VLC Stream & Convert app doesn't stream

[LanguidLegend]

I downloaded the app, and was able to successfully use the http remote control feature via both my internal and external IPs. However, when I try to stream just the audio to my phone I get the error "Cannot open xxx.xx.xxx.xxx" multiple times, followed by multiple messages saying "Cannot play: Too many errors"

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Edit: After enabling debug mode and re-trying, I get multiple "ERROR: Data corruption being detected" followed by the "Cannot play: Too many errors" messages.

 

[modisch]

I skipped this and instead use Skifta, which is a DLNA/UPNP client/server for android. If you have setup your computer to serve files to devices like an xbox 360 or ps3, skifta will work with that.

Skifta is only the client, not a player. So you still need a multi-format player. I recommend moboplayer.

With these two apps I stream video to my phone without a problem.

Oh, and the only thing you need to serve the files on your pc is media player. (if you have win7, otherwise you might need tversity or something similar).

-m

{ DroidX «» Liberty 2.0.1 «» TapaTalk }

 

[LanguidLegend]

Thanks for the reply.
By "setup to serve to Xbox 360", do you mean via Windows Media Center? If so, you're saying thats required for Skifta?
Also, what qualifies a player as multi-format? VLC plays many different formats of video..

 

[modisch]

Yes. not even so much WMC as Windows Media Player and its native Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (in Windows 7). If you have Win7, check to see if you have WMP Network Sharing Service running. If so, add your media folder to the libraries in WMP and your computer will run as a UPNP media server.

Prior to Windows 7, you need Windows Media Center, which was only available in certain Windows XP packages. In Win7, you can get the same functionality with less hassle with WMP and the WMP Network Sharing Service.

As for a multi-format player, I just mean something that will play whatever you're serving. Avi, mkv, etc. Moboplayer does that out the box. As does the actual VLC player for Windows (and other desktop OS's).

Actual VLC, from the developer (VideoLAN), is not yet available for Android. There have been recent efforts to compile it for Android now, with mixed success. But a proper VLC app from the developer is coming in April or May. The problem is that VLC is coded in C and Android doesn't support C well (until Android 2.3). So the developers have been having to cobble together a way for VLC (programmed in C) to output its display through a Java layer. It's a bit of a mess. Again, Gingerbread will help... but not all phones will have gingerbread.

None of the 'VLC' apps on the Android market have come from any of the VideoLAN developers. They are all apps that use VLC remote APIs to work with VideoLAN VLC on the desktop.

I think a lot of confusion stems from the fact that a lot of Android developers are using the name and logo of VLC for their apps. That's a bit disingenuous. That would be like any app that uses the Twitter API using both the Twitter name and logo. It gives the impression that the app comes from Twitter (or VLC) when it doesn't. Developers should be more clear that their apps are not from VideoLAN, the developer of VLC, and simply use the remote access APIs that are provided by VLC.


But back to the issue at hand... I think VLC S&C, while it works, is a pain in the balls and doesn't work reliably for everyone. If your goal is to watch media on your computer, you can skip the cumbersome VLC API and related apps... and use UPNP or DLNA, which are more universal standards. Use a UPNP/DLNA server, either WMP in Win7 or Windows Media Center or a third-party application like TVersity, Fuppes, or whatever else (depending on your OS). Then use UPNP/DLNA client like Skifta, which is free (in beta, developed by Qualcomm, so not some bearded dude in a basement). And if that client also needs a multi-format player, use one of the many such players on the market. Moboplayer is free, performs really well, has nice features (like you can lock the screen to prevent input from accidental contact), and doesn't have any form of watermark (like Rockplayer).

In short. Windows Media Player on Win7 or TVersity on anything else. Skifta. Moboplayer.

All problems solved.

 

[LanguidLegend]

Thanks for all the info.

If your goal is to watch media on your computer, you can skip the cumbersome VLC API and related apps... and use UPNP or DLNA, which are more universal standards. Use a UPNP/DLNA server, either WMP in Win7 or Windows Media Center or a third-party application like TVersity, Fuppes, or whatever else (depending on your OS). Then use UPNP/DLNA client like Skifta, which is free (in beta, developed by Qualcomm, so not some bearded dude in a basement). And if that client also needs a multi-format player, use one of the many such players on the market. Moboplayer is free, performs really well, has nice features (like you can lock the screen to prevent input from accidental contact), and doesn't have any form of watermark (like Rockplayer).

My goal is to host all of my video files on my computer (many hundreds of GBs' worth), and stream it to my Android. The point of this is that I could never fit all my videos on my Droid, so streaming it (even if its only mp3, no video) would solve that problem.

 

[Snow02]

Try play on. You can stream your video without a subscription. Works great.

 

[LanguidLegend]

Try play on. You can stream your video without a subscription. Works great.

Can you link me? I can't seem to find it..

 

[Snow02]

Search the android market for play on. Then download the server software from playon.tv/playon.

 

[modisch]

PlayOn is also a UPNP/DLNA-based server. The added bonus of that is that it can also control and capture desktop-based streaming services like HuLu and cast them to your UPNP/DLNA client.

But if your goal is just sharing videos already on your HD and you have Win7... just use the native ability there. Then you don't have to install any new services on your computer. Which is my preference. There's a "Stream" pull-down button in WMP7. Just check ok to streaming and enjoy the party.

LanguidLegend, I can appreciate your interest. I'm in the same boat. No microSD is ever going to hold my media collection. So streaming from my PC was the first thing I tried to do when I got my phone. Well, that and look at porn.

-m

 

[Snow02]

The benefit is play on handles all the configuration and will stream over the internet to anywhere. I looked into other options and this is by far the best solution. Plus it's free.

 

[LanguidLegend]

There's a "Stream" pull-down button in WMP7. Just check ok to streaming and enjoy the party.

And I use Skifta as the receiving app on my Droid?

 

[LanguidLegend]

The benefit is play on handles all the configuration and will stream over the internet to anywhere. I looked into other options and this is by far the best solution. Plus it's free.

So I downloaded/installed the server on my PC and paired it with my Xbox 360 & Android. But can it stream AVI/MKV files I have on my computer to my phone? I haven't found that aspect yet.

 

[Snow02]

The benefit is play on handles all the configuration and will stream over the internet to anywhere. I looked into other options and this is by far the best solution. Plus it's free.

So I downloaded/installed the server on my PC and paired it with my Xbox 360 & Android. But can it stream AVI/MKV files I have on my computer to my phone? I haven't found that aspect yet.

Yep. It will stream them to anything. You need to open the play on configuration software on your computer and add the directories your video files are in. I forget which tab it's under. My Media maybe. If you've already done this and just need to know how to connect your phone, read on.

Then open the play on app while connected to wifi so it can find the server. It should find it immediately. To enable streaming remotely, you'll need to forward a port in your router. The desktop software has a test button to let you know you're configured correctly, under the mobile access tab. But it will stream over wifi locally with no configuration so you can at least test it.

 

[Snow02]

I just re-read your post. It sounds like you need to point play on to your local files. Again, find the my media tab, add the directories. You also need vlc installed and might have to type in the installation directory.

You can also install yet another media manager to automatically add box art. So all the entries look like so..
(image upload fail)

 

[Snow02]

Here you go.