Before we start talking about setting up the Home Media Server program, I would like to explain that this program will help solve the issue “How to watch movies, listen to music from a PC on a TV with DLNA technology”. These include Samsung's AllShare technology. Download program "Home media server" you can follow this link.

Supported HMS operating systems:

• Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7;
• UNIX-like systems using Wine;
• MAC OS using WineBottler, CrossOver Mac.

Adding directories of media resources to the Home Media Server program

• button "Settings"- chapter "Media resources"- page "Directory List" — "Add"
• from Windows Explorer, drag (and release) the required directories with the mouse into the main form of the program (can be used with standard file search in Windows).

To access the server through a browser, you must enable the mode Web, set a permanent server port in the section Settings - Server - "Port" field(value from 1024 to 65535). Accessing the server from a browser:

http://server IP address: specified server port.

The server IP address can be found in the section Settings - Server - List of allowed network connections - Search.

Launching the Home Media Server program

Pay close attention to all messages that may appear from firewall programs when you first start the server.

Click the button "Launch" in the button bar of the main program window. If the server starts successfully, the button "Launch" will become inaccessible, but the buttons will become available "Stop" And "Restart", the message log will contain lines
"Start the server".

What to do in case of errors when starting a home server

• check the list of available network connections in the program settings (section Server - List of allowed network connections - Search). If the list of allowed network connections is not empty, then compare it with the list of available network connections using the button "Search".
• check the settings of the firewall program you are using, the “Home Media Server (UPnP)” program must allow network activity, for more stringent rules, UDP port 1900 must be open for incoming and outgoing packets, the server port specified in the program settings must be accessible to incoming connections.

You can generate a list of allowed network connections from the list of available network connections by marking the network connection to be included in the list in the first column. If for the media server in the program settings (section "Server" - field "Port") a constant port number is specified, then the availability of the media server can be checked from the browser at http://server IP address: specified server port. If yes, the media server welcome page will open. If in section Program settings - Device , Web mode is enabled, the top level of the media resource database will open.

Automatic start of home media server

• Enabling automatic server startup when the program starts: Settings button - "Advanced" section - "Server autostart when the program starts."
• Autostart the program when the user logs into Windows: Settings button - section "Advanced" - "Autostart the program when starting a Windows session."
• Installing the server as a Windows service: Settings button - "Advanced" section - "Install the Windows Home Media Server (UPnP) service."

Options for connecting media devices to the server

You can familiarize yourself with the options for crimping network cables. To avoid misunderstandings, a media device also includes a television.

1. Computer - Media Device. A crossover (crossover) cable must be used for the connection.
2. Computer - Switch - Media Device
3. Computer – Router (router) – Media device. Straight cables must be used to connect devices.
4. Computer - Wi-Fi router - Media device. You can find out more about the wireless connection method in the article .

The operation and settings of the media server do not depend on the connection option. When using a router, enable the mode for automatically assigning IP addresses to devices; for details about setting up the router (router), read the article. When using connection options 1 and 2, IP addresses are assigned manually, the addresses must be different in the last part of the IP address, the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, the default gateway is the IP address of the computer, if necessary, you can specify the addresses of the DNS servers. Example: computer address is 192.168.1.4, media device address is 192.168.1.5.

Finding a server in a media device

The search for a server with shared folders is performed according to the user manual of the media device. If you have any questions, please refer back to the above-mentioned articles on Allshare and Smart TV.
If the server is not found, but all connections are made correctly, then in the program settings (Server section) check that the list of allowed client devices is empty or the device’s IP address is in the list of allowed ones. When using a firewall program, check the rules for accessing the module's network hms.exe(if the server runs as a Windows service, then for the hmssvc.exe module), if possible, switch the network protection program to learning mode, restart the “Home Media Server (UPnP)” program. If other media servers are used, it is better to turn them off at the setup stage.

If the server is found, but there is no way to open it in a media device

Settings in the Home Media Server (UPnP) program that may help resolve this issue include: Device section: mode “DLNA 1.0”, “DLNA 1.5”, “Authorization Service”, “Russian names of main folders”, in the Server section set a permanent server port (from 1024 to 65535).

Navigating through files on a media device (TV, media player)

If the device supports the Russian language, then in the program settings (Device section) you can enable the “Russian names of the main folders” mode, this affects the names of the main folders of the media resource database. If the Russian language is not supported by the media device, select the Translit mode for encoding Russian names; the “Russian names of the main folders” mode is turned on/off at the user’s discretion (if disabled, the names of the main folders of media resources will be in English).
Folder names can be changed in the main form of the program by right-clicking the mouse - selecting the "Change name" item.
Unnecessary folders of media resources can be deleted in the main form of the program by right-clicking the “Delete Folder” item, or the “Exclude empty folders when transferring information to UPnP devices” mode can be enabled in the Device section.
Slow navigation through the media resource database may be due to the operating characteristics of the media device, the inclusion of the “Exclude empty folders when transferring information to UPnP devices” mode, the presence of slow removable media in the system, frequent changes in media resource directories and the enabled “Automatic” mode. scanning directories when they change while the server is running.” The “Exclude empty folders when transferring information to UPnP devices” mode can be turned off, the “Removable media” folder can be deleted in all sections of media resources (Movies, Music, Photos).
Navigation through directories of media resources in the structure of their storage on disk can be done through the folder “Watch Folders” (Russian language is turned off), “Catalogues of media resources” (Russian language is turned on).
If some media resources are not visible on the media device, but are present in the main form of the program, then this may be due to the mime type transmitted by the server for this media resource. The Mime type can be changed in the program settings - Settings button - "Media resources" section - "File types" - selecting a file extension - Change button.

