Topic: UPnP AV Media Streaming Software ...

[avery]

I'm thinking of options for my home/family network,   to allow us to use the music and photos stored on our SME (in the loft), around the house.  

I already have Cat5 100Mb network in place and hence I could set up dedicated quiet PCs (WMCE type functionallity) next to each TV.  But this seems an overkill.  Hence I'm interested in the idea of UPnP AV compatible devices.

Does anyone have any experinces of setting up any UPnP AV Media Streaming Software on SME (6.01u3)??

I see a couple of posts here concerning security issues, and problems with www.twonkyvision.de/UPnP/ on SME.  But no real details.

Anyone care to share what they have found ...

Cheers,  Andy

[EnglishRob]

I don't use uPnP on my network but I do use my SME box for storing all my media.

What I have done is create an iBay for each media type (pictures, music, videos).  Works well with my Windows based PCs and also my XBOX which is running XBOX Media Center.

Now if I could work out how to setup tFTP on my SME box I'd put together a small cheap PC with network booting into something like Fedora which I could use in my upstairs room to play media on.

Rob

[avery]

The replies appreciated EnglishBob.  Like you I also have an ibay for each media type... and yep - it works really well for the PCs on the network.

My chalenge is geting this stuff into the front room, and into the TV and surroundsound   .    The sexy ideq I built didn't pass the WAF (wife acceptance factor   ) - it was too noisy to be on all the time...  (apparently).

I must admin I hadn't thought of a hacked xbox     How noisy is this solution?? and whats the media interface like ???

What do others think, Xbox?  Quiet PC?? or UPnP device????  Anyone else using UPnP/SME and some form of "reciever" device???

Look forward to any WAF  strategies (preferably proven   )

Cheers,  Andy

[EnglishRob]

Andy,

My XBOX is fairly quiet, I bought second hand and pre-modded with an Xecuter 2.2 Lite mod chip.  It works pretty well, I have upgraded the hard disk to an 80GB drive, the dashboard replacement (like a menu program) I use is called Evox.

The actual program I use for playing my media is XBOX Media Center (version 1 I think) which can be found at .
http://www.xboxmediacenter.de/.

It is possible to get the XBOX Media Center to start up when you turn your XBOX on, it has different skins and can play all sorts of media including MP3 and WMA audio (not sure about OGG, I think it plays), Windows Media Video, Divx & XVID Video, MPEG 1 & 2 Video, Realplayer video.

Once useful feature I use on it is to play shoutcast audio streams over the internet, it will also play any music stored on the XBOX Soundtracks which can also be used in some games.

In general its pretty quiet, didn't cost too much (paid £150 for mine pre-chipped).  You can buy XBOXes new pre-modified from some places online, I think one of the best is from a guy called Bald Bouncer (do a search on Google for it).  One other thing I like about using my XBOX like this is the fact I can play DIVX streams with Dolby Digital audio and it sends it out in all its digital quality using the optical out on my scart cable straight to my DVD player which happens to have optical in

If you did go down the XBOX route, I would also suggest getting an XBOX remote control, they work well with XBox Media Center.

Other than that, have you considered a MiniITX motherboard, suitable case, hard drive etc? (although this is a little more expensive than the XBOX).

If you need any more advice, let me know.

Rob

[avery]

Many thanks for the info on the xbox - much appreciated.  I'm looking that option now.

I started with two options - I now have three for the slot next to the TV ...

1/ - Quiet PC, Shuttle Zen or Via m6000

2/ Modded Xbox

3/ uPnP on SME and a set top device...

Last call - anyone used uPnP on SME??

I'm thinking of going the route I know and trying the quiet PC again.  The Via route is promising, and I'm had great success with my SME which is a M10000.  However this doesn't really have the horsepower for PVR duties....  Hence Shuttle it is.

(Unless anyone knows about uPnP)

Cheers,  Andy
A

[laurie_lewis]

Hi Andy,

Have been down the track that you are going.  I tried a shuttle xpc and was too noisy (I know the zen is quieter) I then bought a mini - itx board to run and found it was also noisy. Admittedly I did not buy the 600 which has no fan but I believe it was the fans in the cupid case that I purchased that were the problem.  Anyway that kind of put me off the idea of a pc in the lounge room.  Wife also not that happy  

I then purchased a D-Link DSM-320 as well as the full version of TwonkyVision Media Server and am running it on SME 6.

