PC Directory and Video Folders in iPhone Apps

M

martinr

Member
Fox T2 HDR running custom firmware (01/07/2014).


The VLC app on my iPhone shows 2 folders, PC Directory and Video, when I select MediaTomb under UPNP. When I drill down through the folders there's only one file, an mp4; all the other recorded files aren't seen. In contrast, it sees all the media files on my Foxsat (when I select TwonkyMedia).

When I open the VLC program on my laptop and select the Fox T2 under Network, I see the folders Media, My Music, My Photos, My Video and I can open the folders and play the media files.

In the PlayerXtreme app on the iPhone, I see something similar: all folders and files therein from my Foxsat, when TwonkyMedia is selected, but MediaTomb shows only PC Directory and Video and the only file that shows is an mp4 file (but by going to the IP address in the app I can play the media files).

(I found one posting on this subject but I haven't been able to understand it.)

I know this is not a fault. I'm simply curious to know why only these 2 seemingly empty directories appear.

Thanks

Martin
 
I think you are looking at the wrong DLNA service. MediaTomb is not the standard sharing service on the Hummy, it was used to support the CF function and as a DLNA server when specifically configured bey some enthusiasts.
To use the normal Hummy DLNA service you need to turn on Data Sharing:
Menu>>System>>Settings>>Internet Setting>>Content Share = on.

You should then find the Hummy DLNA service on the network with the name "HDR Fox T2 Media Server" (unless you have changed the name in the CF settings).

Note it can take a while for the Hummy to build up its catalogue once turned on, so give it time.

EDIT: HiDef recordings will not be listed unless you have set the CF to unprotected them (install auto_unprotect package).
 
Out of curiosity: are HiDef recordings not listed? They won 't stream to a non-DTCP compliant client, but I think they will still be listed.
 
Thank you both. Yes, I do have content sharing set to On; I remember reading to set it so in one of the setting-up notes, maybe the Wiki. But I also have MediaTomb running in my services and I'm guessing now that it should not be (so long as content sharing is On). Should I therefore turn Mediatomb off - even uninstall it? I have to admit that I have no understanding of streaming and the different media servers (DLNA, UPNP), if that wasn't already evident.

As to the HiDef recordings, I do have auto_unprotect package and set the folders accordingly, but I will later make a test HD recording and check if it's listed and report back.

I'm really grateful for this guidance.. (There's a lot more to the Fox T2 CF than there is to the Foxsat.)

Many thanks

Martin
 
I can understand you expecting to use MediaTomb if you come from a Foxsat or HD-FOX CF environment. There is no need of it on HDR-FOX with its own DLNA service unless you want to stream files that are not compatible with the native service (DLNA is a UPnP service - check out the Glossary - click). However, it should be possible to use MediaTomb on decrypted recordings if configured properly (for information re encryption, see Things Every... section 5). In my opinion it's not worth the bother.

My point in post 3 concerned HiDef recordings which have not been manipulated by auto-unprotect.
 
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BH, I don't know whether "enc" HiDef recordings are listed as I have always run auto_Unprotect, but I thought that the DLNA server ignored "enc" items.
Does the HD Fox use DLNA to access the HDR? If so then I suppose the server must catalogue the HiDef regardless.
 
Black Hole said:
Out of curiosity: are HiDef recordings not listed? They won 't stream to a non-DTCP compliant client, but I think they will still be listed.
Click to expand...

Yes, a trial HD recording that I made is listed on my laptop when I look under Network>FoxT2>My Video (and similarly when I open VLC media player). And it also plays in VLC (after decrypting).

Also, the HD file appears in the relevant apps on my iPhone, and I can get it to play on the VLC app by connecting to the FTP server in the Fox T2.

(If you know of an introductory guide to this subject so I can begin to understand the significance of terms such as DTCP, DLNA, UPNP, I'd be most grateful to learn of it. It would be nice not to be thrashing around in the dark!)

Many thanks

Martin




"My point in post 3 concerned HiDef recordings which have not been manipulated by auto-unprotect."

Yes, before I decrypted it, it did appear under Network on my laptop. It didn't play on VLC because it was, at that stage, encrypted. I then decrypted it and went and made sure recursive decrypt was set on the My Video folder. But, yes, the HD encrypted file does show in Windows Explorer on my laptop.

Many thanks for your patience and explanations.
 
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Auto_unprotect and decrypt are totally different.
The former only changes a flag (and is indicated by a green "DEC" icon on the Webif file list) this makes the file eligible for decryption and for DLNA transmission. It does not actually decrypt the file.
EDIT: see next post (prpr's) which rectifies my erroneous statement about the "DEC" flag above.

You should only need to unprotect a HiDef recording to make it playable via the STANDARD Hummy DLNA server or via copy to a USB attached device (both of these processes decrypt on the fly, provided the protect flag has been cleared on the HiDef file)

The decrypt is only required if you wish to play it via another means (eg. FTP to a PC).

What BH was asking was whether a protected file ( not proceeded by auto_unprotect) appeared in the DLNA list.
If you have auto_unprotect installed this is not testable since the file flag changes as soon as the recording finishes.

I suggest you read http://wiki.hummy.tv/wiki/Encryption for more detail.

EDIT: if you are referring to Webif within internet explorer, that is just listing recordings on the Hummy, it does not use DLNA to do this. Anything that can list files on the Hummy (eg. FTP) will show unencrypted files because they are just files on a disk...
 
