Help on Streaming Films and Media Player recommendation

Posted by: AndyP19 on 04 July 2017

Having transferred my music onto to a QNAP I thought I'd use my old 6TB storage with Logitech Media Server (LMS) to store my collection of DVD's.

Using a three year old WD TV Media Player I streamed the storage into a router (not connected to the internet just to get a local network) then into my Toshiba TV) all seemed OK and running well until recently when I get drop out's every 30 minutes or so. With error on WD TV 'Content Source Not Found' - 'The previously connected source has been discounted...' . I've got the latest firmware and changed the router to eliminate that from the equation. Storage with LMS works on a friends TV with built in Media Player so it points to the WD TV - searches on other forums report this as an issue but no clear solution. Workgroup is same name on LMS and WD TV. Any ideas?

Failing that, any recommendations for a robust Media Player that I can HDMI into TV and hook up to the LMS storage with local wired ethernet?

Posted on: 05 July 2017 by robgr

I am assuming the LMS can act as UPnP server?

Can your TV act as a UPnP control point?

If not then cast to a Chromecast via a mobile device using something like BubbleUPnP

 

Posted on: 05 July 2017 by AndyP19

Robgr  yes you are right LMS is acting as a UpNp.

Seems my problem could be something called the 'SSDP Advertisment Interval' which causes the time out at 30 minutes.

Just downloaded Plex to use instead of LMS so I'll see if this solves the problem.

 

 

Posted on: 06 July 2017 by tonym

I can heartily recommend PLEX - been using it for a number of years. 

Posted on: 06 July 2017 by AndyP19

TonyM thanks yes already done and downloaded. It looks great and has that all important time adjustment on the DLNA Tab. Just doing a bit of digital  gardening now sorting out the wrong matches on the 1,008 DVD on my NAS !!!! Actually a task I quite enjoy and Plex has got most of them spot on. 

Posted on: 06 July 2017 by groover45

Keeping heard how good the PLEX is.

Posted on: 12 July 2017 by Eloise

As well as Plex ... check out EMBY ... its an open source alternative.  Has some functions Plex lacks (though Plex offers some things EMBY lacks too)

Posted on: 12 July 2017 by AndyP19

Thanks I am a bit Per-Plexed now! Plex solved the issue I had with my WD TV streamer. Then reverting to my main Panasonic TV which is 4K smart and has it's own media streamer app I hit another problem - Panasonic does not like certain audio codecs and would not play any of my MKV DVDs. So I tried to convert the MKV files to MP4 which took around 2 hours for a 5GB file even with the fastest software convertor; applying really heavy CPU usuage. With 1,020 ripped DVDs on my NAS this was not going to be an option.

So downloaded Messmo and bingo the films streamed to my Panasonic. 

All this has been an interesting week learning about DLNA (non)compatibility.

 

 

 

 

Posted on: 13 July 2017 by Mr Underhill

I believe LMS is a DLNA compatible server via upnp. Two options occur to me: Use a BlueRay Player or the FireTV.

The FireTV has HDMI and RJ45 inputs. I connect it to the rear HDMI port on my OPPO BR.

You can load up Kodi to give access to local files and other repositories.

Wrinkle Warnings:
DLNA isn't so much a protocol as an industry alliance. If there are issues with LMS can you load another server? Serviio etc.
With the FireTV I think I had to load some unofficial software to gain access to locally stored files. Since I did this Amazon have updated the OS so it would be wise to research this before purchase. I don't bother to do this any longer as: I play my local files via my BR players direct; and, I was doing some Kodi research for a work related project 18 months ago, once that was complete I didn't continue using it.
BR Players can be a bit tricky. With my Sony I had to set up some precise meta data to get to it recognise and play my MKV files. The Oppo was straight-forward.