Connecting to the Panasonic Viera Cast Server

Acegambler

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We have a Panasonic TX-P42G20B bought in June 2010.

When we installed it we connected it to the Internet via an ethernet cable and to the televison signals via a terrestrial aerial as well as a Freesat satellite.

Everything worked well for a little while including Viera Cast but suddenly the unit will not complete the network connection. When we check the network connection it goes through all checks except the final one, namely 'Check server connection for Viera Cast' and gives an error 'Connection to server failed (008)'.

We know that the ethernet Internet 'supply' works because we use it (via a separate cable from an ethernet switch) for the separate Sony BluRay player.
 
I have just purchased Panasonic TX-L37V20B & set up with Wireless Dongle & am very pleased withthe overall performance but every time I switch off TV, wireless connection is lost when I next switch on & have to go to setup menu switch to wired wait 1 min then switch back to Wireless again & wait for it to reconnect! Is this normal for this model?
NB When connected & watching BBC iPlayer I don't have any dropout over long period, so conclude that no problem with signal between BT HomeHub 2-64WG & Panasonic Dongle
Have replaced Dongle & USB cable No change, supplier ( AV World) changed TV & same problem continues. Any ideas?
With replacement TV I too have experienced the same problem of 'Connection to server failed (008)' after 4 days of good connection & uninterupted iPlayer down streaming.
I can now only connect using Wired ethernet connection to HomeHub.
 
I think it is a bug on the Panasonic. In order to reconnect back to a wired hub, I had to reset the TV to factory default! It would be great if Panasonic itself had some sort of support line that could deny or confirm this.

I have solved the internet connection by going through a Sony BluRay player (the 370 at £99 from Amazon) with internet connectivity. The Sony portal, although not terrific, is marginally better than Panasonic's.

The down side is that on Freesat - if you do have internet connectivity on the Panasonic iPlayer - comes through the red button on a BBC station.

Perhaps all this is fixable in a future Panasonic software upgrade.
 
Thanks for that in between my query & your resolution I overcame the problem thus:-
To overcome Connection test failure against 'X' Sever connection for VIERA CAST
'Connection to server failed (008)'

In Setup menu _ Network setup
In IP/DNS Settings
Acquire DNS Address MUST BE - Auto

But disconnection of the wireless connection at switch OFF/ON still exists & have put the problem on the Panasonic website.
 
Mozer, I have encountered this problem too (the wireless disconnection at on-off problem). Did you find a solution?
 
Update on our issues...

Back in early September I thought I had solved the problem by using the Sony Blu Ray as the Internet portal. But no I still have Internet drop out on that too. So perhaps the problem lies further up stream. The wired Internet service comes from a wireless repeater which connects wirelessly to the router which is some distance away in the house. Perhaps any electro magnetic waves (if any) from the TV are affecting the repeater?
 
neil73, No am still waiting for a reply from Panasonic! (don't hold your breath)if I get a reply I will post it on this forum
 
Mozer - thanks very much for telling me the DNS must be set to Auto. That fixed the problem with "Connection Server Failed (008)"
 
Mozer - thanks very much for telling me the DNS must be set to Auto. That fixed the problem with "Connection Server Failed (008)"

I just fixed the problem myself. Only I had to set the DNS to Manual.

It depends upon your Router... I have my router set up to use the DNS as defined by the connected device, some routers have it set up to automatically assign the DNS to each device.

So, if anyone else has this problem, just check your router's DNS settings.. and set your VieraCast device accordingly.
 
neil73, No am still waiting for a reply from Panasonic! (don't hold your breath)if I get a reply I will post it on this forum

I had a reply. They apologised for the delay and asked a series of questions (was I connecting wirelessly or via ethernet, did I use WEP etc). I answered them about 2 weeks ago and have heard nothing since. Here's to 2011.
 
Bought panasonic Viera TV, bought Panasonic dongle in misguided belief that could now stream from Dell laptop to TV (send photos, music files, watch iPlayer...whatever).

