Media server for smart TV. Home media server: configuration and installation. Reasons for errors when playing movies from a home media server

In this article, I want to once again talk about how to create on a computer (laptop, netbook) DLNA server. This will allow you to watch movies and photos on your TV, as well as listen to music that is on your computer.

You just need to connect the TV to your computer via a network cable, or simply to one network, start a DLNA server on your computer and start watching a movie or photo.

But, as it turned out in the end, with Smart app Share raises many problems. Either it does not start, then it produces various errors, or it closes on its own. You can read about this in the comments that visitors left on the article, the link to which is above.

There is a very good and absolutely free program “Home media server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)”, which is an excellent analogue of Smart Share from LG, or for example AllShare from Samsung.

“Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” is a universal program with which you can launch a DLNA server and connect to it from almost any TV that supports DLNA technology (and if your TV has Wi-Fi or a network connector, then it most likely supports this technology). In principle, a DLNA client can be not only a TV, but for example a game console.

This instruction is suitable for TVs from different manufacturers: LG, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, etc. Compared to branded applications such as Smart Share, “Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” has a large number of settings.

We will not delve into all the nuances, but will only consider how to open shared access to the necessary folders or drives. How to create a server and how to start watching a movie using DLNA technology on your TV.

Connecting a TV to use DLNA technology

Before we start setting up the program, we need to connect the TV to a computer or laptop. If you already have everything connected, for example through a router, then you can move on to the next step.

We need to connect the laptop and TV to the network. If you have a router installed at home, then just connect your computer to this router, via cable or via Wi-Fi, it doesn’t matter. And you need to connect the TV to the same router. You can connect your TV the same way, or via Wi-Fi (see connection instructions ) .

Our task is to ensure that the TV and computer (in my case laptop), were connected to the same router. I have a TV connected to my router via Wi-Fi LG 32LN575U and laptop Asus K56CM. This instruction will be based on their example.

What to do if you don't have a router?

In this case, you can connect the computer to the TV via a network cable directly. Just take the required length of network cable (it can be crimped at almost any computer store), and connect the TV to the computer.

It looks something like this:

Connecting this way should work fine. But my TV refused to see the server created on the laptop. But, in the “Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” program, the TV was displayed and I could start viewing photos from the laptop itself, and the photo appeared on the TV.

She also has an idea on how to connect them without a cable and without a router. But I’m not sure what will work and this method is only suitable for TVs that have the ability to connect to Wi-Fi.

You can try to create a computer-to-computer connection on a laptop, which I wrote about in the article ““. Then, connect the TV to the created access point and try to access files on the computer.

I think we have sorted out the connection. Let's move on to setting up the server.

Setting up the “Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” program

First, we need to download and install the program itself. I recommend downloading from the official website: https://www.homemediaserver.ru/index.htm. There's always a new version and it's safer that way.

Save the archive to your computer. To install, simply run the setup.exe file, which is located in the archive. I will not describe the entire installation process, it is simple. Follow the instructions.

After installation, launch the program with a shortcut on the desktop.

Let's go straight to the program settings. We won't do anything special there. We will simply indicate local disks, flash drives, external HDD and, or folders, the contents of which we want to see on the TV. For example, you can open only a few folders with movies, photos and music.

A settings window will open. In the first category, Media resources, we need to indicate which drives or folders we want to see on the TV. By default, standard folders with photos, videos and music are open there.

The program is trying to sort everything. And in order not to get confused in all these folders on the TV, I advise you to open shared access to local drives. By default, if I'm not mistaken, access to them is already open. Check if the checkbox next to Local disks.

If installed, this means that you can open any file on your TV that is stored on these local drives (drives C, D, E, etc.).

You can also specify individual folders, or for example external hard disk. To do this, click on the button on the right Add, and select the desired folder, flash drive, or hard drive in Explorer.

