Need help with DLNA please

[shingadaddy]

Hello all. Joined recently and left intro in intro area. GReat forums here.

Love the Inspire so far but my head hurts from hitting a brick road block. Ive tried reading up on this and I see here in these forums where it appears that some of you have had success with DLNA linkups. I have been trying to get this to work for several days now and still hit the same road block. My Inspire never sees the media server ( Windows XP running Windows media player 11.0.5.....)

My setup
Gateway 9310XL 3.2Ghz - 4 gig ram- Win XP sp3.
Belkin N+ wireless router
Cox high speed cable
Panasonic 3D Blu-ray player DMP-BDT350PP (DLNA capable)
Xbox 360 (x2)

I *have* had DLNA success with theses devices
I can have my Win MP11 (containing a DLNA server) on the gateway running and
1. Access videos on the PC from both Xbox devices wirelessly
2. Access videos on the PC from my TV via the BLu-ray player wirelessly.

One thing I have NOT tried yet is getting a video that is stored on One xbox to use the DLNA and PC to play that video through the network to the other Xbox and onto its connected TV. (I'll try that later...)

When I have the WinMP11 open and look at the shared media devices connected to the network under library, I can see all of them. Even the phone shows up but as an UNKNOWN DEVICE. (mac address is the phone. I figured it would show up with a little more advanced identification but whatever.) I have ALLOWED it and I can ping the phone from a command prompt.

What I described earlier is playing video on the device from the PC. I under stand the Inspire can be PLAYER and SOURCE.

As a source (which is what I've been battling)
Problem is when I select the app CONNECTED MEDIA and select a video I have shot, when the phone looks like it is searching for players, it never seems to find the PC.

As a player
Well okay, I might want to strem a video or something to my phone but I figure I have to get it to see my PC first :-\

I had a task killer installed and I see in these forums that this isn't necessarily a good thing so it is uninstalled. I figured I'd try working on this today if I can get some suggestions to try so if anyone has any insight, I sure would appreciate any help you could offer.
Thanks and appreciate your efforts.
Shinga

ps - somehow I just KNOW I've missed something simple / embarassing.. I have a big DOH! ready to let loose when some one points it out..:-}

 

[shingadaddy]

UPDATE 1:
Okay a little progress but not the big kahuna result I am looking for. First off,
I have FINALLY got the phone to see the computer. The reason it wasn't before is
that I have always been trying to play a video that I shot with - and have on - my phone,
to another attached device on my network, like a TV ( or Xbox / TV combo). And following the HTC
instructions from the user manual I always only see "MY PHONE" as the only available
option in the "SELECT PLAYER" window that pops up. The way that I quite accidentally
found that the phone can see my PC was, from the HOME screen I selected the ALL APPS
touch button just above the home button, selected the app "Connected Media". Then
selected "PHOTOS" (instead of video). Upon doing this I see a new ICON to me that looks to be a phone
setting sideways in a bowl.(??) Its the far right Icon along the bottom. Selecting
that Icon gets me the next screen and low and behold--- There is my computer listed!!
So I suppose that ICON is something to do with network serving.

Okay A little happiness occurs so I go ahead and select the computer on this screen
by touching it and that takes me to folders that are shared *on the computer*.
Okay so yes I can now see, select, view any of the PHOTO items stored on my computer and
view them *on the phone*. (Quite the opposite of what I'm after but some progress I guess...)

Now I says to myself " why the heck isn't that *PHONE-IN-A-BOWL* ICON along the bottom of
the screen when I select *Videos* instead of *Photo* on the Connected Media screen"?

Lets try that again. Home-all apps-connected media-Videos. Yep that little icon is NOT there.
But to the far left are 3 parallel horizontal lines. I select that and bingo the *PHONE-IN-A-BOWL*
ICON appears. That threee line icon must be a PAGE icon. Someday I'll look in the manual :-|

So I select my computer and again I see VIDEOS that are stored on my computer and can view them
on my phone. Yep opposite what I'm after again....More as I stumble across it.

 

[shingadaddy]

So noboby on here has anything??
Still no success getting a phone stored video to stream to a network attached devicee and still no other option other than MY PHONE after selecting SELECT PLAYER

 

[shingadaddy]

I sent them this --

Inspire will not find DLNA capable PLAYERS on my home network.

GAteway 9310 3.2GhZ Hyperthread - 4gig RAM
Win Xp sp3
Win media player 11 ( with DLNA server)
Belkin N+ wireless router
Panasonic DMP-DBT350pp bluray player (DLNA)
Xbox 360 (x2)

I can stream data (video/pics) to Inspire from PC but my phone
never sees the server or players on the network when following
the HTC instructions on how to stream from phone to players on
the network. The only player shown with GALLERY or CONNECTED MEDIA
is "My Phone". My PC will stream to ANY of these players just fine.

