Videos from PC wont play on WD TV Live & BluRay player

[mike boss]

Not sure if there is a better section for this, so thought I would post here.
I'm hoping to get some help.

I have a WD TV Live that was working AWESOME, not it wont play ANY videos.
I noticed however it will not play videos from my Windows Vista PC (that I recently factory restored).
I then tried with my BluRay player, and same thing it shows the titles, just wont play media stored on this specific PC.

With the WD TV Live I took a file that it played from another PC, but it to the Vista PC and it would not play.

So I'm thinking this issue is with the PC somehow ?
Sharing is enabled so that isn't it, could it be an update of sorts that I'm missing that causes this ??

For what it's worth videos are playing on the PC , but not the above mentioned sources.

I am at a complete loss.

Any help would be appreciated.

[mike boss]

I should add, my WD TV Live is updated and current, and for my BluRay player I installed the required companion software also.

Devices see the content on PC, but say the formats are not supported.

[BadMouth]

Devices say the formats are not supported.

There is your problem.

Saying "video" is absurdly broad.  What software created the files? What type of files are they?  What format is the video? Audio?

Post XP Windows dumped support for some video formats that they had to pay a licensing fee for.  This is why you can't view an animated gif in windows picture viewer anymore.

[mike boss]

But here is something odd.
I never had a problem with this WD TV Live in the past.
On my PC 60 files are in that folder, it played 2.
But not only did it only play 2, it would not play a file one PC1 that it played from PC2.
So it's having issues playing files it can play.
Could this be a firewall thing ?
I checked to make sure my Windows Media Player was current.
Could it be a Windows update is missing ?

I'm lost.

[shponglefan]

Could it be that the Vista PC has some sort of media streaming feature turned on?  IOW, it's actually converting the video format before trying to stream it?

[JDFan]

Might also be missing the Codec for that format since explorer tends to not include many of them so that you use MS formats instead of third party programs -- try installing the K-lite mega codec pack ( http://www.codecguide.com/download_k-lite_codec_pack_mega.htm ) It has most of the needed codecs for most formats and usually installs without conflicts with other programs.

[mike boss]

I am at a real loss here. 
This set up was working before with NO ISSUES.
I had a virus that I was unable to fix and restored the PC to factory defaults.
I had issues with the PC, but it was related to the service packs.
They've been installed, and I ran all the updates.

I forget what it was, but after the restore I had an issue with something else.
So I ran the restore.
I actually did install the K-Lite codec pack, and then all the programs I used prior
(like MP3 Gain, MP3 tag, Utorrent and a few others).

With respects to playing media, all the files I test work on the PC itself.

I think another restore may be in order.
Question.................

I'll move all the media (which is limited anyway) and run the restore again.
Upon restore can I just install service pack 1 & 2 ? Or should I wait for the auto updates to
find and install them ?

The sole purpose of this 2nd PC is media streaming, so if it does not work the PC is not serving its purpose.

Perhaps when I did the restore I was premature in putting my torrents, programs, etc, back onto the PC.

[mike boss]

I wonder if possibly the host software for the Blueay player (Samsung All Share) is the issue ....
Either way I think I need to just be patient. Restore, update, update, update then begin the install.
Luckily all that is on the PC are some videos.
I can move them over and do the restore.
Install one thing at a time, test, then install another, test, etc etc.

It is a real pain! Real pain! But like I said this PC is just for media, so I need this working.
Playing 2 of 60 files, no way...something is wrong.

This will need to be a late night project tonight when the kids and wife are sleeping.
I know the PC had given me issues upon restore installing programs. And  that was related to service pack issues, and updates not being complete.

I think I was too impatient, installing programs and just going way to fast.

I dunno

[shponglefan]

With respects to playing media, all the files I test work on the PC itself.

That in itself doesn't mean anything.  The WD Live players (I have a WD TV Hub player, so I'm familiar with them), don't support all the same formats that you can use on a PC.  Sometimes it's issues with the encoding format, sometimes it's even just the container file (i.e. .mkv, .avi) that can be the issue.