We can see which folders and drives we have opened access to. We can delete selected folders. These are the basic settings, if you look, there are a lot of settings there, I won’t go through them all. To save, click on the button Ok, and agree to scan media resources.

We wait while the program scans the folders and disk. Next, you can start the DLNA server itself. To do this, simply click on the “ Launch“.

We see a message stating that the server is running.

Now, just turn on the TV. If everything is connected correctly, it should appear in the “Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” program. To do this, go to the tab Playback devices (DMR), and on the right, click the button Update.

If our TV appears, then everything is fine. You can try to start viewing photos directly from the program.

If the TV does not appear in the program, and the server we created is also not visible on the TV, then first of all, check the connection. Is the TV connected to the network and is the laptop connected.
Then, completely disable antiviruses and firewalls. They can block access to the server.

To do this, in the main program window (above), select one of the tabs: movies, music, or photos.

In the left window, media content will appear that is located in those folders and drives to which we have opened access. Right-click on a photo, for example, and select “Play on“, then select our TV.

The photo should immediately appear on the TV screen.

In the same way, you can start playing video and music. This means that we can start playback on the TV screen from the “Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” program.

But this is not always convenient. It's much better to go through the TV and open necessary files. To do this, leave the server running. You can hide the “Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” program. Click on the red cross (close the program), and it will hide in the notification panel.

At the same time, the server will work and you will be able to access your computer from the TV.

We start viewing files via DLNA from the TV

This means the server is running on the computer, files are open for viewing.

Now, on the TV, we need to go into the program that is responsible for working with DLNA technology. For example, in LG, this is Smart Share. On other TVs, this application may be called differently.

For example, to launch Smart Share in LG, go to Smart TV (blue button on the remote control) and select Smart Share. If your TV does not have Smart TV, but does have DLNA, the process may be different.

Open the folder My computer, and we see our local drives there, and other folders to which we have opened access.

Afterword

“Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” is actually a very cool program, with a lot of settings. We only considered the opening public access to files, and starting the server. When I started watching the movie through Smart program Share, the laptop went into sleep mode and playback was interrupted. “Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” has a lock that prevents the computer from going to sleep when it is being used as a server.

I hope everything worked out for you and you are now watching your favorite movies on big screen TV using DLNA technology.

If something doesn’t work out, write in the comments, we’ll try to figure it out.

DLNA - what is it and who needs it
Windows media server dlna,
A short overview of dlna server programs
Home media server - the best among equals, or a headache for the user
Setting up the server part
Alternative and development

DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance)– a set of technologies for displaying various types of media content in real time by devices combined in one local network. Initially, we developed this standard, and several companies (Sony, Intel, Microsoft, Samsung Nokia, Matsushita, Philips, Hewlett-Packard) joined together in a group to create devices compatible with this technology. At the moment, there are more than 200 manufacturers producing compatible equipment.

home media server setup

Speaking in simple language, This desktop computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, TV and other “smart” equipment, for viewing photos and video files, listening to music. Media content becomes common to every device on the local network. All gadgets must be on the same IP network and connected to each other either wired (Ethernet) or wirelessly (Wi-Fi).

How to set up dlna

All devices with dlna support are conventionally divided into two types: servers and media players. The former mainly store and provide others with access to content. The latter, for the most part, only reproduce the files the user needs. For example: a personal computer contains photographs; it can store and reproduce them both on its monitor and on the screen of a networked TV, tablet, or phone.

The division is conditional because now many mobile electronics can both store and display content. For example, smartphones with installed special software, may well play the role of a server.
This technology is very useful for users with a large number of “smart” devices at home, as it allows you to store multimedia content in one place, rather than in the memory of each device. A very relevant feature for mobile devices that are significantly deprived of memory.

Windows and dlna

On an operating system from Microsoft, this technology appeared starting from version 7. However, it is hidden so deeply that it was quite difficult for the average user to find and configure it. In Windows 8, it became possible to use it to play video files on devices connected to the local network.

