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General discussion

Samsung series 8 - DLNA problems

Jan 18, 2009 3:36AM PST

Cannot get tv to show ANY videos.
mp4, avi's do not work.
they all play via usb key when inserted.
will not accept stream
-errors: invalid codec : Invalid file format.
using twonky in linux to stream

please advise

Discussion is locked

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continued
Jan 18, 2009 10:00PM PST

I was hoping to stream my mp4 collection. Before I bought the TV aI wanted to make sure they would work and I saw MP4 was supported. Now I cannot get them to stream.

I was finally able to get a .vob to play. According to the manual the tv should not be able to accept a .vob stream. Problem is a .vob file is huge.(and all my stuff is mp4, mp3 and jpg) jpg and mp3 stream fine.

No other combination of codec/wrappers I tried have worked.
Has anyone gotten a combination to work?

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Continued
Jan 18, 2009 10:35PM PST

Heres the part that is confusing me.

There is a chart in the book.link here grabbed from another post in this forum http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp60/samsung_hd_tech/Page82.jpg

that image is from the usb stick(wiselink) section of the book. All my videos play from the usb stick.

but they error out on streaming. as unsupported format. from what i read, if they play via usb, they should stream. Am i correct?

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Videos will not work with DNLA
Jan 19, 2009 3:17AM PST

I just bought the LN52A850 after taking a couple of weeks deciding between the 650 and 850... The DNLA feature was one of the deciding factors on the final decision.
Once the TV was turned on it was truly "love at first sight"...
But after connecting the TV via a LAN line to my computer I was very disappointed to experience the same result of all my files being unplayable!!!!
I also can put any media file on a USB Stick (.MP3, .MP4, .AVI, .JPG ect.) and Wiselink Pro reads and plays them perfectly. But when accessed via the lan (DNLA) nothing plays!!! It shows all my shared files... but displays a "file error" message when ever one is accessed... The same exact files work flawlessly when put on a USB and accessed through Wiselink Pro. What is the deal?!?

If anyone knows what the problem is, or where to find a solution please reply... I hate to take this TV back for something that potentiality is an easy fix. Thanks

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trying
Jan 19, 2009 9:11PM PST

I know the issue is with the tv as

1) my PS3 will receive the DLNA stream and play them on the tv.
2) all videos play via. the usb drive.
3) I bought a pc with a vista os yesterday and installed samsung software and it does no different than twonky.

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Try Mediatomb
Jan 20, 2009 1:22AM PST

Hi I had the same problem like you with the most MediaServer, then I found MediaTomb and it's working very well. You can stream all the Files, that are working on USB and even transcode unknown Files and watch it your TV, like MKV Container.

http://mediatomb.cc/

I'm running this on MacOSX, but there are also binaries for the most Linux Ditributions.
Check it out and have fun.
If you need any help, let me know. I also will post a script to transcode mkv on the fly to a mpeg2 stream.

rgrds

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Mediatomb
Jan 20, 2009 2:34AM PST

Thanks, I have tried to install media tomb, but I have a compile error, I am going to try to iron that out this week.

I didn't want to spend time to fix it, as it seemed like it was the TV problem, but I will spend some time with it since someone has some luck with it.

thanks
kilbert

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mediatomb
Jan 20, 2009 2:52AM PST

Ok, post here again, if you had luck with the compilation process. I will post you my config and the transcode script(transcoding with mencoder).

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thansk
Jan 20, 2009 3:25AM PST

Thanks, please post so I can try it out when i get my compile error straightened out.

thansk again
kilbert

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MediaTomb config + script
Jan 20, 2009 5:09AM PST

Download this zip file

http://www.mediafire.com/?jo5iy2jyljm

1. copy config.xml in your ~/.mediahome
2. copy mediatomb-mencoder-mpeg2 in your bin, like /opt/local/bin

3.edit config.xml
3.1 <interface>en1</interface> change the interface
3.2 <filesystem-charset>UTF-8-MAC</filesystem-charset>
<metadata-charset>UTF-8-MAC</metadata-charset>
Change the Text Encoding, I think Linux is using UTF-8
3.3 Change <agent command="/opt/local/bin/mediatomb-mencoder-mpeg2" arguments="%in %out"/> here you should put your folder where mediatomb-mencoder-mpeg2 script is.

