WMS & WEB-Radios & Sony Bravia

[philarvropagan]

First of all, greetings to all few members and congratulations for this nice Server.

My "use case": brand old PC Athlon 64 + brand new Sony Bravia W5500 + home LAN 100BT.
Current Server: PS3 Media Server. Works great but ...
- no way to make Webradios working (nor youtube and few webTVs)
- no movie segmentation into chapters, and as Forward/Rewind crash the server, it's not possible to watch a movie other than from beginning.
When surfing on the Web yesterday I found WMS and decided to test it. I did it for a lot of DLNA servers but most got me disapointed.

First feeling about WMS
- many profiles available ... including Sony DLNA TVs. The first think I checked and which made me confident for going ahead.
- nice look & feel: important for a quick trial
- many many configuration parameters: could be too much but let think that everything should be possible !

First test: add a movie folder with DivX
- no way to make my Bravia detect WMS
Then: add MP3 and Picture folders
- great, WMS is immediately seen ... and for the movies as well!

MMI: fine. Because of indexing the folders, access (from the TV) to huge folders is much faster than using PS3 MS which needs to browse in real time.

Movie:
- works but steady (every 10 sec) short freezes. I've tried to play on the buffer size but no significant improvement. Because of my PC. I'm going to add a 2nd GB RAM. Hope it will help.
- nice transcoding
- segmentation into chapters: I like a lot
- access to transcoding parameters from the TV remote: fine

Music: works fine, as expected

Pictures: works fine but I don't like the classification (by date or all mixed). I would prefer by folder name ... but may be it's possible. I have not investigated a lot.

Web Radios (something that I long to get): ... stil problems to make it work ...
- trial with pls or m3u links which work with VLC
- VLC/MP3 transcoding profile selected: my TV list the radios but don't want to play them
- FLAC profile: would like to work ... but don't. Counter is displayed and TV seems to be synchronizing but finally no music playing.
- I succeeded once with FLAC profile but sound was awful

NOTA: something looks strange (bug?) ... when asking for a transcoding trial on an Internet radio, in the DOS window I get an error because of VLC not found!
- it is expected to be found into the program files/WMS folder while in the Settings, it is declared in program files/videolan/vlc
=> to try it, I have installed VLC into the program files/WMS folder and that is what allowed to go further (to the awful noise )

So, to summarize,
- If video streaming can be performed without freezes, I keep WMS together with PS3 MS
- If Internet Radios (and TV) works fine, I let PS3 MS down
- If everything works fine ... I could even pay for it

WMS looks very young, isn't it?
If yes, it's already a good version (much better than most of all existing applications, even by known providers) which lets expect the best.
Good luck and be sure that I will follow it.

[Eugene]

Movie:
- works but steady (every 10 sec) short freezes. I've tried to play on the buffer size but no significant improvement.

File format divx ? May help to include these settings.

sony1.JPG (84 KiB) Viewed 12951 times

Pictures: works fine but I don't like the classification (by date or all mixed). I would prefer by folder name ... but may be it's possible. I have not investigated a lot.

Folder "Watch Folders"

Web Radios (something that I long to get): ... stil problems to make it work ...
- trial with pls or m3u links which work with VLC
- VLC/MP3 transcoding profile selected: my TV list the radios but don't want to play them
- FLAC profile: would like to work ... but don't. Counter is displayed and TV seems to be synchronizing but finally no music playing.
- I succeeded once with FLAC profile but sound was awful

May help to include these settings. Do not choose a profile transcoding "Music (VLC) - MP3"

sony2.JPG (81.22 KiB) Viewed 12951 times

sony3.JPG (81.46 KiB) Viewed 12951 times

NOTA: something looks strange (bug?) ... when asking for a transcoding trial on an Internet radio, in the DOS window I get an error because of VLC not found!
- it is expected to be found into the program files/WMS folder while in the Settings, it is declared in program files/videolan/vlc
=> to try it, I have installed VLC into the program files/WMS folder and that is what allowed to go further (to the awful noise )

sony4.JPG (81.09 KiB) Viewed 12951 times

sony5.JPG (98.38 KiB) Viewed 12951 times

WMS looks very young, isn't it?