This is done by right-clicking on the file and selecting Transfer to... from the menu.

But before that, you still need to configure your home media server. In the “Control Panel” we find the “Home Group” item, in the window that appears, select “Create home group" Next, we will be asked to choose what type of file the homegroup can access.

In the next window we need the item “Allow all devices on this network, such as TVs and game consoles, to play shared content”, after clicking on which you will need to come up with the name of the media server and enter it in the proposed window.

At this point, the setup is almost complete and you can now play authorized files with dlna devices on your computer. To do this, each of them has certain points (AllShare, SmartShare...).

A description of how to use them is included in the instructions for use.
The software built into the system is easy to use and consumes less hardware resources. However, there is a high probability that the format of various types of multimedia files may not be understood by the player, since Windows transfers them as is. Third-party programs have been created to solve this problem.

Overview of dlna server programs

Of the many dlna media server programs, several stand out. All of them are free, but for a fee they provide additional functions. All others are either highly specialized or simply provide information transfer on the local network and are an add-on to Windows server. The programs listed below create a home non-Windows dlna server.

Codi– a project that grew out of XMBS. Due to its cross-platform, it works on Windows, IOS, Linux, Android.

It is a huge “media combine” that can find, transcode, download, and play a huge number of formats on the network. For this we are very much appreciated by users of TV set-top boxes.

A very bulky home media server, initially difficult to configure, it has a minimal number of add-ons. Different elements are downloaded and installed for different functions. In this regard, it is quite difficult to set up, but it has large support and Russian-language support too.

Plex– another multi-platform home media server. It has high-quality localization and a huge number of possibilities. But in this regard, it consumes a lot of system resources and is usually used for individual devices used as multimedia set-top boxes.

H.M.S.– a program with a huge number of functions, absolutely free. The main difference is the transcoding of files on the fly for playback even by outdated devices. Only works in Windows environment, consumes significantly less resources, and therefore can be installed on normal home computer. We will consider setting up this program below.

Server part of HMS (home media server)

The program interface is simple and setting up the first launch takes place in a few clicks. Before setting up your TV, first click the “Settings” icon, and on the “Media Resources” tab, add folders that can be viewed by connected devices. Adding occurs by clicking on “+” on the right side. For each folder, you can select a file type, which later helps when searching for them. =>

On the next tab “Devices” we add devices that are allowed to access files. It is very convenient to select the gadget type from a variety of presets at the top of the window. It includes big number game consoles, TVs from different manufacturers, smartphones and routers. As a result, the settings will change for each selected device. If you check the box Add devices automatically, the program itself will determine the type of device and adapt to it.

In the “Server” tab we only need to enter a name for the created server. The rest can be left empty, unless of course there are several networks and connections at home.
The “Transcoder” item allows you to configure data transcoding so that any connected device reproduces the data, regardless of whether it supports it or not. The configured HMS processes the file in real time into a format supported by the TV.

The remaining tabs will allow you to fine-tune the program, which most users will not need at the initial stage. Therefore, close the settings and click the “Launch” button at the top of the window. After which the media server will begin scanning accessible folders and create lists of files that the connected dlna device will see.

In the main window of the program, you can also select the resource we need and through the menu right button transfer it to a player within the network. This is very convenient and there is no need to search for data using the dlna device itself.
The program has great user support. On the official forum, problems in the operation of software with various devices, which helps to configure any equipment.

Setting up a client device

The process of setting up equipment for playing multimedia files varies for each device and is usually indicated in the instructions for use. The same point on any device is to select a server, the name of which we came up with during setup. And a request to connect to the network, a positive response to which needs to be made only once, will be considered allowed by the server in the future.

Alternative

Recently there has been rapid development cloud technologies. There are more and more devices that have access to the Internet. And storing data on physical media is no longer so relevant. Of course, a collection of films of several hundred copies would be difficult to fit into any cloud service. And to increase the amount of allocated space you will have to pay. This requires unlimited Internet high speed channel.