I installed Tversity yesterday to do some transcoding to make sure it wasn't
file incompatibilities. No luck

I've been battling this for days now....
Please help.
Thanks ----


A reply from HTC - and my reply back

Dear -----,

I understand that your HTC Inspire will not find other DLNA capable
devices in your home other than your computer. Randall, other that a
DLNA compatable TV, in order for your Inspire to connect to other DLNA
devices it needs an adapter that you can purchase from HTC Online Store (US) - Free Cell Phones & Cell Phone Service.

I do apologize ----, for any inconvenience that this may cause you.
To send a reply to this message or let me know I have successfully answered
your question log in to our ContactUs site using your email address and your
ticket number --------.

Sincerely,

----

HTC



My reply TO HTC --

1. That "DIFFICULT TO FIND" adapter is used to allow devices TV's with NO DLNA support built in, to work with the DLNA streamed from phones. IE: The TV is not DLNA compatible. I have an Xbox and BLu ray players that are DLNA compatible and the phone should stream to them and they play the content on the TV.

2. As stated I have a DLNA server on the network (Windows Media Player 11)
and my media is SHARED.

3. The HTC documentation does not say you must have an adapter. It says you can do it from the phone.

From HTC website:

What is Connected Media and how can I use it? close
Connected Media is an application that when connected to a
DLNA capable device or adaptor, allows you to output Music,
Photos, and Videos on your device to an external player
example, TV). To use Connected Media: Enable the DLNA on the
receiving device. Enable Wi-Fi on your device. Connect to the
listing for your DLNA device. On the device, go to
Home>All Apps>Connected Media and select the content to be
output to the external device.

4. The documentation also does not address the function found at
home|Menu|settings|Wirelees & Networks|Wi-Fi Settings|
Then touching MENU and ADVANCED. Scroll to the bottom and find
"DLNA auto IP"
with the descriptive text:
"Check to use DLNA when no DHCP server is available" is found.
Since no documentation appears to cover this, it infers that
the phone can even act as "SERVER" if need be.

Please feel free to forward this information to the HTC HOT LINE
CALL IN type phone support, in Escalations with issue --------.

I would appreciate any feedback and notification that this has been received

please.

Thanks for your time

------------------------------------

I know I can't be the only one out here trying this so I'll try to forward any findings I can, to help out

 

[shingadaddy]

HTC:

Thank you for your reply -----

After further research, I have found in the Inspire's User Manual:

Page 159 Sharing media on your home network

Sharing photos, videos, and music with a bigger circle of friends is easy on your home network. Simply connect your phone to the network and instantly show your captured photos and videos on a "big TV, or start streaming your favorite music tracks on hi-fi speakers" — all via DLNA. For more information about DLNA, visit "www.dlna.org".

I have gone to the website referred to in the last sentence and it is not showing the XBox as being a compatible device and for the Panasonic Blu ray player it is compatible but you need to view the information on a TV or listen through speakers.

We at HTC only support video and photos to a DLNA compatible TV and audio to DLNA compatible HiFi Speakers, as per the Users Manual.

I have spoken to the Escalations Department, referencing your ticket -----. They are currently working on your ticket and will contact you further about this issue.

I do apologize -----l, for any inconvenience that this may cause you.

ME:

That is exactly what I am trying to do. View this on my TV that is hooked to the DLNA CERTIFIED BLU RAY PLAYER that is DLNA compatible. And your website states that the phone should stream "when connected to a DLNA capable device or adaptor". The blu ray player (being the DLNA CERTIFIED "DEVICE or ADAPTOR" ) will play it on the TV. The core problem here is

*THE PHONE NEVER SEES THE MEDIA SERVER RUNNING ON THE PC, ANY PLAYERS, or ANY DEVICES* when the phone supplied application "CONNECTED MEDIA" is launched and tries to find PLAYERS. This all goes through the network and the DLNA players are already recognizd, allowed and functioning by Window Media Player 11 on the PC.

Regarding the Xbox, I can already send, via the network, UPnP (dlna) media content and play it on the Xbox from that very same PC. So that works and wheteher or not the Xbox is listed on the DLNA site is another complicated issue. They're working on it...And that may be working by other means than DLNA but that is a behind the scenes scenario that I'm looking into. Regardless - It should work on the Blu Ray Player.

I will be home tonight, waiting on the call. Thank you

----------

So far, very good support. Just a little hiccup or two which is to be expected.

