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[DWAnderson]

I am trying to set up MC19 so that I can direct it to play video files from my library on my Xbox One.

This works fine for most video file types-- except WMV files which refuse to play. This problem also occurs when trying to render such files on an Xbox 360, with Windows 8's built-in Media Player, other Windows 8 media players and other Android media players.

This leads me to believe the issue is with MC19's DLNA server (or my setup of same).

In the simplest case, I select the Xbox One from the Playing Now list, right click the WMV file within MC and select Play. The file does not play-- after saying "Waiting" at the tope of the screen for circa 10 seconds.

The DLNA server log shows two "Gets" one for a numbered .ts file of which 0 bytes are served and the other for a .jpg file of which 3.4K is served.

The settings of the Video portion of the MC DLNA server are:

Mode: specified output format
Format: H264-TS high bandwidth stream

I note that this setup works fine for other types of files, e.g. DVR-MS files and .MPG files. I am also able to play the WMV files directly from other windows PCs over my network without issue and locally using the same MC19 installation that is acting as the DLNA server. Similarly, I am able to use Windows 8's Play To functionality to play the WMV files to the Xbox One.

Suggestions?

[bob]

So the Xbox 1 has a DLNA renderer built in? Interesting...
I'm uncertain as to whether you tried to push a wmv file to another device or PC with MC.
The reason why you'd need to push to test this is when a MC client connects using library server it's not using the conversion parameters in DLNA (since it's not really using DLNA).
I'm thinking that perhaps the conversion in the MC DLNA server can't handle your WMV files.

[DWAnderson]

I have certainly tried using MC to push these type of files (WMV) to other devices, e.g. TVs and Xbox 360's. They all fail in the same way.

Likewise I have tried pulling these types to other devices with DLNA players and renders, e.g. some PlugPlayer's Android DLNA client, Modern app DLNA clients and they fail in that context too.

I suspect your hypothesis that MC is not handling the conversion of the WMV files is correct, but I wanted to make sure the problem wasn't in my setup of the DLNA server on MC.

Unless I hear otherwise, I'll post this as a bug on the next build.

[DWAnderson]

Weird but potentially relevant additional fact here: The Stream Baby (http://code.google.com/p/streambaby/) 3rd party application for streaming video to Tivo also has problems with these files.

I'll note again that when the MC 19 Server plays these files locally, it has no problem.

[DWAnderson]

I'll note further that Stream Baby will play these files if they are set to play at "Highest - 5000K" rather than "same" presumably the original, higher, bit rate. StreamBaby used FFMPEG to play these files to a Tivo.

I would think MC should be able to play these files to an Xbox One acting as DLNA player.

[bob]

I'll note further that Stream Baby will play these files if they are set to play at "Highest - 5000K" rather than "same" presumably the original, higher, bit rate. StreamBaby used FFMPEG to play these files to a Tivo.

I would think MC should be able to play these files to an Xbox One acting as DLNA player.

What does the bitrate and framerate for one of these show up as in MC's database? How about the contents of the compression field?

[DWAnderson]

The bitrate is 4291. The framerate is 29.97.

The compression is "wmv video (video: WMV 9, audio: WMA 10 Professional)"

[bob]

The WMA 10 professional looks suspicious by first glance.

[DWAnderson]

The WMA 10 professional looks suspicious by first glance.

What does that mean?

[bob]

I don't remember seeing it much. It wasn't supported on the Xbox 360 IIRC (and I am going by memory).
I also don't remember seeing it mentioned in libav docs.
If playback in MC IS going through the usual flow though, I'd think the conversion would work.
We are only interested in frames of audio and video at conversion time and you'd think the converter would get them if the file plays back ok in MC.

[DWAnderson]

I should note that these files play fine on the Xbox 360 when it is used as a Windows Media Center extender. I suspect that they also play fine when played directly by the Xbox 360 (i.e. without using MC). So I don't think its an issues of the combination not being supported.

I'll go back to noting this a bug on the main board's messages about new MC19 builds, unless you want to continue the discussion here first.

[Hendrik]

Where are these WMV files from? Are they maybe protected content, ie. a movie you bought online?

I don't suppose you are able to share one of the files which don't play?
You can share larger files through Dropbox or Google Drive/SkyDrive.

[DWAnderson]

Sorry for the delayed response (for some reason I wasn't getting notifications of new messges in this thread).

The problematic files are rips of Blu-Rays that I own converted into WMV files. I'd be happy to upload or share a copy from my Dropbox as they are quite large.

Do you want me to PM you with a link?

[Hendrik]

Link via PM would be great, I'll try to reproduce your difficulty then.

[DWAnderson]

I sent you a link via PM.

[Hendrik]

Thanks, I got it.

I also managed to reproduce the failure, so in the next build:
Fixed: Video conversion and streaming of WMV files was not working properly.

[DWAnderson]

Thanks. That fixed the issue.