Media resources are stored in the cloud, and access to it is provided to any device connected to the account. The advantage is that there is no need for a dlna server as a separate device. Simply put, you don’t need a constantly running hard drive with a large number of files. Access to files is available not only within the radius of the home local network, but also throughout the entire territory where there is access to the Internet.

With the development of Internet technologies, the home dlna server, dlna is giving way to “cloud” data storage, leaving the former the opportunity for the time being to exist in apartments that do not strive for modern technologies users.

Home media server (UPnP)- a universal program that provides access to contents of hard your computer drive to electronic devices such as TVs, players, game consoles. Data is transmitted via the UPnP (DLNA) protocol. This program works with TVs, game consoles, music centers, mobile phones and smartphones.

Today, human life in modern realities is very difficult to imagine without high technology. Each of us is surrounded by laptops, computers, televisions, music centers. It often happens when you really want to watch your favorite movie on a big TV or play computer game via the console. The multifunctional home media server software package for Windows is designed to solve such problems. With its help you can organize full access to all media content hard drive computer.

Download Home Media Server for free

The Home Media Server program has small size. You can install a home media server in just a few minutes. Its main capabilities include transcoding video and audio into a form that is supported by a TV or tape recorder. You can also customize subtitles, select the desired picture size for any screen, and select audio tracks yourself. The user has the opportunity to send Internet radio or television directly to the TV or player.

If you don't see your life without digital television, you can also download a home media server. It supports all modern digital formats (C, S, T), works perfectly with the program VLC Media Player and can, using the Digital Media Renderer function, transmit digital signal to other electronic devices.

The home media server in Russian has wide functionality. It is possible to save transcoding profiles. Their use greatly simplifies setup when connecting new devices. Downloading a free home media server (DLNA) is recommended for owners of Philips, Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Toshiba, Samsung TVs and players. Each of them has all the necessary connectors for interaction via the UPnP protocol with personal computer. Thus, with the help of this program you can significantly expand the capabilities of these TVs.

All novice users are recommended to take a look at the official website of this application. There is a wonderful forum where the solutions of the most common problems. You can also learn how to effectively connect a particular device.

You can download the home media server without registration and SMS on the SoftAttaka website. We always provide the latest and most relevant updates.

In this article we will set up a media server (DLNA) on a computer for a Philips TV. After setup, you will be able to watch movies, photos, and listen to music on your TV that is on your computer (laptop). All this using DLNA technology. This means that the TV can be connected to a computer via Wi-Fi. More precisely, the computer and TV must be connected to one Wi-Fi router u. Via network cable, or wireless network.

I'll explain in more detail. Do you have a Philips TV (in this article we will talk about these TVs), with the support (if you have a Smart TV, then there is definitely DLNA support). Your TV is connected to the Wi-Fi router (via Wi-Fi or cable). Also, a computer is connected to this router. We launch the DLNA server on the computer, open the necessary folders with videos, photos, or music, and simply start watching on the TV. Everything is over the air, without wires. It’s very convenient; you don’t have to write movies to a flash drive all the time. We simply access the computer, select the desired movie and watch.

Using the method described below, you can run a DLNA server on Windows 7, Windows 8, and even Windows 10. To launch and manage the server, we will use the free, simple great program"Home media server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)." I recently showed how, where we launched a server using a proprietary program. Since Philips does not have such a program, we will use the “Home Media Server”. The program is really very simple and cool.

We will need:

Philips TV with DLNA support. There must be a TV, or. I will show the example of Philips 43PUS7150/12 with Smart TV (Android TV).
A computer that is connected to the same router as the TV. It can also be connected via Wi-Fi networks, or via LAN.
The program "Home media server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)" for setting up a DLNA server.

You can do without third party programs, and set everything up standard means Windows. I wrote about how to do this in the article.

