I've already seen that better - when I select music I would like to jump directly into the Audio section - I think it was wild media or mezzmo that did it.

Played with that one for a while. Never figured it out nor got any other server to do it. Like to get it going, but it's lower than some other stuff on the priority list.

3) I'am missing couloured icons/thumbnails for the audio folders - the mp3 files do have icons - but the folders are missing them.

We are providing container art for the folders, when it gets down to the album level, we supply album art. The PS3 is ignoring them. I don't see that working on other servers I have either.

4) I'am missing thumbnails for the video files.

Current version shows the thumb if it exists in the MC library or a folder icon.

5) It is not possible to scan videos (forward/backward) which are online-transcoded, even better wild media offers to transcode files in advance which allows more convenient scanning.

Good point. If they were converted to mpeg2 in advance they would be scanable.

6) Some DLNA devices already allow DIVX via DLNA, so it would be nice to have more conversion options and not only mpeg2.
thx

There is an mpeg 4 conversion option in the current versions, have you tried that??

Thanks for the feedback...

[tombert]

DLNAExtra does'nt help with the main icon ...
If you like I can offer you some debugging help with this Intel DeveloperToolsForUPnPTechnologies.msi or any other support you request.

[csimon]

We are providing container art for the folders, when it gets down to the album level, we supply album art.

Ooh, can you just expand on that fior me a bit please, I've been trying to word a question on this for ages but you've provided the ideal opportunity!

Are you saying that the DLNA server, with DLNA Extra enabled, always provides an image URL at the container level for the server itself (your coloured logo), and for all subsidiary levels (folders) and when the container is album-level?

If so, how does it choose what picture to send?  For example, for an arbitrary folder, what image is it choosing?  How can I tell it to use a custom image of mine for, say, a menu item of Composers?  Or Genres?

At the album level, if I have embedded cover art in the MP3s but also a folder.jpg/albumname.jpg file in the directory, which does it choose?

If it chooses to use embedded artwork, how can it send this as URL to the controller without sending the actual file?

Finally, if the controller doesn't display artwork at various levels, then it's the fault/choice of the individual controller as the server is certainly sending them?

As background, I have a WD TV Live box as media renderer.  When you use it as a UPnP client, i.e. using its own remote control and interface to browse the server, you can only select List Mode or Thumbnails mode at a global level, i.e. *all* menu items are shown as text or *all* are shown as thiumbnails, but very often the thumbnails are blank.  I dont' know what to do to configure it or the server so that it only shows thumbnails where I want it to.

My separate controller (Plugplayer on an iPad) seems to be text only and never displays artwork except on the Now Playing screen.

It's just that I'm trying to work out which bits are responsible for displaying/provoding/asking for artwork.

[bob]

DLNAExtra doesn't help with the main icon ...
If you like I can offer you some debugging help with this Intel DeveloperToolsForUPnPTechnologies.msi or any other support you request.

The main icon will be the same regardless of the DLNAExtra setting.
The DLNAExtra setting provides the extra artwork resources (amongst other things) which are required for some devices to show album artwork.

Normally, when a device wants artwork, it requests it with a albumartURI filter which we always respond to.
Setting DLNAExtra also provides the artwork as a resource without being asked for it.

The icon is profiled in the DeviceDescription.xml.
If you do this in a browser:
http://127.0.0.1:52100/DeviceDescription.xml
you'll see the relative pointers to the icons. They will end up being
http://127.0.0.1:52100/Icon/0
http://127.0.0.1:52100/Icon/1
http://127.0.0.1:52100/Icon/2

If you see any trouble with our xml using the intel tools we'd appreciate hearing about it. We have tested against that in the past here.

[bob]

Ooh, can you just expand on that for me a bit please, I've been trying to word a question on this for ages but you've provided the ideal opportunity!

Are you saying that the DLNA server, with DLNA Extra enabled, always provides an image URL at the container level for the server itself (your coloured logo), and for all subsidiary levels (folders) and when the container is album-level?

With DLNAExtra, an image is always provided at the container art level. This includes everything from the top level down. If there is no art for that level, the folder icon is sent.
When you get down past the album/artist/genre/etc level to say artists, the same art in MC is sent to the renderer, for example if you have 4 albums for ABBA, you'll get a hybrid icon of those 4 albums. When you open the album folder, you'll get the individual album art.

If so, how does it choose what picture to send?  For example, for an arbitrary folder, what image is it choosing?  How can I tell it to use a custom image of mine for, say, a menu item of Composers?  Or Genres?

Since the different levels are not fixed container ID's across various devices, you can't customize icons for album, artist, genre, etc.

At the album level, if I have embedded cover art in the MP3s but also a folder.jpg/albumname.jpg file in the directory, which does it choose?
If it chooses to use embedded artwork, how can it send this as URL to the controller without sending the actual file?

