DNLA to Samsung LE40C750 3DTV

[rtho782]

Hi all,

I can successfully use DNLA on my Synology NAS to stream any content - including 1080p .mkvs in x264 etc - without transcoding to my Samsung TV, LE40C750.

I'm looking at replacing the Synology box with a full Windows box however, and need something to do DNLA for me.

Mezzmo it seems will not stream the same mkvs without transcoding, with transcoding I get an obvious loss of quality, and I still sometimes get "format not supported" when the same videos stream fine from the NAS! On the ones it will work on, I only get a couple of seconds of video....

Am I doing something completely stupid? I'm only using the trial, figured I'd make sure it works before spending money, but it seems a proper PC cannot do the job of a little NAS with an 800mhz RISC cpu and 64mb ram!!!

[Paul]

Hi,

Can you please check that the Samsung LA profile is selected for your TV in Mezzmo (using the Media Devices dialog)? Also, we have updated the device profile for Samsung and it'll be available as part of the upcoming update, but if you send a message to support I can give you a pre-release version to try.

[rtho782]

Yes, that is the profile selected....

Like I say, it shouldn't even need to transcode the files - the synology certainly isn't - yet I'm just getting format not supported...

I really don't want to transcode them as it is just going to cost me quality!

[Paul]

Can you please post (or send to support) FFmpeg information about one of those files? That'll let me see what codecs they contain and why they're being transcoded.

To get that information please see this thread: http://forum.conceiva.com/showthread...n-about-a-file

Thanks.

[antlane]

I've just installed this software to try it out with my Samsung UE46C7000 3DTV which I assume has very similar playback to LE40C750 which this thread is about. The Samsung DLNA software actually works surprisingly well playing almost everything I've thrown at it. But it has two really annoying flaws which means I'm looking for an alternative. It requires a manual refresh every time a file is added which is incredibly annoying! Also it creates an additional hidden file for each video file in the same directory which makes things quite messy.

I've tried loads of different pieces of software as an alternative and it looks like Mezzmo is by far and away the best solution.

When doing some initial testing with Mezzmo, I found some files that I wasn't able to play. However, I've edited my SamsungLA.prf file and managed to get them going.

The first type that wouldn't work were MKV files encoded with a DTS soundtrack. To get this to play, I needed to add the following to the appropriate section:

<audio>
	<format id="dca" encode="0" codec="dca">
	</format>
</audio>

The second type were some of my DIVXs (or perhaps they're XVIDs) so I added this:

<video>
	<format id="msmpeg4" encode="0" codec="mpeg4">
	</format>
</video>

I am having some problems though:
1. For some reason, sometimes files just stop playing and my TV moves onto the next one. Starting the file again seems to let it play through although I really don't know for sure as I have just been doing lots of fiddling (skipping back and forth etc.) without actually watching videos all the way.

2. Not so much a problem but a feature request. When using the Samsung DLNA software or a USB drive, when starting a video I had previously watched, the TV gives me an option to restart where I left off. Could this be added to Mezzmo? I'm happy to help track down how this works if you need me to test anything.

3. I have found a few files I can't get to play (which do play using the Samsung software). I'm sure they just need some additions to the SamsungLA.prf but I couldn't work out how. Not the end of the world if these aren't possible to play as I doubt there are many files out there in this format but I'd have thought it's worth covering all bases!

The first is a .TS file:

Stream #0.0[0x30]: Video: h264, yuv420p, 1920x1080 [PAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 50 fps, 50 tbr, 90k tbn, 50 tbc
Stream #0.1[0x41](eng): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 384 kb/s

The second is a .WMV:

Stream #0.0(eng): Audio: wmav2, 44100 Hz, 2 channels, s16, 64 kb/s
Stream #0.1(eng): Video: vc1, yuv420p, 1920x1080, 6020 kb/s, 29.97 tbr, 1k tbn, 1k tbc

Thanks for your help,

Ant.

[Paul]

I've tried loads of different pieces of software as an alternative and it looks like Mezzmo is by far and away the best solution.

When doing some initial testing with Mezzmo, I found some files that I wasn't able to play. However, I've edited my SamsungLA.prf file and managed to get them going.

The first type that wouldn't work were MKV files encoded with a DTS soundtrack. To get this to play, I needed to add the following to the appropriate section:

<audio>
	<format id="dca" encode="0" codec="dca">
	</format>
</audio>

The second type were some of my DIVXs (or perhaps they're XVIDs) so I added this:

<video>
	<format id="msmpeg4" encode="0" codec="mpeg4">
	</format>
</video>

Thank you for the great feedback and for sharing your device profile additions.