I can now play my music and watch my videos in the room where I have the DSM-320 - no noise meets wife factor.  That is the upside - Downside.

There are some firmware issues with the DSM_320 and it cuts in and out at times - I am waiting for the upgraded firmware before I say that the problems are worse than the solution, but having said that the noise factor is great.  I believe that it will improve as a product in the future.  There are other PnP players out there.  Can't remember the name of the forum dealing with media players but a link is available from the TwonkyVision site.  Go and have a read.

Any other questions give me a yell.

Laurie

[avery]

Many thanks for the reply Laurie - just the stuff I was looking for!  Very interesting.

So Twonky and D-Link DSM-320 is possible on SME.  I'll look into the forums and the D-Link DSM-320.  Out of interest how bad are the drop-out problems ... every hour, day, week, month??  Do you have to restart track/film, reset device/server ... etc to recover??  Any info would be appreciated!

BTW I know  what you mean about noisy Via PCs. My m10000 in a Sereniti S2000 was noiser than the Ideq.  But at least that's running SME in the loft, were no one but the bats are worried about it  

Anyone else gone the uPnP route?

Cheers,   Andy

[laurie_lewis]

Hi Andy,

The drop out problems are mainly when I am playing DVD's ripped to hard drive using DVD Shrink.  These files are in 1 gig VOBs generally and it stops after each file and I have to restart.  I am running firmware 1.03ww on the DLink - revision 1.04ww was supposed to have fixed this but it was not released in Australia.  1.05ww has just been released and have to figure out why my DLink is not automatically updating, but will report back after it has to let you know if problem solved.

The d-Link can sometimes lock up and you have to reset the power on it (unplug and replug).  I don't have any problems generally with my music (10,000 songs) but it did lock on me yesterday when streaming internet radio.

Overall the concept is great.  Needs a bit of refining.  Things like fast forward etc does not work for DVD VOB files.  I have not put anything else on apart from these.  I have about 50 DVD's on the system so far.  Kids also watch them in their room using Power DVD on their computers.

I noticed that you mentioned PVR I was hoping that I could put this on my server as well but after some initial advice that you can't I have not followed this any further.  Thinking of just recording on my computer and putting the files onto the server to watch on the D-Link at my convenience.  

I still have my mini-itx system (wifes computer) but did not consider if for use as my SME server as the case only had speace for 1 HDD.  With the music and DVD's growing I am now up to 350 gigs of data and growing rapidly.  My other concern was network throughput and its ability to handle lots of calls at once.  From what others are saying in this forum that does not appear to be a problem.

Will get back to you when upgraded firmware unless other questions begging.

Laurie

[avery]

Many thanks  for all the info Laurie ... my second attempt at a reply today.

I think I'll have a go at Twonky on SME.  But as a backup will also get a WMCE05 box running.

It a good job ebuyer deliver in plain boxes so I can smuggle them past the wife  

Cheers,  Andy

[mbachmann]

Now if I could work out how to setup tFTP on my SME box ...

Try this: http://no.longer.valid/mylinks/singlelink.php?cid=55&lid=445

[avery]

Thanks for the info mbachmann...

Guess I now have a fourth option (or maybe a sub option of one of the others) ... the diskless network boot PC ...

Decisions, decisions  

Andy

[Brave Dave]

twonkyvision works a treat with my netgear mp101

I have a wireless router, mp101, which goes to a yamaha amp and out through bose speakers

I haven't successfully got past using it as a cd stacker - and use only the musicserver - wasn't really interested in much more, but i note they have a mediaserver

[avery]

Hi David,

Graet to hear of your success with the Twonky/Netgear mp101 combination...

Sounds very promising... anyone else got experience with these??

Cheers,  Andy

[askelon]

I use twonkyvision with my netgear mp101 and it works perfect.  I have had twonkyvision working on both SME & WinXP SP2 - I currently use my XP machine as I have more HDD space on there and cant be bothered upgrading my SME server  ..  It seems to rarely glitch, uses far less memory than the default software that comes with the mp101's and in general runs a hell of a lot better - I run twonkey on a collection of approximately 80GB of mp3's with no problems at all.. If I was doing it all again I would have possibly looked at the more expensive model (mp115) with video & photo support..

[avery]

Hi askelon, thank you for the reply.  Great to hear of your good experinces ... I'm looking into the mp115 right now..

Cheers Andy