It uses the thumbnail in the database.

Finally, if the controller doesn't display artwork at various levels, then it's the fault/choice of the individual controller as the server is certainly sending them?

With the current version, you will get generic artwork if there isn't any in the database. If the renderer doesn't want to display it, it won't. The PS3 for example skips art for all of the containers.

As background, I have a WD TV Live box as media renderer.  When you use it as a UPnP client, i.e. using its own remote control and interface to browse the server, you can only select List Mode or Thumbnails mode at a global level, i.e. *all* menu items are shown as text or *all* are shown as thiumbnails, but very often the thumbnails are blank.  I dont' know what to do to configure it or the server so that it only shows thumbnails where I want it to.

On our WD in thumbnail mode, you always see art. It may be the blank folder but it's there.

My separate controller (Plugplayer on an iPad) seems to be text only and never displays artwork except on the Now Playing screen.

Correct, that's the way PP works.

It's just that I'm trying to work out which bits are responsible for displaying/provoding/asking for artwork.

A good question, it's pretty complicated.

[tombert]

Found the problem with the icon: Bravia TV is expecting it with 120x120 pixels - it propagates its own icon as well with 120x120 ...
I changed the Logo.png - and voila - I see it on TV.

[tombert]

With the current version, you will get generic artwork if there isn't any in the database. If the renderer doesn't want to display it, it won't. The PS3 for example skips art for all of the containers.

By discovering the 120x120 Problem above ... what size are the album thumbnails send? Could this be as well an icon size problem?

thx

[bob]

Found the problem with the icon: Bravia TV is expecting it with 120x120 pixels - it propagates its own icon as well with 120x120 ...
I changed the Logo.png - and voila - I see it on TV.

Nice find!

Can you try resizing it to 160x160?
The logo can change like you've found but the artwork is stored in the database in 3 different sizes none of which is 120x120. Converting it on the fly is something we try to avoid. (the PS3 for instance downloads as much artwork as it can get all at one time).

[tombert]

nop - doesn't take it ...

[bob]

Ugh, thanks for checking it. Pondering the next step..

[bob]

Added an option to restrict the artwork size in version build 135. It's only implemented for the stacked artwork now, should be for the rest in the next build.

[bob]

The artwork can be restricted for everything now starting in build 136. If you get a chance to try it, would you let me know if it's working as expected on your TV?

[tombert]

Hi,

the main Logo is shown correctly now ... unfort. still no thumbnails on folder level ... guess I have to check with another DLNA server if it even works ...

Do you have any ideas about that? http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=60096.0

thx

[tombert]

No - sorry - it was in the cache - it doesn't work ... enabling and disabling has no effect ...
... again I "manually" resized the image and I can see it ...

[bob]

No - sorry - it was in the cache - it doesn't work ... enabling and disabling has no effect ...
... again I "manually" resized the image and I can see it ...

Of course, I missed doing the icon, I was concentrating on the artwork, sorry.
With DLNAExtra as well as DLNA enabled, the artwork is presented with the maximum possible formats so it could be that the TV simply doesn't support the container artwork at all. The PS3 doesn't for example, but the WDTV does. It's completely up to the device.

[tombert]

  ... happens sometimes
PS3 doesnt support that as well? ok - I'll wrote an e-mail to sony only to be sure.

thx

[tombert]

Observation: When using PS3 Media Server I do see the green arrow buttons as container art instead of the folders as soon as the directory content is analysed ... so I guess it should work somehow ...

[bob]

Observation: When using PS3 Media Server I do see the green arrow buttons as container art instead of the folders as soon as the directory content is analysed ... so I guess it should work somehow ...

Interesting, is that down at a level where the tracks are listed or higher, like album?
At the higher levels (above album/artist/) MC is using a generic icon that looks like a folder. Perhaps you are seeing that??

[tombert]

Funny thing - I received the e-mail from sony - they say its not possible.
but look here: http://www.pix01.com/gallery/5775C91F-C3C8-47EF-9EC4-8B9B714FCAB4/tombert/
I think - that says it all - done with PMS.

greets

[tombert]

Observation2: When I started to listen to an album, it looked like MC tried to transcode all files in advance (from ogg to mp3) - thus making the system go to 100% CPU load for a minute or so - during this time I tried to change the album and my TV said: "Unable to reach the server - try again later" - I tried again and it worked ... maybe it's not a so good idea to convert all titles at once ... at least I think they should be started with lower priority or so ...
When looking at other DLNA servers they do have a transfer buffer which has to be kept full - with this concept Video and Audio would profit ...

thx

[bob]

Funny thing - I received the e-mail from sony - they say its not possible.
but look here: http://www.pix01.com/gallery/5775C91F-C3C8-47EF-9EC4-8B9B714FCAB4/tombert/
I think - that says it all - done with PMS.

greets

I think this might now work in builds 138 and greater for your device with DLNAExtra checked.
We weren't providing the Container art as an additional resource. Thanks for the PS3MS feedback!