4. edit mediatom-mencoder-mpeg2
You need mplayer/mencoder to be installed.
change the folder ro your mencoder folder
MENCODER_PATH="/opt/local/bin/mencoder"
4.1 Be Sure that everybody can execute this script, type chmod +x mediatomb-mencoder-mpeg2

have fun

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mediatomb
Jan 27, 2009 12:57AM PST

Mediatomb sucessfully installed. Again- streams to ps3 fine. works on USB fine. wont serve to TV. I tried many combinations, none work although they are listed in the manual as valid combinations.

Maybe a samsung tech has an answer that isn't look in the manual, as the manual seems to have a flaw. I have not read 1 post from someone that has successfully streamed any video to the tv. (picture/mp3 excluded).
I think samsung needs to clarify the streaming requirements more.

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More information
Jan 27, 2009 4:22AM PST

Hi,

what exactly is the problem? Doesn't your TV see the mediaserver at all? Or you can see the files and if you open one, mediaserver is not streaming?

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thansk for helping
Jan 27, 2009 7:50AM PST

Thanks for helping

Thanks for trying to help me. I really do appreciate it.

I am trying to stream to the tv.

My ps3 will play anything I have encoded for it from twonky media server.

I am working on mediatomb right now- does not handle mp4 at all- just started to look into why. (plays mp3 and .avi didnt try pictures yet as the important thing is mp4)

The samsung (built in DLNA) will not play anything other than pictures and mp3. even if specifically encoded per this chart-
http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp60/samsung_hd_tech/Page82.jpg

The tv will play everything I have encoded through the usb port.

So i guess that in a nutshell, what I would like to do is figure out:
1) how to stream MP4 from mediatomb to my PS3
2) Why the samsung will not play anything video(says unsupported) I throw at it. I have re-encoded video so many way i can t remember all the combinations.


thansks
kilbert

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plus
Jan 27, 2009 7:51AM PST

sorry
i forgot to answer 1 of your ?

Yes, the tv sees the media server (which ever one I run)

thansk

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Network?
Jan 27, 2009 8:18AM PST

Hi,

i will upload a mp4 sample tomorrow for you, that is 100% playing on my LE40A859 through mediatomb.
What you should look at is your network. Maybe is this the problem.

1. If you are using a Router you should look that UPnP is activated.
2. If you are using WIFI try to use cable and check if it's working.

I had at the beginning problems to stream, because my WIFI signal was very low and my TV said: Unsuported codec... o0

@Samsung please update your firmware....to play movies over network or hdd is one of the reason why i bought this TV and i think not only me...this feature is really cool and no other companies offering this in their TV, ok LOEWE does, but 8000$ for 37" TV ?

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Maybe it has to do with DirectShow filters on the server
Jan 28, 2009 12:06PM PST

I'm far from an expert but, I suspect, that DLNA servers and clients do "codec negotiation".

I think that a DLNA server can't serve a file that it can't decode. DLNA servers probably either come with their own codecs or rely on DirectShow to provide a codec. And, I guess, some DLNA servers can do transcoding on the fly: if the server understands the file but the client doesn't, the server can re-encode the file into a format that the client understands and stream it at the same time.

I'm using Windows Media Player 11 which probably relies on DirectShow. I think that MP4 is not supported by DirectShow out-of-the-box; I think that I have to download and install an MP4 DirectShow filter (codec). I also think that WMP 11 doesn't do transcoding. So, even if the TV supports MP4, it won't work if the server doesn't support it. (But it will work off the USB drive because it can go directly to the TV's codec.)

Right now, I can stream .MPG out-of-the-box with WMP 11. If I follow my own advice, perhaps .MP4 files will start working. I guess that I've got to find and try a MP4 DirectShow filter.

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MP4 1080p Video
Jan 29, 2009 7:24AM PST
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mp4
Jan 31, 2009 12:50AM PST

Thansk for te mp4. I am going to be working with it today.
*crosses fingers*

thnaks
kilbert

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Got Earth video to work on Windows Media Player 11
Jan 30, 2009 11:56PM PST

Last night, I got the Earth video to work perfectly via DLNA from Windows Media Player 11 (on Windows XP) to a Samsung LN52A850 TV.

