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[andrewberg]

The DNLA Server Setup (in MC18 under Options > Media Network > Add or Configure DLNA Server) offers to add a "Category" entry, but then you get no options to select any library fields/ criteria for view. So what's the use of a "Category"?
In order to populate it I dragged some existing entries/ views beneath my new category using the "embed" button, but the server would not show these on my DNLA TV - while all other, not "embedded" views showed up as usual.

Any helpful insights are welcome!

[MrC]

A Category in the DLNA view is a top-level container.  Add nested items underneath it.

Not all DNLA devices will show customized top-level containers.  Some restrict to just the basic Audio, Images, and Video.  Some support better customization than others.

Be sure to restart MC after making changes here.

[AndrewFG]

Not all DNLA devices will show customized top-level containers.  Some restrict to just the basic Audio, Images, and Video.  Some support better customization than others.

There are basically two "flavours" of UPnP Control Points:

1) Those that browse page by page the content directory tree whose structure is defined by the media server's logic,
2) Those that initially download all entries from the server and create a local content directory whose structure is defined by the CPs' own local logic.

Consumer devices and tablets with limited storage and CPU power tend to follow model 1), and machines with more horsepower tend to follow model 2).

So -- for example -- Windows Media Player and MC (when loading a third party media library) both follow model 2)

[andrewberg]

Thanks to both replies -- I had indeed restarted MC, but it seems my LG-TV's DLNA renderer does not support such custom items (perhaps because they are "void of data", i.e. do not link to any files themselves? Just guessing)...
Anyway I'm glad the TV works with MC at all, since the manufacturer LG supplies a different media server ("Nero MediaHome 4") with the device, while to other servers some restrictions apply such as no subtitle support...

For another DLNA issue -- as I have my server views set up and sorted so nicely, I would like to see the same order in WebGizmo as well. Is there any way to transfer the entire server views and items to the Gizmo server, so as to have them both look identical?

Thank you in advance!

[MrC]

For another DLNA issue -- as I have my server views set up and sorted so nicely, I would like to see the same order in WebGizmo as well. Is there any way to transfer the entire server views and items to the Gizmo server, so as to have them both look identical?

Nope, it is rather laborious.  You have to re-create your desired views there too.

[andrewberg]

OK, thanks. I was hoping there be some XML file to just copy to another location to obtain this... (perhaps a nice future option to add to the media network setup ;-)

[andrewberg]

Interesting addendum -- another option in media network setup I hadn't tried before, named "Add > Main Library Element" does the trick! It even comes with 3 nested sub (library) elements included! I've just tried to edit these as desired, and all show up fine via DLNA!
Conclusion: 'Nested' items may work for all DLNA devices, while 'Category' sub items may not...

Another clue to nesting/ embedding items is of course: Your top level item, eg. 'Main Library element', must only specify rules that all nested elements fulfill, otherwise they won't show up (eg. when top level rule says 'Media type is Video' but sub element rule says 'All Music files in C:\' etc)!

[AndrewFG]

^

If you are interested, you can try this out for yourself...

With MC running as a server, start Windows Media Player, and ensure it has media streaming turned on. Then in the WMP media library tree, the MC media server should appear. If you browse the MC server library in WMP the tree structure that you see is that of the WMP control point client and not that of the MC server. In other words regardless of any customization that you make to the tree structure in MC's server it will not show up in the WMP control point client. This is because the WMP control point client uses the method 2) described in my earlier post and uses its own local tree structure.

You can also try it the other way round too. If media sharing is turned on in WMP it will show up under MC's playing now, playing from tree. And the tree structure that you see is that of the MC control point client and not that of the WMP server. Because the MC control point client also uses the method 2) described in my earlier post.

[andrewberg]

Thanks but I'm not using WMP at all, so have no idea of its DLNA streaming capabilities (and am not keen to try ;-).
Just need a media server for my DLNA TV. I've tried others (Twonky, Serviio, Nero etc.), but as I'm using MC to manage my media files it's nicer to have it all n one package, and MC does a good job.