What are the actual formats of the files you are playing?  IOW, what is the container format and the compression formats (audio/video) used?

[Howard_Casto]

At the risk of repeating what the others have possibly said... it's the format man.  It's difficult to get some formats to play on the PC without downloading additional codecs or in some cases players so what made you think the experience would be made easier on something that is decidedly not a PC?  If you think you can just throw any old video off the net on there and it will work think again.  Most likely the only reliable way to get video to work would be to take any video you want to play and re-encode it specifically for use on the tv. 

[mike boss]

The WD TV Live is known for being able to play most everything you toss at it. All be it I do understand that some formats may not play.
Biggest part of my issue is I have a file WWE_1 , WWE_1 stored on my Windows 7 PC will play on the WD TV Live.
Now copy WWE_1, move it to Windows Vista PC, it will not play on the WD.

So I can confirm the file did play, just will not play over the network from the selected PC on the WD.

[shponglefan]

The WD TV Live is known for being able to play most everything you toss at it. All be it I do understand that some formats may not play.
Biggest part of my issue is I have a file WWE_1 , WWE_1 stored on my Windows 7 PC will play on the WD TV Live.
Now copy WWE_1, move it to Windows Vista PC, it will not play on the WD.

So I can confirm the file did play, just will not play over the network from the selected PC on the WD.

Will anything play from the Vista PC?  Can you stream an MP3 or something to make sure media is playing in general?  If not, then it's probably some sort of networking problem.  If other media will play, then other than some sort of media server on the Vista PC streaming in a different format, I'm at a loss as to what the issue is.

[mike boss]

I just uninstalled Plex to see if that helped, didn't.
The WD TV Live will display pictures and play audio.
I tested with some audio and an image I downloaded.
Both worked.

It's late now, but tomorrow I am going to move 10 random videos to another PC.
Test the 10 from that PC and log the results.

Of the 60 files in my shared folder I'm hard pressed to think all won't play. And as noted I tested one that I know worked, and it would not.
I also did several factory resets and unplugged the unit for hours.

[mike boss]

Since the wife and kids stayed @ her parents tonight (so I could watch UFC) I decided I would factory restore this PC --------------- AGAIN !!!
So that is what I did. This time taking my time not to rush installing anything.
I'm running the Windows updates constantly.
I did however install the K-Lite Codec Pack. I've made one observation so far.
I moved all my files over to an external HDD, then restored the PC. I moved over 1 or 2 of each kind of file.
All the files just appear as lil white boxes, no logo or thumb showing. Only two had an avatar.
I rebooted the WD TV live, and only the two files that had the lil avatar showed up.
So that is code, so I know the codecs are important. I'm now moving ALL the video over (since K-Lite is installed).
I'll reboot and see what shows up.

Once I see less and less Windows updates I'll install my programs one at a time. Installing, rebooting, testing.

Fingers crossed.

[mike boss]

So a little progress here and I'm not sure what to make of it.
With my dedicated media PC (the one giving me issues, the reason for this thread) when I go into WD TV LIVE/VIDEO/MEDIA SERVERS/MIKE BOSS PC/FOLDERS/SHARED VIDEO ,  I see 6 items (yet this folder has all my video content) . When I go to VIDEO/NETWORK SHARES/MIKE BOSS PC/PUBLIC/VIDEOS, then I see all the content. So this is good, it works, I see my media. It is slow for some reason.... but it plays which is great. The speed,  I'll tackle later.

So I get to thinking, this entire time was I going to the wrong section ? Is that why nothing worked. So I fire up my laptop. I go into WD TV LIVE/VIDEO/MEDIA SERVERS/MIKE BOSS LAPTOP/FOLDERS/SHARED VIDEO, I see all the video on the laptop, and it plays no problem. So then I check VIDEO/NETWORK SHARES/MIKE BOSS LAPTOP/PUBLIC/VIDEOS and that shows no media to share.

