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Help - how to stream

416 views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  amesdp 
#1 · (Edited)
Help - streaming device help

Hi all,

I am a noob when it comes to all this so, please don't mind the stupid questions.

I have a an Lg 55 inch smart tv and when I plug my external HDD it can play mkv and avi files. Now I also got a vizio 80" last year and its also a smart tv, but cannot play mov files when connecting the external HDD through the usb on the tv.

I want to know what would be a simple solution to stream the MKV movies into my vizio 80".

On a side note I have been reading about the Amazon fire tv and the roku 3 and don't understand what would be the benefit of these devices if you already have a smart TV.
 
#2 ·
The Roku 3 has a better interface than most smart TV's. Just easier to navigate and may be able to play the video formats you seek or have apps making it available to play. I don't own a smart tv as I would save hundreds by just using a 100.00 Roku 3 instead and using the money saved into better picture quality HDTV without Smart features. Also upgrading firmware is more consistent with outboard media devices rather than internal TV. Your Smart tv is stuck with dedicated apps while outboard streaming devices have apps added all the time. Please remember TV manufacturers use the cheapest internal parts they can outsource to gain the most profit as TV's become cheaper and cheaper.

So for example TV A is a 1,000 non smart TV by brand XYZ. Now brand XYZ has the same exact model but with smart features that retails for 1,400 called the A1. Now everything about both TV's is the exact same except one has an extra computer chip and programming to handle the smart features. So what makes more sense buying the all in one TV for 1,400 or upgrade to the next tier TV that has better picture quality processing but is not smart for say 1,300 and spending 100.00 on a Roku 3 which has a better interface and easily upgradable.
 
#4 ·
That's odd, because I am pretty sure that I read this quote from the OP:

On a side note I have been reading about the Amazon fire tv and the roku 3 and don't understand what would be the benefit of these devices if you already have a smart TV.

Was that just a rhetorical question?

It depends on the TV itself. That's kind of what UofAZ1 was getting at. Most likely, IF your TV supports local/network playback it is via DLNA and you will need a DLNA server set up somewhere on your network. I know some Vizio TVs come with the Plex App which will also do this for you. Without any model #s no one can help you. I would recommend the User's Manual for your TV to find out what it is capable of. Every SmartTV has its own set of apps and abilities depending on what the manufacturer installed or makes available.

My Vizio at home will stream NetFlix, Amazon, Vudu, etc. but will not playback local or network storage. So I built an HTPC that runs Kodi out of a Raspberry Pi. Same concept as Amazon FireTV, Roku, WDTV Live, etc.
 
#5 ·
Sorry for the confusion, I was just trying to see if people who have smart apps tv also get a amazon fire tv, roku etc and if they why do they want that, maybe coz their smart tv apps may not have the apps they want etc.

Ok now my main concern is i have an 80in viz. with 3d M series and want to be able to play my mov files, who can I do that?
 
#6 · (Edited)
My Panasonic (S60 plasma) smart TV, is limited to only the most popular channels such as Netflix Amazon Vudo etc.., so I also use a Roku 2 which has hundreds of channels that include on demand programming like Showtime Anytime, HBO GO, Fox Now, FX Now, and A&E. Many TV's that play MKV files through their USB port do not support (especially non-powered) external hard drives. I use flash which works just fine for me.


Ian
 
#9 ·
Ok so I got the amazon fire tv last night and downloaded the plex app and on my MacBook I downloaded the plex app as well and connected my external drive where all the movie are. I added the movie folder to plex and it showed up on my MacBook plex app, but it does not show up on the amazon plex app. what am I doing wrong?
 
#12 ·
If you have Plex Media Server running on your MacBook, and you have added your drive/folder containing movies to the Plex library, and you see the movies show up in the local Plex client on your MacBook, then they should show up in the Plex app on the FireTV too.

Are you sure that the Plex app running on your FireTV is connecting to the Plex Media Server on your MacBook? I assume that you exited the app and restarted it after you made changes to your library on the server.

Plex Media Server also offers its content via standard DLNA protocol, as long as that option is checked On in the settings (it is by default). Many Smart TVs don't have a Plex client available, but most of them have a DLNA client that will connect to Plex Media Server. Have you tried that?
 
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