Plex questions, VLC, DLNA servers

[David]

Finally trying to get DLNA working.

PLEX

I've downloaded Plex and set it up on Mint (which promptly died).

I've downloaded it for W7 and it is now running as a server.

I've downloaded the Plex app for my Android tablet and can see the Plex
server; oh, and I declined to allow the server to burrow its' way out onto
the Internet to serve all and sundry.

Now the complicated bit; despite having "free" plastered all over the web
site Plex wants money to be allowed to work on my local network to my
Android (or other) devices.

If I look at the Plex server using VLC it reports that the video directory
is empty (so presumably I have to pay Plex to be a DLNA server).

There is talk of a small in-app purchase to enable Plex on each Android
device but I haven't found out how much that is yet or how long it lasts.

At the moment it looks as though I may have to pay £32 a year or £95 for a
lifetime licence. Of course, lifetime is probably defines as the length of
time Plex can be arsed to support all this. So has anyone paid up, and
does it seem worth it?

Oh, I have Plex on my TV and haven't tried that yet but it didn't work for
the short tim,e I have a Mint Plex server.


Windows Media Player

It plays my sample .mp4 video on W7 and advertises it on the network, but
there is a play back error with VLC.

VLC

Various web pages describe how to use VLC as a media server but the
descriptions are about a File menu which my version does not have.


So I am struggling at the moment.

There have been various quite strong recommendations for Plex; are all the
current users paying through the nose or is there a middle way I haven't
found yet?

Or is there another combination of Windows server and Android client which
gets me free DLNA streaming (plus hopefully to Raspberry Pi and Smart TV
as well)?


Cheers


Dave R


--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64

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[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

On 11 Feb 2017 18:17:32 GMT, David <wib...@btinternet.com> wrote:

>Finally trying to get DLNA working.
>
>PLEX
>
>I've downloaded Plex and set it up on Mint (which promptly died).

Related, or just happened?

>I've downloaded it for W7 and it is now running as a server.
>
>I've downloaded the Plex app for my Android tablet and can see the Plex
>server; oh, and I declined to allow the server to burrow its' way out onto
>the Internet to serve all and sundry.
>
>Now the complicated bit; despite having "free" plastered all over the web
>site Plex wants money to be allowed to work on my local network to my
>Android (or other) devices.

The web client is free on anything. The dedicated clients for mobile
devices are rather easier to use and pay for.

>If I look at the Plex server using VLC it reports that the video directory
>is empty (so presumably I have to pay Plex to be a DLNA server).

You have to tick the DLNA box. Plex webapp, Settings, DLNA, enable. Some
clients speak both DLNA and Plex so DLNA is disabled by default so as to
keep the horrors and perpetual stalls of DLNA away unless it's actually
needed.

>There is talk of a small in-app purchase to enable Plex on each Android
>device but I haven't found out how much that is yet or how long it lasts.

£3-4 per mobile device for the iOS clients, I presume Androids are
similar; lasts forever.

>At the moment it looks as though I may have to pay £32 a year or £95 for a
>lifetime licence.

You can skip this entirely. There are some licensed features, but the
only useful one is getting multiple different user accounts on your Plex
server. But you can have one user account in use by multiple people
simultaneously without paying, so it's not needed - but your 'in
progress' and whatnot will show each other's stuff.

Cheers - Jaimie

[David]

On Sat, 11 Feb 2017 18:42:56 +0000, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:

<snip>

>>If I look at the Plex server using VLC it reports that the video
>>directory is empty (so presumably I have to pay Plex to be a DLNA
>>server).
>
> You have to tick the DLNA box. Plex webapp, Settings, DLNA, enable. Some
> clients speak both DLNA and Plex so DLNA is disabled by default so as to
> keep the horrors and perpetual stalls of DLNA away unless it's actually
> needed.

<snip>

Just checked, and DLNA is enabled (I think by default on this version).

So I do have the puzzle that I can see the videos over Plex using the Plex
client, but not over DLNA (Plex server) using the VLC client.

I may also have issues with the video encoding (ripped with MakekMKV, file
format .mkv not supported by Plex, converted using Handbrake to .m4v).

If I use the Windows DLNA server through Windows Media Player and Android
VLC client I can see and play the demo videos in .wmv format. Trying to
play the .m4v format throws an error in VLC. I need to transfer to the
tablet and try and play directly.

Still doesn't address the issue of not seeing the videos listed in DLNA
via VLC client but seeing them listed in Plex client.

