Smart TV's can't access Networked shared drives from Windows


  1. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #1

    Smart TV's can't access Networked shared drives from Windows


    Hi there

    I've a Panasonic and LG Tv's which have some built in apps for accessing a LAN and playing media

    They have no trouble accessing any HDD on a LINUX NAS - even external USB HDD's mounted on to the Linux NAS provided they are set up in SAMBA

    However when accessing Windows on the LAN they can only see LOCAL HDD's (including external USB HDD's) . They don't see any of the drives attached to Windows via the LAN.

    However running PLEX (client) from a google chrome device or amazon firestick they see the network shared drives without any problem provided PLEX media server is running on the Windows system.

    Any reason why PLEX sees shared drives but the TV's don't themselves see the drives from the Windows system. No problem at all from a Linux NAS -- even when accessing shared drives from Multiple NAS boxes where the HDD's are locally attached to the specific NAS box.

    (The whole LAN - including the TV's is on a wired network so no problem with different subnets etc).

    Windows Networking after all these years is still IMO a REAL DOG - pity because there's so much decent stuff in Windows these days apart from the sheer convenience of things usually working without a huge lot of effort - but Networking still feels like Black Magic and probably harder to get working than the old Alchemy problem of turning Lead into Gold.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #2

    I have a Panasonic TV too. Before the free upgrade to Win10 I had Media Streaming turned on in Windows 7 and could browse and play anything in the Media Player's library direct from the TV.

    That media streaming option is still available and works the same in Windows 10 - but it's well hidden, Microsoft don't really want you to use the Media Player any more. Apart from 'God Mode' the only way I know to get to the setting in control panel is to type 'media streaming options' in the Cortana/Search box next to Start.

    But that's academic now, for Windows 10 I used to have streaming turned on but have now turned it off. I find it's far simpler just to right-click on a media file and 'Cast to...' my Panasonic.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 3,105
    W10 Pro + W10 Preview
       #3

    Not understanding all technical jargon on this subject
    Have an up to date 55" Panasonic TV, with all apps including certain Media etc.
    Can obtain full W10 casting from Surface Pro 4 using built in Miracast.
    Have purchased from M$ the item shown below to complete the connection, by plugging into TV.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Smart TV's can't access Networked shared drives from Windows-mirror.png  
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #4

    dencal said:
    Not understanding all technical jargon on this subject...
    Casting from Windows 10 to a TV is fairly straight forward. In fact, I can do that to my Panasonic without the need to buy anything else, just Win10 and a Panasonic TV 'out of the box'. The TV just need to be connected to the network, by cable or (as mine is) its own built-in WiFi adapter. On the TV it's Menu>Network Link Settings>DLNA Remote Control = 'On' to enable casting to the TV.

    But Jimbo45 is trying to work it the other way round, not sending thing to the TV, but using the TV itself to ask for things from a device. It's seeing (or rather, not seeing) what's available on the Win10 device that's causing grief.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Bree said:
    Casting from Windows 10 to a TV is fairly straight forward. In fact, I can do that to my Panasonic without the need to buy anything else, just Win10 and a Panasonic TV 'out of the box'. The TV just need to be connected to the network, by cable or (as mine is) its own built-in WiFi adapter. On the TV it's Menu>Network Link Settings>DLNA Remote Control = 'On' to enable casting to the TV.

    But Jimbo45 is trying to work it the other way round, not sending thing to the TV, but using the TV itself to ask for things from a device. It's seeing (or rather, not seeing) what's available on the Win10 device that's causing grief.
    Hi there

    That's the problem in a nutshell --If I'm in front of a TV I want to watch stuff recorded already on a NAS.

    When you see the built in apps of some of these smart TV's it seems a bit overkill to set up Media Servers on your remote devices when the built in one on the TV should work just fine and the CPU's in some of these devices should easily be able to handle any transcoding problems.

    However since all my Windows HDD's are "Shared network" ones from Linux NAS servers apart from the "C" drive I was hoping to be able to get the smart TV to access the Windows system - and hence access the Network drives.

    The strange thing is that the TV can access the Linux stuff -- no problems --plus any extra networked drives connected to that Linux system

    e.g HDD1 / HDD2 attached locally to NAS1, HDD3/HDD4 network shared from NAS2. So on NAS1 HDD1/HDD2 mounted as local drives, HDD3/HDD4 mounted as shared Networked drives - networked from NAS2.

    The TV can see on NAS1 all 4 HDD's which is what I want. I don't need to set up another connection to NAS2 for the TV.

