D-Link Forums
The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => D-Link Storage => DNS-320L => Topic started by: tsphipps on October 04, 2013, 12:20:17 PM
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Hi I wonder if someone can help.
I am fairly new to the DNS-320L but I am using mine primarily as a media server for my WD TV Live media player. I am sharing the root volume - 'Volume_1'.
Everything is fine once the media library is built until I add/remove/move media. As soon as I do files appear on the media player in strange locations, duplicates files AND folders appear, deleted files still show up etc but when checking in 'My Files' everything is in order. Even refreshing the media library doesn't seem to make any difference. The only work around I can find to make everything right again is to delete and then recreate the media library.
Has anyone got any ideas what I am doing wrong? Constantly deleting and recreating the media library is becoming a bit tedious... :(
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Hi!
I assume that the reason is that you made the root folder as the Media Library. Better make a sub-folder "media" and use this. (Go to Account Management, set up a Network-Share Volume_1\media, then add this to the Multimedia Service).
The DNS-320L has a recycle bin folder, which contains deleted files and the folder strcuture. Because this is under root, I can think of that the media server also scans this. You can see this folder, when you enter the IP address of your DNS in the Windows Explorer address bar: e.g. \\192.168.1.123 or \\DNS-320L. This shows a folder "Recycle Bin - Volume_1". Browse through it...
Finally this is just a guess, but it is not a big thing to create the sub-folder and move all files into that and give it a try.
good luck...
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Hi Mausschubser,
Thanks very much. I did wonder if this could be the cause which is why I included that detail in my question, but I had no idea why it would, thanks for giving details and confirming.
I am going to make the change now and will come back in a few days and confirm if the issue is resolved as it may help someone else in the future.
Thanks again.
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Just to confirm this does seem to have solved the issue. Many thanks again Mausschubser!
One last question; is it really necessary to manually refresh the media library every time new media files are added to have them appear on Media Players? Cheers
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hi both Mausschubser and sphipps
I read your topic due to I bouthg this dns, recently and don't know how to acces from my philips tv.
Just today I could acces to the media folder, and see the movies there.
My problem is I can't reproduce them from the tv.
I know the files are not a problem due to tried same ones trougth usb and run perfect
I have a confusion how to manage that, and the manual doesn't help at all because explain how to do things and the parameters, but doesn't expose what you need to do.
So the tv is dlne compatible as well as de dns
I created the media folder and put there the movies (I have some extrange root and folders) maybe done wrong
but I don't know how to set up the dns as a media center step by step
any one of you are able to let me know what Is needed and the order of the steps? do you know any guide or page where find it?
thanks a lot
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Hi Belisari,
I'm afraid I'm not sure I can help. I simply followed the steps from page 152 - 154 in the manual and it appeared on my Western Digital TV Live Media Player.
The only thing I can suggest is that you refresh the media library if you haven't already. That is found in Management > Application Management > Multimedia Services > Multimedia Shares Settings > Refresh as new media will not appear via UPnP AV until this is done and at the moment that is a manual process - annoyingly. Roll on the next firmware update (hopefully)!!
I hope this helps.
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@Belisari - What version of firmware have you got installed at the moment?
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@Belisari : I had exact same issue with Philips TV.
I also upgraded all to latest firmwares with no fun...
What it looks to help is refreshing the library and (perhaps) prevent use of exotic characters in filenames.
Refreshing the library is ridiculously long. It may takes days and you'll never be certain it will actually work.
I followed another guy's suggestion to split sharing into subfolders, I'm in these days doing so but at the end of the day it will still take in total teh same time, with the future advantage of refreshing only selected subfolders if needed.
However it also seems that subfolder sharing is limited to maximum 10, quite annoying.
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Hi and thank all,
I been busy and couldn't atend the forum and nas either.
I'll try to dedicate some timee withing the weekend
I have no idea right now the firmware. But when installed last weeksaw was the last one Available on d-link page support.
Yes I agree the refresh proces takes to long, is manuall and when couldn't get access affter that resoult frustrating.
Hope we could fix it
Let me try by doing from cero
Step by step paying attention your recomendations
By the way, it is suposed the nas should be visible and accesible directly.
