We purchased a MyCloud external Drive for the purpose of accessing our data when traveling. We use the latest Android devices (Tablet and phone) and are able to access our MyCloud drive.
However, when trying to watch a movie that we ripped into an MP4 file, MyCloud wants to download it to my phone or tablet instead of playing it. I always have excellent WiFi connection and speed and I am using VLC Media Player.
Is there a setting on MyCloud that I am not finding that allows video files to stream from the external MyCloud drive?
Try using a different media player on your Android device. I can stream remote MP4 media files using the WD My Cloud for Android app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wdc.wd2go) and the MX Player app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.ad) on my two Android devices. When I use the WD My Cloud for Android app and select an MP4 video file the app pops up a dialog box asking me to choose an app to play/open the file. I select MX Player and the file begins playing after a few short seconds.
Hi Bennor,
Thanks for the speedy response and instructions, After a bit of fudging it works great thanks.
As an FYI - I am having a problem downloading the Desktop app… I am getting a message that the signature is either corrupt or invalid. I tried it from your link and WD’s software web site. Is there anything I can do to stop this message? If I go to the Download folder and try running it I get a message that Smartscreen was blocking it as the signature was invalid of corrupt… but it does give me a “Run Anyway” button. (WD My Cloud Desktop installed). When I ran the Desktop I get several message that the app is insecure and that its certificate has expired or is invalid. I am able to continue with signing on and connecting.
You may be seeing the errors on the downloaded file due to your computer, browser, or security software’s security settings. Sometimes redownloading the file will clear the error/warning message.
You may get certificate warnings/errors, similar to the following, when running the WD My Cloud Desktop software, but normally one see’s a WD message indicating you will get such messages prior to actually getting the message. These messages are normal.
I never have an issue, because I use the My Cloud app on an iPad or phone to access NAS and stream movies on from far away. Poor internet signal or bandwidth can cause a problem, tho. Using a computer may be a different kind of bird,
No internet required: Maybe you need a My Passport Wireless drive which I can stream mp4s from to a Kindle tablet and play, tap out of the Kindle’s mini HDMI port directly to a TV if I want to. I also have a $30 Chromecast I could cast to from iPad as well. You just need the right techo-gadgets.
Hi Bennor,
This solution worked great for my Windows 8.1 desktop laptop… when in the old Desktop mode… and on my Windows 10 laptop… But I am having a brain fade when it comes to how to create a Tile on the Windows 8.1 new Tile mode interface?
I don’t use Windows 8.1 (or Windows 8 for that matter) but a quick google search brings up the following threads may explain how to set a tile on the start screen.
Installed my cloud software… can now stream movies no problem to windows 10 pc …however has no option to choose player like vlc.
Vlc is default player already in options.
Are you accessing a remote My Cloud to stream the media or a My Cloud on the local network?
For local network access you do not need to use any WD software. Use Windows File Explorer instead to open and play the media in VLC or what ever media player you want to use. For local network access it makes things somewhat faster to “map” the My Cloud to the local PC.
Any version of Windows has a preference setting(s) to select what program opens what file extensions. So, for mp4, m4v. mkv, iso extensions you can select VLC as the default program to open the file when you click on file name in File Explorer. You could even select VLC for audio mp3 files, too, but you may want to use a seperate music-playing app for that. Dealer’s choice.
It is most likely not a problem with the My Cloud Desktop program, rather a problem with the settings on your computer. As mike27oct indicated above make sure to check what programs are set to open as default for that media file. Also check the section for “choosing app by file type” to ensure the various media files have the desired program selected.
On Windows 10 using that same version of My Cloud desktop when I open a remote media file it opens in VLC.
Some screen shots from my system showing VLC as the default player for video and for various video file extensions:
Mobile devices generally use a different WD app. As such behavior may not or will not be the same at those in the WD My Cloud Desktop app.
Did you check the file association for the file type of the file you are trying to open?
As far as I know/remember the My Cloud Desktop program typically does not ask the user to select an app to open the media file. It relies on how the operating system is configured to open media files.
I am experiencing a similar issue except my first movie upload streams fine (11GB) and all others afterwards ask to download the file when the link is accessed via a web browser (my intended method of sharing w/ family and it does not seem to be browser or internet bandwidth specific). All files are in my public folder and size nor naming protocol seems to make a difference. Accessing via my NAS and using the VLC app on Apple TV is no issue. It just seems to be an issue when I create a sharing link (again public as I don’t want to ask my 90 year old parents sign up for anything). I am MAC based but this does not seem to be a MAC thing. Thanks for any insight.
I am experiencing a file streaming issue except that my first movie upload streams fine (11GB) and all others afterwards ask to download the file when the link is accessed via a web browser (my intended method of sharing w/ family and it does not seem to be browser or internet bandwidth specific). All files are in my public folder and size nor naming protocol seems to make a difference. Accessing via my NAS and using the VLC app on Apple TV is no issue. It just seems to be an issue when I create a sharing link (again public as I don’t want to ask my 90 year old parents sign up for anything). I am MAC based but this does not seem to be a MAC thing. Thanks for any insight.
What specific My Cloud device do you have and what firmware version is it running? Are you accessing the My Cloud on the local network or by remote access? Are you using DLNA/Twonky to access the My Cloud and stream files or SMB (or AFP) to stream files?
