Network media player that's easy to use
Discussion
Kodi or similar is definitely the way to go here. I use it on my Nvidia Shield and Infuse (because there’s no easy way to install Kodi) on my Apple TV. No need for a server app, just point it at your folders on your NAS and it will catalogue your library, pulling artwork etc. as necessary using a scraper. What you will need is a streaming device of some sort and use that instead of your TV. No need for something as expensive as a Shield or Apple TV, a Firestick 4K will do the business.
Thats the whole point of this discussion, and hence the Sheild being discussed. You CAN stream from a fire stick, and it'll stream BBC, Amazon, Netflix etc fine, but once you start streaming downloaded movies in HDR, H265, DTS Master, etc, you'll run into codec / performance issues. I've tried to make it work, I tried hard. Thats how I ended up with a Shield. Nothing else would do everything and do it well.
This may have changed since the three years ago I bought it mind you.
This may have changed since the three years ago I bought it mind you.
You can put Serviio on the Synology as a nice little media server which works with DLNA devices on your network.
https://pcloadletter.co.uk/2012/01/25/serviio-syno...
https://pcloadletter.co.uk/2012/01/25/serviio-syno...
Edited by eeLee on Wednesday 15th March 13:59
I spent a few hours yesterday afternoon adding files to Plex libraries. Seems to be a bit fiddly, especially for box TV series. Get the naming or folder structure wrong, and things either don't display, or end up in 2 different places. I had to rename quite a few files.
I also can't see how to remove individual files from one library and add them to another. It tells me that the actual file will be deleted?
The Roku 2 Plex client seems to play everything I've tried so far, although playback did freeze a couple of times with some old 4k files. Plex was indexing my music collection at the time though.
Is there any way of getting a log of files/folders that Plex couldn't add to the library, so that I can figure out what went wrong and add them manually?
I'm guessing that Plex on a Shield would look and act the same way as Plex does on the Roku? If so, the only advantage would be less transcoding being done by the Synology?
I also can't see how to remove individual files from one library and add them to another. It tells me that the actual file will be deleted?
The Roku 2 Plex client seems to play everything I've tried so far, although playback did freeze a couple of times with some old 4k files. Plex was indexing my music collection at the time though.
Is there any way of getting a log of files/folders that Plex couldn't add to the library, so that I can figure out what went wrong and add them manually?
I'm guessing that Plex on a Shield would look and act the same way as Plex does on the Roku? If so, the only advantage would be less transcoding being done by the Synology?
clockworks said:
I'm guessing that Plex on a Shield would look and act the same way as Plex does on the Roku? If so, the only advantage would be less transcoding being done by the Synology?
It will look identical. The difference is raw grunt for decoding.Don't know about transcodeing, I don't have my Synology do any - they are just files ot the synology, and I don't set the plex server to do any. Transcoding, to my understanding, is when you let the server change the format to suit the receivign device - i.e. downscale for phones etc.`
I just stream to the Shield so no transcoding needed.
OutInTheShed said:
So many different trade names for
Bit of hardware that stores media
Bit of hardware that plays media from store
Software that controls the above.
It seems like the chances of three people agreeing on the same stuff seem to be very small!
That's becauseBit of hardware that stores media
Bit of hardware that plays media from store
Software that controls the above.
It seems like the chances of three people agreeing on the same stuff seem to be very small!
a) people have different needs and expectations so lots of us won't agree on "what will do". One man "it works fine" is another man's "no it wont for what I'm trying to do".
b) they can vary wildly in what they can actually do - they are not just different "trade names".
Things like Amazon sticks are primarily designed to stream Amazon, and anything else is a bonus. They usually have fairly low powered hardware. When you need to achieve more demanding streaming specialised harware steps in. Thinks like Kodi can do it all, but that totally depends on the hardware they are installed on, plus, Kodi might well not be friendly enough for some people - different folks have different expectations and needs.
