New Dune HD Max and HD Smart anticipation thread Q3 2010 - Page 100

Stevetd - Hopefully you have your Zappiti info in the same share as your media as the Dune can only open one share at a time.

My structure is:
Media (User Share)
/ | \\
Movies TV Shows Zappiti
/ \\
_Zappiti Zappiti_Resources

edit: It seems to be messing up my diagram above for some reason. If you assume the Movies, TV Shows and Zappiti correspond to the dashes above them and assume the two Zappitis are underneath the Zappiti, it should make some sense.

To get the Zappiti icon on the home screen, you'll need to navigate to the _Zappiti folder via the network browser and hit the menu button and click add to home screen. This will put the Zappiti icon on the home screen.

I'm not sure if you tried this or where your problem lies but once you get it running, it is incredibly easy to continue to use. I had a hard time as I'm a total noob when it comes to everything computers but with a little reading, I was able to build a server, rip my movie collection and get two Dunes up and running with Zappiti. Another good thing about the Dunes and Zappiti is that the wife can work it pretty well.

It sounds like you already got the system storage set up so you shouldn't have to do the initiate system storage step again. It would be easier to help you if you let us know exactly where the process is breaking down.

I have no problems using my Dune Base 3 and my SMART H1 with Windows 7. Maybe you should stop to consider that if you're having a problem, its your problem.

Just return the Dune. If you cannot setup the basic functions of the Dune without being hand-held through it, then you will never be happy with it.

Or pay a professional to integrate it into your system.

Just use the Angle/Rotate button to refresh your shares if needed.

Cool thanks, I did not know that

On other news...
I tried the Dune Remote App for the iPhone and iPad, and it's great. I encourage anyone with an iDevice to give it a shot...it's free.

Yes, I was planning on trying that today...moving movies around the different folders and either identify the size limit or a corrupt file

I was not planning on using Zappitti or anything else, but may at a later stage. On my PCH, which I have had for over 2 yrs, I never set up any media server /jukebox. I just had a well organized file structure, especially for my music.

I will keep you guys informed

Maybe you should share your setting instead of barking at everyone with a problem : It's your problem. Yes, we know it's our problem and we're here to seek help, not the remarks you make.

If accessing the Dune is so basic and simple on W7......... help is appreciated more than the remark to return it.

You haven't been listening, have you? One person's settings will not work with another person's PC. Since each PC is different you need to try different settings until you find one that works.

That is why we have been telling you to research SMB and sharing so that you can try the different suggestions so you can find a combination that works with your PC.

100 different people can give their 100 different settings and I will bet that either only 1 will work or none will work...I am leaning towards none. Too many variables out there.

???
I have been listening, did you read my followups ?

I searched for SMB and sharing, but don't know what to look for or what to install on my machine.

But that should still be no reason to act like a smartass and say that if you have a problem, bad luck, it's your problem, because it works here....... without giving hints to a solution but saying to return it or hire a professional !

Your suggestion that I haven't been listening is in the same category......

I ask for these settings just to get to know how SMB shows up in W7, because when I look at all the services and programs loaded, there is no sign of SMB at all. And that again leads to the question : what do I have to install to get SMB working ?
Saying : return it, or like you do, search for it, didn't help me. (well........ searching brought me to this thread !!!!!!)
It more gives me the impression you don't know it either ;-)
(or you're just unwilling to help, but that was not my impression when I read the whole thread...........)

OK... against my better judgment I will post my write up that worked on MY system... I cannot guarantee it will work on yours.

This is what worked for me so I am sure that there are other methods that may work but my set-up is working flawlessly

right now.

First of all... Windows 7 sharing and the Dune do not play well together if things are not set up right so there are a few

things that you want to do.

Sharing works best if you share the first folder in the root. If you set up the actual root (the drive itself) to share you may

have problems like I did.

1) So... let's say you have your files in your e: drive. You want to create a folder called Video 1 (or whatever you want to

call it). Move all your files (movies, audio, pics, etc) into that "Videos 1" folder.



2) Right-click on that folder and select Properties and you will get this:



3)You will need to set up the sharing so click on the top button "Share..." and you will see this:



4) If you have Everyone already added to the list at the bottom then skip to #5. If not, then click in the top drop-down window

and select "Everyone".