Probably need to check out all the media files without using the network
just to be sure.

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

On 12 Feb 2017 10:30:17 GMT, David <wib...@btinternet.com> wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Feb 2017 18:42:56 +0000, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:
>
><snip>
>>>If I look at the Plex server using VLC it reports that the video
>>>directory is empty (so presumably I have to pay Plex to be a DLNA
>>>server).
>>
>> You have to tick the DLNA box. Plex webapp, Settings, DLNA, enable. Some
>> clients speak both DLNA and Plex so DLNA is disabled by default so as to
>> keep the horrors and perpetual stalls of DLNA away unless it's actually
>> needed.
><snip>
>
>Just checked, and DLNA is enabled (I think by default on this version).

Oh, ok. Above still stands :)

>So I do have the puzzle that I can see the videos over Plex using the Plex
>client, but not over DLNA (Plex server) using the VLC client.

That's normal. It's because DLNA is terrible and has terribly poor
selection of supported formats and even within them it's super common
for certain options to not be supported and to break play.

>I may also have issues with the video encoding (ripped with MakekMKV, file
>format .mkv not supported by Plex, converted using Handbrake to .m4v).

Mkv the container format is supported by Plex, so it's presumably the
internal encoding for the video/audio that isn't. Or something in the
metadata makes it think it's unsupported.

>If I use the Windows DLNA server through Windows Media Player and Android
>VLC client I can see and play the demo videos in .wmv format. Trying to
>play the .m4v format throws an error in VLC. I need to transfer to the
>tablet and try and play directly.
>
>Still doesn't address the issue of not seeing the videos listed in DLNA
>via VLC client but seeing them listed in Plex client.

That's DLNA in a nutshell. Any reason not to use the Plex client? If you
value your time at all, £4 comes to less than ten minutes of "why
doesn't this work in DLNA?" puzzling.

>Probably need to check out all the media files without using the network
>just to be sure.

This way lies madness.

I don't understand why you're using Plex as the server but not using
Plex clients everywhere you can. Plex is only a bog-standard DLNA server
(there's no better, mind), but Plex-Plex is far better and supports far
more and more modern encoding.

Plex certainly isn't perfect, there are a few files that Plex simply
won't present as well - I have a two parter documentary bought and
downloaded from a single source, mv4 format, part one doesn't show up
and part two does. I've re-encoded both to identical output format
settings, still the same issue. Peculiar.

My response is fuck it, I've watched them directly and will no longer
worry about it.

Cheers - Jaimie

[David]

Mainly trying to understand a new branch of technology.

Read a review of video streaming and everything is wonderful, easy and
free.

Lots of "You just...".

Anyway, I've just physically copied a test movie to the phone which
wouldn't play over DLNA and it plays fine in VLC on the phone.

This more or less proves that it is DLNA which is causing the problem.

I did note that Windows asked me if I wanted to convert the file during
copying (without saying what to) because it might not play, but not sure
how Windows would know what format would play on my phone.

I was reluctant to pay money for Plex until I had ruled out a few of the
obvious potential gotchas.

I may cough for one Android licence for test purposes.

Portable real estate so far:

2 * Android phone
1 * Android tablet (considering buying another cheapie to play with)
2 * Win 8.1 laptops
3 * Raspberry Pi (one spoken for as VPN server) one of which could be a
DLNA server.
2 * routers which can take DD-WRT or similar (potentially DLNA capable)
1 * Samsung Smart TV (with Plex client loaded on)

One of the routers already shows up as a media server on the network.

So I don't want to have a load of client licences until I am sure I need
the software; I don't know which platform will be my server yet.

If I can have a free DLNA server which works with VLC client then I can
mix and match.

Might want the Pi as a server in the caravan but W7 as a server in the
house (if I ever get the HTPC finally configured).

I'm just investigating at the moment.

It might be worth £3.99 for a month pass if this gives me unlimited
clients for my User ID. I need to have the time to run some proper tests,
though.

Alternatively I just need to get network access to the file server from
VLC working properly.

So many combinations.

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

On 12 Feb 2017 16:24:41 GMT, David <wib...@btinternet.com> wrote:


>Read a review of video streaming and everything is wonderful, easy and
>free.
>
>Lots of "You just...".

Yeah, that's the attitude I aim to counter with my "OMG it's so broken"
responses!

It should probably continue with "You just be excruciatingly lucky in
the source videos you have and all will be fiiiiine".