We are actually lucky that things like the Nvidea shield exist, because they are in a very niche corner of the market. Look what happened to Harmony programmable remotes.... they've packed it in because demand for proper home cinema systems has plummeted with the advent of sound bars and ARC.
Having used Plex for a few days, both on the NAS and the Roku 2 box plugged into the living room TV, I'm quite happy with the way it works.
Got a second Roku 2 box back from my sister. That'll be going in the workshop.
Slight disappointment that the "powered by Roku" Now TV stick in one of the bedrooms can't run Plex, so ordered a new TV with Roku built-in from Amazon. Not expecting miracles at £190 for a 40" smart HDTV, but should be better than the old 32" Samsung.
Got a second Roku 2 box back from my sister. That'll be going in the workshop.
Slight disappointment that the "powered by Roku" Now TV stick in one of the bedrooms can't run Plex, so ordered a new TV with Roku built-in from Amazon. Not expecting miracles at £190 for a 40" smart HDTV, but should be better than the old 32" Samsung.
The Roku TV from Amazon does a reasonable job of running Plex, but can't handle 4k files - stutters a couple of times, then gives up. Fine with Blu-Ray rips though. I guess it's fitted with a basic "stick-type" Roku chipset, rather than the more capable Roku 2 box chipset.
Perfectly fine for the second bedroom.
I've ordered a Shield TV (tube design, not the Pro) to try on the main TV.
Perfectly fine for the second bedroom.
I've ordered a Shield TV (tube design, not the Pro) to try on the main TV.
sparkyhx said:
might not be the cheapest solution but my Sonos is fine taking music from the Synology NAS.
I have a Play 1, Play 3, 3xPlay5 and a connect playing thru traditional amp and speakers - all work flawlessly
The Echo Show works very well for music from the Synology, connected to an amp and speakers. The only issue is getting Alexa to understand me when I ask for some specific albums by name. It must be struggling to understand my hybrid East End/Home Counties/Cornish accent, lol.I have a Play 1, Play 3, 3xPlay5 and a connect playing thru traditional amp and speakers - all work flawlessly
I'm having playback problems with some blu-ray rips via Plex.
On the Shield TV and Roku 2, I get a couple of seconds of playback, then it stops.
Same videos, using the Synology web interface (quickconnectto) on my iMac, I might get a second of playback, then "This server is not powerful enough to convert video". Most files are OK, just have this problem on files I ripped from my own disks using MKV.
Googling suggests that adjusting "local quality" may help, as it may be set too low. Where do I actually find this setting?
In Plex settings on the Synology, I can find "remote quality", but I think this is for devices outside my local network. I'm using devices connected using ethernet cables to my switch.
On the Shield TV and Roku 2, I get a couple of seconds of playback, then it stops.
Same videos, using the Synology web interface (quickconnectto) on my iMac, I might get a second of playback, then "This server is not powerful enough to convert video". Most files are OK, just have this problem on files I ripped from my own disks using MKV.
Googling suggests that adjusting "local quality" may help, as it may be set too low. Where do I actually find this setting?
In Plex settings on the Synology, I can find "remote quality", but I think this is for devices outside my local network. I'm using devices connected using ethernet cables to my switch.
I've recently switched from Plex to Jellyfin, having got fed up with Plex just refusing to work periodically and the clients and the server apps stopping speaking to each other without the curtesy of an error message.
It's night and day.
First installed it in a docker on my Synology, but that was too slow. Now, it's running on an c. five year old Mac mini and it's rock solid.
So, if you didn't get on with Plex from a reliability point of view, give Jellyfin a go. Client apps available for pretty much everything...
If it was from an interface point of view, then there's no real difference between the two.
It's night and day.
First installed it in a docker on my Synology, but that was too slow. Now, it's running on an c. five year old Mac mini and it's rock solid.
So, if you didn't get on with Plex from a reliability point of view, give Jellyfin a go. Client apps available for pretty much everything...
If it was from an interface point of view, then there's no real difference between the two.
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