Network media player that's easy to use
Discussion
I've just replaced my old HP Microserver with a Synology DS420+ NAS. As well as using it for backups and CCTV, I've got all my media (mp3, .wav and.mkv) on there.
I can play the music and video from the NAS directly on my Samsung smart TV, but it takes about 15 button presses to navigate to the files.
I've also got a Dune HDsmart player, but for some reason I can't set up "favourites" for folders on the NAS, so lots of button pressing. The interface is awful too, just a long list of file names. Audio and video quality is good though, with optical out to my AV amp.
What's out there that sounds good, is easy to navigate ( good graphical interface, shortcut/favourites buttons to go straight to folders), IR remote so that it works with my Harmony, and can handle DLNA or the current version of SMB?
I'd prefer something that works out of the box, rather than having to use Plex, which I've struggled with in the past.
I can play the music and video from the NAS directly on my Samsung smart TV, but it takes about 15 button presses to navigate to the files.
I've also got a Dune HDsmart player, but for some reason I can't set up "favourites" for folders on the NAS, so lots of button pressing. The interface is awful too, just a long list of file names. Audio and video quality is good though, with optical out to my AV amp.
What's out there that sounds good, is easy to navigate ( good graphical interface, shortcut/favourites buttons to go straight to folders), IR remote so that it works with my Harmony, and can handle DLNA or the current version of SMB?
I'd prefer something that works out of the box, rather than having to use Plex, which I've struggled with in the past.
If Plex is easier to use on the DS420 than on a Windows server, I'll give it another go.
That still leaves the actual player hardware though. I think I've got a Roku 2 somewhere - does that play nicely with Plex?
Don't really want to mess around with Raspberry stuff, I'm too old and impatient!
My Samsung TV is about 6 years old, not sure there's much on the app store for it, but I'll have a look.
As it is, the TV does find the Synology, and does play the files. It just takes a lot of jumping around in various menus. Not at all user friendly
That still leaves the actual player hardware though. I think I've got a Roku 2 somewhere - does that play nicely with Plex?
Don't really want to mess around with Raspberry stuff, I'm too old and impatient!
My Samsung TV is about 6 years old, not sure there's much on the app store for it, but I'll have a look.
As it is, the TV does find the Synology, and does play the files. It just takes a lot of jumping around in various menus. Not at all user friendly
somouk said:
You load the app, find the movie or TV show you want to watch and watch it. I'm unsure of anything that will speed this up, it's no more complex than using Netflix or Prime?
Netflix and Prime show as nice big logos as soon as I open the Smart Hub. Maybe 3 button presses.The Synology is currently hiding away in the same place as a USB drive, quite a few button presses, and it's not immediately obvious. Once I've found it, I then have to step down and search for the folder.
For some reason, Netflix, Prime, iPlayer etc. are shown as "recents", but the Synology isn't. I have to search for it each time.
If I can get the Synology app on the TV, it might be a lot easier to navigate, and may "stick" as a "recent"?
somouk said:
You can edit the favourites on the TV to add the Synology app.
OK, I've tried finding the Synology app on the TV - nothing suitable shows up in the "featured" or "apps" section, and there's no option to add more apps, no app store, nothing at all like that. All I get are 4 pages or so of apps for internet TV stuff. No search function.I've tried playing Synology video files on a cheap LG smart TV in my workshop. Plays about 50% of them. The Samsung TV refuses to play some files that work on the LG.
The Dune HD player seems to play most video files, the Roku2 somewhat less.
All the devices seem to be OK with playing mp3.
From what I can make out, video files that I ripped myself from original DVDs and BluRay disks using MKV mostly work, while other stuff is pot luck. Either transcoding problems on the Synology (not imported the files into the Synology Video Station app yet), or DLNA isn't negotiating the device capabilities?
When I had the same files on my Microserver running WHS2011, they all played OK on the Dune.
As for using Plex, the Roku supports it, but the TVs don't have Plex apps. Not sure about the Dune, as it's quite an old model.
Still wondering what hardware media player/streamer is going to work for me? Choice seems limited to Roku or Amazon stick- type devices (no optical output or ethernet connection), or Fire TV cube and Shield (no optical output).
The Dune HD player seems to play most video files, the Roku2 somewhat less.
All the devices seem to be OK with playing mp3.
From what I can make out, video files that I ripped myself from original DVDs and BluRay disks using MKV mostly work, while other stuff is pot luck. Either transcoding problems on the Synology (not imported the files into the Synology Video Station app yet), or DLNA isn't negotiating the device capabilities?
When I had the same files on my Microserver running WHS2011, they all played OK on the Dune.
As for using Plex, the Roku supports it, but the TVs don't have Plex apps. Not sure about the Dune, as it's quite an old model.
Still wondering what hardware media player/streamer is going to work for me? Choice seems limited to Roku or Amazon stick- type devices (no optical output or ethernet connection), or Fire TV cube and Shield (no optical output).
Griffith4ever said:
I'm confused. The last thing you want to use are TV apps - they get outdate fast, and the TV rarely has the grunt to decode the likes of h.265.
Roku - at least to me - is a phisical device - not an app. You load Plex on your Roku device.
I've still only found Shield to be able to play all my movies. It's powerful and can decode all formats.
I was just trying the TV apps to see if they would work. Roku - at least to me - is a phisical device - not an app. You load Plex on your Roku device.
I've still only found Shield to be able to play all my movies. It's powerful and can decode all formats.
I know that Roku is a physical device. I have got a Roku 2, which has the Plex player as standard. It's currently being used in a bedroom to get Netflix on a dumb TV. It also has Roku Media Player app built-in, which is what I was using earlier to play the files.
The Dune HD (hardware device) is a fairly old thing that seems to work with any source using SMB. Worked perfectly with my Microserver hosting the files, a bit iffy now that the Synology is hosting them. I've just updated the firmware, will try again later. Might be a setup issue with the Synology.
I see that there's a simpler and cheaper Shield now. Is that any good?
I caved in and installed Plex on the Synology. Pretty easy to do, as apparently they changed the installation process a few months ago. Linked it to my old Plex account, authorised the Roku box, and started adding folders to the library.
So far, so good. Plex seems to do a much better job of making videos playable on the Roku box. It even managed to properly play a ripped video that defaulted to "audio description" when played on other devices.
The Plex client interface and library format will take a bit of getting used to.
So far, so good. Plex seems to do a much better job of making videos playable on the Roku box. It even managed to properly play a ripped video that defaulted to "audio description" when played on other devices.
The Plex client interface and library format will take a bit of getting used to.
somouk said:
The app is called DS VIdeo, not sure searching for Synology would find it, been some time since i did it:
https://kb.synology.com/en-me/DSM/tutorial/What_sh...
My TV isn't on the list, so must be too old. It was one of the very first Samsung curved screen models- UE55HU8200Thttps://kb.synology.com/en-me/DSM/tutorial/What_sh...
I don't have any form of search function on the TV.
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?
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.
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