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[stricko]

Hi there, I'm evaluating a client server set-up (using MC16, but that's a different story).

On the server side, all of my media plays fine, and mostly it's the same on the client. But I can't seem to get DVD rips to play on the client. They show up in the library, no problem, with all of the right tags, and showing the correct location (on the server).

But when I play the movie, it comes back with then old "Please make sure that the path in your media library points to the right location" message. Of course, being on a client, it doesn't, it points to a H: drive which doesn't exist on the client, only on the server. But the same approach works for avi files on the same drive, which do play happily on the client (albeit with a 30-60 second delay in starting up).

So anybody got any ideas how to make this work?

[JimH]

Try installing CCCP on the client.  More in the Directshow Guide on our wiki.

[stricko]

No difference, exactly the same message.

[HTPC4ME]

are you connecting to your library with clients by doing file\library\connect to?

if so thats your problem.
JRiver doesnt allow you to view dvd's that way. you have to make your own client libraries then import the files then they will play. not sure why they wouldnt let you know this. but it's in wiki somewhere.(dont have time to find this right now) i been trying to fix this for years.

Once i get server then this will fix my dvd problems. So far i have over 500 dvd movies that will not play on any of my clients due to this issue not being fixed.

hope this helps.

[HTPC4ME]

i think this may explain it - http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DVD_Library_in_Media_Center

[stricko]

Thanks, it certainly explains the issue.

So I can see little or no advantage in using a client server arrangement at all. Currently I've only one MC instance that would be a client, but was thinking about more. It sounds like I'll just continue with a standalone instance that directly addresses the various media directories as network addresses. But then I'll still have the crappy problem of the libraries not being scanned automatically.

To sum up my evaluation then;

Client Server MC16

Pros

Automatically scans media libraries

Cons

Won't play DVD rips
Very slow to load AVI files
Can't maintain Theater View queries centrally (yet)


I'm going to give MC16 a go on my "production" machine to see if it fixes the problem I have with Theater View image sizing (see yet another thread). If it doesn't I can't see any reason a) why I should upgrade to 15 or 16, and b) why I won't look at switching back to WMC. I really really like MC, but I don't seem to be able to get simple things to work properly.

[Matt]

The DVD navigation filter, required for DVD playback, does not support HTTP files.

I agree this isn't too neat, but I don't think you'll find that WMC can navigate a DVD over HTTP either, since it uses the same navigator filter.

[Alex B]

Cons

Won't play DVD rips
Very slow to load AVI files

These can be fixed. The server just would need have all files imported from network shares, mapped network drives and/or "substed" drives, i.e. from paths that are also accessible on the client. The client option "Play local file if one that matches Library Server file is found" can make the client to play the files directly from the Windows file system instead of using HTTP streaming. This option is not yet explained in the above linked Wiki article.

You would not need to re-import the files as new on the server after configuring the new file locations outside MC. The Rename, Move, & Copy Files tool can fix the file paths without moving the physical files if you use the "Update database to point to new location (no file rename, move, or copy)" option.

Regarding the SUBST command, you may want to search the forum for my replies that contain the word SUBST. (You can use the advanced forum search option for specifying the search criteria.)

Can't maintain Theater View queries centrally (yet)

What do you mean by this?

EDIT

I found the other thread: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=62186

[stricko]

I'll give this a try. I'm not worried about re-building the database, as I'm still in evaluation mode. I'll keep this thread updated.

[stricko]

Switched the library to use network addresses (even though they are on the same machine) and hey presto this works.