Hi
I like my Nexus 7, but the lack of an SD card slot means that it cannot be used to its full potential.
All this talk of the Cloud from Google is wonderful - if they offer the feature in your country. Google music for instance is only available in the US.
I've not rooted since it would appear that this will hamper OTA updates + I simply don't have the time to read endless threads!
Audio Galaxy
For anyone not aware, 'Audio Galaxy' ( https://play.google.com/store/search?q=audio+galaxy ) is your personal music cloud, but it does require that you leave a PC switched on at home/work. You just point the server end 'helper' of this at your music collection, and install the App. Unfortunately, It does not support all formats, WMA Lossless for instance is not supported, neither is anything containing DRM, bit of a PITA. The app itsself is OK, but there's no tablet optimisation.
FTP Server
Copying video's over the cloud is not practical esp in the UK with its poor mobile speeds, lack of 4G, and in the case of a home-cloud, poor broadband upload speeds.
My phone has a 64GB SD card in it. When out and about, I always take the phone. I use FolderSync ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dk.tacit.android.foldersync.full&hl=en ) to sync TV shows to the phone over wifi via a scheduled task.
I would use WiFi direct to push films to the N7, but this does not work between a Galaxy Note and the N7. Android Beam requires 2 NFC compatible handsets, and I read somehwere that it uses BT rather than WiFi to transfer stuff meaning its not suitable for videos.
If I choose to watch one of the videos from my phone on my tab, I just copy it over. Download FTP Server ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/...t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5yYXBmb3guZnRwc3ZyIl0. ) for your phone, and point it at your movies. Enable the phones WiFi hotspot feature, and start the FTP Server.
On the Nexus 7, start an FTP Client - good one in ES File Explorer ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop&hl=en ). Setup a new connection, and point it at the IP Address shown on the FTP server running on the phone. (Note that unfortunately, this IP address changes since its allocated by your mobile network), Using the FTP client on the N7, copy films from Phone to N7. Turn off FTP Server and WiFi hotspot on phone.
NB: If you root (the phone) you can run an SMB server on it. The phone must do the sharing since there is no WiFi hotspot feature on the N7 (it has no connection to share!)
NB2: You need to have a mobile signal to be able to start the wifi hotspot! - otherwise the phone has no IP address.
Until WiFi direct starts working, I am stuck with the above. An app to turn the phone into a WiFi harddisk (where phone acts as a wifi access point rather than connecting to existing router) would be nice.
Nigel
Check Plex in the market, great for video, music, and any other media stored on your home PC. PC left on at home works as at home server.
Cheers
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Used in the past
Hi
I've used plex in the past and removed it because its clunky - especially the server end where you config everything. Anyway, I just had another go. Its still clunky! For instance it just created 3 sections for 'Home Movies', and 3 for 'TV Shows' I only have one folder on the server for each. It also does not allow you to remove the unwanted sections from the library. As a result on the N7, I end up with everything listed 3 times over. I eventually found the option to remove these, and have re-created.
In addition to that, despite that fact that every album I own has album art, it has not picked it all up. I don't think it reads folder.jpg files from the album dirs (standard mechanism on windows media player/center), relying instead on the jpg being present within the meta data for the track.
- It does not transcode music from WMA Lossless to a format playable on device. It will index everything, but none of it is playable from the Android client
- It does not support TV shows recorded with windows media centre
- It keeps reporting 'Server Error when trying to fetch data'
So... still pretty clunky all told!
Worth another try though, and it is better than the last time I tried it.
Nigel
Hey Guys, new to the forum.
I purchased the chromecast, looking to stream local files and get rid of my hdmi cable. I can cast a tab fine, but experience a bit of lag when viewing at max bit-rate. (extreme 720p)
My computer is i7 4770k @3.5ghz and card is HD7970. SO i dont think hardware is the issue. My router is a Linksys EA6900 and its about 5m away from the dongle.
Has anyone managed to actually stream full HD to the chrome cast without noticeable lag or reduction if FPS, or is it simply not available at this point of time?
Thanks
MaverickH93 said:
Hey Guys, new to the forum.