 

[shingadaddy]

I'm thinking this one has HTC scratching their heads pretty good....I and probably a herd of others will be glad when this DLNA thing finally matures.

I should hear from them again tonight if anyone is interested.

Otherwise, I'm liking the Phone very well, the support is up to par, and the ANDROID environment is looking more appealing as I get into it.!

 

[mcrichmond]

I am having this same issue with my Thunderbolt and XBOX 360. The only player shown using the Connected Media app is "MY PHONE."

I downloaded the free Twonky Moble app and it was also not able to find my XBOX 360. Interestingly, however, my XBOX 360 was able to recognize that Twonky was available and I was finally able to get Music and Photos from my Thunderbolt to the TV through the XBOX 360. It seems like the native "Connected Media" app should be able to do this without the need for a third-party app.

 

[shingadaddy]

Thanks mcrichmond

Yes.. My point exactly. I have purposely NOT went out and nabbed a third party app yet to do this because the phone claims to be able to do it on its own. I don't want to install something that may be conflicting ( or could be accused of conflicting) with DLNA operation of the phone.

And I'm going to stick to the point of using the DLNA certified Blu-Ray player instead of the Xbox 360 since Xbox 360 isn't officially DLNA yet. But yes, most folks know it does RECEIVE/PLAY the streaming data from UPnP DLNA servers just fine. Although file type compatibility is still a little hangup. Nothing a little transcoding won't solve!


And I still haven't heard a word about that little phone tidbit regarding "Check to use DLNA when no DHCP server is available"

More to come - I guess.

 

[mandar_h]

Same DLNA Problem with my Inspire 4G

Thanks Shingadaddy for following up on this with HTC.

I'm having the exact same problem with my HTC Inspire 4G like you are facing. I found following link about setting up DLNA:

Sharing media via DLNA from the HTC Desire Z and Desire HD to Windows Media Player | Brightpoint GB Blog

I tried to follow the steps in above link. But my Media Player (v 11.0.6002.18311) does not show the "Allow Remote Control of my Player..." menu to check.

Keep posted about any updated from HTC on this.

Thanks.

 

[shingadaddy]

Well a couple of items.
1. I missed the HTC phone call Sunday evening....

2. I finally went ahead and downloaded Twonky

The Xbox AND the Blue Ray player both see the Twonky server running on the phone. And I can view photos. Videos report CANNOT PLAY so far so I imagine there is a file compatibility issue there but will experiment with it more tonight hopefully.

I'll call HTC tonight also but I don't expect to talk to my contact until Friday.

 

[shingadaddy]

Okay. Well, still admirable support from HTC but essentially no gain. My contact is out for a couple of days and I can contact him Friday. This is looking as though it is going the route of Escalation support forwarding this to corporate with an incompatibility issue. I suppose that is understandable since this is involving multiple format standards and global manufacturing, and trying to get it all to play nice together.

Most of what I have trouble wrapping my head around in this DLNA arena is "
"WHO is *SERVING* WHO". And " WHO is CONTROLLING/BROWSING WHO".

I think that?s a standard problem built in here.

I too have loaded up Twonky on the phone and my Xbox 360 and bluray player both SEE my phone as a *server*. And I can view photos stored on my phone on the TV via Xbox or BRP. No videos yet but that is something I am going to experiment with, using lower resolution settings on the phone recording. Not had a chance to do this yet. I'm sure it is file compatibility on this front. Not happy until I see a 720P video shot on the phone, on my TC-P58VT25.


I also note that if I have my PC on and WMP11 NOT even running, if I fire up the phone and Twonky, I get the typical notification in the lower right screen area of the PC, of a *new device* on my network. Double clicking this gets me to a Twonky control screen and I can browse content on the phone. Launch a VIDEO and Quick time tries to fire up.

LERTCH.... IE locks up tight... :-\ .

Technology. Ain't it a hoot.

One thing that WOULD be nice to know is:
HTC went to the trouble of writing all those detailed instructions for GALLERY and CONNECTED MEDIA. Just what was it they were testing with that must have worked as expected????

More STILL to come.

 

[wolverine423]

EDIT: At a loss. everything works fine for me.

 

[shingadaddy]

Hi wolverine423 . Would you mind stepping us through exactly what you do, in detail, and tell us the equipment you are using? Thanks

 

[wolverine423]

Play videos on Xbox 360 (video is stored on phone):

My xbox > windows media center. (it will then require a pc running media center to be on the network and it will connect to the pc).

At this point you should be looking at Windows Media Center on your xbox.

Now on your phone open Connected Media > Video (or other choice) > select the video > Wait for it to find your 360 (this is usually instant, but when I was doing this just now I had to back out of connected media and try again. On the second try it automatically stared to play back on my 360 as it was the only dlna device found.)