Don't need to have the pc on. To be able to reproduce the photos or films as far as tv is dlna 1.5 compatible. Doesn't it?
Thanks
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@Belisari - What version of firmware have you got installed at the moment?
Actual versión del firmware de NAS
1.02
Fecha del firmware
03/29/2013
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The only thing I can suggest is that you refresh the media library if you haven't already. That is found in Management > Application Management > Multimedia Services > Multimedia Shares Settings > Refresh as new media will not appear via UPnP AV until this is done and at the moment that is a manual process - annoyingly. Roll on the next firmware update (hopefully)!!
I done, and toke to long.
after that I refreshed the default dns settings and it was even worse. the folder couldent be visible.
So, as you suggested, I am triying now configure again following the manual
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There was not exit on my try.
I can acces to the dns from tv
when came in can see three folders as: Music, Video, Photo
this is not the structure I created and after navigating on video, there is two new folders an going down, can find my folder and movies, but when try to reply any one, the message is, the file is unknow format or missing.
if go to the photo folder and try to see my photos, is exactly the same.
So, I can't recognice the structure I created on my dns files, and still not see any picture or movie.
But still not understand why or what I am doing wrong.
My tv is a philips 37pfl7606h/12 model and it is dlna compatible
so, any idea please!!! still lost!
thanks
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Hi Belisari, I'm having quite similar issues with library structure.
And I too own 2 Philips TVs.
I have however installed Xmbc client on one PC to see if dlna library on the NAS is ok (then Philips fault) or not.
Well, actually the NAS is doing bad: yesterday I was completely pi**ed off by keeping refreshing and refreshing so I deleted all share list of folders, then disabled the uPnP service, so practically no share at all.
Indeed both XMBC and Philips TVs stopped to see the NAS as dlna device.
Then I re-enabled the service but with NO shared folders.
Xmbc then showed some pictures to be available on DLNA device (NAS) located in folders like "upnp://.....".
But those pictures are not actually there and can't be displayed obviously.
Clearly something resident from previous attempts in the NAS library that can't be reset.
Adding a shared folder and refresh the library again can't help either, those non-existing pictures are still there...
I could not find a way to reset the full library unless I go reformatting the NAS, which I'm not going to do!!
I also liked the idea of reflecting the structure :
-Video
-Audio
-Pictures
given by default by the NAS, so I populated 3 subfolders exactly in the same way, however this stupid thing is showing in the Picture option also jpg of CD covers that are in the Music subfolder...
You can imaging how many folders I have there....
I'm really planning the option to install a DLNA server on a PC to see if it behaves differently than this...
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I could not find a way to reset the full library unless I go reformatting the NAS, which I'm not going to do!!
thanks for sharing your experience.
since I have not to much data on the dns yet, I am able to reformating the nas once again. I could do it if you think makes sense, to try.
because I tried by refreshing, restarting default settings and have no idea what more to do. Maybe is a firmware issue.
Just one thing, I have two HD with raid 1. Hope this doesn't cause any additional trouble. I am to new on this matters.
so, just confirm me i'll arrive late in the evening at home so will do nothing in next 8 h. but after that will try.
wich is sugested folders structure?
just awaitint heare from you again.
thanks
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Oh, looking at the troubles I'm facing I'd rather ask help to someone else....
Raid should not be an issue, but if you look for my posts I'm also having the "No volumes found" problem that is another annoying matter.
Either my unit is faulty or firmware here is really poor...
If I were you I'd experiment a folder structure with few files until It satisfies me and then put data on it, assuming it works.....
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Hi!
I had no time to post early
yesterday night i done as said. I formatted again the hd raid 1 mode
I created tree folders as:
video
audio
photo
I was hard till could access from my computer there to include the fields on each folder, then..
I put a pair of files on each one and refreshed manually these folders
once I saw the fields on each folder went to the TV and looked for the structure and was fine but on each folder found a new folder ?¿?¿
so when I came in video, I found inside a video folder and second one with all video
(I assume the structure is created by dns itself trough the firmware. then on each folder appears the second one with same name because was the one I created with that name. and additional folder with all video fields the system founds.
this was exactly the same for every one, video, audio and photo.