[bob]

Observation2: When I started to listen to an album, it looked like MC tried to transcode all files in advance (from ogg to mp3) - thus making the system go to 100% CPU load for a minute or so - during this time I tried to change the album and my TV said: "Unable to reach the server - try again later" - I tried again and it worked ... maybe it's not a so good idea to convert all titles at once ... at least I think they should be started with lower priority or so ...
When looking at other DLNA servers they do have a transfer buffer which has to be kept full - with this concept Video and Audio would profit ...

thx

It looks like your renderer is trying to read the tags from all of the files in a container at once. That creates a problem because we are trying to transcode the files transparently and not tell the renderer that's happening. If you look in the tree, Services and Plugins->Media Server activity window, do you see requests for bunches of mp3 files when you access one of the albums?

I might need to make a test build for you if you'd be willing to try it...

Thanks,
Bob

[tombert]

Negative - when I open the folder my TV requests only the jpg ... but MC immediately starts lame processes before I havn't even start playing a song (thats six lames). If I scroll down to other songs MC starts other lames - so I did count up to 10 - but then my computer didn't react any more.

Yes - I'am willing to try everything you give me - it's for my own good!

thx

[bob]

Negative - when I open the folder my TV requests only the jpg ... but MC immediately starts lame processes before I havn't even start playing a song (thats six lames). If I scroll down to other songs MC starts other lames - so I did count up to 10 - but then my computer didn't react any more.

Yes - I'am willing to try everything you give me - it's for my own good!

thx

Thanks for the feedback, we can reproduce it now...

[bob]

Thanks for the feedback, we can reproduce it now...

And it's fixed in the next build

[Diony5u5]

Hi, I have noticed and issued with Missing Album Artwork for M4A files when using 'Send To'

Server: MC19.0.136
Player/Renderer: Philips NP3900/12 (SW=V G5.59S)

There is a different behaviour in terms of displaying 'AlbumArt' depending if the track is sent from MC19 or retrieved from MC19.

   • Request Track From MC19 Server using NP3900/12 Interface
      A)  M4A => Album Art OK
   • "SEND TO" NP3900/12 from MC19
      B) M4A => No Album Art
      C) MP3 => Album Art OK

The difference seems to be the process of transferring the Album Art. From Observing the Media Server Activity Log I noticed the following behaviour

   A) Request from Server via NP3900/12 Interface
   
   HEAD:http://192.165.255.165:52100/Music/F32407.m4a
   GET:http://192.165.255.165:52100/Music/F32407.m4a
   HEAD:http://192.165.255.165:52100/Music/F32407.jpg
   GET:http://192.165.255.165:52100/Music/F32407.jpg

   B) Send To from MC19 Player (m4a)
   
   HEAD:http://192.165.255.165:52100/Music/F32407.m4a
   GET:http://192.165.255.165:52100/Music/F32407.m4a

   C) Send To from MC19 Player (MP3)
   
   HEAD:http://192.165.255.165:52100/Music/F288802.mp3
   GET:http://192.165.255.165:52100/Music/F288082.mp3

It seems that the NP3900/12 cannot find the Album Art within the M4A format but is OK for MP3 format files.
When playing files from the server from the NP3900 the track and album art is sent separately.

Is it not possible to adopt Method A when using the 'SEND TO' feature in MC19? So that the Album Art is sent separately to the track using 2xHTTP HEAD messages?

- Converting the file from MP3 in the DLNA Server->Audio Mode settings does not help as this simply converts the track.
- Enabling the DLNAExtra setting in the Media Network Options does not help.

===============================
UPDATE:
This proposal was to send 2x Head messages to renderer, to replicate the player functionality.

Anyhow I have now found a way of fixing this issue. Since this is a MC19<>NP3900 specific issue I have posted this in the DLNA area.
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=89616.0

[JimH]

Two possibilities:

1.  Error in the Philips device.  It may behave differently in the two different modes (push and pull).

2.  The m4a may not have any album art in the file.

[bob]

The WD has exactly the same behavior.
It doesn't support Album art on the Push-To function.

The reason there is a difference is the following:
When a track is being pulled from the device, it knows exactly what it can handle and explicitly asks for it (cover art can be supplied in different formats and sizes).

When we push to a renderer, we supply all of the information and it's up to the renderer to decide what it's going to do with it. We ALWAYS supply cover art whether the file being played has some (we send a proper sized thumbnail) or not (a proper sized generic thumbnail). It's just that your renderer is ignoring the cover art resource we are sending in push mode.