DLNA experiences?

[mhorst]

Hello,

Its time for me to buy a new TV set and I noticed some of the new TVs support DLNA. As I understand it such TVs can be connected to the network and should be able to play media directly from the MediaTomb server that is integrated with LinuxMCE.
So I was wondering if anybody has experience with such a setup?

Particularly, assuming I'd use a separate device as orbiter, would it still be necessary to have an MD connected to the TV?

[b4rney]

Sounds good, but IMHO you'd have another interface to learn and it wouldn't be a complete solution like an md. No pvr tv, recording, pausing, telecoms, internet, security etc.

It comes down to personal choice I guess. My choice would be a good 1080p TV with an acer revo attached.
Barney

[golgoj4]

Hello,

Its time for me to buy a new TV set and I noticed some of the new TVs support DLNA. As I understand it such TVs can be connected to the network and should be able to play media directly from the MediaTomb server that is integrated with LinuxMCE.
So I was wondering if anybody has experience with such a setup?

Particularly, assuming I'd use a separate device as orbiter, would it still be necessary to have an MD connected to the TV?

I use my ps3's dlna features all the time. works pretty well. It is only a media playback frontend, but i have a wireless orbiter for everything else.
In addition to mediatomb, mythtv has a upnp server as well, so recorded tv is available. Being able to pause streams from the core depends on the player software in the tv.

golgoj4

[mhorst]

Thanks for the info. I'll check to see what the different DLNA enabled TVs support in terms of playback and pausing.
For the lost functionality I was indeed thinking of a wireless orbiter or something.

I have two more questions:
1) Does the MythTV PnP server also enable you to watch live TV? In my current setup I haven't bothered to run a coax cable to my TV, I always watch TV via the MD. Would that still be possible, perhaps by selecting a channel on a wireless orbiter?
2) What about subtitles for movies on my harddisk? Is this also TV dependent, or can MediaTomb somehow send them along with the media stream?

Thanks.

[golgoj4]

Thanks for the info. I'll check to see what the different DLNA enabled TVs support in terms of playback and pausing.
For the lost functionality I was indeed thinking of a wireless orbiter or something.

I have two more questions:
1) Does the MythTV PnP server also enable you to watch live TV? In my current setup I haven't bothered to run a coax cable to my TV, I always watch TV via the MD. Would that still be possible, perhaps by selecting a channel on a wireless orbiter?
2) What about subtitles for movies on my harddisk? Is this also TV dependent, or can MediaTomb somehow send them along with the media stream?

Thanks.

1) Dont believe myth allows livetv streaming, but i could be wrong. I dont believe i ever attempted however.
2)Subtitles i need to look into. for some reason I thought media tomb handled those, but I dont know if i've ever checked. The job of adding subtitles to a upnp stream would be a server side thing so it depends on the upnp server (in this case myth).

-golgoj4

[golgoj4]

About the subtitles
http://mediatomb.cc/dokuwiki/transcoding:transcoding
it is possible with mediatomb. Ill will take a look at where the config will go for it, but I cant promise it will be soon as im on a project for the next 11 days. Also, I would recommend looking into how robust upnp support is for the tv you select. This will give you an idea of how good or bad the implementation is.

Also, expect to spend some time hacking around with the config settings. It seems like everybody and their mom has specific flags for their damned device to enable things like video thumbnails, cover art, trans-coding, etc. I wont claim that im a master of mediatomb, but I have been able to bend it to my will to get the little details on my ps3 enabled, so if you post in the forum or find me in irc, im more than happy to help.

Lastly, mediatomb is theoretically going away for something sexier. But that requires knowledge of python, which is coming slowly. So if any of you know some python and have an interest in making a better upnp server, please drop me a message. In the mean time, enjoy mediatomb

-golgoj4
sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread

[mhorst]

Interesting. I guess I'll just have to find a TV with good DLNA support and then see how far I get. (Until I have it working I can at least keep the current MD).

I found a suggestion somewhere that instead of watching live TV, it might be possible to start a recording of the channel I want to watch and then watch the recording (in progress) via DLNA. But I haven't seen anybody reporting a success with this method yet.

Anyway, I know some python, but I really should finish what I start (http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10111.0) before diving into another project

[golgoj4]

Anyway, I know some python, but I really should finish what I start (http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=10111.0) before diving into another project

I know the feeling. Except my desires far out-pace my coding ability. But dammit that wont stop me from trying!

As far as finding a tv with good dnla support, I would just read a lot of reviews. Also there is a dnla alliance site with vendors who supposedly fully support the spec
http://www.dlna.org/retail/products/

hth,
golgoj4

[Marie.O]

A couple of notes:

• People have had success to watch live TV with VDR via UPnP (with fairly slow channel changes but none the less)
• @mhorst: If you are good at Python, look at the Coherence UPnP/DLNA framework and work with golgoj4 to create a backend which receives its media data from the pluto media database direct

[totallymaxed]

A couple of notes:

• People have had success to watch live TV with VDR via UPnP (with fairly slow channel changes but none the less)
• @mhorst: If you are good at Python, look at the Coherence UPnP/DLNA framework and work with golgoj4 to create a backend which receives its media data from the pluto media database direct

All of our thinking on UPnP & DLNA is leading us to a position where we see the TV itself or an STB device attached to it delivering the Live TV capability and we use the internal 'TV server' MythTV/vdr as the recording scheduler which can then be accessed by any suitable UPnP Media renderer. It seems a simpler more achievable goal to treat LiveTV this way at present at least.

All the best


Andrew

[Marie.O]

Andrew,

unfortunately, your suggestion means, you have to rewire the house to have antenna outlets next to each TV set, which is, imho, an archaic concept

Or did I misunderstand?

[totallymaxed]

Andrew,

unfortunately, your suggestion means, you have to rewire the house to have antenna outlets next to each TV set, which is, imho, an archaic concept

Or did I misunderstand?

Well indeed - the approach would be to use local aerial feeds (here this is standard anyway) or alternatively to use centrally located tuners and IP or Balun distribute the signal from each. Until the UPnP distribution of LiveTV matures significantly I cant see it being usable.

All the best


Andrew

[Marie.O]

That's one of the reasons, why we still have MDs

UPnP has great possibilities, and I am looking forward to the time, when UPnP can be controlled by external control points, have the ability to switch streams at a rate people come to expect. Due to the fact, that the time for changing channels has been extended over the last couple of years/month due to the advent of HDTV, one might think that eventually a time will come, where two techs will come together (performance wise).

Until that time, people benefit from utilizing low cost, ION powered MDs around the house, connected via regular CAT cable.