I purchased the chromecast, looking to stream local files and get rid of my hdmi cable. I can cast a tab fine, but experience a bit of lag when viewing at max bit-rate. (extreme 720p)
My computer is i7 4770k @3.5ghz and card is HD7970. SO i dont think hardware is the issue. My router is a Linksys EA6900 and its about 5m away from the dongle.
Has anyone managed to actually stream full HD to the chrome cast without noticeable lag or reduction if FPS, or is it simply not available at this point of time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
720p tab casting even of Flash video works well for me, but I seem to be an exception rather than the norm...
Are there any obstructions between your router and Chromecast, especially the TV itself?
My system is a dual Quad-Core Opteron 2.9 GHz Shanghai, 32 GB RAM, running Win 7 Professional x64. AMD/ATI Radeon HD 7750 graphics.
bhiga said:
720p tab casting even of Flash video works well for me, but I seem to be an exception rather than the norm...
Are there any obstructions between your router and Chromecast, especially the TV itself?
My system is a dual Quad-Core Opteron 2.9 GHz Shanghai, 32 GB RAM, running Win 7 Professional x64. AMD/ATI Radeon HD 7750 graphics.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its pretty much line of sight and the perpendicular to the back of the TV. What kind of router are you using?
Also what file type are the videos you are watching and how big are the files. For example, if i watch a .mp4 blue-ray RIP its size is around 1.8Gb i experience minor FPS decrease on the High setting. Extreme just leads to lagging.
The way i see it there's the potential for 3 issues.
1. The computer hardware
2. The router connection
3. Google chrome's wireless hardware
MaverickH93 said:
Hey Guys, new to the forum.
I purchased the chromecast, looking to stream local files and get rid of my hdmi cable. I can cast a tab fine, but experience a bit of lag when viewing at max bit-rate. (extreme 720p)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to stream local file (movie) is better to send the file and let Chromecast buffer and decode it than stream a tab.
I've been using this here and works like charm: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/videostream-for-google-ch/cnciopoikihiagdjbjpnocolokfelagl
I don't believe I tried sending a 1080p but 720p is flawless and I can't see why it wouldn't
They also have an Android app for remote control the stream, so I pretty much click play on the PC and sit on the sofa with the phone to control.
If your video is not in a compatible format, I'll go ahead and do a shamelessly self-propaganda: I did this little batch converter specifically for the CC and it seems to be working fine.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2699870
Budius said:
to stream local file (movie) is better to send the file and let Chromecast buffer and decode it than stream a tab.
I've been using this here and works like charm: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/videostream-for-google-ch/cnciopoikihiagdjbjpnocolokfelagl
I don't believe I tried sending a 1080p but 720p is flawless and I can't see why it wouldn't
They also have an Android app for remote control the stream, so I pretty much click play on the PC and sit on the sofa with the phone to control.
If your video is not in a compatible format, I'll go ahead and do a shamelessly self-propaganda: I did this little batch converter specifically for the CC and it seems to be working fine.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2699870
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes i tied to use Videostream, but for some reason it gets stuck on the loading screen. I turned off all my firewalls, changed permissions, ran chrome canary, ran as admin but it still doesn't work.
i think that's the issue. CC needs to buffer video. It sounds like VideoStream is the kind of program i need so will just have to keep working at it.
MaverickH93 said:
Yes i tied to use Videostream, but for some reason it gets stuck on the loading screen. I turned off all my firewalls, changed permissions, ran chrome canary, ran as admin but it still doesn't work.
i think that's the issue. CC needs to buffer video. It sounds like VideoStream is the kind of program i need so will just have to keep working at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, those HERE are the media types that Chromecast can natively run. Anything besides that it will not work (unless you're just mirroring the screen, but as you noticed, it's pretty slow, or you have some media server on your computer doing some on-the-fly conversion, which can run pretty slow and heat your PC a lot).
I suggest getting a video that you're sure within the spec to test. Probably if you download a YouTube from those "youtube downloaders" website or just something you recoded with your phone, it will be in spec (mp4 container, h264 codec, AAC or MP3 audio).
So what I've done (check my last post) was to code myself a batch converter (helps being a Java developer) so currently my computer at home is converting my whole video collection to compatible format.