I started with the instructions at:

http://a8t8.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2518DD508BB713E8!156.entry

So:

1. Install ffdshow tryouts
2. Install Haali Media Splitter
3. Install MP4/M4V/M4A registry patch
4. Reboot computer

Then:

5. Associate .mp4 extension with Windows Media Player

(That is, right-click a .mp4 file, do an "Open With|Choose Program...", select Windows Media Player and check "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file".)

6. Reboot (not sure if this is necessary or not)

If you don't do #5, you have to rename the file to something like .avi or else you'll get the dreaded "unsupported format" error on the TV.

The link also has instructions for 64-bit Vista using Gabest 64-bit MP4 Splitter instead of Haali Media Splitter (since there is no Haali 64-bit version to date).

Of course, you have to enable Media Sharing (a.k.a. WMP DLNA server) on Windows Media Player:

7. Run Windows Media Player
8. Select "Media Sharing..." from the "Library" tool button drop down
9. Check "Share my media to:" checkbox

And, if your TV can't see the server at all:

10. Enable UPnP" and "filter multicast" on all your routers

The Earth video is at:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/9540/earth-tlr2_1080p.mp4

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Same issue with series 7 as well
Feb 22, 2009 1:44AM PST

I have the same issue with the 7-series (52A750). I had this TV for about 6 months now. DLNA compliance is one of the major reasons I bought this TV. But, now, I am really disappointed with Samsung.

Streaming of media using the Samsung PC share manager software works fine (almost always). But, I need to the streaming server running on a Linux. I was trying to get mediatomb or Twonky working. But, no luck so far.
Samsung's support is literally a waste of time. One of the support staff tells me that I should just intall their Samsung "PC" share manager on linux. He goes "Just run the exe on Linux". hahaha.

What I got so far is that, what these TVs come with is not truly DLNA compliant. False advertisement??
They must have some proprietary protocol going on between their software and the TV. Unless one knows what that "secret" protocol is, it wouldn't be easy to get mediatomb working with these TVs.

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SAMSUNG DLNA
Feb 26, 2009 9:31PM PST

Yes, wireshark between the pc(windoze) and tv shows some VERY specific and unique handshaking between the tv and samsung software. If you want to see it install a sniffer in the linux and windows machine, and you can see the difference.

Some .exe will run in linux, I have some windows programs running in linux. What linux distribution are you running?
I may try using the samsung manager in wine/crossover. I do not like wine/crossover so I have not tried it as of yet.

I am serving to my PS3 (which BTW has some unique handshaking that mediatomb has figured out), but that is not why I spent the extra money on the samsung tv. (Actually I don't want the ps3 in my living room at all)

I don't want to have to turn on 3 devices to watch tv. (PC/PS3/TV)
Mediatomb forum has a user there that almost has mediatomb working with the TV, so support may not be too far off.
Funny you talk about samsung support- It IS abysmal. I just received a response from their staff, a full 40 days after I sent a email to them The kicker is - all they did was say- please respond back if you still need help with this issue. :/

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Mediavault
Feb 27, 2009 11:55PM PST

I realize that I could probably use wine and run the samsung share manager in Linux. But, I need this running on a NAS (HP mediavault). I am not sure if I can get wine running on that.

Interesting to know that someone at mediatomb is getting close to get this working. If you get any updates, please update here as well.

Thanks.

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it's all in the headers
Nov 24, 2009 1:04AM PST

I'm extremely happy to report that this simple fix will allow you to stream almost any mp3/avi file to the Samsung using mediatomb on Linux...

Step 1: Open your mediatomb config and place this in the <server> section:

<custom-http-headers>
<add header="transferMode.dlna.org: Streaming"/>
<add header="contentFeatures.dlna.org: DLNA.ORG_OP=01;DLNA.ORG_CI=0;DLNA.ORG_FLAGS=01700000000000000000000000000000"/>
</custom-http-headers>

Step 2: Add this node inside of the <extension-mimetype> node:

<map from="avi" to="video/mpeg"/>

Step 3: Restart mediatomb

Step 4: Sit back and enjoy streaming media directly to your tv Happy