VLC 2.1.0-rc1 Local Network support

[WorBry]

Thanks for adding 'Local Network' support in VLC 2.1.0-rc1. I can now, at least, download and play native non-Mp4 video files from my LAN WD MyBookLive to iPAD4, without having to go the iTunes Sync, Web transfer or third-party file browser app (File Browser, File Explorer etc) 'open-in'/'copy url' routes.

A couple of comments/requests though:

1. I was kind of hoping that the ftp server on the MyBookLive would be picked up automatically. Otherwise, it would be nice to have the option to save the connection settings for any particular ftp server.
2. A download progress bar would be also helpful, rather than seeing a blank screen, wondering if and when the file is going to appear in the File directory and avoiding the temptation to interfere. It would appear that that the app does at times crash during a transfer.
3. Twonky Media support?? The UPnP network scan picks up the TM server on the MyBookLive, but clicking on it just gives a blank screen. Is that likely an issue with TM in particular or UPnP support in general?

Thanks again.

[fkuehne]

Hello, thanks for your feedback!

1) yep, I'll add configuration saving stuff. Regarding the automatic pickup, this already works if your ftp is announced via Bonjour.
2) There is a (slightly hidden) progress bar. Check the Downloads section in the menu right next to the Local Network entry. Additionally, we will add per-item progress bar in the media library in a future release.
3) fixed for an update, which will be pushed to Apple later this week.

[WorBry]

Thanks, but I can't see any discrete download progress bar.

Here's what I see:

1. Connect/log-in to MyBookLive FTP server OK
2. Browse to desired folder/video files OK
3. If I click on desired file, a blue strip marks the selection and opens to the player screen, and does nothing.
4. If I click on the right-side download icon, the file download does proceed, but there is nothing to indicate that - no change in the icon or anything.
5. Tried going back to the main menu and looking in Files, Local Network and Download screens but could find no progress bar. And nothing shows on the Local Network screen to indicate that it is still connected to the server - just the default screen, with the Connect to Server option that opens a blank config entry pop-up.
6. Only thing to do is sit tight, watching the All Files screen and wait for the file to appear in the Media Library.
7. Often, but not always, the app will close at, what appears to be, the end of the download, but it does complete and, on re-opening VLC, the file appears in the Media Library.

So, nothing to indicate file download progress or even connectivity status, plus some app stability issue.

Hope you manage to fix these basic issues.

Cheers.

[mooster1]

Hi this is my first post here. Can someone explain in layman's terms, using simple step by step instructions how to stream (music) videos in mp4 or mpeg-2 format to the ipad.

It sounds as though I' m supposed to be able to 'see' my local network - which I can't. I've had some success with the last version (of VLC for ios) in streaming from vlc playing on my laptop (which I've since forgotten how to do) but found that after each clip the stream would stop and I was unable to figure out how to play a playlist.

What I'd like to do is stream a playlist of music videos, one after the other. I'm running windows 7. My wifi network is ordinarily easily connectable by other devices (ipads, iphones, wd media player, ps3, samsung tv, laptops). VLC for ios doesn't indicate that there are any local networks to connect to.

Thanks in advance. Thanks also for putting the effort into this app and other VLC software - it's my player of choice whenever possible -simply brilliant. (excuse all the brackets).

[fkuehne]

@WorBry:
3) weird. is this a password-protected server? is your bandwidth big enough for streaming?
4) fixed in version 2.1.1
5) idem.
6) idem.
7) idem.

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

[fkuehne]

@mooster1:
This is very easy to explain, but you won't like it.

This requested feature is simply not available (yet?) :-/

So far (with version 2.1.1, that is), you'll be able to connect to so-called UPnP multimedia servers to stream videos one by one. VLC for iOS does not support any playlist handling yet (even for files stored on device). Future updates will allow you to connect your Windows PC using the SAMBA protocol (read: Windows File Shares), but this isn't finished yet.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask further questions as needed

[WorBry]

3) weird. is this a password-protected server? is your bandwidth big enough?

