Source menu to appropriate source, and "Media server"?

Hi-

I am using a WD Live TV Streaming player with the latest 5/13/2012 firmware 1.08.17.

My data resides ona Synology DS110J NAS (video, photo, music).

My two questions are as follows:

* 1) Navigation to appropriate source.

My NAS is a “media server”, DLNA certified and all does play propery so far, no issues other than navigation.

Examples:

1.a. If I click on “Videos” on the WDLTVS, I see 3 folders correlating to my 3 root shares on the NAS: Video, Music, Photo.  But, all I want to see is “Video” and have it enter the video folder

1.b. If I click on “Music” on the WDLTVS, I see 3 folders correlating to my 3 root shares on the NAS: Video, Music, Photo. But, all I want to see is “Music” and have it enter the video folder

etc…

So, How can I set things up so that when I click on a menu item, it goes directly in to it and does NOT show the other root sources ???

* 2) Given I already have a “media server” in the Synology NAS, what functionality do I gain byt using the WDLTVS “Media Library” functionality ?  Does it scan use DLNA or Network access?  Will it scan my Synology to find all Music, Video, and Photo files?  If so, how oftern does it re-scan, etc… Hopefully my questions make sense…

Truly any help here is appreciated.

Perhaps I need to, for all sources, NOT use DLNA but rather direct network access to the files and that will allow me to do what I want to do ?

  • B

As part of the DLNA “handshake,” the WDTV specifies which container it wants to see (be it photos, videos, music, etc.)

Not all DLNA servers obey that token; they just present everything.

  1.  If you’re using the Media Library, that doesn’t happen.  The WDTV then maintains its own database of files, and keeps them organized by type.    You cannot add a DLNA source to the media library; you can only add NFS and Samba (Windows) shares.

It scans every time you reboot the box, or if you manually do a “Rescan” on a particular folder, or it also does periodic rescans based on a schedule you define in the Media Library setup options.

Wow, thanks for the quick reply !

  1. So, it seems like, and I agree, that the Sybology is the DLNA problem.  I had an old QNap NAS that worked perfectly, shoed only the folder which was appropriate.

  2. So, I guess I need to change my “Source” for each of the three main sources (Video, Music, Photo) and use direct network access through Samba using a “read-only” account and I will Get “Music” when I click “Music”, etc ???

Will that solve my issue?

Also, Once I start using Samba rather than DLNA, can I:

  • Use “Favorites” properly in “Services”

  • Use a “Folder”, or “Playlist” as a favorite.

My old QNap Nas allowed me to make playlists and/or folders as single key “favorites”, which was AWESOME !

Lastly, any chance WD will “UnBlock” some of the videos on youtube?  I mean really - I can see them on my PC.

Again thanks for your time !!! - B

  use direct network access through Samba using a “read-only” account and I will Get “Music” when I click “Music”, etc ???

  1.  No, it’s not that simple, unfortunately.    The WDTV will need READ/WRITE access to create the database;  the database is stored in a hidden folder inside the shared folder.

The YouTube blocking is decided by the user who posted the video; WD must obey YouTubes terms of service, so no, it’s very doubtful WD will change that.

“2)  No, it’s not that simple, unfortunately.    The WDTV will need READ/WRITE access to create the database;  the database is stored in a hidden folder inside the shared folder.”

Ugh - My Synology supports only “Read-Only”, or “Read-Write”, but no option “not to delete”.

I don’t want to open up the possibly that file contents on my NAS get deleted.

Can the SMP not save its database to another device, USB stick, or internal memory?

I guess ultimately I have no real solution.  But I would rather deal w/ no favorites and 3 folders under each menu item rather than my 3 yr old deleting all my media files by accident.

Bummer.

Thanks Tony for your input.