We have an updated device profile for the Samsung here (ready to go for 2.1.7) which I can send you. It doesn't have the "msmpeg4" though, which I'm going to add now (it did have the "dca").

I am having some problems though:
1. For some reason, sometimes files just stop playing and my TV moves onto the next one. Starting the file again seems to let it play through although I really don't know for sure as I have just been doing lots of fiddling (skipping back and forth etc.) without actually watching videos all the way.

These files are possibly being transcoded and perhaps transcoding speed is too slow for smooth playback. If you can generate a log of playing one of those files and send it to support, I could look at it and tell for sure.

2. Not so much a problem but a feature request. When using the Samsung DLNA software or a USB drive, when starting a video I had previously watched, the TV gives me an option to restart where I left off. Could this be added to Mezzmo? I'm happy to help track down how this works if you need me to test anything.

This is actually the TV itself storing that information. Mezzmo can only serve what the device requests, so if the TV could remember where it left off, it would ask the server and we'd deliver. I guess the TV doesn't store that information for DLNA files.

3. I have found a few files I can't get to play (which do play using the Samsung software). I'm sure they just need some additions to the SamsungLA.prf but I couldn't work out how. Not the end of the world if these aren't possible to play as I doubt there are many files out there in this format but I'd have thought it's worth covering all bases!

The first is a .TS file:

Stream #0.0[0x30]: Video: h264, yuv420p, 1920x1080 [PAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 50 fps, 50 tbr, 90k tbn, 50 tbc
Stream #0.1[0x41](eng): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 384 kb/s

The second is a .WMV:

Stream #0.0(eng): Audio: wmav2, 44100 Hz, 2 channels, s16, 64 kb/s
Stream #0.1(eng): Video: vc1, yuv420p, 1920x1080, 6020 kb/s, 29.97 tbr, 1k tbn, 1k tbc

Can you please also post the containers (from FFmpeg) that these streams are in?

Dennis

P.S. I'm also attaching an updated device profile for the Samsung (C-series) here so you could take a look and compare it with yours.

[antlane]

Wow, thanks for such a quick reply. I was about to go to bed when your reply came in so now I've stayed up and I'm going to be like a zombie tomorrow at work!

Thank you for the great feedback and for sharing your device profile additions.

We have an updated device profile for the Samsung here (ready to go for 2.1.7) which I can send you. It doesn't have the "msmpeg4" though, which I'm going to add now (it did have the "dca").

P.S. I'm also attaching an updated device profile for the Samsung (C-series) here so you could take a look and compare it with yours.

You actually put the msmpeg4 in the wrong section. It should go in the AVI section and not the MKV section (although I doubt it does much harm there too)

These files are possibly being transcoded and perhaps transcoding speed is too slow for smooth playback. If you can generate a log of playing one of those files and send it to support, I could look at it and tell for sure.

I've turned off transcoding in the device setting so I don't think it should be that. I've now turned on logging so if it happens again, hopefully there will be some information as to why.

This is actually the TV itself storing that information. Mezzmo can only serve what the device requests, so if the TV could remember where it left off, it would ask the server and we'd deliver. I guess the TV doesn't store that information for DLNA files.

The resume function actually works with the Samsung DLNA software. So I assume the TV is making a request to which Mezzmo doesn't know how to respond. I've attached my log to see if it gives a clue. I'm afraid I don't know what I'm looking for so I can't help here. To give you an idea of what to look for, I started a video, skipped through some of it, stopped it and then started it again. I had to remove the lines at the start showing it loading up profiles to get the filesize down to one that these forums accepts.

Can you please also post the containers (from FFmpeg) that these streams are in?