....having bought this item (which is pretty expensive), I can connect TV and get Viera Cast to sky router ...but what for? A few dodgy German channels and Picasa? Is that all it'll do? Someone please tell me tha'ts not the case and that I should be able to link the TV and laptop with this dongle as just now it looks like a waste of time and money!

If so....how? Just can't get dongle or laptop to find eachother! :mad:
 
Bought panasonic Viera TV, bought Panasonic dongle in misguided belief that could now stream from Dell laptop to TV (send photos, music files, watch iPlayer...whatever).

....having bought this item (which is pretty expensive), I can connect TV and get Viera Cast to sky router ...but what for? A few dodgy German channels and Picasa? Is that all it'll do? Someone please tell me tha'ts not the case and that I should be able to link the TV and laptop with this dongle as just now it looks like a waste of time and money!

If so....how? Just can't get dongle or laptop to find eachother! :mad:

First thing's first, the DLNA - or media streaming - features are not part of Viera Cast... for that, you need to press Viera Link I believe... whatever it is called, it's the big green button above the directional pad. Then you go to "Media Streaming" or "Media Server" or whatever (Sorry, I can't check because my Dad's asleep in his bedroom where his Viera IPTV is.)

Next, you want to make sure that media sharing is allowed on your computer (check the network and sharing centre on a Windows Vista/7 PC), and that it is allowed with your TV (an icon should appear on the bottom right corner of the screen and it should say a new device has been found on the network, right click and it should be quite clear what to do... Again this is Windows). On my Windows 7 PC, the TV came up as unidentified, and I just allowed streaming with it and I was immediately allowed to connect.

And lastly, you want to make sure your video files are saved in the right folders. I'm not sure whether it is to do with the DLNA standard, or for some other reason, but not all the videos on your PC are shown up on your DLNA connected device.. If you just put the videos you want in your Videos folder, you should be set. I guess that the host device has preset locations on the hard drive where it goes to check for x when a DLNA request for x is made so if x = music, it would check the music folder... but that's not important I guess..

And one more thing... from my (admittedly limited) experience, Viera TVs don't have a whole lot of codec/container support... so be prepared for a lot of transcoding. Staxrip might serve you well there...
 
Timmy

Thanks but for some reason I can't even get Viera link to work. The only things connected at present is a Sky + HD box (via HDMI cable) and a flip down TV via a coax cable into the back of the aerial socket. Are you saying I need Viera link up and running first and if so, do I need to connect another external in order to activate it?
 
Timmy

Thanks but for some reason I can't even get Viera link to work. The only things connected at present is a Sky + HD box (via HDMI cable) and a flip down TV via a coax cable into the back of the aerial socket. Are you saying I need Viera link up and running first and if so, do I need to connect another external in order to activate it?

No, and you do not stream via Viera cast or link! press Viera tools (Green Button) & then select the media centre, you pc should be listed in there. :)
 
No, and you do not stream via Viera cast or link! press Viera tools (Green Button) & then select the media centre, you pc should be listed in there. :)

Of Course!

Viera Tools.

Sorry about that. I did say in my original post that it was the green button above the directional pad.. and I couldn't remember exactly what it was called. But I guess I didn't make that clear.
 
thanks both but it seems I'm back to square 1 in that case as in trying Viera tools and the media server icon, it says 'server not found'. That's the problem, it just doesn't know the PC is there and the PC can't find the dongle.

Should some software have been supplied with the dongle - I had no CD just the box with the dongle in it from the supplier (via Amazon).

Thanks again

:suicide:
 
thanks both but it seems I'm back to square 1 in that case as in trying Viera tools and the media server icon, it says 'server not found'. That's the problem, it just doesn't know the PC is there and the PC can't find the dongle.

Should some software have been supplied with the dongle - I had no CD just the box with the dongle in it from the supplier (via Amazon).

Thanks again

:suicide:

No the software is built into the dongle, part of the reason for needing a particular dongle. Are you sure your PC is not being blocked by your Internet security or Router security & file sharing is enabled.
 
...might well be but I'm a bit of a Philistine in the tech stakes (as no doubt you've already twigged!). I've been into my Vista control panel and gone into network sharing and got to the stage where various permissions are highlighted.