In fact, a server launched in this way will be able to see absolutely any TV: Philips, Sony, LG, Samsung, etc. Sony, by the way, already has models on Android TV. So, the instructions for them should also be suitable. Unless access may differ before viewing the contents of the DLNA server on the TV itself.

Setting up a DLNA server for a TV using the Home Media Server program

First, download and install the program "Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)". I recommend downloading it from the official website: https://www.homemediaserver.ru/index.htm. Click on the button Download opposite the EXE version. The file size is approximately 35 MB.

Save the file, then run it and follow the instructions to install the program.

Launch the program using a shortcut on your desktop or from the Start menu. First of all, we need to configure access to files on the computer. We can open only certain folders, all local drives, or even removable media for the TV.

In the program window, click on the button at the top Settings. We are interested in the first tab, Media Resources. There will already be three folders open there. These are standard. To open access to all local drives on your computer, check the box next to Local disks. To open access to removable drives, check the box next to Removable drives.

If you want to open, for example, only one local drive or folder, then do not check these boxes, but click on the button Add. And in Explorer, select the drive or folder that you want to open for viewing on your TV. The folder will appear in the list. You can delete a folder by simply highlighting it and pressing the button Delete.

I think the meaning is clear. You can open only one folder, which contains, for example, your movies. And you can open all disks. I recommend checking the box next to Local disks. Then, the My Computer folder will be displayed on the TV, in which you can view all files.

At this point, the setup can be completed by pressing the button Ok. If you want, you can also go to the tab on the side Server, and change the name of your DLNA server. It will be displayed on the TV.

Click the button Ok to exit the settings.

To start the DLNA server, click the button Launch.

If your TV is turned on and connected to the router, then in the program window, open the tab Playback devices (DMR), you will see your TV. This means everything is fine. If the TV does not appear, then check the connection, and see the tips at the end of this article.

The program can be minimized. You can proceed to setting up DLNA on your TV.

Watch DLNA movies on your Philips TV from your computer

Press on the remote control remote control button SOURCES.

On the menu Sources choose Network (media). Or run the program Media With Android menu TV.

Select the server running on your computer from the list.

If you have opened all local drives, then you will have a My Computer folder. Select it, all the disks will be there. You can open the desired folders and start watching movies, photos, or playing music from them. If you open one of standard folders: Movies, Photos, or Music, then all available content will be there, sorted into different categories. To view content by folder, select Media Resource Catalogs.

Select the folder with your movies and simply start watching the desired file.

That's all the setup. We got it from TV full access to videos, photos and music that are on your computer. The program "Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)" will prevent your computer from falling asleep and interrupting movie playback. You can also control viewing from the program itself on your computer. There are a lot of settings and possibilities there, I think you’ll figure it out.

Why is the DLNA server (files) not displayed on the TV?

The most common problem when setting up such a scheme is the lack running server on TV. When files are from a computer, they simply do not appear.

In such situations, the first thing you should always do is check the connection of the TV and laptop to Wi-Fi, or the connection via cable. Perhaps one of the devices simply turned off. Turn off and on the TV. You can also restart your computer and start the server again. You can also try disabling the antivirus, which may be blocking the TV connection.

If a DLNA movie plays with delays, it's glitchy

In such cases, you most likely started watching a very difficult movie. And the router cannot cope with transmitting information. Typically, this problem appears on cheap routers and when connected via Wi-Fi. Big films in high quality For those who do not want to play via DLNA, it is better to watch from a USB drive or hard drive.

If, when opening a video, the TV says "Format not supported"

There are times when the TV does not want to play a video file. Most likely, the standard player simply does not support the format, there is no codec. In this case, if you have a TV on Android TV, then from Google Play Store you can install VLC player. It can also play files from a local network. And most likely, it will play videos that were not opened by the standard player.

Before we start talking about setting up the Home Media Server program, I would like to clarify that this program will help resolve the issue “How to watch movies, listen to music from a PC on a TV with DLNA technology”. These include Samsung's AllShare technology. Download program "Home media server" you can follow this link.

