How to Play Videos stored on Networked PC?

[sarahnya0]

I've just got a 2017 Nvidia Shield and figuring out how to get everything to work on it.

I've paired it with my networked PC but when I try to play it back I get audio but the picture is corrupt and pink in colour. It's an MKV file I'm trying to playback, this should play anything right?

 

[SuperSquash]

What exactly do you mean when you say 'paired with network PC'?

The media on the PC would be shared and then the PC share added via Kodi/SPMC on the Shield. Is that how you've done it?

 

[sarahnya0]

Hi there. I just mean I've gone onto the PC and accepted the Nvidia Shield and set up a password so it can access the content on the PC if that makes sense.

Am I doing it wrong?

 

[SuperSquash]

I wouldn't say you're doing it wrong without knowing exactly what you're doing. Generally with things like this there are half a dozen ways to get the same outcome, so it may be that you've used a new fandangled Windows feature that does most of it for you that I've not used personally

Was there a wizard or something on the PC? I'm not familiar with what process would involve 'accepting' the Shield as it were?

How do you access the media on the Shield? What are you using on the Shield to play the media? Be good to get an idea of what you've done and how things are set up to better advise.

 

[sarahnya0]

Okay I'll tell you when I get home. I kinda bumbled my way into it haha

If you want to say how you'd recommend setting it up that would be cool. I've probably found some long winded way of doing it..

 

[SuperSquash]

Ok, no problem.

There are a few plug 'n' play type methods for sharing data on a network, but over the years and in my job I have found them to be hit and miss and so don't use them. Here's how I set mine up, this is what you could call the 'traditional' way . It's possible to do this without the use of passwords, but sometimes Windows doesn't like having accounts with no passwords and so this is how I've always done it:

**PC**
1) Create new Windows user on PC, we'll call the user 'Shield' - give it a password
2) Share media folder(s)
3) Give previously created user permission to shared folders (read only will suffice)
4) Make a note of the network path for the new share
E.g in my case this is \\HTPC\E\Movies

**Shield**
1) Add an SMB video source in SPMC How To Setup SPMC On Android - The Essential Guide | Home Theatre Life In the guide, this is referred to as a 'remote location'. More than likely, when you click SMB Share, SPMC should find your Windows share automatically and you just need to select it and enter your password when prompted.

In my case this would be:
smb://HTPC/E/Movies

That should give you access to your media, then it's a case of setting up SPMC however you want it