5) Change the drop-down window on Everyone to Read/Write and click Share and you will see this:



6) This shows you your SMB network address (some places call it sharing address or Share). The HTPC1 is the name of my PC so

yours may be different.

Click Done and we are back to the Properties window:



7) Now click on "Advanced Sharing..." to double check on permissions and you will get this windows:



8) Make sure that top "Share this folder" is checked (it usually is but just in case make sure it IS checked). Now click on the

"Permissions" button on the lower left:



9) You should have "Everyone" in the top box and if you select it make sure the bottom 3 boxes are checked for "Allow". If you

have it and all three are checked then hit "OK" and skip to #15.

10) If you do not have an "Everyone" in that top box then go to this step...

Click on "Add."...you will get this window:



11) Click on "Advanced.." and you get this:



12) Click on "Find Now" on the middle right side... you will get additional options at the bottom of the screen:



13) Scroll down and select "Everyone" and select "OK"



14) Click on "OK"

Back to the Permissions window:



15) Now select "Everyone" and make sure all three "Allow" boxes are checked.



16) Click OK.



17) Click OK

This should get you set-up so you can browse your e:\\Videos 1\\ folder in your Dune browser. This will also allow the Dune

to see any files in that folder if you chose to use MyMovies or Zappiti.

On the Dune go to the Home screen and go to Network--->SMB--->Workgroup--->HTPC1 (or whatever you called your PC)--->Videos 1

Also make sure your advanced sharing options look like this:

Also check Control Panel---> System and see what the Workgroup name is. On 99% of PC's it should be Workgroup but sometimes it is something different.

You also need FastSMB enabled on the Dune (This location is on the Base so it may be different on the other machines):

Set up--->Miscellaneous--->System---> second one down. Set it to "Enabled"

Make sure that "Experimental 1Gbit Ethernet support" is set to "Disabled"

Are you using a wireless bridge or do you have an Ethernet cable from your router straight to the Dune?

If you are using a bridge, if they are not set up properly they can be flaky and cause a bottle neck.

If no bridge, what router are you using? Crappy routers or improper router settings can also cause a problem.

Can you explain more about your wired/wired network? My feeling is that it is not W7 or Dune's fault, it is your network setup.

It may come down to hiring someone for a few hours to set up your network. If you have something like Craigslist in your part of the world, you could hire some college kid that knows computers for weekend beer money.

Since every network setup is different, it is almost impossible for someone to troubleshoot networking issues in forum.

Okay....I moved 1 file at a time from one folder to the next, and was able to isolate a single video file that was the problem, and deleted it and now there is no problem accessing a directory with all the other files/movies in it.

Thanks for your help guys.

.......................

On another note. I am noticing that the tint of movies that I have watched previously is noticeably greener.....are there some settings I need to look at on the Dune that I have not spotted yet???

Killroy-
Thanks for posting your SMB setup. It is nice to see it written up in one place. I appreciate all the effort (and time) it took to write it. It is stuff like what you did that makes the Internet great.

No problem. Just be aware that when I wrote it, I was told by at least half the people that tried it that it did NOT work on their system. They tinkered with other settings (I don't know which) and it finally worked...SMB on W7 is a hit & miss adventure.

I notice the same thing and I attribute it to the fact that the Dune players are converting colorspace. It does 4:4:4 colorspace which results in some data loss and the less than desirable picture that you have noticed. I don't think it's fixable through firmware but I would love to have it corrected. I think it's a limitation (design) of the Sigma chip. This is why I still have my Oppo BDP-83 player when I really want to see a great quality Bluray presentation. I have it setup to send 4:2:2 colorspace to my DVDO scaler which then does the conversion to 4:4:4. It's a huge difference in my eyes and the only gripe I really have about the Dune players. In contrast, my $100 old Xtreamer with Realtek chip properly handles 4:2:2 colorspace. Media players are all about trade-offs I suppose.

I just wanted to note that Samba != SMB. I think knowing this will clear up a lot of confusions with setting up Windows. There are so many posts where people state SMB and Samba etc. which creates a lot of confusion. I don't even know why people use the term SMB, especially when it's not needed. Maybe people want to make it sound much more complicated than it is. The simple matter is to search for File Sharing in XXX with XXX being XP, Vista, Windows 7. Then you don't get a bunch of nonsense that people don't even need to setup their Dune popping up in the searches.

