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[BuzzSaw]

I have a vast library of movies and I wish to start encoding for playback with these devices (DSM 510) on the televisions they are connected to.  I have a 1TB (DNS 323) to store and feed to the DSM 510.  What is the best method of encoding ripped DVDs to ensure maximum playback compatability, performance and quality between the DSM 510 and DNS 323?

Thanks for any suggestions anyone may have!

BuzzSaw

[bspvette86]

The only advice I have is keep the files < 4GB.  The DNS-323 UPnP catalog has a 32-bit bug in the file scanning routine.  Files > 4GB will show as the remainder of Filesize/4GB.  This causes the files > 4GB to stop playing well short of the full length.  For OTA HD video content, this is about 20 minutes.  Quite a nusance.  These same files play fine from a UPnP server running on a PC or Mac reading them from the DNS-323.  If you have alot of files > 4GB, you may want to consider using something like Windows Media player or the Nero software that came with the DNS-510.  (if you don't have anything better)  Hopefully D-Link will do something about this soon.  It would be interesting to test for this bug on the new DNS-321 and DNS-343 boxes.  Chances are the firmware is similar.

Cheers,
BSPvette 
 
PS: Use a wired connection if you are playing HD content!

[DVDmike]

Has anyone been able to play uncompressed .wav files from the 323 through the 510?

Any idea why I can only play music through the "server" option and not via the "music" option?  What is the point of the Music button if I can only find any music under Server?

[bspvette86]

Has anyone been able to play uncompressed .wav files from the 323 through the 510?

Any idea why I can only play music through the "server" option and not via the "music" option?  What is the point of the Music button if I can only find any music under Server?

That would be due to the DNS-323's very limited UPnP server not publishing information not the 510 ignoring it.  It works fine for me using MSMediaPlayer11.  .wav files are grayed out when served up from the dns-323.  It must not provide adequate info (ie bitrate) for the 510 to play them.

Regards,
BV

[DVDmike]

The .wav files are greyed out on the 510 too.   

[bspvette86]

Yes, It sure would be nice if dlink would fix up the UPnP server on the DNS-323.  It just barely gets the job done, and with bugs.  Would be nice if the UPnP server would give most of the info the DSM-510 could use like other servers do.  My 323 has been relegated to file server only because of the lack of functionality.

BV

[ECF]

We are currently working to improve the UPnP AV media server of the DNS-323 in future firmware updates. And you are correct your music will not play properly using the music icon on the DSM-510 if you are streaming from the DNS-323. You must goto servers and select the DNS-323 and then goto music to play your audio files. Same steps for other formats as well.

[jetalis]

I run a DNS323 too. Always have to go to "server" on my DSM-510 then choose video or music from there. It would be nice if they would add an "All Media" option to the Server section of the DSM-510 in a future Firmware. Like the way you can browse all files on a USB drive. -Hey it would also be nice if when redo-ing the firmware, they could dedicate one of the useless buttons (on the remote) to changing between RCA and HDMI.


For videos, from DNS-323 to DSM-510:
if you have a machine running (sorry to suggest it) Windows, get Divx from www.divx.com

DivX comes with "Divx Converter", it's drag-and-drop simple or you can customize size/res/etcetera of each Queued file. Drag videos in, hit convert, then after completed you rename all .divx  to .avi extension. I have my output folder set to c:\avi and after every batch I run the command (without quotes) "rename c:\avi\*.divx *.avi" and then I move(drag) them to the DNS-323 and hit "refresh" on the media server. As long as your router isn't WiFi it should be safe to use the Windows File Sharing "Network Access" on the DNS-323.

umm, Windows XP is kind of stupid... run the above command to rename files  _While_The_Folder_Window_Is_Not_Open_ or once in a while windows (explorer.exe) can get confused trying to get the stats of a file while you're renaming it and you won't be able to Rename, Move, or Delete the file in question until rebooting.

if you don't want Divx Converter to run away with your cpu you can CTRL-Alt-Del for Task Manager, find process "converter.exe" and Set Priority "Below Normal" each time you start the program. If I'm sleeping through it I don't bother.

it may sound like a lot, but it really is the simplest way I've found to convert batches of 10 or more videos at a time for the DNS323-DSM510 usage. Especially when doing 100+ per week.
also Divx Pro costs like $20 if you register but it's totally worth it. (I rarely find software programs to be worth what they cost)

when many (sometimes more than 20) files at a time need to be all the same filesize, I wrote a little AutoMate Task to ask me what size(Mb) and how many files, then rip through the Divx Converter Queue window, setting each file quickly. (AutoMate costs like $200, get the trial and decide for yourself)
http://www.networkautomation.com/automate/automate6/

also also: I don't think Divx Converter will do DVD's straight from the disc, but there's a tiny progran called "DVD Decrypter" that should do the trick with simple defaults and all sorts of extra choices. Not sure where to find it, or it's current legal status.

for anything other than video: sorry can't help.