I turned on network discovery but for some reason it turns itself off. I also attempted to change file and media sharing to affirmative but balked when it suggested that others might be able to access files on my computer (I think). Do i need to make both file and media sharing positive or just file sharing?

I'll turn the onboard firewall off (Defender) as I already run McAfee as well if that's what's required.

Thanks again
 
...might well be but I'm a bit of a Philistine in the tech stakes (as no doubt you've already twigged!). I've been into my Vista control panel and gone into network sharing and got to the stage where various permissions are highlighted.

I turned on network discovery but for some reason it turns itself off. I also attempted to change file and media sharing to affirmative but balked when it suggested that others might be able to access files on my computer (I think). Do i need to make both file and media sharing positive or just file sharing?

I'll turn the onboard firewall off (Defender) as I already run McAfee as well if that's what's required.

Thanks again

OK, I'm not a computer expert but I run Vista & have both File & Media set sharing on, also network discovery, public folder sharing (Read only). Don't turn off your firewall until you have tried the above options. I seem to remember that before mine would connect for the first time I had to restart the PC. You might also get a pop up which says something about a media player asking if you want to allow sharing, obviously allow that.
 
Sorry if this question is stupid or insulting, Lozz...

But just to be ABSOLUTELY clear, you are using the Panasonic Dongle made for Viera TVs? And not some random one you picked up from Amazon.

Sorry again, I don't mean to insult you or anything, it's just that if this isn't the case then it's pointless trying other things. Panasonic insist you use only THEIR dongle, and no other.
 
Sorry if this question is stupid or insulting, Lozz...

But just to be ABSOLUTELY clear, you are using the Panasonic Dongle made for Viera TVs? And not some random one you picked up from Amazon.

Sorry again, I don't mean to insult you or anything, it's just that if this isn't the case then it's pointless trying other things. Panasonic insist you use only THEIR dongle, and no other.

He say's in post #11 it is the Panasonic one, although I know there is a Netgear alternative that works :)
 
...might well be but I'm a bit of a Philistine in the tech stakes (as no doubt you've already twigged!). I've been into my Vista control panel and gone into network sharing and got to the stage where various permissions are highlighted.

I turned on network discovery but for some reason it turns itself off. I also attempted to change file and media sharing to affirmative but balked when it suggested that others might be able to access files on my computer (I think). Do i need to make both file and media sharing positive or just file sharing?

I'll turn the onboard firewall off (Defender) as I already run McAfee as well if that's what's required.

Thanks again

Well, firstly, You need network discovery and file and media sharing all on. Don't worry about people accessing files on your computer, as long as you have WPA/WPA2 encryption on your network, no one is going to get at them.

Next, you need to switch off one of those firewalls. You should never use more than one at once as they can interfere with each other and, as a result, not work properly.

And lastly, make sure your TV's network settings are all set up correctly.
 
No, and you do not stream via Viera cast or link! press Viera tools (Green Button) & then select the media centre, you pc should be listed in there. :)
The Panasonic dongle needs either Twonky media or Tversity on your Pc to stream to your router to stream to your TV the latter is free , but Twonky is great , I had to put my firewall in learning mode and now it connects every time , Windows media player only works occasionally .
 
The Panasonic dongle needs either Twonky media or Tversity on your Pc to stream to your router to stream to your TV the latter is free , but Twonky is great , I had to put my firewall in learning mode and now it connects every time , Windows media player only works occasionally .

Mine works fine from Windows or Twonky :) but my original point remains; this is done via Media player in Viera Tools, not Viera cast or link :)
 
I've had similar problems since I bought my Panasonic Viera 50vt20ba. I can't get it to update the Viera cast so I can't use that. The connection either fails or I get some kind of error message including the 008 one or I dont even get that far and it just says 'check clock settings' which I am told can be resolved if I plug in an arial and tune the freeview - I can't as I have no arial now. Can't get Viera Link to work :( I also tried to stream movies via my PS3 and Tversity since the DNLA business doesn't play .mkv files but it didn't find any media servers.
 

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