This is the international version of another program (released in October 2008).

If yes, it's already a good version (much better than most of all existing applications, even by known providers) which lets expect the best.
Good luck and be sure that I will follow it.

Thanks, Good luck

[Eugene]

Transcoding profile "Music - FLAC - LPCM" for flac with cue-file

sony7.JPG (110.63 KiB) Viewed 12950 times

sony8.JPG (125.22 KiB) Viewed 12950 times

Transcoding parameters

Code: Select all

var
  sTranscoderParams, sReadPipeName, sWritePipeName: string;  
begin
  TranscodingResult := False;
  if WmsCreateDualPipe(sReadPipeName, sWritePipeName) then begin
    sTranscoderParams := Format('-d "%s"', [InputFileName]);
    if mpTimeStart <> '' then begin
      sTranscoderParams := sTranscoderParams + ' --skip=' + WmsCueTime(WmsTimeConvert(mpTimeStart));
      if mpTimeLength <> '' then
        sTranscoderParams := sTranscoderParams + ' --until=' +
            WmsCueTime(WmsTimeConvert(mpTimeStart) + WmsTimeConvert(mpTimeLength));
    end;
    sTranscoderParams := sTranscoderParams + Format(' -f -o"%s"', [sWritePipeName]);
    if WmsTranscodingExecute('FLAC', sTranscoderParams, False) then begin
      sTranscoderParams := Format('-f wav -i "%s" -f s16be -ac 2 -ar 44100 "%s"', 
                             [sReadPipeName, OutputFileName]);
      TranscodingResult := WmsTranscodingExecute('WMSMPEG', sTranscoderParams)
    end  
  end
end.

Terms of use:

Code: Select all

SameText(ExtractFileExt(mpFilePath), '.flac')

Or unzip the archive wmsflaclpcm.zip and in the form "Transcoding profiles" by Load button to load "wmsflaclpcm.cfg". (On question "Clear current lists ? " - No)

wmsflaclpcm.zip

(895 Bytes) Downloaded 753 times

Choose transcoding profile for the necessary files. Restart server.

sony9.JPG (100.38 KiB) Viewed 12950 times

[Eugene]

Transcoding profile "Music (VLC) - LPCM"

sony10.JPG (84.28 KiB) Viewed 12948 times

Transcoding parameters:

Code: Select all

const
  csVideoLanParams =
    '-Idummy --language en --sout=#transcode{acodec=s16be,ab=%d,channels=2,' +
    'samplerate=44100}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=raw,dst="<OUTPUT FILE>"}}' +
    ' "<INPUT FILE>" vlc://quit';
begin
  TranscodingParams := Format(csVideoLanParams, [Min(cfgTranscodingAudioBitrate div 1000, 192)])
end.

wms_music_vlc_lpcm.zip

(767 Bytes) Downloaded 695 times

[philarvropagan]

Movie:
- works but steady (every 10 sec) short freezes. I've tried to play on the buffer size but no significant improvement.

File format divx ? May help to include these settings.

sony1.JPG

Yes, most of them are DivX.
The problem comes from my CPU which actually processes about 18fps in 1920x1080.
May be it's getting better when I'll add the additional 1GB RAM (ordered but not received yet).

I have also followed your recommandation and changed format for "Minimum, proportionnal to the screen".
Result is that no more problem with the CPU that processes about 80fps (SD DivX) ... but my Bravia does not follow!
Pictures are a lovely kaleidoscope of artefacts
Bad luck because it works in Testing mode.
I'm afraid that no chance to make it work properly but upgrading my PC.

Pictures: works fine but I don't like the classification (by date or all mixed). I would prefer by folder name ... but may be it's possible. I have not investigated a lot.

