[codezero11]

Hey guys,

I had done a bunch of reading and couldn't find anyone streaming video's from their network to the playbook so I thought I would share for those trying to do it.

I'm running the 2.0 os at the moment.

After trying a bunch of file explorers, I ended up using the ES File explorer. Its a pretty sweet tool to search the device locally, the net, an FTP, or even a local LAN.

I have 2 machines (Windows 7) setup with tv shows and movies as I use MCE for my tv's. I wanted to be able to stream this stuff to my playbook so I started playing around with the file explorer and was able to connect to the machines via "samba shares" as stated by the file explorer app... however, its obviously a windows network share but you get teh point.

After getting it connected I was able to browse the shared folders and play videos from there. One thing I noticed and I'm sure many are away are the limited formats you can play with the built in video players. I'm now looking for a way to play mkv's, avi's and such so more to come on that.

This not only works for video's but you can obviously copy and work on files on the network as well for those with the smaller 16 or 32 gig units and don't want to take up a ton of space.

anyways, hope this helps out someone trying to do the same.

cheers,

Chad

[abiator]

Ive done this successfully. You should look into how to set up a web server on your laptop. Personally I used EasyPHP, there are other options out there though. Once its setup and configured you will be able to have access to specified folders through your lan and stream through the browser.

[taylortbb]

RIM has posted a document at http://docs.blackberry.com/en/smartp...English%29.pdf outlining what codecs are supported and inside what containers. OS 2.0 has also added MKV support, but the current beta has not changed the codec situation. Rumour has it AC-3 audio support is in the works for OS 2.0, that would be enough for most MKVs to work. Some use DTS audio however, and I've heard nothing about DTS audio support.

[greatwiseone]

You can try using Subsonic...it works quite well (but re-encodes the video in flash). You need to install the Subsonic on the machine with the videos and you need to get the SonicAir app from App World on the PB...

[codezero11]

thanks for the Document Taylor!

I'll have a look at subsonic, sounds pretty cool. However I do like the idea of setting up Website to stream them too, I'm going to play with that setup too, thanks Abiator!

keep you guys posted

[zoban]

Do a search for tversity here on CB .. I've posted a couple time about it working well on my PB via the browser flashlib..

[codezero11]

sweet, I just noted Tversity on Lifehacker... didn't realize you can stream through it, def. gonna check that out, thanks!

[jmanng]

hi codezero, all

i upgraded to 2.0 because iwant to beable to access network shares for video. thought 2.0 was supposed to have support built-in but i don't see anything. u mention es fileexplorer... don,t see it in app world? where can i find it?

thk

[jmanng]

hi
ok, for any other noobies... es file explorer is an android app, so checkout the android threads (you,ll need to setup for sideloading as well).

i can access lan -hooray! just need to get the video player to open connection now or sort out how to setup the file assoc for android env. dowloaded meridian player and hoping to also try mobo but link dead.

back to some searching and reading

[TheScionicMan]

You can probably stream your .mkv files using this (not to mentio NetFlix and Hulu):

http://forums.crackberry.com/playboo...ix-fix-675173/

[jmanng]

for those messing with moboplayer, i've had it working intermittently after installing the codec (used astro file manager to create directory and copied the downloaded codec, left as apk suffix). funny, sometimes it runs, like 1 in 4 times... yet to try it with es file explorer across lan. definitely dont like the 1inch screensize

[dony71]

for those messing with moboplayer, i've had it working intermittently after installing the codec (used astro file manager to create directory and copied the downloaded codec, left as apk suffix). funny, sometimes it runs, like 1 in 4 times... yet to try it with es file explorer across lan. definitely dont like the 1inch screensize

what's the name of directory and where to create?

[jholmes07]

Hey guys,

I had done a bunch of reading and couldn't find anyone streaming video's from their network to the playbook so I thought I would share for those trying to do it.

I'm running the 2.0 os at the moment.

After trying a bunch of file explorers, I ended up using the ES File explorer. Its a pretty sweet tool to search the device locally, the net, an FTP, or even a local LAN.

I have 2 machines (Windows 7) setup with tv shows and movies as I use MCE for my tv's. I wanted to be able to stream this stuff to my playbook so I started playing around with the file explorer and was able to connect to the machines via "samba shares" as stated by the file explorer app... however, its obviously a windows network share but you get teh point.

After getting it connected I was able to browse the shared folders and play videos from there. One thing I noticed and I'm sure many are away are the limited formats you can play with the built in video players. I'm now looking for a way to play mkv's, avi's and such so more to come on that.

This not only works for video's but you can obviously copy and work on files on the network as well for those with the smaller 16 or 32 gig units and don't want to take up a ton of space.

anyways, hope this helps out someone trying to do the same.

cheers,

Chad

Can you help? I have similar setup but 2 issues i cant solve.

