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iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:27 pm
by pablik
Is there any way to stream videos over wifi on-the-fly using an iPad 2?

Thanks

Pablik

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:31 pm
by Q
hi

yes.

option 1: any upnp client app (plugplayer etc.), playing only formats (codecs and containers) which your ipad supports: http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/ (it's pretty limited)

option 2: qmobile app by qnap, playing only formats which your ipad supports.

option 3: airplayer app by olimsoft (jonathan young), there exist also some other similar apps but i can't remember the names. it can play formats which your ipad doesn't support - however decoding happens on the ipad itself and performance is limited by its CPU (no hardware acceleration possible due to apple's restrictions) - so most HD content won't play, depending on bitrate, at least not without stuttering or slowdown.

option 4: using air video by inmethod. you need to buy their ios app and then you also need the free server software on your nas: qpgk for qnap x86 (intel cpu, NOT available for ARM i.e. your nas) nas only: http://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=234&t=44475. it can also play formats which your ipad doesn't support - however the transcoding happens on your nas, and on-the-fly (live) transcoding needs A LOT of CPU power! so it's highly suggest you have a dual core nas (x59 Pro+/II), and even on those it will have problems with HD videos - only the 809 can maybe handle it (for sure the new x79, but those are surely "a little bit" too expensive for home use ^^). that's not a problem of qnap nas or the software, transcoding just needs raw power. you can also do "offline" transcoding with this software, if it's no problem for you to wait for some hours that will also work on a entry level x86 nas by qnap (for example TS-239 Pro II). instead of installing air video on your qnap nas, you can install it also on your pc or mac (which probably has a faster CPU, for on the fly transcoding) and let it have access to your qnap nas share, see http://www.inmethod.com/air-video/ - however then your pc/mac always needs to be on, as long as you want to have access to your files.

alternative solution: transcode/convert your vids on your computer first into ipad compatible formats and copy to your nas afterwards. for example a free windows software to do that: http://www.formatoz.com/

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:57 pm
by onlyalex
Option 4 AirVideo is really good. Im using it daily. Recommendation for on thefly conversion is a fast cpu, preferable an x86 model.
You can also do a regular convert to an ipad friendly format of your video, and watch it when it's converted if your unit can support sufficient cpu power for on thefly conv...

Cheers.

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:46 pm
by arnax
I tried option 3 (airplayer installed on my ipad2 and streaming from Twonky Media installed on my TS-239 Pro II).
Result is really not satisfactory. I tried different formats (mkv and VOB) and the rendering on the ipad is not fluent at all. Images are freezing, a lot of frames are skipped, sound is sometimes dissynchronized.
I guess that my ipad is struggling and not powerfull enough to convert the format on-the-fly, even with DVD-quality files.

Option 4 seems the only way to go (as I do not want to convert all my videos and do not want to use a PC for the conversion), but I am afraid my NAS is not powerfull enough too (I have a TS-239 Pro II+). Correct? Is there a way to beef-up my NAS? Can a Network Media Player be used between the NAS and the ipad?
Thanks for your advices.

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:16 am
by Eliboom
I use XBMC to stream from my TS219P but you need to jailbreak your IPad.

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 2:25 am
by pablik
I hace installed XBMC on a jailbreaked iPad2 and streams fine from a TS109

iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:20 am
by keule
My recommendation is BUZZ Player.
It can Play any Format without conversion and Supports upnp and Samba Shares.

My APP of the week :-)

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:24 am
by maxsto
keule wrote:My recommendation is BUZZ Player.
It can Play any Format without conversion and Supports upnp and Samba Shares.

My APP of the week :-)

+1 :wink:

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 5:22 pm
by kasper_b
+1

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 6:36 pm
by En1
You can use Plex.
Im using it and it works great. (plex app for ipad 1/2 is like 3 or 4 euro) and install the plex qpkg on ur nas (free)

you can try flex:player also only difference with this one is that you copy the media files to the ipad itself so your not streaming it but it works alot faster.

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 3:40 pm
by greenwendy
Should I absolutely jailbreak to make it work? hmm, I don't want to jailbreak, frankly.

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 3:24 am
by enderlabs
Plex does not work with HD movies. I have a 439 Pro and Ipad2 with plex. All went well with the installation but the streaming of HD content works very badly.
I have used also Buzz witch works better with HD 720p but not a great deal better.

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:51 am
by sc0ri0n
@Q Very informative post, thank you.

I came across a new(ish) free app called Air PlayIt: http://www.airplayit.com/
It looks similar to Air Video by definition. I just played a couple of .avi files and it seemed to do OK.

Re: iPad: stream videos from QNAP device

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:16 pm
by bladepopper
I've been using air playit before I got a ts212. I would be great if I can use it with nas. Is it possible to use air playit with iPad and nas?