Aura access media files on NAS

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Aura access media files on NAS

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colinobj

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Hi, Ive had a FVP4000T for years and can play media (video, audio, photos) stored on my Synology NAS very easily using the "Media" item at the top of its menu.

Ive just bought a Humax Aura, and so far so good, except that I can't find any instructions on how to do the same thing on the Aura. It says I should be able to do it on the Humax web site, but says "*Media player apps may be required".

Can anyone clarify whether I'm missing something obvious?

Can anyone recommend a media player app?

Now, my FVP4000T can "see" the files on my Aura. Can I access the FVP4000T recordings using much the same method as I'd use to access my NAS?

| Fri 15 Dec 2023 17:50:59 #1 |
VitaminD

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The Aura does not have a built in media player like the 4000T.
As the Aura is an Android device you can download apps to provide that service.
Two of the most popular are VLC and Kodi, there are many others.
Open the Google Play Store.

Click on Apps (short press) on the remote control.
Click up and make sure Apps is highlighted in the menu at the top of the screen.
Click down and your should see the Open Google Play store button becomes available.
Click Ok.
You will now see icons and categories of apps available to download.
Scroll further down to App Categories and click right till you get to Video Players & Editors, click OK.
Select one of the many Video/ Media Players for download and installation.

In future if you long press the Apps button on the remote control this will give you quicker access to your most
recently used/ popular apps.

| Fri 15 Dec 2023 18:07:24 #2 |
ChemicalRob

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I just use the DSVideo app. It works great

| Sat 16 Dec 2023 0:09:04 #3 |
colinobj

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Thanks for the advice. I will experiment with VLC and DS Video etc. I have successfully accessed my NAS from VLC and it doesnt seem a big leap to access files on my FVP4000T if I can just figure out how.

I suppose if I really want to retire the FVP4000T, I could copy all the recordings onto my NAS and use the Aura/VLC to play them.

Thanks once again.

| Sat 16 Dec 2023 10:25:21 #4 |
VitaminD

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colinobj - 1 hour ago »
Thanks for the advice. I will experiment with VLC and DS Video etc. I have successfully accessed my NAS from VLC and it doesnt seem a big leap to access files on my FVP4000T if I can just figure out how.
I suppose if I really want to retire the FVP4000T, I could copy all the recordings onto my NAS and use the Aura/VLC to play them.
Thanks once again.

You should be able to play the SD recordings on the 4000T on the Aura if they are both connected to a. network, either by ethernet cable or WiFi. Any HD recordings on the 4000T are encrypted and will not be seen by the Aura.

| Sat 16 Dec 2023 11:46:28 #5 |
colinobj

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I looked for DSVideo in the app store using my Aura, and just couldn't find it that way. I know its in the google play store, but how do I navigate to it in Aura?

I'm sure I should be able to play recordings stored in the 4000T but I haven't had any success so far. I can find the 4000T but I cant find any content (almost all of it is SD). VLC player seems to do better than anything else Ive tried so far.

I had a go at copying recordings in the 4000T onto a USB drive, but no joy with that.

I know that in the past Ive been able to copy recordings from the 4000T to my PC, but that doesnt work now - it was always hit-and miss and Ive never worked out what made it successful or not. I'm on Windows11 now - maybe thats something to do with it.

| Sat 16 Dec 2023 16:56:15 #6 |
ChemicalRob

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I will look for it tomorrow hopefully. Pretty sure it was just there for download, but I can't exactly remember as I have had it on there For a few years.

| Sun 17 Dec 2023 22:41:44 #7 |
VitaminD

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You download and install apps to the Aura using the Google Play Store, I think I described how to do that earlier.
Open the Google Play Store scroll down to App Categories, scroll right to Video Players & Editors press Ok.
From there scroll down, keep going and you will find DSVideo it is a red icon.
It does say though that you need a Synology NAS to get the full features. The reviews aren't very good either.

| Mon 18 Dec 2023 4:32:01 #8 |
Drewby

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I have exactly the same setup, I use DSvideo app as front end and use MXPlayer as the external player.

Plays everything, even DTS with an extra codec file

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.ad&hl=en&gl=US

I used to use Kodi to access an NFS share on my Synology but this is the best setup I’ve ever had

| Mon 18 Dec 2023 11:26:21 #9 |
colinobj

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Thanks everyone - for both the information and your patience.

I have made some progress:

I can play files on the Aura from my NAS and my FVP4000T using VLC player.

Ive successfully set up Filezilla to FTP recordings from the Aura to my PC.

And I remembered how to access FVP4000T from my PC. That was a little easier - I just remembered that the PC can't see the FVP4000T if its in standby (duh! obvious). Others may want to do this, so worth mentioning,

So I'm pretty well there with connectivity.

But I have a puzzle.

I installed DS Video on the Aura, but I could not get it to sign on to the NAS. I entered the IP address (just 192.168.1.42) - ie with no http, \\ or port number, and with a correct NAS user/password, but it just would not connect. Maybe it needs more than just the IP address. While I don't really need it, I'm curious as to why, as I had the same issue with Kodi. With VLC and with Nova Player, I just had to tell them to look at the local network and they just found the NAS and its video, music and photo folders without a user/password signon.

VLC is my goto play-anything player but its not exactly family-friendly. I'll look for a family-friendly player. In the meantime if you know of a media player that will do video, music and photos an dis family-friendly, please chip in!!

Thanks once again.

| Mon 18 Dec 2023 13:44:23 #10 |