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Question

Listing video files onscreen a Samsung TV screen

Mar 10, 2017 11:01PM PST

I have a Samsung UE40H widescreen TV which I use primarily to play my large collection of films and documentaries from an external hard disk, which it does very well. The problem, however, is the listing of files: the built-in Samsung listing is unbelievably wasteful of screen space, showing no more than ten files at any one time in form of a large boxes. As my hard disks may contain hundreds of different files, scrolling through them can take ages, and it's very easy to miss what you are looking for. Is there any way, native or third party, to achieve a more rational form of onscreen listing? (If it would also allow indexing, or multi-field searches, that would be wonderful...)

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Simply no.
Mar 11, 2017 6:47AM PST

Samsung's intent was clearly not to give you a good interface here. To fix this you'll use an old laptop or small HTPC and the apps of your choice.

As this area is well discussed, I will pause here.

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Why with deliberate intent?
Mar 11, 2017 11:18AM PST

Thank you. Could you point me to where it has already been discussed? There may be something of interest in the discussion.

As a matter of interest, why on earth would Samsung have deliberately introduced a retrograde and unhelpful design element in their product?

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You can use google to find prior (not so) smart TV threads.
Mar 11, 2017 11:39AM PST

It's pretty simple. The makers of smart TVs have no interest in delivering a good system with a good web browser or video player from your collection. There's no money from that. They will get some money from Netflix or other subscriptions bought through their Smart Hub.

It's all about the money. Some folk have a hard time accepting this.

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That's True !
Mar 11, 2017 11:55AM PST

I love my HTPC !
I can do whatever I want whenever I want.
I have Comcast ( and I'm not here trying to sell you Comcast ) but I can even watch Everything that's in my cable package .
I just have a dumb flat screen tv Grin

My neighbor has a smart tv and is always complaining , I can only smile Cool

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P.S.
Mar 11, 2017 12:15PM PST

I forgot to mention that it's just a app that opens on my Chrome or FF browser , no installation of anything and no extra cost on my cable or internet bill ....

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Answer
check for third party
Mar 11, 2017 11:56AM PST

see if there is a similar app in the app repository. I have a samsung player and there was the default app for personal files and there were several third party apps that did the same in the app repository.

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If only they had an app like Kodi.
Mar 11, 2017 11:59AM PST

But every app must pass Samsung's gauntlet. Not open for good apps to make it through. Here's what it looks like.