Can I upload a mp4 video say dropbox and stream it to chromecast? Any online hosts allow this?
LoL.
I have a Raspberry Pi running Rasbian and it has 1TB USB drive attached, I'm running Apache2 and point it to my drive so it appears in http. I then use the Android NAS Cast app, settings configure to the http of the directory with the MP4 and it casts perfectly decent quality. So there is no desktop involved, Android in your hand and the small Linux server and Chromecast.
As has been said, Chromecast as very limited codecs. You can explicitly seek out the compatible videos, or recode using ffmpeg. The Raspberry Pi is too weak to do real-time recoding but you can batch up and have recoding those files not compatible, and then if low on disk-space, delete the original non-compatible.
I'm 90% through overnight building my own Rasbian system (been on a Dockstar on older Linux for years) and built ffmpeg overnight.
nigelhealy said:
As has been said, Chromecast as very limited codecs. You can explicitly seek out the compatible videos, or recode using ffmpeg. The Raspberry Pi is too weak to do real-time recoding but you can batch up and have recoding those files not compatible,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like I said on the other thread.
I found a FFMPEG for RaspianPi but it was so painfully slow. Like a low-res 20 seconds video would take 30 min to encode. Now imagine a tera-byte drive it would take a few years, not really good. Best option is really to get the best-fastest machine you have available and leave it running for a week or two.
Budius said:
Like I said on the other thread.
I found a FFMPEG for RaspianPi but it was so painfully slow. Like a low-res 20 seconds video would take 30 min to encode. Now imagine a tera-byte drive it would take a few years, not really good. Best option is really to get the best-fastest machine you have available and leave it running for a week or two.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried running it locally (Ubuntu desktop) lots of error messages saying
Failed to get FFPROBE
I have the ffprobe command though.
nigelhealy said:
Tried running it locally (Ubuntu desktop) lots of error messages saying
Failed to get FFPROBE
I have the ffprobe command though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what does say in the LOG tab?
Try running from the terminal: ffprobe <video_path>.mp4 Does it work or does it say "can't find command ffprobe" ?
at the end of this https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/UbuntuCompilationGuide it shows how to add the ffmpeg to the path
ps.: let's keep debug/conversation regarding the Converter on the converter thread? I guess it's more logical and we don't hijack MaverickH93s thread
moved to the app thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=51533199
I use Plex and I love it, try it if you haven't!
The best way is Localcast https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.stefanpledl.localcast
Great for android!
Enviado desde mi Amazon Kindle Fire HD mediante Tapatalk
MaverickH93 said:
Its pretty much line of sight and the perpendicular to the back of the TV. What kind of router are you using?
Also what file type are the videos you are watching and how big are the files. For example, if i watch a .mp4 blue-ray RIP its size is around 1.8Gb i experience minor FPS decrease on the High setting. Extreme just leads to lagging.
The way i see it there's the potential for 3 issues.
1. The computer hardware
2. The router connection
3. Google chrome's wireless hardware
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So your router is behind the TV? That's how mine is set up, although my Chromecast is actually off to the side of the TV.
My router is a Netgear WNDR4500
I've mainly been watching Flash videos, as that's what the websites my little one likes has (Nickelodeon, BabyFirstTV, Disney Junior)
nigelhealy said:
LoL.
I have a Raspberry Pi running Rasbian and it has 1TB USB drive attached, I'm running Apache2 and point it to my drive so it appears in http. I then use the Android NAS Cast app, settings configure to the http of the directory with the MP4 and it casts perfectly decent quality. So there is no desktop involved, Android in your hand and the small Linux server and Chromecast.
As has been said, Chromecast as very limited codecs. You can explicitly seek out the compatible videos, or recode using ffmpeg. The Raspberry Pi is too weak to do real-time recoding but you can batch up and have recoding those files not compatible, and then if low on disk-space, delete the original non-compatible.
I'm 90% through overnight building my own Rasbian system (been on a Dockstar on older Linux for years) and built ffmpeg overnight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boy wish you had a tutorial or walk through of setting this up. I would love to use my beaglebone black for that if possible. Any links that would point me in right direction? mind sharing?