Play videos on PC (WMP11):

Open windows media player > click stream drop-down box and make sure "Allow remote control of my player" is selected.

After that (WMP11 still open) > Open Connected Media on your phone > select media > Select your computer.



Side note - before I was able to play my media on my computer (streaming from the phone), I had to enable Network Discovery in the sharing settings. I don't remember off the top of my head whether or not XP had such an option.

Hope this helps.

 

[shingadaddy]

Thanks wolverine423. Main differences here appears to be Windows Media "CENTER" and I'm guessing you're probably NOT running Windows XP.

I have tried all the connection wizardry I can manage while using XP and Windows Media "PLAYER" which contains a DLNA server. And don't seem to be getting anywhere. Windows Media Center may be the compatibility point the phone was aiming at since it is obviously newer. I have to look again but I don't think Media "CENTER" is available for XP. Can't remember.

You've provide us some good info here and maybe we can take this and see what else we can come up with. Its been a while since I tinkered with the operating system on my PC. Not sure if it will operate with a newer OS and Media "Center".

Thanks again!

 

[wolverine423]

Running Windows 7.

Windows Media Center is only required for the Xbox portion to work as far as i know.

Still don't know why you aren't able to use WMP to play video from your phone, especially if your phone can see your pc.


I found this link dealing with network discovery and windows XP. Wouldn't hurt to double check.

Windows XP Network Troubleshooting

 

[wolverine423]

I was able to play files off my phone directly through windows media player using Twonky Mobile Android Market - Twonky

Stream options drop-down:

Look for something similar to this:

After enabling this setting, my phone showed up as TwonkyServer Mobile. From there I was able to look at photos, stream music and video from my phone


Also: The settings in twonky require you to specify a library (in this case my phone) and a player (your PC).

 

[shingadaddy]

Thanks again wolverine423. Yes Twonky seems to work. And getting to the Xbox and blu ray player has been accomplished somewhat by using it. In this case Twonky makes the phone the Server. File compatibility seem to still be an issue. I am trying to stick to getting get to my DLNA certified Blu ray player due to the certification. Xbox will get there eventually but I think they're waiting on this DLNA Upnp stuff to mature a little more before committing to it.
There is a ton of stuff to study up on from my standpoint. I have XP sp3 and I see there is an XP Media Center Edition that matured in 2005. If I was running this, I probably would have this cracked by now. I'm sure it is some compatibility issue with regard to the phone and plain old XP sp3. Window 7 seems smooth and seamless as you have described.

Much of the buzz regarding DLNA these days seems to be around the ON-THE-FLY file converstion (transcoding) that newer devices provide, so media stored in one format can be played on a bunch of different devices that use OTHER standards for playback.

Giving some reinforcement to my confusion over WHO is SERVING WHO--- You mentioned that you have a PC running windows 7 and Media Center on your network. And I have heard others state that you have to have such a server on ther network before some of his DLNA stuff will work. Now in the case of NO TWONKY installed and PHONE to TV ( actually Xbox and THEN TV). Is the phone SERVING? Or is it just available CONTENT that the PC server can see and access and the server PC "serves" it up to other attached players? --- I get this wrapped around my axel.

Then again theres that hidden gem of a function on our phones..
*Check to use DLNA when no DHCP server is available*

Look in the ADDRESSING area here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Plug_and_Play


I still think that by enabling this, the phone would/should act as SERVER natively, and be able to be accessed/seen by the DLNA certified Blu-Ray player. But there seems to be little info on this phone feature that I have found.

I'm still digging and appreciate any and all feedback. Yes I could go to Windows 7. My PC is capable. but... That wouldn't be any fun.... Would it??

 

[shingadaddy]

I haven't given up. Just a little swamped....Be patient with me and I'll try to help out in some fashion. Or by all means, jump in here with both feet and dig around to see what you find. I find DLNA is like hearding CATS.. :-\

 

[shingadaddy]

Windows 7 Transcode with DLNA Device - Microsoft Answers

Appears that if your player is incapable of playing the file format being streamed to it, the player may not show up on the streaming devices Available Players screen. There is a lot of handshake that goes on between DLNA devices. If the two devices (server and client) don't have compatibility agreement in their initial handshake (discovery) the player might not show up on the server. Window7 and mediaplayer 12 offer on the fly transcoding . It gets in the middle of the streaming and recognizes player and server and does its best to convert the stream (transcode) so the player can play the stream. It's not perfect!

It appears the inspire stores/streams video in 3gp file formats.

Comments/corections? Is this helpful?