watching videos from a samba share?

[garyinspringhill]

I'm thinking of a nexus7 or 10 and wonder if I can stream videos off a samba share on a linux server with android 4.1 or do I need to purchase an app for that? The video formats range from mpg to divix to avi to mkv. I'm very used to a linux env. but have NO experience with android os at all. Are the most basic functions built into android like file/printer sharing via samba?

Thanks

 

[zkSharks]

Printer sharing is a more complicated subject, but file access can be accomplished with certain File Manager applications. ES File Explorer has a "LAN" option which allows Samba shares to be viewed and explored. MX Player streams videos from networked drives and Samba shares very nicely, with options for software and hardware decoding (great for higher-bitrate streaming content).

I use both on a daily basis.

 

[natehoy]

ES File Explorer has a "LAN" option which allows Samba shares to be viewed and explored. MX Player streams videos from networked drives and Samba shares very nicely, with options for software and hardware decoding (great for higher-bitrate streaming content).

I use both on a daily basis.

Second recommendation for ES File Explorer and MX Player, the combination works great on both my wife's Nexus 10 and my Nexus 7. And both are free.

As far as printing, I have a recent HP LaserJet all-in-one, and after doing a firmware upgrade on my printer (which required me to start a Windows VM - so their Linux support is still far from perfect), I was able to load the HP printer app on my Nexus 7 and print right from the phone, no intermediate computer required.

 

[zkSharks]

The other option I should mention for printer support, though it doesn't involve local shares per se, is Google Cloud Print.

 

[garyinspringhill]

Thanks for all the good advice....
I just bought an android tv appliance and have a lot of movies on my server I want to access. I'm so glad to kiss cable tv goodbye along with honey booboo and all the other crap. I've been using a thin client but it's a full ubuntu desktop and want just a andriod dedicated device.

Thanks again for all the good advice!

 

[japhule]

XBMC for android will play videos off smb. I've used it quite often.

 

[PlanetPluto7]

Epson has the app "Iprint" too. I use "Mediahouse" app to mount my Freenas Linux server or any other Samba share. From Mediahouse you choose which player you want for video, pictures or music. E S and other file managers also do this but Mediahouse is blindingly fast. BSplayer plays some of my videos that MX Player won't.

 

[Mondriaan]

Oke hello, i am trying to share a drive with es file explorer with my router, i can access this drive from my laptop and my android phone and tablet recognize it not with es file explorer or any other file sharers, i am sure that i done this before but i can't reproduce it.

 

[Mondriaan]

I made a network connection and its visible in Air Stream but when clicking this drive the app says that there are no files.

 

[Mondriaan]

But this is also not a solution because i want to be able to shut down the computer and use only the router disk.

 

[Mondriaan]

Hurray, X-plor from Lonely Cat Games does the job, i have access to my router hard disk, away with the rubbish apps that are not able to do it. File Expert, ES File explorer and a lot of other apps refuse to give access so away this apps, go for X-plor.