Streaming TO the DX, not FROM it? (DLNA)

[67eb_in_619]

So I see plenty of instructions on how I can stream video FROM my DX to a tv via DLNA, but what I really want to do is stream from a DLNA server (assuming I figure out the video formats right) TO my DX..

I have a NAS w/DLNA at home and want to load some movies on there that I can watch on my DX from time to time... um.. how?

 

[67eb_in_619]

Anybody? You cant tell me I am the only one that wants to watch video streaming from network storage...really?

 

[seecoolguy]

WOW, no response?

67eb_in_619, I have been able to successfully "stream" from my nas to my droidx but only on occassion, I'm currently having to convert my video to standard mp4 formats in order to make it work right.

My nas has all my dvd movies I am running a wndr3700 router and it has a usb port for hdd's. I pre-loaded all my dvd movies and home movies onto that drive but used my Mac and was able to stream to my iOS devices using AirServer. The problem is that the container m4v isn't for some reason playable via streaming on my Droid X. I can play the files if I download them togo, and that's great for those occassions, but I've gotten used to streaming and I kinda like that route more

my solution is to create another folder where I convert my movies via Handbrake using the standard container of MP4. Those movies show up in the DLNA server as duplicates but I've prefixed them all with MP4 so I can find them easily, and now I simply stream to the droidx. what's more I bought the hdmi cable so that I can watch them in the room of the house that doesn't have a media streamer connected to it.

 

[67eb_in_619]

Awesome! Thanks for the reply... finally.

I have a iomega NAS that has a DLNA server built onto it attached via cat5 to my router.. so I think we are in similar positions there.

I will monkey around with converting to mp4... I am sure I can figure that out.

The other question is how do you connect to the file to play it? Do you just use the built in media connect/dlna app? Or do you do something different? ("map the network drive or something"??)

 

[seecoolguy]

yeah I'm using the built in DLNA app, I would map it but I don't know droid that well (yet). I'm still learning, so far I like the ease of use of the iOS devices, but hate how strict they are.

I like the droid because i so far am able to do some cool things, there should be a way to mount a network drive, I dunno yet how... but I'd like to know how.

also when converting your videos, be sure you download both vlc and handbrake that will ease any problems you may have trying to convert your videos.

on my son's droid he loaded the nintendo gba app with some game gripper, talk about nostalgia... there should be one for nes games, I'd like to find that one

 

[67eb_in_619]

I was planning to use Aunsoft to do the conversions.. am I headed down the wrong path? I dont mind paying for an app if it makes my life easier (less steps), but only if it works.

My library is all .iso .. ripped using CloneDVD and AnyDVD. I use virtual clone drive to double click to mount and play on my PC, plus when I burn to media, it just seems easier. So my library format was a poor choice. I seem to have to rip it to VOB (IIRC??) files then combine it into one MP4... there has to be a better (one step) way.

 

[seecoolguy]

I don't know of Aunsoft, but I've been using Handbrake, it's opensource and free, so it will save you a lot in $, but it's also very efficient in compressing your video formats too, simply point it to your .iso files and it will auto-select the movie, choose the template for the standard mp4 file and you are done, just process each one and they should be playable on your droid via the DLNA app.

on occasion I have noticed that other files such as mkv's or the like don't convert well on my windows 7 laptop, so I use my macbook for the conversion and I haven't had a problem yet.

 

[eewny]

67 if you have any type of old or current pc you can set something else up that will work.

Dvd catalyst let's me.covert videos and add streaming function to them( a header or something).

On the pc you just use the free mp4 server software from dvdcatalysts website and it works great. It makes a website you can connect to over wifi in your network. Then just select a video and it streams it.

I can help you set it up if you like. And since you have the nas you should be able.to have the pc point to the nas as storage. So you can keep all the videos there.

I picked up a old pc for 50 bucks for this very purpose


Also if your upload is fast enough you can set it to stream video while in your house or on the road over 3g

Sent from my DROIDX using my mind

 

[seecoolguy]

i just visited their site; http://www.tools4movies.com and I hadn't thought of doing just that, my Netgear wndr3700 router/nas allows me to connect my droid as a url. I'm going to try this with my m4v files and see if they will play by just selecting them off of the webpage on my home network.

I will report back tonight when I get home and try this feature out

 

[eewny]

Ya in fact I think on their site they have an example.server up that you can click the links to see what the streaming will be like. In my experience the quality wasn't as nice as their examples but it was pretty good


Sent from my DROIDX using my mind

 

[eewny]

Seecool. The mp4streamer has a button to quickly label a movie as streamable. If that is so then u could use it.to convert the files and.then host them however you normally do. I think* the header let's android know it can start playing the video before its all downloaded.


Sent from my DROIDX using my mind

 

[seecoolguy]

Tried my nas URL shared directory and that doesn't work, the phone tries to download the files instead of streaming like the app does... Oh well mp4 conversions it is...