Folder "Watch Folders"

Obviously Yes and very easy to use together with the slideshow mode of my Bravia.

Web Radios (something that I long to get): ... stil problems to make it work ...
- trial with pls or m3u links which work with VLC
- VLC/MP3 transcoding profile selected: my TV list the radios but don't want to play them
- FLAC profile: would like to work ... but don't. Counter is displayed and TV seems to be synchronizing but finally no music playing.
- I succeeded once with FLAC profile but sound was awful

May help to include these settings. Do not choose a profile transcoding "Music (VLC) - MP3"

Thanks a lot for them but no better result. I will spend more time on this issue, may be playing with both MIME format and encoding parameters ... but I must say that I don't really know which way to follow.

NOTA: something looks strange (bug?) ... when asking for a transcoding trial on an Internet radio, in the DOS window I get an error because of VLC not found!
- it is expected to be found into the program files/WMS folder while in the Settings, it is declared in program files/videolan/vlc
=> to try it, I have installed VLC into the program files/WMS folder and that is what allowed to go further (to the awful noise )

Corrected thanks to your pictures.

Thanks a lot for your quick reply and your nice assistance. I don't give up!
Cheers.

[Eugene]

I found a bug in the profile "Music - FLAC - LPCM", if the temporary files directory contains spaces, sorry.
Must fix

Code: Select all

....
sTranscoderParams := Format('-f wav -i "%s" -f s16be -ac 2 -ar 44100 %s', 
                             [sReadPipeName, OutputFileName]);
...

on

Code: Select all

....
sTranscoderParams := Format('-f wav -i "%s" -f s16be -ac 2 -ar 44100 "%s"', 
                             [sReadPipeName, OutputFileName]);
...

[philarvropagan]

Hi Eugène,
I've tried several couples of MIME types and Transcoding profiles on several Web-radio links but unfortunately, none of them work.
Problem on WMS? on Bravia? on DLNA compatibility?... difficult to say!

What's about WAV transcoding for LPCM (by VLC or other) in MIME audio/x-wav ? Do you think it would make sense?
Thank you.

[Eugene]

Hi,

I've tried several couples of MIME types and Transcoding profiles on several Web-radio links but unfortunately, none of them work.
Problem on WMS? on Bravia? on DLNA compatibility?... difficult to say!
What's about WAV transcoding for LPCM (by VLC or other) in MIME audio/x-wav ? Do you think it would make sense?

Any file (MP3, FLAC, WAV) played through transcoding in LPCM (audio/L16) on the Bravia ?
Test transcoding works on Web-radio links? Maybe I try one of the stations that failed transcode? Which link?

[Eugene]

Thanks for releasing this great Media Server which is compatible with my Bravia KLV-46Z550A. Have tried Tversity and Monkey media but they are not working on this model. Best part is internet radio,shoutcast radio can be listened live now. Will appreciate if some interesting Internet radio and Web TV links/podcasts are posted here and how to add You tube with login . I am facing problem that .MKV file are not playing in default and Movies-CoreAVC Transcoding profiles.Please advice.

Test transcoding is performed in the list of films on the right button mouse ?
Try to set these settings.
MIME-type: video/vnd.dlna.mpeg-tts
DLNA-profile: MPEG_TS_SD_EU_ISO or MPEG_TS_SD_EU

sony_tv1.JPG (80.87 KiB) Viewed 12817 times

sony_tv2.JPG (81.86 KiB) Viewed 12817 times

sony_tv3.JPG (81.15 KiB) Viewed 12817 times

For mkv-files in standard sizes (1280x720, 1920x1080) you can also use the transcoding profile "Movies - TsMuxer", it is faster (remuxing).

[tomas]

... Best part is internet radio,shoutcast radio can be listened live now. ...

Please can you describe how to add shoutcast radio to WMS ?

Btw.
to Eugene: Thank you very much for this software. I use WMS with Sony Bravia W5500 and it works really good.