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HarveyB said:
Auto_unprotect and decrypt are totally different.
The former only changes a flag (and is indicated by a green "DEC" icon on the Webif file list) this makes the file eligible for decryption and for DLNA transmission. It does not actually decrypt the file.
Click to expand...
Just to clarify, the lack of an "ENC" icon means it's been unprotected and is available to be decrypted. A "DEC" icon means it actually has been decrypted.
 
Thanks prpr, I have added an edit comment into my incorrect post to refer to your correction.
I wonder if there is a case to add an "UNP" flag to show unprotected but not decrypted. It's a little clearer than the "absence of a flag" to indicate something.

Do you or AF123 have any view on whether protected HiDef recordings show in DLNA?
 
On the HDR-FOX, both standard definition and high definition TS files are indexed by the DLNA server. This happens as soon as the recording completes. Unmodified (protected and encrypted - orange 'Enc' flag) high def. content is served as a protected stream. Standard def. and unprotected high def. recordings (encrypted - no flag) is served without this protection*, as is decrypted standard def. and high def. content (green 'Dec') flag.

Edit. *Removal of the 'Enc' flag on its own is not enough to allow high def. content to be served as an unprotected stream, the DLNA database needs to be modified too. The auto-unprotect package removes the 'Enc' flag and makes the necessary database modification.
 
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Black Hole said:
Out of curiosity: are HiDef recordings not listed? They won 't stream to a non-DTCP compliant client, but I think they will still be listed.
Click to expand...

HarveyB said:
Auto_unprotect and decrypt are totally different.......

What BH was asking was whether a protected file ( not proceeded by auto_unprotect) appeared in the DLNA list.
If you have auto_unprotect installed this is not testable since the file flag changes as soon as the recording finishes.
.
Click to expand...



Thanks for your kind patience; the jigsaw is slowly coming together. (CHORUS: Thank F**** for that)

I uninstalled (for the moment) the auto-unprotect package. I then recorded a short piece (Alaska: Earth's Frozen Kingdom) from BBC2 HD. I attach a screenshot of the file as it appears in the FoxT2 list of recordings showing the relevant flags. And I also attach the listing of the same file as it appears in Windows Explorer on my laptop to show that it is indeed visible. I hope this provides the answer to the question. If not please tell me and I'm sure we'll get there in the end - it's a helpful learning curve for me, and the notes I originally read during the installation are starting to make sense. The comments above now make a great deal of sense, and, after a careful quiet re-read of the encryption link, I'm sure everything will be crystal clear.



webUI.jpg Explorer on Fox T2.jpg




Many thanks to everyone (and apologies for coming across as dim).

Martin
 
@martinr, montyseviltwin and BH have answered the question relating to HiDef and DLNA, thanks.
Your response is still slightly awry. Both of the screens you showed relate to processes (webif and IE) which are reading the Hummy hard disk directly.
To see what is presented for DLNA you need to look at the Hummy via a DLNA Client (VLC ...) or appropriate tool ("upnp inspector" ...).
As per my earlier comment the DLNA server, sitting on the Hummy, decides what to present to the outside world for DLNA. This is not necessarily everything that is on the hard drive.
Similarly webif filters what it presents. As demonstrated by the fact that the HMT and other associated files not showing (unless you look into the recording detail).

Hope this helps.
 
Here's the current listing of the file Alaska in the WebUI (included solely to show the ENC flag)

Monday alaska.jpg



And here is how VLC player sees it

VLC Alaska.jpg

I tried UPNP Inspector; it doesn't even see my FoxT2. (It sees the Foxsat but doesn't show me any individual media files.)

I temporarily installed the DIVX client and that sees the HD encrypted file in exactly the same style Explorer window as the VLC screenshot above.

I also temporarily installed Kodi (formerly XBMC) but that only shows folders and not individual files.


I'd be pleased to experiment further if the above still doesn't fully answers the question.

Many thanks

Martin
 

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  • Monday alaska.jpg
    Monday alaska.jpg
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Martin - do you have the custom firmware samba package installed? I believe you have, and your media listings (including VLC) are through network file sharing access and not via DLNA.
 
Black Hole said:
Martin - do you have the custom firmware samba package installed? I believe you have, and your media listings (including VLC) are through network file sharing access and not via DLNA.
Click to expand...

Yes..... well surmised. I've turned it off and and now the Fox T2 does not show up at all in VLC player. So in my Services I have:

betaftpd on, on
cifs not installed
lighttpd on, on
nfs not installed
samba off, off

(In the Fox T2 Menu settings, Content Share is still set to On (FTP server Off))

Martin
 
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Black Hole said:
VLC needs a particular menu navigation to access DLNA, and particular revisions of VLC are known to be buggy in that respect. See HERE (click).
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm on the lastest VLC (2.1.5 Ricewind). After using your link and some Google work, I went to View on toolbar, then Playlist, then scrolled down (on the left) to Local Networrk, and Universal Plug and Play and I click on it and wait and wait and click on it again, because I get fed up looking at an empty box, and then VLC crashes, and on reopening sends a crash report!

Any other programs that aren't so problematic and would help give some answers?

Martin
 
Are you now saying that nothing on your network detects the HDR-FOX DLNA service?

Could be your router, try resetting it. (Yes, I know it sounds weird, but I have had weird network service blackouts only affecting some devices which were cured by a router reset.) UPnP Inspector really should find anything on the network with an active DLNA service. If UPnP Inspector fails after a router reset, try a full cold reboot (power off at the mains) of the Humax, and then as a last resort a factory reset (installation menu - it won't wipe the recorded contents unless you opt for a HDD format, but you will need to retune and set up your recording schedule again - or restore it from WebIF backup).
 
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