Supported HMS operating systems:

Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7;
UNIX-like systems using Wine;
MAC OS using WineBottler, CrossOver Mac.

Adding directories of media resources to the Home Media Server program

button "Settings"- chapter "Media resources"- page "Directory List" — "Add"
from Windows Explorer drag (and release) the required directories into the main form of the program with the mouse (can be used with standard file search in Windows).

To access the server through a browser, you must enable the mode Web, set a permanent server port in the section Settings - Server - "Port" field(value from 1024 to 65535). Accessing the server from a browser:

http://server IP address: specified server port.

The server IP address can be found in the section Settings - Server - List of allowed network connections - Search.

Launching the Home Media Server program

Pay attention to all messages that may appear from programs network protection when you first start the server.

Click the button "Launch" in the button bar of the main program window. If the server starts successfully, the button "Launch" will become inaccessible, but the buttons will become available "Stop" And "Restart", the message log will contain the lines
"Start the server".

What to do in case of errors when starting a home server

check the list of available network connections in the program settings (section Server - List of allowed network connections - Search). If the list of allowed network connections is not empty, then compare it with the list of available network connections using the button "Search".
Check the settings of the firewall program you are using; the Home Media Server (UPnP) program must be allowed network activity, for more stringent rules, UDP port 1900 must be open for incoming and outgoing packets, the server port specified in the TCP program settings must be available for incoming connections.

You can generate a list of allowed network connections from the list of available network connections, check network connection to be included in the list in the first column. If for the media server in the program settings (section "Server" - field "Port") a constant port number is specified, then the availability of the media server can be checked from the browser at http://server IP address: specified server port. If yes, the media server welcome page will open. If in the section Program settings - Device , included Web mode, then it will open top level media resource bases.

Automatic start of home media server

Enabling automatic server startup when the program starts: Settings button - "Advanced" section - "Server autostart when the program starts."
Autostart of the program when the user logs in Windows system: Settings button - section "Advanced" - "Autostart the program when starting a Windows session."
Installing the server as Windows services: Settings button - "Advanced" section - "Install the Windows Home Media Server (UPnP) service."

Options for connecting media devices to the server

With crimp options network cables you can check it out. To avoid misunderstandings, a media device also includes a television.

Computer - Media Device. A crossover cable must be used for the connection.
Computer - Switch - Media Device
Computer – Router (router) – Media device. Straight cables must be used to connect devices.
Computer - Wi-Fi router - Media device. You can find out more about the wireless connection method in the article .

The operation and settings of the media server do not depend on the connection option. When using a router, enable the mode for automatically assigning IP addresses to devices; for details about setting up the router (router), read the article. When using connection options 1 and 2, IP addresses are assigned manually, the addresses must be different in the last part of the IP address, the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, the default gateway is the IP address of the computer, if necessary, you can specify the addresses of the DNS servers. Example: computer address is 192.168.1.4, media device address is 192.168.1.5.

Finding a server in a media device

The search for a server with shared folders is performed according to the user manual of the media device. If you have any questions, please refer back to the above-mentioned articles on Allshare and Smart TV.
If the server is not found, but all connections are made correctly, then in the program settings (Server section) check that the list of allowed client devices is empty or the device’s IP address is in the list of allowed ones. When using a firewall program, check the rules for accessing the module's network hms.exe(if the server runs as a Windows service, then for the hmssvc.exe module), if possible, switch the network protection program to learning mode, restart the “Home Media Server (UPnP)” program. If other media servers are used, it is better to turn them off at the setup stage.

If the server is found, but there is no way to open it in a media device

Home Media Server (UPnP) settings that may help solve this problem, V Device section: mode “DLNA 1.0”, “DLNA 1.5”, “Authorization Service”, “Russian names of main folders”, in the Server section set a permanent server port (from 1024 to 65535).

