QNAP NAS Community Forum

Apologies in advance if this has been asked so many time before that it makes everyone murderous.

So to start with the TL;DR - I have VLC installed an running on a TS-415D2, but I have to use VLC to find/open the file - is there any way to make VLC the default app for the "Local Display" version of File Station, Video Station, and/or Music Station? And can someone direct me the thread/URL where this is explained, pretty please? I've been Googling my arse off for over an hour now and the best I've come up with is 3-8 year old posts that lead to places that don't exist anymore.

Other:
I got my nice, new TS-451D2 with 4x6TB WD Red+, purchased to replace an aged, sluggish Zyxel NAS. All the stuff is moved, it's working, it's behind a fairly OCD/meticulously-crafted firewall. I am not entirely displeased with it...as yet. I purchased this model so I could also eliminate an aged, sluggish Zotac microbox that I was using as a media server - by opening Windows Explorer, navigating to the folder, and clicking the file I wanted and VLC plays what I asked for. 'So', I thinks to myself, 'this should be even easy-peaseyer with a NAS with output built right in, right?'

Well no. After installing some awful transcoding software from a third party ("Cayin" something-or-other) which actually ** pretty bad, I figured out how to get VLC installed and running. If I nav thru VLC's 'Open File' I can play media files, no problem, works like a champ. But I can find no way, either in VLC or any of QNAP's File Station, Video Station, or Music Station apps to integrate VLC with the apps. Even getting it to work with File Station would be nice. Dammit. So apparently my Google-fu is weak today, so here I am, asking stupid questions.

I guess you mean TS-451D ..

Why are you using file station ? .. access files via SMB (and chose whatever player you like) or use something with a decent web interface like Plex.

There used to be a helper program that would call external players from your webbrowser, but was abandoned. (could be a security issue, you don't want your webbrowser to call external programs)

Also abandon all thoughts of using the NAS as a player .. just use it as a NAS .. (you will not regret it)

Also abandon all thoughts of using the NAS as a player .. just use it as a NAS .. (you will not regret it)

I was afraid that was the answer. I'da gotten the cheaper model had I known; pretty ugly bait-n-switch there, making the HDMI port that unusable; the point of the thing is to NOT have to stream or network share when I don't need or want one, and to pipe it directly through the Denon to TV and speakers. And do that without crappy third-party apps that just aint ready for prime-time at all.

Shoulda gone the sure-fire way and built my own box, but one gets lazy. Nice little Centos box running Kodi woulda likely worked.

Thanks for the speedy reply though, very awesome.

QNAP loves to do bait and switch (advertises cloud features that ends up enabling ransomware criminals)

But all is not bad here, by choosing a device with HDMI, you got a device with hardware transcoding engine (Intel QSV in this case), so Plex (plexpass needed) would work well.

I have a 951X and plex is now my main source for Movies and TV shows.
Most SmartTV's have a Plex app available... and turn your NAS in your private Netflix like playout hub.

Watching this thread in case there is an update here.

Part of the reason I chose my 451 when I was upgrading from a 219+ was due to the ability to hdmi connect the NAS to my TV to locally play videos (anime fansubs for me - ones where they have not been released in the UK (which is quite a lot of the ones I like)). Everything worked well for several years and then QNAP changed the way multimedia worked and replaced half the utilities with Cayin, which to be polite is plain sh*t. Net result is I can no longer watch half my vids. Was contemplating asking how to install VLC and if there is a way to have that visible on the HybridDesk Station desktop.

Please, no necroposting,

You can install VLC from QNAP Club repository if you want

Theliel wrote: ↑Wed Aug 04, 2021 5:48 am Please, no necroposting,

Where did the necroposting occur?