I would really like to use headless systems for this. Thanks
I think Plex is the easiest way to stream local movies since it makes everything organized and can convert file formats if needed. The phone app makes it a breeze to control everything. I use localcast to stream pics and videos taken from my phone.
paracha3 said:
Boy wish you had a tutorial or walk through of setting this up. I would love to use my beaglebone black for that if possible. Any links that would point me in right direction? mind sharing?
I would really like to use headless systems for this. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as far as I Googled beaglebone is just a little Linux machine like the RaspberryPi. Just install a mini-DLNA on it and that's all you need. Most Android apps in Google Play will run from a DLNA (bubble and LocalCast do it).
Quick Google I found this tuto on mini-DLNA on RaspberryPi (http://bbrks.me/rpi-minidlna-media-server/) should work for the beaglebone too.
I have to throw my hat in the ring for plex, too. Downside is that you have to put your videos in a certain folder and name them a certain way for the server to see them. It doesnt let you just open a random video file like VLC and have it sent to the chromecast. Upside is that it transcodes the videos to a supported format on the fly.
As far as streaming videos/pictures off your phone, there are a few choices, but none of them are ready for primetime yet. Allcast shows some of the videos/pictures taken on my phone sideways and upside down. I also havent found an easy way to tell Allcast to stop casting and return to the chromecast homescreen (screensaver). Localcast has an option to let you rotate the files so you can at least see them with the correct orientation, but it still has some issues with connecting. Localcast does, however, have an option to stop casting so you dont burn-in its screen on your TV.
gianptune said:
I have to throw my hat in the ring for plex, too. Downside is that you have to put your videos in a certain folder and name them a certain way for the server to see them. It doesnt let you just open a random video file like VLC and have it sent to the chromecast. Upside is that it transcodes the videos to a supported format on the fly.
As far as streaming videos/pictures off your phone, there are a few choices, but none of them are ready for primetime yet. Allcast shows some of the videos/pictures taken on my phone sideways and upside down. I also havent found an easy way to tell Allcast to stop casting and return to the chromecast homescreen (screensaver). Localcast has an option to let you rotate the files so you can at least see them with the correct orientation, but it still has some issues with connecting. Localcast does, however, have an option to stop casting so you dont burn-in its screen on your TV.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The naming should be a non-issue though. Most of the movies and shows you download are already named the correct way.
Mod edit: Thread closed as a subject matter related thread already exists:
streaming torrents to chromecast - Single app solution?
Hello I was wondering if there was any savvy xda user out there who had figured out the best method for streaming torrents to the chromecast both with and without a pc? I know there is torrentTv for the pc which allows you to drag and drop...
forum.xda-developers.com
Oswald Boelcke
Senior Moderator
Hi, i want to know if we can use apps for streaming torrents
I have tryed torrenttv but it have read that doesnt work on the last chromecast update, so I try anothers one, like popcorn, but this app doesnt work with magnet or torrent files, so, what we can use to it?
Im trying Isoplex, Zona but cant cast to chromecast
any idea?
Torrent video player, i don't know if now it has chromecast support
In my opinion, use showbox or HDcinema. Much faster than the torrent competitors
Or
Use popcorn time - streams torrents well
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Free mobile app
here you go
anyone find a program yet
Plex is your best bet
b3n_r0d said:
Plex is your best bet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you explain how to use it with torrents?
Well, you download torrents (legal ones of course) using your VPN for "privacy" reasons... Download PMS onto your computer with the files you'd like to play on it. You set up the media folders for plex, you cast the downloaded files to your chromecast using your smartphone or the chromecast extension on your browser.
Also, reference this for later..
Virtual Machine running a vpn and your torrent client "so we don't have to worry about nosy 3rd parties"
PMS on the host machine, the vpn will interfere with Plex when it is on, limiting the effectiveness of the Plex Pass, i.e. you won't be able to watch your plex library away from home.
And when it comes to folder sharing between the host and virtual client, use network shared folder settings NOT SHARED USB... This way you have real-time access from both machines at once.
