Hopper / Home Media / RT-N66U Router

[coozman]

Afternoon,

Recently purchased an Asus N66U Router and 2TB USB HDD which is filled with Music, Photos and MP4 digitally downloaded based movies. HDD is directly connected to the router and the Hopper along with all 3 Joeys see the router. Problem I have is this: I can stream/play all of my music seamlessly with no issues but can't access any photos (all are JPEGS) or movies.

The Hopper sees the Photo folder but every pic shows up as a question mark. It sees a handful of videos (Phone based only) but can't see the Video Folder whatsoever.

My route directory is pretty simple:

• My Music (no issues here)
• My Photos (see the folder - handful of albums but won't display)
• My Videos (see the folder - but doesn't see any of the titles)

I know it sounds bizarre - but have run into a brick wall trying to figure it out. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The Asus N66U is not a DLNA server. So while it is sharing files on your network is is not able to convert and stream videos that the Hopper can understand and view.

 

[coozman]

So apparently it has no issues with audio but when any type of video or photos are being accessed is when the problem arises? Is that safe to assume?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Right for audio, the Hopper knows how to play MP3 files, but for videos it needs a DLNA server to properly stream it (and do any needed transcoding) that the Hopper needs to display that video.

For DLNA software check out Tversity http://tversity.com/

 

[JAF]

Would DLNA software be needed for a computer running Win7 Professional with all the network devices hardwired? When ever I try to access any of my content stored on the PC the Hopper just sits and spins. It connects, and sees the directory but that's it. All my other devices that make use of DNLA work, just not the Hopper. Thinking maybe I need "real" DLNA software???

 

[theoak]

Great ... stumbled on this thread ... just got a new router ... NETGEAR R7000. I noticed it had a DNLA server option in the admin GUI. I had no idea what that was, so I left it off. Now that I know ... I've got to find a spare USB stick and give try it out. I won't get any work done this way

Edit:

I travel and take pictures and movies sometimes for the kids. Having to show them on my puny iPad or iPhone has always been a drag. To move them to the DNLA server and watch on the HDTV via Hopper ... would be way cool.

 

[pweezil]

I'm pretty sure you can do it with the RT-N66u. I'm not sure if it's included in the original firmware, but if it isn't, it's included in the Merlin build. (I'm using version 3.0.0.4.374.32 but I don't use the DLNA feature.) You can get Merlin here: http://www.mediafire.com/asuswrt-merlin/#2324w3jh7e4q4

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Jaf check out http://tversity.com/

A note on routers with built in DLNA servers... most of the time the DLNA servers are basic and do not work good, the reason for this is each DLNA receiving device uses a "profile" of what it can do and what formats it supports. With new devices there are new profiles and with old devices there are profile updates for things that the receiver can support that it couldn't before. Because of this the DLNA servers in the routers dont update their supported profiles, meaning that device support is not very good.

Again another reason why I recommend Tversity. http://tversity.com/

 

[Voyager6]

This might help with the RT-N66U. http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...)&id=20120201122519539&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

 

[navychop]

You guys have got me to thinking. I'll have to play around with DLNA. I've ignored it on my PS3 & LG BD player. Supposedly LG has had a problem, perhaps fixed, with DLNA.

Now, to figure out what this [new-host-4]TwonkyMedia at address -.22 is. I don't recognize that IP address with any device on my network, and I only have 17 currently. I thought it'd be either the PS3 (no: -.30) or my main PC (nope: -.11). And the Fios router is useless in tracking this down.

 

[Bobby]

I use Twonky to beam from my iPad to the HDTV via ROKU. I can get all of YouTube on the TV that way.... I'm still working on Watch ESPN/ESPN3. I wish/hope that Dish gets the OK with the next contract...

 

[Jim S.]

I can't get my HWS to play hardly anything no matter what DLNA server I run. Most of the time, in fact, it comes to a standstill just trying to load a list of files! I've considered the possibility that it's because I have a LOT of files, but, that fact has never choked any device that plays from SMB or NFS shares. (I haven't tried any other DLNA devices because all my other devices play from SMB or NFS shares...) I suppose I could test my hypothesis by only sharing a directory with a few files in it, but what would that get me even if it was the problem? As far as I'm concerned, it's just broken! (But then again, I think DLNA is just stupid anyway. Why require transcoding on the server? Why not just put more codecs in the client? It doesn't seem to be a problem for devices a LOT cheaper than the Hopper -- and undoubtedly produced on smaller budgets than the Hopper!)