I was able to listen the music,
I was able to see the photos
I was able to see the videos but didn't run just saw the names and was a shine tend to show a movie but got the first images frozen.
so, don't know where the trouble is. I feel better than yesterday but still unsuccessful.
I'll continue later today or maybe tomorrow.
I'll back!
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Hi, you desperate both!
You cannot do anything about the folder structure!
The DLNA thing on the NAS is very simple (maybe it is a general weakness of the DLNA concept?).
Whatever your folder structure will look like, will be complete ignored. The NAS simply scans all folders and builds up 3 collections in a data base: Photos, Music and Video. It does not matter where the original file is located, it will be placed in one of these 3 categories.
You can call you media folder "foo", "bang" and "zap", and they will end in "photos", "music", "video" just because of their content, not of their name.
The overall implementation of DLNA in the DNS-320L is very basic. So don't expect too much from it.
On Management --> Application Management --> Multimedia Services you find the button "refresh all" on top of the Multimedia Shares list. This invokes the rescan automatically.
In case you like to reset the databas, I'd first try deleting and reloading the entries in this list. It is not necessary to clean the entire RAID...
The update of the Multimedia Database (once it is initialized the 1st time) happens automatically when you copy files in one of the shared folders.
Good luck, gents!
Mausschubser
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Hi Mausschubser!
very welcome your imputs
You cannot do anything about the folder structure!
The DLNA thing on the NAS is very simple (maybe it is a general weakness of the DLNA concept?).
This stupid fact caused me a lot of troubles by formating upload many times everything
Thanks advicing!
Whatever your folder structure will look like, will be complete ignored. The NAS simply scans all folders and builds up 3 collections in a data base: Photos, Music and Video. It does not matter where the original file is located, it will be placed in one of these 3 categories.
so this means I should create a folder structure based on my intests. And will be showed as descrived acordingly the files category in photo, video or audio.
Therefore, it is suposed will be showed only the fields in the shared folder, the rest will remain blind. Is that ok?
On Management --> Application Management --> Multimedia Services you find the button "refresh all" on top of the Multimedia Shares list. This invokes the rescan automatically.
In case you like to reset the databas, I'd first try deleting and reloading the entries in this list. It is not necessary to clean the entire RAID...
The update of the Multimedia Database (once it is initialized the 1st time) happens automatically when you copy files in one of the shared folders.
After your explanation, I feel you're right and this is how it works.
Let's me try to start from beguinning with this imputs from you and thanks for your help
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Hi there, I know that regardless my folder structure the dlna always presents video, photo and audio tree.
Subfoldering is a good idea anyway to skip refreshing all volume but only selected parts.
I'd like to prevent covers and AlbumArt files of my mp3 to appear in photo section but no way I guess.
The problem I'm having is besides this the impossibility of reset the library even if I deete and restore sharing; I have some file appearing in the dlna list which are no longer on disk, further I also have problem with "No volume found" (see other post).
I start to think this NAS is limited and buggy
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Guys!
Therefore, it is suposed will be showed only the fields in the shared folder, the rest will remain blind. Is that ok?
Yes you will only see what is inside the shared sub-folders. Everything outside is invisible to the DLNA client (your TV).
I have some file appearing in the dlna list which are no longer on disk
Might be related to that you still use top-level for Multimedia share: the Recycle-Bin folder of the NAS will be also scanned, so that you see deleted files. See Reply#1 at the beginning of this post: Media Library / UPnP AV Server Issues (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=55975.msg216924#msg216924).
I don't use the NAS internal Media Server any more, just the shares. Then I have a nice Sat Receiver from Kathrein, which reads the files in the share and provides them again as DLNA in my network. Or you grab an old (not-so-much-power-sucking) laptop computer and install Twonky on it, and leave it running all day. Or you face fancy Linux and install a Twonky / other DLNA server somehow on the NAS itself or your router (but I am definitely not the expert for these kinda hacks.)
Cheers.
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Hi Mausschubser,
I'm going to end up with similar setup.
The uPnP server on this NAS is literally crap; yesterday I did some other interesting trials.
