Need some advice from the family

[Shell558]

Thanks, all. I thought all videos with the supported format should work...is it an attached code that intends to protect theft? When I downloaded the digital copy file, I was directed to a we page to input a code to unlock the file. But since it was unlocked, I've been able to transfer/load it to my other devices with no problem. Digital players, iOS, and another windows computer. Strange.

Sent from my A500 using Android Tablet Forum

 

[Icebike]

@Spexwood: Thanks for the hint about Buzz Player.
Best player I've seen so far. Well worth the $2.49.

I had to see the media folder to the /mnt directory, in order to find the MicroSD card and any USB sticks I might want to plug in, but other than that it played everything I threw at it.

 

[pingram3541]

I use Vuze on my pc which has a transcode option for my xbox360. I just drag video files in any format into the Vuze bit-torrent client where the xbox360 icon is and it asks if I want to encode in HD or SD. I always choose HD which is 720p/stereo 192k and if it needs to be converted a typical movie takes about 45min to an hour (I'm sure this depends on PC, I have a quad core 3.2ghz amd w/ 8bg ddr3 win7)

I've found that all movies that play on my xbox play just fine on my a500. If you really want to know the specifics of a compatible file format, another option is to download tubmate or keepvid or some other youtube downloader that supports downloading the hd version of any youtube video and downloading to your acer, confirming it plays (which it seems to for me) and then transferring the file to your pc and opening it in freeware like GSpot. Then encode all your movies in that format.

Lastly, I also successfully stream to my acer from my wifi network via vlc running on my pc and using the vlc save and convert app. It works really well and the quality is good too. The pro version allows you to use playlist and stream at a higher bitrate.

Hope this helps someone.

EDIT - I also found that using Vuze there is an option for itunes next to xbox360 and when dragging files to it, it gives you the option of what itype device - choosing ipad results in a fully playable 720p video as well.

 

[Icebike]

Regarding VLC streaming...
Is it on-demand from the tablet, or do you have to start it from the PC side?

Can you connect to it over the internet ?

 

[pingram3541]

I'll be honest. I had to go to the developers site to get it figured out but yes, it's on demand (but you can do remote control of pc playback as well - i.e. pc connected to hdtv), you just open latest version of vlc on your pc and go to view >> add interface >> web interface and also edit the hosts file. You can find the steps right here Setup | traveldevel.com and if you make sure the ports are open on your firewall and have a static IP or use dyndns type service you can stream over the web.

Tip: Something they don't tell you is not to open the video you want to stream on your pc vlc, just open vlc and enable web interface otherwise it won't work. On the android vlc client you can then connect to your pc on the vlc rtp port (don;t use default if you're doing over the web) and this will let you browse your file system for your videos. Any video that plays in vlc on your pc can be streamed.

I used these settings on the android vlc p&c program:
player mode: Stream to phone (rtsp) - streams both audio and video - http method is only audio
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - Video codec H.264 AVC
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - H.264 AVC Settings - Video bitrate - 768 (highest in free version otherwise I would do 1500)
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - H.264 AVC Settings - Frame rate 29.97
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - H.264 AVC Settings - Width - 480 (highest free setting)
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - H.264 AVC Settings - Canvas aspect ratio - 16:9
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - H.264 AVC Settings - Canvas crop and Synchronize audio unchecked (your preference)
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - H.264 AVC Settings - x264 settings left default
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - Audio codec - AAC LC
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - Audio codec - AAC LC Settings - Audio bitrate 96 (doesn't seem to improve too much going any higher on these speakers)
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - Audio codec - AAC LC Settings - Channels - Stereo (seems best to leave it on even though mono might improve streaming on some files while others like a lot of mkv files require stereo)
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - Audio codec - AAC LC Settings - Sample rate - original
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - Audio desync - 50ms
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - Caching - 3000
Settings - Stream to Phone (rtsp) - Keep original audio - enabled (your preference)
Settings - Playback - Portrait and Landscape widths - set to fit screen (enables full screen basically - will stretch smaller format videos)

That's pretty much it, browse to your file and let it buffer a few seconds and it plays pretty good on my 802.11n - pause and seek works too.

 

[Icebike]

Great post Pingram...

I'm going to try this out. Not because I need it, (why watch a 10 inch tablet with 58 inches hanging on the wall), but just because its cooler than hammered catsh1t.

I do have the bandwidth on my Cable to probably support streaming outbound too, but It will take me a while to get around to that test.

 

[pingram3541]

lol, funny as sh!t. btw, I thought the same thing until my wife had surgery and was stuck upstairs in bed for a few weeks where we have access to our cable dvr but not able to stream movies off the pc and I didn't feel like moving the xbox up there so I set up good ol' vlc and she was in heaven...she could watch movies, read books, stay hooked on facebook...all the while her iphone sat on the night stand doing absolutely nothing. =)

p.s. sometimes 10 inches is more than enough