I don't know the difference between a Network share and a Media Server, and why one would work one way vs the other. But it works. I know it works, so I'm relieved. But I wonder why it works like that.

[Peabo]

I know I'm late to the thread, but the WD Live plays direct stream only and supports limited formats.  You need to either have it access a Network Share with video formats it supports, or setup/enable DLNA streaming on your Windows PC then connect your WD Live via DLNA(which is likely how you had it originally) 

The WD Live doesn't support a Plex client, but you could enable DLNA in the Plex Server config and then connect through that.

Read these 2 pages:
http://helpguide.sony.net/speaker/srs-x7/v1/en/contents/TP0000302310.html
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-pictures/enabling-media-sharing-in-windows-vista-and-to/1b7bf031-c605-4546-a3d6-dcdd04010f73?db=5&auth=1

[mike boss]

Thank you, I'll give both links a read.
This really pi$$es me off, because when I bought this, took it home, set it up it worked.
I bought it used, did a factory reset and away I went.
Now it is a comedy of errors. And the worst part, it worked in connection with this PC prior.
With the exception of Plex, which I uninstalled, I only installed (after restore) programs I already had.
As is now, I can use it with all my PC's. The difference is how I access the content (Media Server/Network Share).
I'll give the links a read, tweak what I can and see if I get it to the way it was prior.

I'm nervous about installing Samsung All Share, even though I used it prior, I wonder if that caused the conflict.
The All Share is what I need to access the content via my BluRay player. When in reality , if the WD TV is working
flawless I really don't need both sources.

[mike boss]

I took a look @ the links provided.
Followed the Sony tutorial, made the changes as per that guide.

I noticed something though.
All my media (videos) are in Public Videos.
When I go into my WD TV LIVE as Media Server it only shows 6 folders.
Same thing happens on my 360, the same 6 folders, and the BluRay player, the same 6 folders.
So  clearly these things all access the media the same way.

But again, prior, all these devices would show all the content. All be it, some would not play (be it codecs, etc) they would show.
Now the same 6 folders.

[mike boss]

I'm running updates like mad on my Vista PC, thinking this is a PC issue.
What has me lost is I have 2 computers and 2 laptops, and I've never done any "advance" configuration other than enable sharing.
And all the PC's worked the same, and displayed all the media in the shared folder.
No tweaks or anything required.
YET this PC (which worked prior) does not work.
It only shows 6 items in the folder......it must be, it has to be a missing update ?
For what it is worth, I restored the PC to factory settings.........settings that it came with 7 years ago.
This really sucks.

[jtslade]

Use the Gspot codec analyzer software to see what the videos are using and if there is any problems


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Howard_Casto]

I know you don't want to hear this as it isn't an optimum solution to your problem but you know what works really well for video serving?  Windows 10.  It has that "Cast to Device" option that's popular with a lot of devices these days  and to keep compatibility high it's really good at dealing with a lot of formats.  Sure it's clunkly and not the more elegant solution you want, but If I want to stream something to my tablet or xbox one or what have you, I just go on my pc, right click on the file and fling it.   

[jtslade]

Using plex from open media vault and it's amazing and rock solid. Streams everything and is an amazing nas


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mike boss]

I'm not sure what I'm going to do here to be honest.
I'm still running updates every time I power on the PC.
For now I just go to the videos from the Network Shares option.
All be it even tho everything is wired, I still find the connection slow, and playback can be "skippy."
Yet my laptop, which is wireless plays videos fine when I go in to the WD TV Live from the Media Servers option.
I'm going to install the Samsung All Share software that I need for my Bluray player to play media from the PC.
I wonder if somehow that may help this WD TV Live to work as it did.
For now I don't wanna upgrade to Windows 10.

[mike boss]

I don't know if Samsung All Share turns my PC into a DLNA server ? But once I installed this on my PC I see all the files now when I got into Media Shares.

I'm going to install it on my laptop and see if I can see all the files on my laptop thru the WD TV Live.