Well it's the FTP server that came installed on the MyBookLive NAS, and yes, it is password protected. Can't see that it's a bandwidth issue, as I've had no problem streaming the same videos from the same FTP server with another well known iPAD media player app (that I probably shouldn't name, as per forum policy ) This is all local access on the LAN, I havent tried any remote web streaming or anything.

Looking forward to 2.1.1. Will be interesting to see how it goes with the UPnP Twonky Media server.

Cheers

[fkuehne]

We don't have such a policy but I'll give it a try as soon as I'm home.

[WorBry]

Ah, yes, the policy specifically refers to posting about non-open source conversion software.
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=54597
My bad.

Well in that case, I was of course referring to AVPlayerHD....but you knew that

Had a look to see if turning off password protection on a MyBookLive user account made any difference, but it would appear that option only applies to the Media Server (assumed Twonky). FTP definitely requires a password protected user account for connection to the FTP server. Same result with AVPlayer HD, so it's not just a VLC quirk.

The wd2go app provided by WD, of course, allows both streamed video playback and file download with non-password protected user account, which would be fine, except that it will only play mp4 video.

So, again, it will be interesting to see if VLC 2.1.1 can access the UPnP media server OK.

[WorBry]

Well I've got the v 2.1.1 update, but still have the same issues, other than maybe some stability improvement.

Thanks, but I can't see any discrete download progress bar.

Here's what I see:

1. Connect/log-in to MyBookLive FTP server OK
2. Browse to desired folder/video files OK
3. If I click on desired file, a blue strip marks the selection and opens to the player screen, and does nothing.NO CHANGE
4. If I click on the right-side download icon, the file download does proceed, but there is nothing to indicate that - no change in the icon or anything. NO CHANGE
5. Tried going back to the main menu and looking in Files, Local Network and Download screens but could find no progress bar. And nothing shows on the Local Network screen to indicate that it is still connected to the server - just the default screen, with the Connect to Server option that opens a blank config entry pop-up. NO CHANGE
6. Only thing to do is sit tight, watching the All Files screen and wait for the file to appear in the Media Library. NO CHANGE
7. Often, but not always, the app will close at, what appears to be, the end of the download, but it does complete and, on re-opening VLC, the file appears in the Media Library. APPEARS TO BE MORE STABLE. HASN'T CRASHED SO FAR

So, nothing to indicate file download progress or even connectivity status, plus some app stability issue.

Hope you manage to fix these basic issues.

Cheers.

Also, still no option to save FTP server settings.

As for the UPnP support. Again, NO CHANGE. VLC picks up the Twonky Media Server on the MyBookLIve NAS, but clicking on it still just opens to a blank screen - no file directory or anything.

Also, what's changed in the 'visual appearance', looks just the same to me.

[frantisek]

@mooster1:
This is very easy to explain, but you won't like it.

This requested feature is simply not available (yet?) :-/

So far (with version 2.1.1, that is), you'll be able to connect to so-called UPnP multimedia servers to stream videos one by one. VLC for iOS does not support any playlist handling yet (even for files stored on device). Future updates will allow you to connect your Windows PC using the SAMBA protocol (read: Windows File Shares), but this isn't finished yet.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask further questions as needed

Sounds promising

I would like to ask whether "connect to so-called UPnP multimedia servers to stream videos one by one" will mean that it will be possible to use m3u file with video streams? It is used for IPTV quite often. I do not know whether UPnP and playlist support is same topic or different issue and therefore it will be in mentioned 2.1.1 update.
And is there some timeframe for 2.1.1?

Thanks a lot.

Frantisek

content of our playlist is like:

Code: Select all

#EXTM3U #EXTINF:0,CT 1 http://10.109.255.47:8554/ct1.mp4ts #EXTINF:0,CT 2 http://10.109.255.47:8554/ct2.mp4ts #EXTINF:0,CT4 Sport http://10.109.255.47:8554/ct4.mp4ts #EXTINF:0,CT 24 http://10.109.255.47:8554/ct24.mp4ts