Navigating through files on a media device (TV, media player)

If the device supports the Russian language, then in the program settings (Device section) you can enable the “Russian names of the main folders” mode, this affects the names of the main folders of the media resource database. If the Russian language is not supported by the media device, select the Translit mode for encoding Russian names; the “Russian names of the main folders” mode is turned on/off at the user’s discretion (if disabled, the names of the main folders of media resources will be in English).
Folder names can be changed in the main form of the program by right-clicking the mouse - selecting the "Change name" item.
Unnecessary folders of media resources can be deleted in the main form of the program by right-clicking the “Delete Folder” item, or the “Exclude empty folders when transferring information to UPnP devices” mode can be enabled in the Device section.
Slow navigation through the media resource database may be due to the operating characteristics of the media device, the inclusion of the “Exclude empty folders when transferring information to UPnP devices” mode, the presence of slow removable media in the system, frequent changes in media resource directories and the enabled “ Automatic scanning directories when they change while the server is running." The “Exclude empty folders when transferring information to UPnP devices” mode can be turned off, the “Removable media” folder can be deleted in all sections of media resources (Movies, Music, Photos).
Navigation through directories of media resources in the structure of their storage on disk can be done through the folder “Watch Folders” (Russian language is turned off), “Catalogues of media resources” (Russian language is turned on).
If some media resources are not visible on the media device, but are present in the main form of the program, then this may be due to the mime type transmitted by the server for this media resource. The Mime type can be changed in the program settings - Settings button - "Media resources" section - "File types" - selecting a file extension - Change button.

Watching movies from the server

The server can transfer films to a media device in their original form or through transcoding (converting a film into a format supported by the media device). The movie is automatically transcoded if the file extension is not included in the list of supported ones or if a transcoding profile is selected for the movie. Configuring movie file extensions supported by the media device: button "Settings"- chapter "Device" — "Native file support" — "Movies". The list of file extensions is generated according to the media device user manual or information on the media device manufacturer’s website. If the film is played in its original form, then selecting the audio track and subtitles included in the film file is possible only if the media device supports this choice. When you select a movie through the Transcoding folder, you can select an audio track, internal and external subtitles, audio delay, and a transcoding profile to convert the movie.

Transcoding profile is a script (macro) that generates parameters for calling a transcoding program or performs transcoding using DirectShow. Editing transcoding profiles: button "Settings"- chapter - button "Profiles".

The transcoding profile used can be selected:

for all films: Settings button - section "Transcoder" - "Transcoded file parameters" - Movies - "Transcoding profile"
for movie files of a certain type (extension) - Settings button - “Media resources” - “File types” button - selecting a file extension - Edit button - “Transcoding profile”
for a specific film: in the list of films of the main form of the program, using the right mouse button - “Transcoding profile” or through the navigation of a media device, if the film is selected through the Transcoding folder in the Settings folder, generated by the server for each film.

When playing movies, media devices usually stretch the video to fill the entire screen, so to maintain the proportions of the movie frame, the server generates parameters for adding color to the original frame size to the frame size specified in the settings. Setting the transcoded frame size and the color of the addition is set in the program settings - Settings button - section "Transcoder" - page "Codecs, frame" - "Frame size". Color addition is not supported by all transcoding programs, so if you select a transcoding profile different from the main ones, it may not be available.

Reasons for errors when playing movies from a home media server:

an original movie file is selected in which the format, video or audio encoding is not supported by the media device, Possible Solution problems - select a movie through the Transcoding folder
a movie is selected through the Transcoding folder, in which video or audio encoding is not supported by the transcoder program; a possible solution to the problem is to select a different transcoding profile for the movie; Problems with the audio track can also be solved by setting the number of channels in the program settings (section Transcoder - “Codecs, Frame” page) to 2
Media device or server is unavailable: Reboot the media device or server.

