Difficult to watch streamed home videos

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live Streaming
1

It’s me again: I purchased a WD TV Live streaming media player (for its wide variety of supported video formats) and My Net N900 router to allow me to watch video files, various formats, stored on a WD Elements 3 TB external hard drive, attached to my Dell desktop PC running Windows 7.  All firmware has been updated, the connection test passes, and I can see the video folders and files through the Home-Video menu.  These are family movies.

My challenge is that I cannot play the videos most of the time. (Music files and photos also stored on the WD Elements external drive, seen through the Video menu, play ok.)  Most of the video files have never played:  the screen stays dark, and if I press the Audio button on the remote, the screen message shows “No Subtitle, No Audio Channel.” 

Some times a video file will play fine, other times the same file will not even start.  Interestingly, if I try to play the file at a later date it will ask if I want to Resume or Restart.  Either option does not allow the video to play.  The source video plays without issue on the computer.

When the movies play, the video and sound quality are fantastic through my home stereo system-this is exactly what I want to experience with all the files!

Any ideas or suggestions?

thank you

2

Maybe you could create a simple configuration and see if that works well.

If it does you go from there and try more advanced options later.

Do you connect you external HDD to WDTV USB port? Try that.

I suggest you turn these options OFF and connect the external HDD to WDTV USB port, and see what happens.

Setup > System > Media Library > Off

Setup > System > Get Content Info > Manual Only

 Setup > Network Settings > Network Share Management > Windows Share Server > Off

 Setup > Network Settings > Network Share Management > Enable Access to Linux Share Servers > Off

1 Like
3

  Any ideas or suggestions?

Hmm, since I and others can do what you are trying to do, yep, there is a problem.  See if I have this correct;  You are trying to play videos on your PC that are stored on a 3TB drive, and having issues of not playing, although the same videos are stored on your PC and the PC can play them fine.  The videos stored on the 3TB play fine through the SMP to the TV. RIght?

Is your 3TB drive connected directly to your SMP, or is it somewhere else on your network?

Is this all going through a wired network connection, or all wireless, or a mix of both?

1 Like
4

Good suggestion: I tried it, no improvement. 

However, the folders visible under each of the Home screen menus (Videos, Photos, Music) appeared different: they only appeard if they held of file of that particular menu type.  In other words, under Video, only folders/files containing video files appeared.  Otherwise, when the external drive is connected directly to the computer, video, photo and music files would all be visible under Videos, Photos, Music.

I believe that the Sharing options under Windows 7 may be affecting my situation.

thank you

5

There are some bad encoded files, when played will give you a black screen and leave WDTV in a “semi-crashed state”, meaning that from that point on, almoust all files will not play.

Only way to recover from this state, would be to disconnect WDTV power cable.

when you find the first file that gives a black screen, move it to a “Bad Files” folder and reboot wdtv, removing power cable. Do this for all files that give you a black screen.

I can’t say this is your problem, but this could explain the behavior you have.

With the USB HDD connected to WDTV USB port, there are no sharing problems and no network problems, try it to dismiss these problems.

In WDTV we only see videos in VIDEOS tab, only music in MUSIC TAB, only photos in PHOTOS TAB, use FILES tab if you want to see al files.

6

Using the WD TV streaming device attached to my television/home entertainment system, I am attempting to watch video files that are stored on an external WD drive which is attached to my desktop PC.    Sometimes this works, most times it does not.   The WD TV is accessing the external drive video files through a wireless network via the PC.  The My Net N900 router is in use.  The video files are not stored on the PC, only on the external drive.  

I can watch the video files, located on the attached external drive, on the computer without issue. Depending on the format I can use Windows Media Player, Roxio Cineplayer-Creator 11, or Cyberlink Power DVD.  (All generously provided by Dell with their computer!)

 

Based on an earlier suggestion I did attach the external drive directly to the WD TV via USB, but no improvement was noted.

7

I have over a hundred video file folders; indications are that most will not play.  All are supported file formats.  All play without issue on my PC, see recent post.  Is the “bad coding” in something that WD TV set up via the media library or network sharing, or are you suggesting the source files, on the external drive attached to the PC, have bad code?

8

Actually, with the external drive attached to the computer, not to the WD TV, I can see and play photos and music under the WD TV Home-Video menu. 

On the external drive I have all three file types (video, music, photo) as separate subfolders.  Windows Sharing is set up for the top level folder.

thank you.

9

Yes, I’m sugesting that if you play 1 bad enconded file, the screen will be black and almoust all files will not play after that.

Even some good files will not play.

To recover you will need to reboot WDTV disconnecting the power cable.