The Solutions
rhipone said:
Hi, i want to know if we can use apps for streaming torrents
I have tryed torrenttv but it have read that doesnt work on the last chromecast update, so I try anothers one, like popcorn, but this app doesnt work with magnet or torrent files, so, what we can use to it?
Im trying Isoplex, Zona but cant cast to chromecast
any idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For Android >Ttorrent Lite(select sequential Download) + LocalCast ...
.
For Computer > qbittorrent(select sequential Download) + videostream
Be happy !!!
Alot of trackers DO NOT like it when people livestream active downloads. It clogs the arteries of the interweb
skyo007 said:
For Android >Ttorrent Lite(select sequential Download) + LocalCast ...
.
For Computer > qbittorrent(select sequential Download) + videostream
Be happy !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@rhipone This OP. Nothing else. Look no further.
Hi.
I got the Lollipop update for my Z3 Compact (T-mobile), and now I see i can add an external share to my phone. Does this mean I can add my Nas (a special share for my phone) to offload images and videos to? If so, how do I add the share? Can't find any info on this subject. Anyone added an external share? Thanks in advance.
Neo
Yes, it can connect to SMB (Windows) shares. The KitKat builds had this capability as well. On my Lollipop phone my home computer share is still visible in the storage control from when I connected to it with KitKat.
Personally, I prefer to use the tabs in Root Explorer to browse my PC file system.
So if I understand correctly, I can connect to my nas to offload pictures and videos? I really wanna avoid opening the lid each time my phone is full of videos. Dropbox isn't a really viable option either. So now I only have to figure out how to connect the two... Any tutorials?
hey guys,
i have access to certain wifi hotspots which are available around the area where im living. they all have the same ssid. im driving around alot and my phone is constantly connecting to these hotspots which is why i deactivated auto connect to this specific ssid. the problem with this is, that i need this hotspot when im at 2 certain places(propably in more places in the future). so im came up with the idea to create a task which gives me a popup as soon as the specific ssid is available which works great. but the problem with this is, when im driving i get constant popups that the specific ssid is available.
so my question is, if its possible that i dont get a popup while im driving? if yes how?
also would it be possible that my phone connects to the specific ssid when im at places where i want be connected to the hotspot? maybe with the help of the mac adress or bssid?
another questions would be if its possible to deactivate the popup as soon as im connected to any wifi?
thx in advance!
Hi there
All of your wishes are certainly possible with Tasker.
I've done tons of Tasker projects and everything you want, I have pretty solid ideas on how to achieve.
From your scenario I'd recommend letting Tasker perform the connection to the wifi, rather than prompting you. This is a much simpler approach, and with the correct setup we can make sure that you match 100 percent of the time.
Please make a numbered list of your wishes, and I'll provide snippets of code to assist you.
The 'while driving' condition is the most tricky part to deliver consistently, but I'm sure we can find a solution.
Kind Regards
TwinAdk
File format unsupported
I was using my cellphone and found Bubble Upnp just to cast videos from my cellphone to my tv just thought, hey I could ask if you guys could help me out with this error message... Its a Phillips Smart Television..I mean 50 inch but I have been really trying to cast to the tv. Is there an app besides Bubble Upnp I really want to cast videos!? I need your help can you let me know?
"File format (file type/codec/bitrate/resolution/frame rate/ etc.) not supported. Please refer to user manual for a list of supported file formats.
Terry89tx said:
I was using my cellphone and found Bubble Upnp just to cast videos from my cellphone to my tv just thought, hey I could ask if you guys could help me out with this error message... Its a Phillips Smart Television..I mean 50 inch but I have been really trying to cast to the tv. Is there an app besides Bubble Upnp I really want to cast videos!? I need your help can you let me know?
"File format (file type/codec/bitrate/resolution/frame rate/ etc.) not supported. Please refer to user manual for a list of supported file formats.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use either Xplayer (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=video.player.videoplayer) or VLC to cast videos, both apps support this natively. How well they perform and cast depends (as with ALL apps that cast your own video files on Android) on the internet he codec and the audio format of the file :good:
Please create a separate thread if you need further assistance :good:
Casting like you do there IS the wild west due to different video formats and codecs required
Kind Regards
TwinAdk