1. I am able to connect and browse the shared folder via FTP with ES file explorer but no videos will play using built in ES media player or installed meridian media player. Music files work fine but not video ones.

2. Able to connect via SMB but "loading file list" takes extremely long time to load and sometimes doesnt even load at all.

Any ideas as to why I am having these problems? Searching the forums was no help.

[codezero11]

Can you help? I have similar setup but 2 issues i cant solve.

1. I am able to connect and browse the shared folder via FTP with ES file explorer but no videos will play using built in ES media player or installed meridian media player. Music files work fine but not video ones.

2. Able to connect via SMB but "loading file list" takes extremely long time to load and sometimes doesnt even load at all.

Any ideas as to why I am having these problems? Searching the forums was no help.

Hi Holmes,

one thing I did find was that switching to a dual band wireless connection really sped up the playing of videos. I'm not saying it wont work on regular G or N, just found it much smoother.

Are you getting any errors? What types of videos are you trying to play? Are you connecting to a linux or windows box?

I installed TVersity on my TV comp and am using that to stream as well and it works pretty well. Its basically a toss up between the two at this point.

Now I'm moving on to testing some Android MCE remote apps to see if I can get those working. There is one that looks cool and actually streams stuff as well.

shoot me a PM, maybe I can help you out more with some additional details.

let me know,

Chad

[conix67]

What is "ES File Explorer"? I can't seem to find this in App World. I would definitely like to playback videos over network connection.

[CanadianThomas]

What is "ES File Explorer"? I can't seem to find this in App World. I would definitely like to playback videos over network connection.

Its an android app, You need to read and catch up. lol. But its not hard to do and well worth it. Are you on the Beta 2 OS? if not, get it.

[lynntarbox]

really? playbook users are resorting to having to use android emulated file explorers to play video over the network? come on...

pretty much the ONLY semi-decent solution for lan streaming on the playbook is the app sonicair. if you want something better..get a better tablet that has way more support for this.

[conix67]

OK, this whole thing about Android is player is starting to get really annoying. Those who think Android apps running on PB's Android Player is seamless, think again.

What's most limiting about the Android App support is that you can't link native PB app to it. So, ES File Explorer or Ghost Commander can map network drives, and you can launch Android Apps to watch video, etc, but not the native PB video player!

Of course, if RIM had put in samba client (not just server) this wouldn't be an issue at all for video playback over network. PB is fully capable of supporting samba client, but it is not available.

Only reason I can think of is RIM trying to get people to buy 32GB or 64GB PB and store the files locally.

While USB connection and File Sharing over WIFI is good, they are relatively slow! Try copying 16GB of files over WIFI, it takes forever! (or PB doesn't like my WIFI router - DLINK).

I'd like to see good apps, of course, but I'd like to see RIM fix little things like this first and make PB really all that more useful and flexible!

[lebob23]

OK, this whole thing about Android is player is starting to get really annoying. Those who think Android apps running on PB's Android Player is seamless, think again.

What's most limiting about the Android App support is that you can't link native PB app to it. So, ES File Explorer or Ghost Commander can map network drives, and you can launch Android Apps to watch video, etc, but not the native PB video player!

Of course, if RIM had put in samba client (not just server) this wouldn't be an issue at all for video playback over network. PB is fully capable of supporting samba client, but it is not available.

Only reason I can think of is RIM trying to get people to buy 32GB or 64GB PB and store the files locally.

While USB connection and File Sharing over WIFI is good, they are relatively slow! Try copying 16GB of files over WIFI, it takes forever! (or PB doesn't like my WIFI router - DLINK).

I'd like to see good apps, of course, but I'd like to see RIM fix little things like this first and make PB really all that more useful and flexible!

I get 1.2 mbps from 50 feet away. (on G)

[conix67]

I get 1.2 mbps from 50 feet away. (on G)

1.2mbps is horrible on G. It will take days to transfer 16GB on 1.2mbps connection.

[conix67]

Just tried to get SonicAir to work. While Subsonic is very interesting solution, which isn't necessarily unique to PB, SonicAir doesn't work very well. It cannot scan directories and find files. What the ****? However, Subsonic web client works fine.

Together this costs me ~$20 (Subsonic requires hefty donation for full functionality). While the AirVideo on IPad costs $1.99 and it just works.

If SonicAir for PB is supposed to be closest thing to the AirVideo on IPad, this is a major fail. Very disappointing.

[jmanng]

what's the name of directory and where to create?

/sdcard/.mobo/Library

i found it in the error message telling you that the codec is missing (i believe that was the spot)

[CanadianThomas]

Mac users, try this out.

http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...ok-os7-681560/

[omniusovermind]

I'm currently looking for an app-free way to do this by using my win7 as a sort of ftp server that I can access the files on my desktop PC using an IP address in my playbook's browser to open , download, or stream them from there.

[wobly]

I have Orb installed on my WHS2011 server and run Orb to my PB. It works great!