The EASIEST way for videos from PC to Smart TV?!

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › The EASIEST way for videos from PC to Smart TV?!

stuffed

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#171444 18-Apr-2015 13:41

What is the EASIEST way (so that the person of the opposite sex can use it!) to show videos stored on a PC on a Smart TV (Samsung).
Tried setting up AirPlay but gave up.
Yes I know how to use AirVideo via the i thingies to Apple TV via streaming but there must be an easier way?!
When I am away management would like to play her music videos etc.
Thanks

Why work on Wednesday and stuff up 2 good long weekends

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#1286804 18-Apr-2015 13:49

Portable HD connected to USB unput on the TV? Then it's just a case of selecting the source and choosing the movie.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Jase2985

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#1286805 18-Apr-2015 13:56

connect smart tv to ethernet, download a DLNA server to the computer, then setup and share videos.

use the smart tvs menus to open up media from the computer and play it on the TV

thats how i do it at home on my first gen LG smart tv (doesnt have apps or anything like that

hairy1

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#1286806 18-Apr-2015 13:59

As Jase says this would work pretty well. Plex seems to be the media server of choice.

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

Jase2985

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#1286809 18-Apr-2015 14:18

hairy1: As Jase says this would work pretty well. Plex seems to be the media server of choice.

i use servio and use to use nero media home 4, i used NMH4 for about 2 year and only changed from it as my WDlive (which i had at work untill i changed positions and brought it home) media player couldnt connect to its shares. i have also tried plex but didnt like it, see below.

the reason i use servio over plex is a few reasons, Plex is very complicated compared to servio, plex also used 12GB of hdd space and created 250,000 files on my hard drive for the media library for 12,000 files. a little excessive in my opinion. you also cant trim down the menu structure when you open the shared files on the tv or on a media player, so you have to go through folder after folder to find what you are looking for.

Servio was just a lot simpler only shows what i need and takes up 5% of the drive space plex did.

if you want a simple media server program, then use plex, if you want one with all the bells and whistles then use plex.

MikeB4

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#1286813 18-Apr-2015 14:27

Jase2985:
hairy1: As Jase says this would work pretty well. Plex seems to be the media server of choice.

i use servio and use to use nero media home 4, i used NMH4 for about 2 year and only changed from it as my WDlive (which i had at work untill i changed positions and brought it home) media player couldnt connect to its shares. i have also tried plex but didnt like it, see below.

the reason i use servio over plex is a few reasons, Plex is very complicated compared to servio, plex also used 12GB of hdd space and created 250,000 files on my hard drive for the media library for 12,000 files. a little excessive in my opinion. you also cant trim down the menu structure when you open the shared files on the tv or on a media player, so you have to go through folder after folder to find what you are looking for.

Servio was just a lot simpler only shows what i need and takes up 5% of the drive space plex did.

if you want a simple media server program, then use plex, if you want one with all the bells and whistles then use plex.

+1 for Serviio it is very good

sidefx

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#1286814 18-Apr-2015 14:29

If the OP just wants the simplest way to connect a PC to TV, I reckon a straight HDMI cable is it, assuming PC has HDMI out. (and they're close enough)

EDIT: I should clarify why I think this is the case. Yes a DLNA server is all good, and when it's working it's dead easy, but when something goes wrong it's often not. USB drive connect to TV often involves navigating multiple menus on the TV which sometimes don't have the best UI. Most people already know how to use their PC and change inputs on the TV, hence I sort of think just an HDMI cable would be the simplest.

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
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Jase2985

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#1286817 18-Apr-2015 14:34

i have never had an issue with the DLNA server not working, it starts when windows starts, and the tv picks it up every time.

also means you can use the computer at the same time your watching something on the TV, which an HDMI cable it makes it very difficult.

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rb99

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#1286821 18-Apr-2015 14:38

Would recommend you at least consider MediaBrowser, recently renamed Emby. Personally find it good for streaming to Android and Windows devices we have here. You would need to test it out with your Samsung (?) TV though - we have a Sony TV and it doesn't work very well, but that wouldn't affect you.

Maybe also try Mezzmo. Originates in Melbourne I think. Probably not as fancy as PLEX / Serviio / Emby, and also not free (generally once off $20ish on sale if you buy), though you do I think get a free months trial.. However is good at DLNA stuff and support is excellent.

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

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MikeB4

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#1286822 18-Apr-2015 14:38

Jase2985: i have never had an issue with the DLNA server not working, it starts when windows starts, and the tv picks it up every time.

also means you can use the computer at the same time your watching something on the TV, which an HDMI cable it makes it very difficult.

Yep, its dead simple.

Batman

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#1286823 18-Apr-2015 14:42

I had spent years trying to stream stuff to another stuff ... in the end i plug my laptop that has my stuff to the TV with an HDMI cable and everything just works. Then i got lazy and installed teamviewer so i can control the laptop from another device ... but that's me

Jase2985

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#1286824 18-Apr-2015 14:44

joker97: I had spent years trying to stream stuff to another stuff ... in the end i plug my laptop that has my stuff to the TV with an HDMI cable and everything just works. Then i got lazy and installed teamviewer so i can control the laptop from another device ... but that's me

you are so living in the past :)

stuffed

288 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1286859 18-Apr-2015 16:11

Ok you guys thanks for your input. How to waste a couple of hours! I don't know if our 3 year old Samsung lacks the guts to do any of this but simply gave up on Plex too - did get it going once but then it hung up. Fortunately the very cleaver installer (blush!) of our TV had the foresight to dangle a USB cord down through the wall so transferred the movies to a Flash Drive and switched the Source to that drive - BUT when click on the Folder in the drive nothing happens!
Hell have a $200 12v TV by the spa for visiting kids to watch cartoons via a Flash Drive - works just fine!
Are we sure that can't get AirVideo direct on the Apple TV?

Why work on Wednesday and stuff up 2 good long weekends

richms

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#1286880 18-Apr-2015 16:46

Depending on the age of the samsung it may be quite limited in what file formats it will play back off USB. Also file system support is quite poor on TVs, with many only doing FAT32, no NTFS or exfat so depending on the size of the stick it may not be able to be read at all on the TV.

Richard rich.ms

robjg63

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#1286890 18-Apr-2015 17:19

The TV probably handles only very limited video files.

If you have wifi in your house and the TV uses wifi do this:
Buy a chromecast +- $60
Make sure you have a wireles capable device (laptop/android phone/iphone)
Setup the chromcast on your network:
https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/2998456?hl=en

On your PC with the media files open the chrome browser
Install the chromecast extension
In the url open the C:\folder\whatever\video.mp4 file
Click the google cast (chromecast button) - video should now be playing on the TV.

After you have got this working you will realise that pretty much anything you can play in your chrome browser can be played via the chromecast on the TV.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

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#1286989 18-Apr-2015 21:12

Jase2985:
joker97: I had spent years trying to stream stuff to another stuff ... in the end i plug my laptop that has my stuff to the TV with an HDMI cable and everything just works. Then i got lazy and installed teamviewer so i can control the laptop from another device ... but that's me

you are so living in the past :)

ah, those were the days

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