>Anyway, I've just physically copied a test movie to the phone which
>wouldn't play over DLNA and it plays fine in VLC on the phone.
>
>This more or less proves that it is DLNA which is causing the problem.

Ayup.

>I did note that Windows asked me if I wanted to convert the file during
>copying (without saying what to) because it might not play, but not sure
>how Windows would know what format would play on my phone.

With DLNA the client will on connection tell the server what formats it
supports, so as long as Windows knew it was to be acting as a DLNA
server that's actually appropriate. However, the server will then
unaccountably serve up an error even if it has files that are notionally
supported by both ends.

>I was reluctant to pay money for Plex until I had ruled out a few of the
>obvious potential gotchas.
>
>I may cough for one Android licence for test purposes.

See if your TV one works first, my Samsung 6000series SmartTV one seems
entirely competent. And was free. You may need to update the TV's
firmware in order to get the current client, I had temporary trouble
with that a year or two ago.

>Portable real estate so far:
>
>2 * Android phone
>1 * Android tablet (considering buying another cheapie to play with)
>2 * Win 8.1 laptops
>3 * Raspberry Pi (one spoken for as VPN server) one of which could be a
>DLNA server.
>2 * routers which can take DD-WRT or similar (potentially DLNA capable)
>1 * Samsung Smart TV (with Plex client loaded on)
>
>One of the routers already shows up as a media server on the network.

Probably best to untick that box to simplify the estate for the moment.
A clean environment will give least confusing results.

>So I don't want to have a load of client licences until I am sure I need
>the software; I don't know which platform will be my server yet.
>
>If I can have a free DLNA server which works with VLC client then I can
>mix and match.
>
>Might want the Pi as a server in the caravan but W7 as a server in the
>house (if I ever get the HTPC finally configured).
>
>I'm just investigating at the moment.
>
>It might be worth £3.99 for a month pass if this gives me unlimited
>clients for my User ID. I need to have the time to run some proper tests,
>though.

I think the clients still cost if you do that. The *server* side pass is
for other features. I've never bought one.

>Alternatively I just need to get network access to the file server from
>VLC working properly.

Probably won't help the TV.

Cheers - Jaimie

[David]

On Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:11:24 +0000, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote:

> On 12 Feb 2017 16:24:41 GMT, David <wib...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Read a review of video streaming and everything is wonderful, easy and
>>free.
>>
>>Lots of "You just...".
>
> Yeah, that's the attitude I aim to counter with my "OMG it's so broken"
> responses!
>
> It should probably continue with "You just be excruciatingly lucky in
> the source videos you have and all will be fiiiiine".
>
>>Anyway, I've just physically copied a test movie to the phone which
>>wouldn't play over DLNA and it plays fine in VLC on the phone.
>>
>>This more or less proves that it is DLNA which is causing the problem.
>
> Ayup.
>

<snip>

>
>>I was reluctant to pay money for Plex until I had ruled out a few of the
>>obvious potential gotchas.
>>
>>I may cough for one Android licence for test purposes.
>
> See if your TV one works first, my Samsung 6000series SmartTV one seems
> entirely competent. And was free. You may need to update the TV's
> firmware in order to get the current client, I had temporary trouble
> with that a year or two ago.
>

><snip>

Further testing shows that if you poke around blindly in the menus on the
PC and TV the TV suddenly recognises that the PC server is online.

It will then play the videos.

Further testing shows that my use of Handbrake to convert .mkv to .m4v
requires further work.

I am using Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon as my test DVD and VLC on the PC
as my test viewer.

So far I have established that the .mkv rip is fine, with plenty of
subtitles and 5:1 audio in different languages, but after Handbrake I only
have Chinese 2:1 audio and English sub-titles. For some reason Plex on the
TV won't display sub-titles but the Chinese audio comes through fine.

So definite progress being made with Plex client on TV and Plex Server on
W7 but not much else seems to be working properly.

I now need to check if either of my Humax satellite boxes support local
video streaming.

My fairly simple aim was to build up a repository of local media and then
be able to play it on any TV in the house or at a pinch on any Windows PC
(VLC and Windows Networking will do this fine) or use a Raspberry Pi as a
media server if the Humax boxen aren't up to the job.

Fall back to Chromecast or similar USB stick for the more modern TVs.

The mixed hardware estate means that I am unlikely to get "one solution
fits everything" but the technical challenge is interesting.

Smart TV goes with us in the caravan so a small footprint media server
(probably Plex) to go with that (possibly a Pi) sounds a good idea. Or
just something with an HDMI cable.

Hours of innocent fun await.