Twonky is not really a media server

DLNA, AirPlay, Chromecast, PS3, XBOX, iTunes, & other media players
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Askold
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Twonky is not really a media server

Post by Askold »

I'm using next configuration: QNAP TS-210, router WNDR 3700 and Philips 32PFL9705H. Everything has latest upgrades.

Technically everything is fine, but I'm able to use like 10% of media server functionality what is totally unacceptable. Router speed is good enough, It's capable of streaming 1080p via wi-fi, and tv has a built-in wi-fi which is also capable of doing that. But twonky media server just doesn't do it's job.

Here are my results of using TS-210 as DLNA.

1. Pictures viewed on TV via DLNA have very small size, they look like icons, there is no way to resize them or show fullscreen.

2. Viewing pictures using DLNA on PC is annoying. I've tried Windows Media Player (Windows 7). It takes forever for preview of photos to appear. If photos have big size (like 10 - 15 mb) it takes forever to open them and (what's more!) it heavily lowers quality of picture also by adding some visible noise, this is ruining the whole idea of storing high quality photos on NAS with DLNA. I've only used pictures with JPEG format.

TV shows same photos from connected flash storage just fine. So if I want to show photos to my friends on big screen then I'd have to copy them to flash first and only after that I'd be able show photos on my tv screen.

If I'm using Windows Explorer to browse directory with photos and open them from there, then everything works fine (preview is faster and it takes a just a little to open big size photos). If I close Explorer and come back to directory with photos previews would load quickly. DLNA also has some cache (but it works slower) and it seems that DLNA cache is disappearing over time. Opening of big photos works slow no matter what and quality of big pictures is always lowered (medium sized pictures are showed ok without visible artifacts).

3. There is no rewind functionality for streaming videos. This is just crazy. I can't rewind streaming video neither on my tv or Nokia N900, but it works for Windows Media Player on PC. If I'm telling my Window Media Player to start displaying video to tv then it writes again that there is no rewind functionality.

TV rewinds any videos just fine from connected flash storage, but not from DLNA (checked on same vidoes).

4. Streaming mkv videos doesn't work at all. Neither on Window Media Player, Nokia N900 or TV. I can play videos by Windows Media Player by opening files directly, but not via DLNA functionality. Since most of HD videos are now in mkv format so I'm basically unable to view HD videos on my TV.

So what are my results? I'm only able to use Twonky media server to play low quality videos without rewind function (haven't tested music functionality yet, but I'm quite pessimistic about it already).

1 out of 10 - that's my verdict so far for DLNA functionality.
aljimenez
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by aljimenez »

I agree with you. I have given up using it except for music. I use plain old samba to grab my files for movies and photos... Al
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Lithin
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by Lithin »

Askold wrote: 4. Streaming mkv videos doesn't work at all. Neither on Window Media Player, Nokia N900 or TV. I can play videos by Windows Media Player by opening files directly, but not via DLNA functionality. Since most of HD videos are now in mkv format so I'm basically unable to view HD videos on my TV.

So what are my results? I'm only able to use Twonky media server to play low quality videos without rewind function (haven't tested music functionality yet, but I'm quite pessimistic about it already).

1 out of 10 - that's my verdict so far for DLNA functionality.

I agree with you aswell.
Now if there were another option to run any other streaming service so we could actually watch mkv's.
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Briain
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by Briain »

Twonky 6.0.28 should work with MKV; you shouldn't have to wait too long now :)
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Lithin
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by Lithin »

Briain wrote:Twonky 6.0.28 should work with MKV; you shouldn't have to wait too long now :)

I didnt see that in the patchnotes.
Do we got an ETA on Twonky 6.0.28 firmware update?
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fstrange
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by fstrange »

Please refer to the TMS 6 (Release Candidate 1) Post: viewtopic.php?f=224&t=36776
Regards, Fredrik Strange
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Askold
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by Askold »

fstrange wrote:Please refer to the TMS 6 (Release Candidate 1) Post: viewtopic.php?f=224&t=36776
I get "You are not authorised to read this forum." by entering that link.
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schumaku
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by schumaku »

Likely a closed user group on invitation only.
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fstrange
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by fstrange »

Askold wrote:
fstrange wrote:Please refer to the TMS 6 (Release Candidate 1) Post: viewtopic.php?f=224&t=36776
I get "You are not authorised to read this forum." by entering that link.
Hi Askold.

I didn't notice that the link was pointing to a beta forum with limited access. Apologies for that. The good part is though that a TMS 6.0.28 QPKG is ramping up... Note: I don't have any idea of general availability of this package.
Regards, Fredrik Strange
QNAP TVS-473 [4.3.6.0993 build 2019/07/04], 2 x 500 GB Samsung 850 EVO M.2 SSD [RAID1], 2 x 8 TB WD Red WD80EFZX [RAID1]
QNAP TS-559 Pro II [4.2.6 Build 20171018], 2 x 2 TB Seagate ST32000641AS [RAID 1], 3 x 2 TB Seagate ST32000641AS [RAID 5]
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benshirley
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by benshirley »

Agree, I have had to revert to the qpkg TM v4 to even get streaming to my ps3 since the firmware update of both qnap and ps3. Even then the streaming is a joke over 100mbps lan.
kaudel
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by kaudel »

I have the similar TV (Philips 32PFL8605H) and also expected my TS-110 to have better performance streaming multimedia. It is now very dissapointing with photos, can't open much of video formats, and audio works correctly only with mp3. Uncompressed audio can't be streamed. :( Really, I can't wait for a fresh twonky!
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schumaku
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by schumaku »

Hello,
kaudel wrote:I have the similar TV (Philips 32PFL8605H) and also expected my TS-110 to have better performance streaming multimedia.
What is "poor performance" ?
kaudel wrote:It is now very dissapointing with photos, can't open much of video formats, and audio works correctly only with mp3. Uncompressed audio can't be streamed.
The large majority of media format limitations are caused by very basic DLNA clients as implemented in many TV sets. Only a small number of container formats, very few or codec, and pictures to a certain resolution or file size are possible.

If you have proof your TV set embedded DLNA player can play more formats or container, than it actually does, you can post details here, or better direct in the Twonky media forum. It is simply not possible to have every player model in the market specified in the capability table - which is in fact a text file, and can be adjusted.
kaudel wrote:Really, I can't wait for a fresh twonky!
Wrong expectations - you need to change the DLNA media player for a much better experience.

Send me a PM with your e-mail please.

-Kurt.
Huub
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Re: Twonky is not really a media server

Post by Huub »

this is really not, i repeat not correct.
i use ts219, applied some firmware and updates, i am not a unix prof.
the only hack i did was for the picture size (see somewhere else on this site) (philips led tv, yamaha rxv2065, sitecom gigabit router with upnp enabled)
so mkv, avi, pictures, music, data, everything works fine. of course there is a wishlist, and yes if you want to be a purist, its e server, not a player.
the important thing with the qnap is, that you be patient, some functions take 15 min to come through,
so be carefull and sparse
huub
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