Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[ferday]

so i've finally got a lot of the JRiver more advanced features working, but still cannot get DLNA to function properly, well really at all, on my tv (sony bravia)

i can: see and connect to the DLNA server
         push music of any format
         browse (some) of my video library

i cannot:  browse the music library at all (TV error message: nothing in the specified folder
              pull music (see library issue)
              play any video of any format, pushing or pulling.  if i try to pull, TV says Video Format cannot be played.  if i try to push, JRiver opens the file (showing metadata) but then stops playback instantly.  no error messages from either device                                                                                                     

what i have done:  used every single different conversion setting for both audio and video, and the majority of permutations of settings. 
                          played with all of the network setting options
                          turned all of the TV options on/off (i.e. renderer, control and be controlled options, etc)
                         
i need some sort of hints on possible solutions.  i would really like to be able to just use my one HTPC over the DLNA, i don't mind a bit of a clunky interface from the TV instead of having to run another device, but...

am i better off to use a different renderer (ie. a media box, or separate HTPC....but not apple TV, not going there) to handle the network stuff and rendering, and just output to the TV?  if this is the case i don't mind, and I would LOVE to hear suggestions on a GOOD media box that can render the most formats possible.  I do have a WDTVLive and it plays beautifully on nearly any format but it's older and doesn't have built in wireless and i'm NOT running a bridge in the already crowded TV area, tried that and was not happy.

thanks MC users/developers, and i hope i can get some sort of tips on this.  It's the last thing i need to sort out with JRiver
                         

[Arindelle]

Hi

Might be totally misunderstanding you, but it  reads like you are trying to use your TV as an HTPC and not the other way around? I don't understand why you would want to "pull" anything from the TV.

If you tried everything and know some of the advanced features already, I'll take a quick stab at this -- if I'm out in left field, maybe you can fill in the details for me.

First take a step back and set up a simple config using the Sony just as a monitor -- jriver running on HTPC+dac will be the media server,  renderer and control.  Connect TV via HDMI and Dac or sound card to preamp/AVR. You will (should) see your library views on the screen - use a keyboard+mouse or remote control or tablet whatever. Now can you play all your media - audio goes through your speakers, Video through speakers and playback on TV?? If this works then we can move on to the DLNA part of it ...

If I knew what kind of system you have, how many audio channels, if you have a TV tuner in your HTPC,  A networked blue ray player ?-- how is all this connected  is pretty important. Could be as simple as choosing the wrong devices in Windows too .. hard to tell

I would LOVE to hear suggestions on a GOOD media box that can render the most formats possible

Easy MC 19 + a recent and quiet computer -- hard to find more format choices already under the hood

am i better off to use a different renderer (ie. a media box, or separate HTPC....but not apple TV, not going there) to handle the network stuff and rendering, and just output to the TV?

that's a tough question not knowing what you have already.

This is a very personal opinion so take it with a grain of salt .... if I was buying a system from scratch I would never get a renderer for audio. A high end renderer is very expensive, if it wants to be on the same par as JRiver is out of the box. Linn, Naim, Pacific Audio among others make them but jriver does everything they do (not counting the DACs inside and hardware of course;  buying a DAC from them, if you wanted to,  would save you 50% + the 50 buck fro jriver ).

So better to put the money in a DAC the analog part of the system, or boostin the video segment fo the system if you are a big fan. IMHO again I could see using a quality blue ray player  like an Oppo if I was more into HD playback  - depends a lot on the HTPC being powerful and modular with lots of options or is it slim, and silent with no room for a discrete graphics card.

But then again, just my opionion

[csimon]

i need some sort of hints on possible solutions.  i would really like to be able to just use my one HTPC over the DLNA, i don't mind a bit of a clunky interface from the TV instead of having to run another device, but...

am i better off to use a different renderer (ie. a media box, or separate HTPC....but not apple TV, not going there) to handle the network stuff and rendering, and just output to the TV?  if this is the case i don't mind, and I would LOVE to hear suggestions on a GOOD media box that can render the most formats possible.  I do have a WDTVLive and it plays beautifully on nearly any format but it's older and doesn't have built in wireless and i'm NOT running a bridge in the already crowded TV area, tried that and was not happy.

TV interfaces to DLNA are indeed very ungainly and media compatibility is hit-and-miss. I too have also used a WDTV Live as my TV at the time was not networkable but I didn't find that interface appealing either.  MC's own Theater View is not perfect and lots of people don't want a HTPC underneath their TV anyway.  The best thing I've found actually if you've not got a HTPC at the TV is to use a remote control app on a tablet, i.e. JRemote or Gizmo, and push stuff to the WDTV, as that is probably the best interface you are going to get and the best compatibility. I've now got a small, silent HTPC at the TV but I still use JRemote for ease but rather than pushing media to a DLNA device at the TV it controls MC on the TV (for video) directly.

I think the WDTV will accept a USB wireless dongle?

[Arcturus]

It's your TV. Though many devices carry the DLNA cert they are all over the place as to what they can do. Some will let you play what you want from the library (assuming it can handle the codecs) but won't let you push to them. And some are the contrary, Won't browser library but you can push to them.

So far my experience with "smart" TV's is generally pretty negative. About the best I have seen are some google tv's where you then can instal a more capable app to deal with codecs and browsing library's. Honestly though the best you can have is hook a PC up to your Tv. It's never going to get any better then that for usability and audio video quality.

And as far as controlling it goes you got dozens of options like Gizmo so you can browser you library and start playing what you want on your TV. Best setup in my opinion.

[AndrewFG]

It's your TV. Though many devices carry the DLNA cert they are all over the place as to what they can do.

If it is a Sony, it is certainly very fussy. But you should try fiddling around with the MC Settings for its DLNA server. I think there is a setting for "DLNA plus" (or something like that). Try turning this on (or off).

[ferday]

thanks all!

i decided to buy an on sale WDTVLive and although it's not perfect, it does play everything i've pushed at it so far and i can pull from my media center downstairs.  so for now i'm happy and done with messing around with the TV

i just didn't want another remote control LOL i use JRemote but my wife doesn't like or understand it so she is just using the WD remote and living with the extra controller