[mattolejack]

I've had pretty good luck with my Dvico Tvix 4100sh over the past couple of years. Recently I got a better TV and am now for the first time playing HD content from it. Or not playing it, actually:


My network is a gigabit network, cat5e cable. Movies are served from a Dlink DNS-323 NAS server. The DNS 323 connects to a gigabit switch, which connects to my TVIX box (which has only a 100Mb LAN connector). The TVIX is running the latest (non-beta) firmware.


Low-def content (ISOs, DVD file structures, and AVIs) play fine with this setup.


High definition MKVs are another story though:


All of them report a much smaller file size than their actual file size (usually 200-300 mB, but sometimes huge NEGATIVE file sizes, on the order of -2000GB, etc). And they either play for a short time or fail to play back at all.


Have other people gotten the TVIX to playback High Def content over the network? If so, any clues about why mine won't?

 

[btiltman]

Firstly.... check your DNS 323 Lan page and make sure Jumbo frames is 'disabled'


What make and model of switch are you connecting to?

 

[mattolejack]

Yup, jumbo frames are disabled.


The switch is an 8-port gigabit Trendnet Teg-s80txe.


I tried another network configuration that included a 5-port gigabit D-Link DGS-2205 between the trendnet and the DNS-323. Same result.

 

[mattolejack]

So I installed a fun_plug on the DNS-323 that boots up an NFS server automatically (the DNS runs a stripped down Linux distro). With NFS running on the box, I am able to make an NFS connection from the TVIX and play MKV files pretty flawlessly.


Instructions are here (written for the popcorn hour rather than TVIX):

http://www.networkedmediatank.com/sh...d.php?tid=4843


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All of this does not obviate my original question, which I guess should be amended to:


Is it possible to play MKV files over the network using the Samba server on the TVIX and DNS-323?

 

[btiltman]

Oops.... I completely forgot that is what I did to my DNS-323 as well!


I am pretty sure you need NFS running on a device to serve the bandwidth requirements of 1080p mkv files. I am also pretty sure (from memory) that 720p files played ok. I think thats why the Dvico Netshare utility is provided for the PC, to overcome the same issue by providing an option of an NFS connection to the PC.

 

[mattolejack]

thanks, @btiltman, for at least confirming what I now suspect, that smb share is just not enough bandwidth for 1080ps. I think you're right that low bandwidth 720ps, at least, can play over the smb share.


For anyone else reading this thread, installing NFS share on the dns 323 (or presumably any other linux based NAS) isn't as scary as I thought. It took less than half an hour of downloading, installing and reboots.