Sony DLNA

AndyGFL

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I have a Sony KDL-46W4000 TV which I want to use in a DLNA configuration. Because it doesn't conform to this standard, I thought that I would buy a Sony SMP-N200 media streamer. However, because I also want to buy a BluRay player I thought that if I bought a Sony BDP S780, I could use this as the DLNA client and connect my non-network media direct to this player.

Is my logic correct or is there some limit to this configuration? Incidentally, I also intend on buying a Sony STR-DH820 amplifier, however I would consider the Sony STR-DH1020 if necessary. I suppose the question to be answered is can the SMP-N200 do any more than the DLNA capabilities of the BDP S780.

My source for most of the films that I want to watch would be a USB/Sata external hard disk or a Windows 7 PC. I have access to both ethernet and wifi network points.

Thanks,
 
DLNA is a framework for sharing "some" content over a network. It is not a standard for playing a comprehensive list of content and the actual mandatory content it must play is very very limited indeed.

The DLNA logo cannot be taken as an indicator that any piece of equipment can play the content you want it to play.

So the question is , what content do you want to play ? What are the containers/file types ?
 
Well as long as your streaming from a PC you can automatically resolve media compatibility issues (which will be an issue with Sony devices) as PC DLNA servers can transcode the media in real time into another format the Sony units can play.

However try this on another platform you will be bound by the limitations of Sony's media support, like playing from USB drive attached to the Sony or playing via DLNA from a NAS, trying to push media from tablet/phone.

Serviio is a good free DLNA server with Sony profiles for TV's and BD players.
 
The above statement regarding 'streaming from a PC' is rather simplistic. My DLNA server runs on a 'PC', but it is a headless Linux box with a low power draw so that I am happy to leave it on 24 hours a day, ready to serve my media. This set-up is however not really up to transcoding HD media (despite it originally being a Dell desktop 'PC').

Some DLNA servers will transcode, some will not and some will transcode some media but not others. The quality of the transcoding is also dependent on several factors such as the tool that the server uses (e.g. Windows Media Player outputs some pretty horribly compressed and downscaled HD), and in some cases the profile that the user chooses for transcoding. Serviio may be a good choice for the OP, but it may not be, depending on the device they wish to stream from - by this point it often it becomes easier to plug a PC directly into the TV.

Another problem is that from what I understand, transcoded content generally does not allow seeking (i.e. FF & RW). To me (and more especially my wife) this is a deal breaker. In many cases nothing is actually 'transcoded', but the container format is changed ('remuxed') to one that the renderer is happy with, I'm not sure what effect this has on seeking.

The W4000 series is nearly 4 years old, and does not have support for any video via DLNA. A newer BD player should have reasonable support, but the one that you mentioned is a Sony, so the format support is often poor compared to other vendors. It seems likely to me that the receiver will have the same support as the BD player, so spending more will probably not achieve any gains. From what I can see of your chosen BD player, support for video via DLNA is limited much as it is with the latest Sony TVs i.e. MPEG2-PS (DVD rips, SD camcorder videos), AVCHD (AVC based Blu-ray rips, and HD camcorder videos). It's at this point that you need to consider if you need to transcode your media to get it to play back via DLNA.
Quite why Sony don't support all the formats that work via USB I have never been able to fathom.

Regards,
Craig
 
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Another problem is that from what I understand, transcoded content generally does not allow seeking (i.e. FF & RW).

As you said it varies from setup but to expand on that, I run Serviio form a PC and headerless linux box, I'm about to FF/RW on my Sony 2010 Series tv.

Sony, so the format support is often poor compared to other vendors.

Quite why Sony don't support all the formats that work via USB I have never been able to fathom.

Sony format support is good on some devices, you just need to double check. For example on the media boxes its good locally but via DLNA limitied. On Bluray players, it depends on which model, the further up the range you go the better the support e.g 185, no DLAN, 380, limited DLNA, 480 reasonable DLNA. On the 2011 series tvs it has good support locally and over DLNA though not mkv, hence I use Serviio but it its doing it remuxing as a AVC and plays perfectly. I agree, I'm not sure why Sony do this but other brands do similar things and Sony from 2011 ranges really caught up, 2010 models has very poor support compared to other brands.
 
Thanks for the feedback - all a little over my head. Most of my streaming will be AVI files from a PC or USB Hard disk, but I also want the BluRay player for the Skype support.
 
In short that bluray player will do about the same as the SMP-N200 so don't waste your money. Install serviio on the windows pc and servered up files will work very well with the bluray player. The manual confirms it supports DLNA and the file formats as the 2011 tv. If you play the files plugged in directly then some formats won't play that serviio would sort out for you. If you want to buy a media play with full support of file formats commonly used then a WDTV Live HD would be much better than a SMP-N200. It will play directly from your local USB HDD, FF/RW will work to faster speeds.
 

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