I couldn't get rid of obsolete stuff, so I decided to delete all shares, add "Volume_1" in total (no refresh however) and immediately after delete it again.
Result is (perhaps) all stuff gone.
Now I'm re-adding subfolders shares but refresh takes ages, maybe meaning that library is really being updated....
And I agree, Twonky would save a lot of overhead, but I need some training...
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The easy solution is the installation of fun_plug and then Twonky or (if you need subtitles) miniDLNA. Stop use the built-in server, and all the problems will gone, you will have fast and reliable AV/UPnP/DLNA server, working with any TV. And you will not loose any of the previous functionality - only a new server will be added.
Hope that the future upgrade will use one of that servers because till now, the original software is a piece of *****.
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Well, alternative server looks to be the sole solution for me as well, I need some training on it...
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Hello;
after some attemps, I finally have some of my data ready and can acces on my tv trought dnla
I agree it is quite hard and not friendly at all.
so, now I am able to see thonky or mininlda as well if that should give better experience.
so if anyone helps us how to start will be welcome!!
;D
meanwhile I should work to see how can improve the data transfe to the nas due to this is also traumatic, trougth wifi takes to long as somebody said, spend ages to upload the photos or movies there.
anyway! thanks all to help me to arrives here.
now will see how far will go....
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Can someone help me because RMVB Movie file can't showing on my media player.
Other movie files can see it.Any setting need to set?
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Hi,
last night as a total newbie I could quite easily install ffp and Twonky for which I occasionally have a license coming with my Philips TV and the 'Light' suddenly turned on....
Somebody here said to forget the DNS included server, I fully agree now....
Full library updated in 15 mins instead of 3 days, free folder sharing, structure and filter (no hidden covers showed as picture...).
Cheers
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Notify that miniDLNA do not need any licence - it is totally free. If you looking for how to install it, check that links (use the procedures as for DNS-320):
For fun_plug and Twonky installation tutorial http://nas-tweaks.net/tutorials/
For miniDLNA (if you do not want Twonky) http://www.czc.cz/d-link-sharecenter-pulse-dns-320_2/86134/produkt/e01c632t2oh3aalcn13goarfn4/diskuse (this is a Czech page, but I hope it is easy to do all the steps to install miniDLNA)
I prefer miniDLNA than Twonky - it is smaller, lighter and faster. And free :)
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Hi Maol and all,
as I'm having a recurrent problem with both my Philips TV, yesterday I decided to give this miniDLNA a chance.
The problem is that TVs are regularly disconnecting from DLNA server while playing back videos at a rate of about 30 minutes (http://www.supportforum.philips.com/en/showthread.php?8290-Undefined-behaviour-of-the-TV-when-connecting-to-DLNA-some-tips) and the only chance to revive it is to turn TV off/on.
This happens with both stock uPnP server of DLink and Twonky (which bizarrly is the preferred option of Philips and it is distributed by Philips site under the name of MediaServer...).
This "miniDLNA" is indeed very basic, maybe too basic as it does not offer GUI nor easy tutorial for unexperienced people, in fact installing it was not unpainful to me...
However, after having this installed, the library took 4/5 hours to refresh totally, which is far less than Dlink server but significantly longer that Twonky that did take 15-20min. Also folder structure shows some strange behavior and the 2 TVs are not behaving the same way (on the contrary of Twonky...) as some files are playable by one and 'not available' to the other (note that both TVs are same aged and feature very similar software).
BUT !
in miniDLNA.conf I increased the inotify_interval from 900sec (15 min) to something close to infinite and TVs play now for more than 3 hrs without disconnecting !!
Now, from one side I'm happy to have the chance to resolve the disconnections, from another I'm quite disappointed from the general quality of purchased products:
- TV software (both) are buggy and I feel no hope to have it fixed knowing the situation of Philips TV department nowadays
- DLink software : nice GUI but it is unacceptable to take literally days to refresh a library
Twonky is up to now the best one I tried in terms of speed and availability of files on clients and related folder structure but it does not help with low level configuration items (as the one used in miniDLNA to fix the issue)
What else server can I try on my DNS-320L?
Mediatomb?
PLEX?
Any tip will be more than appreciated.
thank you