I really have no idea why you guys make it sound more complicated than necessary. The steps required to share files to the Dune are exactly the same steps required to share files with any other computer on the network. Why explain it to sound like setting up the Dune requires some special process?

The bottom line is if Eye of Horus is able to file share with one of his XP machines, he will be able to share with his Dune. This alone proves that the problem is NOT with the Dune and with Windows. All this back and forth bantering just implies that either nobody knows exactly what's going on or a lot of people here just like to sound overly technical for no apparent reason.

With that said, thank you Killroy for posting up that clear tutorial for Windows 7. Really, I understand Eye of Horus's pain since I'm using Vista and neither my Dune or any of my other XP machines can see the files on my Vista. I've done it before, many times, but every time it's incredibly finicky. I still haven't been able to get my Vista to share with my Dune yet, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Also, don't forget about firewalls. If Eye of Horus has any firewalls, he won't be able to share. This includes the Windows firewall as well as any third party software, ie. antivirus.

Then explain to me why 3 different machines with the exact same hardware require different settings to enable the Dune to see them. And please don't tell me that I did something different to each machine. Each machine was a clean install with nothing else added other than Microsoft updates.

And by exact same machine, I mean exactly the same...(mobo, CPUs, RAM, HDDs, cases, PSUs, even the fans are the same).

What settings exactly are you talking about?

Also, I stated specifically that it's a windows problem, NOT a Dune problem, if that's what you're trying to get at. My point was that people should search for "File Sharing" instead of "SMB" because that will only confuse people more. File sharing on a network is the most basic thing people can do. Trying to make it sound more complicated than it is only makes people search for things they shouldn't be. The clearest example is how Eye of Horus believes he needs to install something to get SMB working... Seriously, he's completely on the wrong track there.

PS. I edited my post after you quoted me. Just wanted you to know that your tutorial will be helpful to many people and greatly appreciate it.

The steps are NOT "exactly the same steps required to share files with any other computer on the network." due to W7 acting different with Dunes (media players) as it does with other PC's. My PC's can see each other with no problem whatsoever but with the Dune, or other players, it requires special settings depending on hardware... or W7's feelings that day.

Really? Okay, then I sincerely apologize. It's just that the steps you posted in your tutorial are the exact steps that I do to file share on my Vista to any other computer. Even then it's often insufficient with all my firewalls and whatnot. Are your other PCs W7 as well or are they other OS?

Anyhow, googling "file sharing Vista" will show the exact same steps as the ones you posted. I remember having to even use virtual folders at one time, but how I did it has been completely forgotten.

All my PC's are W7. The steps I posted are the basic steps to get it working. I did not post any of the other steps if your PC has further problems...such as registry hacks (changes), disabling UAC, disabling all firewalls, deleting Guest accounts, deleting all User account passwords, and the half dozen other things that have worked for other people, including myself.

Well that's it. W7 file sharing with other W7 machines is easy just as file sharing between XP and XP is easy. File sharing between W7 or Vista with XP is something altogether different, but the same as sharing with the Dune. That is why I stated that if Eye of Horus can get his W7 to share with his XP machine, then it will also work with his Dune.

Like you, I've tried them all as well at one point or another. I guess the bottom line is to treat the Dune like an XP machine. I bet if Eye of Horus sets up his media server on one of his XP machines, it'll connect to the Dune with much less effort.

^I cannot argue with that since I no longer have any XP machines to test your theory.

No worries. I'll give it a shot when I get home today and report the results.

I envy you. I wish all my machines were W7. I really want to upgrade to a new machine, but the thought of having to reinstall all my programs just gives me a headache. I really want my next PC to boot from an SSD, but with them being still so buggy, I'll wait.

W7 is shaky at best for network sharing. It was never intended for server duties. Your life would be a lot easier if you invest in a WHS machine. A average,low end, entry level,custom made server should be around $800-1000. This is money well spent if you are serious about streaming over lan to a Dune.

How are SSD buggy? I am running intel ssd x25-m on my notebook for the past yr and its the best upgrade you could do to a system.

A Professional should be able to "remote in" to your setup and get this done for less than a $ 100.00. I use Team Viewer all the time and have helped many members here. It is basic stuff if you know how to do it. For the Newbies, WHS is the simplest setup one could ask for. Stevie Wonder could set up SMB shares with User accounts in about 10 minutes total.