    When the TV looks at my Windows system it can only see Disk "C" -- it can only access HDD1/HDD2/HDD3/HDD4 if I run PLEX from a chromecast / Amazon fire stick device - provided PLEXCMEDIASERVERVER is started on Windows.

    VLC on Amazon will only see Windows Disk C.

    Tempted to Toss Windows in the North Sea next time I'm on the Ferry to Holland !!!!!

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 3,105
    W10 Pro + W10 Preview
       #6

    Bree said:
    Casting from Windows 10 to a TV is fairly straight forward. In fact, I can do that to my Panasonic without the need to buy anything else, just Win10 and a Panasonic TV 'out of the box'. The TV just need to be connected to the network, by cable or (as mine is) its own built-in WiFi adapter. On the TV it's Menu>Network Link Settings>DLNA Remote Control = 'On' to enable casting to the TV.
    Not trying to hijack Jimbo,s post as happy with my present setup.
    My TV Viera Plasma VT 30.
    My menu setup is exactly set as you state above, but will only work with HDMI to HDMI cable, so the necessity to use M$ Wifi adapter as posted earlier.
    The reason could be that having a SKY box connected to Wifi has stopped enablement of M$ with Wifi.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
    Thread Starter
       #7

    dencal said:
    Not trying to hijack Jimbo,s post as happy with my present setup.
    My TV Viera Plasma VT 30.
    My menu setup is exactly set as you state above, but will only work with HDMI to HDMI cable, so the necessity to use M$ Wifi adapter as posted earlier.
    The reason could be that having a SKY box connected to Wifi has stopped enablement of M$ with Wifi.
    Hi there
    @dencal

    My whole kybosh is connected via LAN so I don't think SKY TV has any problems -- the Q boxes work just fine --however removing them makes no difference ( I know SKY Q creates a 5GHZ internal private wifi mesh even when all boxes are WIRED to a LAN but that normally works perfectly anyway).

    What I have is 2 X NAS boxes running Linux as file servers and a Windows desktop (tower) running as the media server .

    On the Windows box I have 4 X HDD's available as Networked drives from the NAS boxes and "C" - local SSD for the OS.

    Now if I start PLEX as server on the Windows box and PLEX (client) on a Firestick device or a google chromecast one) I get access to all 4 Networked HDD's. Note I'm NOT AT the computer --this is at the TV - well away from the computer hardware.

    If I start VLC on the Firestick device it can only see "C" on the Windows computer - but can see all 4 HDD's on either NAS box via the LAN browser.

    Using the TV's own media player / server it also can only see "C" on the Windows box but all 4 HDD's on the NAS boxes.

    What I really wanted to do was simply use VLC (on the firestick) as it can play 4K video, and doesn't need transcoding.
    PLEX still transcodes H265, Avi files and can't play 4K content.

    I really didn't want to run a PLEX server on the Windows box as I don't want ANY transcoding - and I was also trying to avoid running PLEX on either of the NAS systems - especially as I don't need remote access (from outside my Lan) except in rare situations where I could start it on the Windows box (higher CPU than the NAS systems - you don't need mega powerful CPU's for file serving - however transcoding video etc requires a bit more !!!).

    I think people have misunderstood here -- I am NOT trying to cast video from a phone etc to a TV -these days that just EATS phone battery and isn't usually as satisfactory as using video content directly from a LAN.

    Internet streaming isn't an issue here either.

    It seems that unless you know some jiggery pokery (must be possible since PLEX does it) how can you SHARE Network connected drives from a WINDOWS box to other devices that don't have access to the "Sharing" system --e.g the NAS boxes.

    With an android phone --same issue -- it will only see the "C" drive on the Windows system not the connected networked drives - using es-file explorer. Has no issue seeing the drives on the NAS boxes.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 10
    Windows 10 Pro
       #8

    jimbo45 said:
    However since all my Windows HDD's are "Shared network" ones from Linux NAS servers apart from the "C" drive I was hoping to be able to get the smart TV to access the Windows system - and hence access the Network drives.
    I have a PANASONIC DS500 and i can see ALL the network shares created in windows (XP, 7, 8 and 10!)

    I thought this was "usual" among TV brands, but i came to the conclusion that IS NOT!!!

    I'm now hunting for a new TV SET and find myself puzzled with this!!! I as going for an HISENSE 6800 and saw reports that it DOES NOT HAVE a NETWORK media player!

    I don't use a DLNA server, because i simply want the TV to access my remote DATA and not STREAM (or even TRANSCODE!!) any video! Plus DLNA does not support SRT or any subtitle file format.

    Are there any other TVs other than PANASONIC that support accessing MEDIA SHARES??
      My Computer


 

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