If you have a file, that you know played well in WDTV, but this time doesn’t, try do power off WDTV and try that file again, if it plays chance is that you had played a bad file before that.

I had this beavior with some files, but I can’t say if this is your case.

10

I also have some network shared folders.

To select my shared folders, I select “Content Source” (red button)  and then “Network Share” and select the shared computer name.

When I use the video tab, only videos will show, if I goto a music folder with flac, mp3 or wav files, wdtv says “there is no media in current folder”.

What music file types can you play under the video tab?

In “Content Source”, you select a “Network Share”?

11

@savage

Based on what you told us, files on the drive connected to PC, play on the PC.  Guess what?  No network or wireless signal involved.  So, I would guess a wireless network problem (weak signal, etc).

But, based upon this that you also said:  Based on an earlier suggestion I did attach the external drive directly to the WD TV via USB, but no improvement was noted.

This is no different than the drive being attached to the PC (where it worked fine).  (i.e., no network involved)  But, you have the problem.  Strange and unexplainable – gotta ponder this one. . . . .

To be clear, you tried to watch videos on TV from drive from PC now connected to WD unit, and have the problems, right?

12

All your statements are correct summaries. 

Another reader has suggested unplugging the WD TV when I encounter a file that will not play.  I will test this out and report.

thank you

13

You say that these are home movies which I assume means that you encoded them. You also say that some of them never played. 

Post the text output of mediainfo (free) on one of the files which has never played.

http://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo

Tick / untick the boxes if you don’t want the extras.

If these files do not play when the drive is directly connected to the player when you can ignore the network and you can also ignore the fact that a software player on your computer can play them as hardware players have a lower tolerance to ‘bad’ files. As has been said if the player encounters a ‘bad’ file then it refuses to play any file until a reboot.

14

I can’t post the text file from Mediainfo-website message about 20,000 character limit.

15

Turning off the power and rebooting did not change things.

Thank you.

16

I’ve made these selections, Home menu-Setup:

Network Settings-network share management-windows share server-on

System-media library-on; media library manager for network share-add netwok share to media library-the folder and subfolders containing the video, photo, music files are listed.

The music files are mp3.

17

What did you do after rebooting and what happened?

I’m sugesting some of your files are not compatible with WDTV, if this is true, you just can’t play those files.

Do you have any file that plays well?

Only option is to post the text RichUK asked, maybe he can say why the file doesn’t play.

Text file is too big? Cut it into several messages…

EDIT: You should test this with local USB pen or USB HDD connected to WDTV USB port, to rule out network problems.

           Also this way we are sure that you are not using the media server…

18

savage wrote:

I can’t post the text file from Mediainfo-website message about 20,000 character limit.

Go to one of the files which never played.

Right click on it and select MediaInfo. (or run the mediainfo program and then open the file via file / open)

select view / text from top menu.

left click and select all text, right click and paste into WD forum reply box.

You should end up with something like this

General
Complete name : R:\video\depends on me.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 22.3 MiB
Duration : 2mn 16s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 1 368 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2012-04-24 21:54:21
Tagged date : UTC 2012-04-25 21:54:30

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 2mn 16s
Bit rate : 1 255 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 2 036 Kbps
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Minimum frame rate : 19.275 fps
Maximum frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.163
Stream size : 20.5 MiB (92%)
Encoded date : UTC 2012-04-24 21:54:21
Tagged date : UTC 2012-04-24 21:54:29

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 2mn 16s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 106 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 184 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 1.75 MiB (8%)
Encoded date : UTC 2012-04-24 21:54:24
Tagged date : UTC 2012-04-24 21:54:29

19

I will split the MediaInfo text file into multiple posts:

first part:

General
Complete name                            : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\2b85ee604b14bbe8f1efe523aa3a61f9.bmk
File size                                : 1.00 KiB

General
Complete name                            : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\809477fcfe8414e6fe3872af36658743.bmk
File size                                : 1.00 KiB

General
Complete name                            : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.BUP
Format                                   : DVD Video
Format profile                           : Menu
File size                                : 14.0 KiB
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable

Video
ID                                       : 224 (0xE0)
Format                                   : MPEG Video
Format version                           : Version 2
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Width                                    : 720 pixels
Height                                   : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 4:3
Frame rate                               : 29.970 fps
Standard                                 : NTSC
Compression mode                         : Lossy

Text
Format                                   : RLE
Format/Info                              : Run-length encoding
Bit depth                                : 2 bits

General
Complete name                            : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO
Format                                   : DVD Video
Format profile                           : Menu
File size                                : 14.0 KiB
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable

Video
ID                                       : 224 (0xE0)
Format                                   : MPEG Video
Format version                           : Version 2
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Width                                    : 720 pixels
Height                                   : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 4:3
Frame rate                               : 29.970 fps
Standard                                 : NTSC
Compression mode                         : Lossy

Text
Format                                   : RLE
Format/Info                              : Run-length encoding
Bit depth                                : 2 bits

20

second part:

General
Complete name : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 30.0 KiB
Duration : 33ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 7 447 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Simple@Main
Format settings, BVOP : No
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Duration : 33ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Maximum bit rate : 9 800 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00;00
Time code source : Group of pictures header

Text
ID : 189 (0xBD)-32 (0x20)
Format : RLE
Format/Info : Run-length encoding
Muxing mode : DVD-Video

Menu

General
Complete name : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.BUP
Format : DVD Video
Format profile : Program
File size : 72.0 KiB
Duration : 1h 47mn
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 91 bps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Duration : 1h 47mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Compression mode : Lossy

Audio
ID : 128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Duration : 1h 47mn
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy

Menu
Duration : 1h 47mn
00:00:00.000 : Chapter 1
00:05:29.000 : Chapter 2
00:11:49.000 : Chapter 3
00:17:38.500 : Chapter 4
00:23:29.500 : Chapter 5
00:29:53.500 : Chapter 6
00:35:45.500 : Chapter 7
00:41:37.500 : Chapter 8
00:47:59.000 : Chapter 9
00:53:48.000 : Chapter 10
00:59:39.000 : Chapter 11
01:05:58.000 : Chapter 12
01:11:47.000 : Chapter 13
01:17:37.000 : Chapter 14
01:23:59.500 : Chapter 15
01:29:51.000 : Chapter 16
01:35:40.500 : Chapter 17
01:41:29.000 : Chapter 18
List (Audio) : 0

General
Complete name : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.IFO
Format : DVD Video
Format profile : Program
File size : 72.0 KiB
Duration : 1h 47mn
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 91 bps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Duration : 1h 47mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Compression mode : Lossy

Audio
ID : 128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Duration : 1h 47mn
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy

Menu
Duration : 1h 47mn
00:00:00.000 : Chapter 1
00:05:29.000 : Chapter 2
00:11:49.000 : Chapter 3
00:17:38.500 : Chapter 4
00:23:29.500 : Chapter 5
00:29:53.500 : Chapter 6
00:35:45.500 : Chapter 7
00:41:37.500 : Chapter 8
00:47:59.000 : Chapter 9
00:53:48.000 : Chapter 10
00:59:39.000 : Chapter 11
01:05:58.000 : Chapter 12
01:11:47.000 : Chapter 13
01:17:37.000 : Chapter 14
01:23:59.500 : Chapter 15
01:29:51.000 : Chapter 16
01:35:40.500 : Chapter 17
01:41:29.000 : Chapter 18
List (Audio) : 0

General
Complete name : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 12s 197ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 704 Mbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 12s 197ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 690 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 9 800 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 66.615
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00:00
Time code source : Group of pictures header
Stream size : 1 004 MiB (98%)
Color primaries : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics : BT.601
Matrix coefficients : BT.601

Audio
ID : 189 (0xBD)-128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Muxing mode : DVD-Video
Duration : 11s 886ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -67ms
Stream size : 371 KiB (0%)

Menu

General
Complete name : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_2.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 8s 544ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 1 005 Mbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 8s 363ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 985 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 9 800 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 95.107
Time code of first frame : 00:29:02:00
Time code source : Group of pictures header
Stream size : 983 MiB (96%)
Color primaries : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics : BT.601
Matrix coefficients : BT.601

Audio
ID : 189 (0xBD)-128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Muxing mode : DVD-Video
Duration : 8s 544ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -246ms
Stream size : 267 KiB (0%)

Menu

General
Complete name : G:\Videos Family Theatrical\family movies\General Holidays Birthdays Vacations\1991 Dave Mary Wedding June 8\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_3.VOB
Format : MPEG-PS
File size : 1 024 MiB
Duration : 28mn 49s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 4 967 Kbps

Video
ID : 224 (0xE0)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Duration : 28mn 49s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 4 612 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 9 800 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.445
Time code of first frame : 00:57:52:00
Time code source : Group of pictures header
Stream size : 951 MiB (93%)
Color primaries : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics : BT.601
Matrix coefficients : BT.601

Audio
ID : 189 (0xBD)-128 (0x80)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Muxing mode : DVD-Video
Duration : 28mn 49s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -200ms
Stream size : 52.8 MiB (5%)