Here's the full FFMPEG output for the .TS

FFmpeg version SVN-r22882, Copyright (c) 2000-2010 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Apr 15 2010 14:21:21 with gcc 4.4.0
  configuration: --enable-static --disable-shared --enable-memalign-hack --enabl
e-libmp3lame --extra-cflags=-I/c/msys/local/include --extra-ldflags=-L/c/msys/lo
cal/lib --enable-zlib --enable-w32threads --extra-cflags=-fno-common --enable-gp
l --enable-libx264 --enable-runtime-cpudetect
  libavutil     50.14. 0 / 50.14. 0
  libavcodec    52.66. 0 / 52.66. 0
  libavformat   52.61. 0 / 52.61. 0
  libavdevice   52. 2. 0 / 52. 2. 0
  libswscale     0.10. 0 /  0.10. 0
[h264 @ 01f180b0]number of reference frames exceeds max (probably corrupt input)
, discarding one
    Last message repeated 219 times
[h264 @ 01f180b0]mmco: unref short failure
[mpegts @ 003ab960]MAX_READ_SIZE:5000000 reached
[NULL @ 003ae090]start time is not set in av_estimate_timings_from_pts
Input #0, mpegts, from 'd:\videos\3D\3d-EPL-Manchester-United-vs-Wigan-Athletic-
Sky-3D.ts':
  Duration: 00:02:58.46, start: 6974.279267, bitrate: 15721 kb/s
  Program 137
    Stream #0.0[0x30]: Video: h264, yuv420p, 1920x1080 [PAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 50 fp
s, 50 tbr, 90k tbn, 50 tbc
    Stream #0.1[0x41](eng): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 384 kb/s
    Stream #0.2[0x68](eng): Subtitle: 0x0006
At least one output file must be specified

And the .WMV

FFmpeg version SVN-r22882, Copyright (c) 2000-2010 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Apr 15 2010 14:21:21 with gcc 4.4.0
  configuration: --enable-static --disable-shared --enable-memalign-hack --enabl
e-libmp3lame --extra-cflags=-I/c/msys/local/include --extra-ldflags=-L/c/msys/lo
cal/lib --enable-zlib --enable-w32threads --extra-cflags=-fno-common --enable-gp
l --enable-libx264 --enable-runtime-cpudetect
  libavutil     50.14. 0 / 50.14. 0
  libavcodec    52.66. 0 / 52.66. 0
  libavformat   52.61. 0 / 52.61. 0
  libavdevice   52. 2. 0 / 52. 2. 0
  libswscale     0.10. 0 /  0.10. 0
[asf @ 0111b8f0]MAX_READ_SIZE:5000000 reached

Seems stream 1 codec frame rate differs from container frame rate: 1000.00 (1000
/1) -> 29.97 (30000/1001)
Input #0, asf, from 'd:\videos\3D\3D Demo Reel 05 - SBS.wmv':
  Metadata:
    WM/ToolName     : Flip4Mac WMV Export Component for QuickTime (Mac)
    WM/ToolVersion  : 2301
    title           :
    author          :
    copyright       :
    comment         :
  Duration: 00:02:41.75, start: 5.000000, bitrate: 6098 kb/s
    Stream #0.0(eng): Audio: wmav2, 44100 Hz, 2 channels, s16, 64 kb/s
    Stream #0.1(eng): Video: vc1, yuv420p, 1920x1080, 6020 kb/s, 29.97 tbr, 1k t
bn, 1k tbc
At least one output file must be specified

Cheers,

Ant.

[Paul]

Wow, thanks for such a quick reply. I was about to go to bed when your reply came in so now I've stayed up and I'm going to be like a zombie tomorrow at work!

Sorry about that

You actually put the msmpeg4 in the wrong section. It should go in the AVI section and not the MKV section (although I doubt it does much harm there too)

Ah, I thought you meant it was in the MKV file. I've moved it to the AVI section, thanks!

The resume function actually works with the Samsung DLNA software. So I assume the TV is making a request to which Mezzmo doesn't know how to respond. I've attached my log to see if it gives a clue. I'm afraid I don't know what I'm looking for so I can't help here. To give you an idea of what to look for, I started a video, skipped through some of it, stopped it and then started it again. I had to remove the lines at the start showing it loading up profiles to get the filesize down to one that these forums accepts.

Thanks for the logs - I'll take a look and get back to you on that.

Here's the full FFMPEG output for the .TS
And the .WMV

Thanks for those - I've added them in and the updated profile is attached. I will also test it here (so the one attached is not yet tested).

Dennis

[antlane]

Thanks for those - I've added them in and the updated profile is attached. I will also test it here (so the one attached is not yet tested).
Dennis

That's cracked the TS file but the WMV still doesn't play. I've verified that the TV can play the file direct from USB to eliminate the chance that the Samsung software was transcoding it.

If it helps to debug, the file I'm playing comes from http://3dvision-blog.com/the-goals-o...ereo-3d-video/.

Thanks again!

Ant.

[Paul]

Thanks for the link to the file - I'll grab it and test it here on our TV in the office to see what's happening. I'll let you know how that goes.

Just one thing worth noting - playing a file from USB and via DLNA sometimes uses different internal engines on devices, so it doesn't necessarily mean that if you can play it via USB, it'll be playable via DLNA.