Reasons for stopping/slowing down content playback:

stopping viewing may occur due to insufficient disk space used to store temporary files; exceeding the file size supported by the device; exceeding the maximum size of the transcoded file specified in the program settings (section Transcoder - “Transcoded file parameters” - Maximum size).
The transcoding speed of the film is not sufficient for viewing, you can check this in the main form of the program: perform test transcoding using RMB in the list of films - The transcoding speed (fps parameter) must be greater than the frame rate of the film. If the “Show transcoding panel” mode is enabled in the program settings (Transcoder section), then the transcoding speed can be viewed in it after selecting a movie on the media device. You can also turn on the transcoding speed indicator (section Transcoder - “Subtitles, speed indicator”), if the transcoding speed is less than the value specified in the program settings, the current transcoding speed will be displayed on the film frame in the place specified by the user.

Solutions to the above problems:

select a transcoding profile with a smaller frame size and video quality for viewing
if the encoding of a video track is supported by a media device, but the movie file format is not supported, then you can select a transcoding profile that converts the movie file format and leaves the video track unchanged (transcoding profiles “Movies - TsMuxer” - m2ts file generation, “Movies - WMF" - generation of wmv files). For the transcoding profile “Movies - TsMuxer”, you must additionally download the TsMuxer transcoder program from home page(in setting up Transcoding profiles)
stop watching a movie on a media device to create a transcoded movie file large enough for viewing
specify a disk for storing temporary transcoding files that is different from the one used by the system to store the paging file
optimize the system as a whole - check disk fragmentation, the list of startup programs, etc.

Settings of the Home Media Server program using the example of my TV model SONY Bravia KDL-46XBR9

Install, launch the Home Media Server program on your PC, go to Settings by clicking on the corresponding button.

On the right is the “Add” button for disks/directories with media content. In this case, you can choose which of these files will be scanned when the program starts. Scanning is necessary if you have changed the contents of this directory and changes have occurred there. A green circle indicates that these file types are being scanned.
Now you should pay attention to the File Types button on the right panel. Some TV models cannot play PAL video files; you must add NTSC for the content to be recognized. (for example, MPEG-PS_PAL_NTSC for *avi).

For the *mkv container, select Transcoding Profile - Core AVC. In DLNA, enter the line MPEG-PS_PAL or MPEG-PS_NTSC depending on your TV.
Now let’s look at the left panel “Categories” - “Device”. Here you will need to select your TV type and resolution. DLNA1 and DLNA1.5 are the old and new versions, you will learn about the supported DLNA version of your TV from the manual or on the official website. You can also configure Web access to the server here. Let's move on to the next category of the left panel of the “Server” settings section.

Add your TV to the client devices (look in the menu, TV network settings for static IP). When you click on the lifebuoy icon, the program will automatically detect the name of your computer and add it to the Server - Name line. To identify devices on the network connected by DLNA technology, use the “Search” button. Make sure your TV is turned on and connected to a wired or wireless network. After scanning the network, the program will add the found network clients(PC and TV). Click on TV and go to client settings.

By clicking on the Settings button, you will be taken to individual settings devices. Set the settings we talked about above.

When you click the “File Types” button, you will be taken to the file registration settings, where you can make the necessary changes.

Return to the main settings window and go from the left panel to the “Transcoder” category.

Set the settings according to the image and go to the bottom tab “Codecs, Frame”.

I draw your attention to the parameter section “Sound - Original audio track if compression is the same”. Unchecking this box will help avoid losing the Russian track when playing a video. Remember that before transcoding, each file can be viewed and changed if necessary.
The next tab we'll look at is Subtitles.

In this window you will configure the subtitle display style to your taste and other parameters necessary for their correct display. Let's look at the last category in the left panel, "Advanced".

Place a tick in the checkbox “Installing the Windows Home Media Server (UPnP) service”. Thus, the program will automatically load when you turn on the computer as a service, I wrote about this in the section Automatic start server.