DLNA/DMR on Amiko Mini HD SE

[FTA4PA]

Under APPLICATIONS, after selecting DLNA, I come to a screen that says DMR. I know this means digital media receiver but I can't get it to do anything and there is nothing in the manual about it. When I click it nothing happens. I'm assuming it has something to do with file sharing or access on other computers or devices but how do you get it work? Thanks!

 

[Jim S.]

I don't have one so this is hypothetical based on my limited understanding of DLNA (because I hate DLNA -- give me network folder sharing!) If you have DMR enabled, then you should be able to display media on your STB by right-clicking on the file on your PC and selecting "Play To..." from the context menu. (This is assuming that you've enabled DLNA on your PC, which is different from enabling folder sharing, and I don't remember exactly where in the control panel it's hiding...)

 

[FTA4PA]

Well that sheds some light on it if it's for Windows systems only. I use Linux (Ubuntu) almost exclusively. I do have a dual boot system with Windows 7 but the computer and TV are in use right now so I can't check it out with Windows until later tonight. I was hoping the DLNA was just straight access to the shares available on each computer/device on my network. (ie; navigate directories, find a file, then play it through the Amiko Mini HD SE). I have two desktops and two laptops running miniDLNA + two network blu-ray players. Each of the computers can see the others shared files and both blu-ray players can access the shares as well. I was hoping the DLNA on the Amiko worked the same.

 

[Jim S.]

You may be able to find software to stream to a DMR client from Linux, I have no idea, I've never looked.

What my main point was, is that a DMR device requires something to push media to it, it's not a DLNA client in the sense that people usually think of. Does the Mini have a traditional DLNA client? Again, no idea, because I don't have one (and as you've seen, the manual is non-helpful.)

I wish more devices had access to network shares via SMB/CIFS and/or NFS, rather than DLNA. What's the difference, you ask? Although the experience may be the same on the client side, I find running a DLNA server to be bothersome. It appears that instead of waiting for the client to ask for a directory listing, they all want to build and maintain a database of all the files in the shared directories. When you have as many files as I do, that's a lot of CPU time, a lot of disk bandwidth, and a lot of memory -- and, when you add or move files, it needs to do it all again! And on top of all that, most of the servers also want to index the metadata in the files! Well for one thing, some of my files don't have any metadata (which makes for an ugly listing when you mix them with the ones that do!), and for another thing, why bother? I've already got my files indexed the way I want them by the way I've put them in directories!

 

[FTA4PA]

Jim S, thanks for replying. I had no luck with either operating system. I installed gupnp-tools (UPnP AV Control Point) and rygel (UPnP Media Server) in Ubuntu. Amiko Mini HD SE does not appear in the list of devices in the program and clicking DMR under DLNA on the Amiko still does nothing. I then booted into Windows 7 and again, Amiko does not appear under network or devices. I couldn't find any options to enable DMR anywhere in Windows 7 settings. I went into Media Player 12, no Amiko or DMR there either. Right clicked several diiferent type of media files and no "play to" option appears. This really should be easier! It's not like I'm computer illiterate. I've been building my own computers since back in the days of the 286/12MHz processor when there was no Windows - just DOS. I used to write my own programs in basic, and dabbled in c and assembly language. I wired my own home network and set it up. But I get nada with this. Has anybody used this feature and, if so, how it is implemented? Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[Jim S.]

Under Windows 7, DLNA streaming is Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Choose Homegroup and Sharing Options > Change Advanced Sharing Settings... > Media streaming > Choose media streaming options... > Turn on media streaming

I think this also requires the presence of Windows Media Center (not Media Player), but I'm not sure.

 

[FTA4PA]

No luck there either Jim. I have Windows Media Center too and I've had Media Streaming, Network Discovery, File/Printer Sharing and sharing so anyone can read or write to the public folders enabled for years (ever since I built the system) and set up my home network. When I select Choose Media Streaming Options all my other devices show (the other desktop pc, network A/V receiver, laptops and blu-ray players) and all are enabled. The only thing that doesn't appear is the Amiko. I'm wondering if I have a firmware issue. I found another glitch earlier tonight under apps where clicking Google Maps restarts the Amiko. May just back up channel list and reinstall firmware to see if that solves anything. Thanks for your ideas. If you have any others I'm glad to hear them.

 

[FTA4PA]

Update: I downgraded the firmware from 10000A00_1.0.71 to 10000A00_1.0.57. Google Maps now works and DLNA/DMR now functions under Ubuntu 12.04 for me. I can push video, audio and picture files to it over the network from my computer using GUPnP AV Control Point and rygel.

Windows 7 still won't cooperate though. Amiko shows up on network and streaming devices:

But I can't push any media to it. I've tried Media Player 12, Media Center, VLC but nothing.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I know this is an old thread, but did you ever get Windows to allow you access to your Amiko? I have an RE and I remember seeing a thread about getting Big2Small working on PC, but now I can't find it

 

[KE4EST]

It is in one of the conversations we have had I gave you the link. I can look it up again if you don't find it. Or, iBoston may have it book marked.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Yeah, I went digging thru convos and can’t find it there either. I should have bookmarked it then

 

[KE4EST]

Sat2IP for Windows -- Stream from your Amiko Mini HD SE/RE to Windows