Watching movies from the server

The server can transfer films to a media device in their original form or through transcoding (converting a film into a format supported by the media device). The movie is automatically transcoded if the file extension is not included in the list of supported ones or if a transcoding profile is selected for the movie. Configuring movie file extensions supported by the media device: button "Settings"- chapter "Device" — "Native file support" — "Movies". The list of file extensions is generated according to the media device user manual or information on the media device manufacturer’s website. If the film is played in its original form, then selecting the audio track and subtitles included in the film file is possible only if the media device supports this choice. When you select a movie through the Transcoding folder, you can select an audio track, internal and external subtitles, audio delay, and a transcoding profile to convert the movie.

Transcoding profile is a script (macro) that generates parameters for calling a transcoding program or performs transcoding using DirectShow. Editing transcoding profiles: button "Settings"- chapter - button "Profiles".

The transcoding profile used can be selected:

• for all films: Settings button - section "Transcoder" - "Transcoded file parameters" - Movies - "Transcoding profile"
• for movie files of a certain type (extension) - Settings button - “Media resources” - “File types” button - selecting a file extension - Edit button - “Transcoding profile”
• for a specific film: in the list of films of the main form of the program, using the right mouse button - “Transcoding profile” or through the navigation of a media device, if the film is selected through the Transcoding folder in the Settings folder, generated by the server for each film.

When playing movies, media devices usually stretch the video to fill the entire screen, so to maintain the proportions of the movie frame, the server generates parameters for adding color to the original frame size to the frame size specified in the settings. Setting the transcoded frame size and the color of the addition is set in the program settings - Settings button - section "Transcoder" - page "Codecs, frame" - "Frame size". Color addition is not supported by all transcoding programs, so if you select a transcoding profile different from the main ones, it may not be available.

Reasons for errors when playing movies from a home media server:

• select the original movie file in which the format, video or audio encoding is not supported by the media device, a possible solution to the problem is to select the movie through the Transcoding folder
• a movie is selected through the Transcoding folder, in which video or audio encoding is not supported by the transcoder program; a possible solution to the problem is to select a different transcoding profile for the movie; Problems with the audio track can also be solved by setting the number of channels in the program settings (section Transcoder - “Codecs, Frame” page) to 2
• Media device or server is unavailable: Reboot the media device or server.

Reasons for stopping/slowing down content playback:

• stopping viewing may occur due to insufficient disk space used to store temporary files; exceeding the file size supported by the device; exceeding the maximum size of the transcoded file specified in the program settings (section Transcoder - “Transcoded file parameters” - Maximum size).
• The transcoding speed of the film is not sufficient for viewing, you can check this in the main form of the program: perform test transcoding using RMB in the list of films - The transcoding speed (fps parameter) must be greater than the frame rate of the film. If the “Show transcoding panel” mode is enabled in the program settings (Transcoder section), then the transcoding speed can be viewed in it after selecting a movie on the media device. You can also turn on the transcoding speed indicator (section Transcoder - “Subtitles, speed indicator”), if the transcoding speed is less than the value specified in the program settings, the current transcoding speed will be displayed on the film frame in the place specified by the user.

Solutions to the above problems:

• select a transcoding profile with a smaller frame size and video quality for viewing
• if the encoding of a video track is supported by a media device, but the movie file format is not supported, then you can select a transcoding profile that converts the movie file format and leaves the video track unchanged (transcoding profiles “Movies - TsMuxer” - m2ts file generation, “Movies - WMF" - generation of wmv files). For the “Movies - TsMuxer” transcoding profile, you must additionally download the TsMuxer transcoder program from the home page (in the Transcoding profile settings)
• stop watching a movie on a media device to create a transcoded movie file large enough for viewing
• specify a disk for storing temporary transcoding files that is different from the one used by the system to store the paging file
• optimize the system as a whole - check disk fragmentation, the list of startup programs, etc.

Settings of the Home Media Server program using the example of my TV model SONY Bravia KDL-46XBR9

Install, launch the Home Media Server program on your PC, go to Settings by clicking on the corresponding button.

On the right is the “Add” button for disks/directories with media content. In this case, you can choose which of these files will be scanned when the program starts. Scanning is necessary if you have changed the contents of this directory and changes have occurred there. A green circle indicates that these file types are being scanned.
Now you should pay attention to the File Types button on the right panel. Some TV models cannot play PAL video files; you must add NTSC for the content to be recognized. (for example, MPEG-PS_PAL_NTSC for *avi).

For the *mkv container, select Transcoding Profile - Core AVC. In DLNA, enter the line MPEG-PS_PAL or MPEG-PS_NTSC depending on your TV.
Now let’s look at the left panel “Categories” - “Device”. Here you will need to select your TV type and resolution. DLNA1 and DLNA1.5 are the old and new versions, you will learn about the supported DLNA version of your TV from the manual or on the official website. You can also configure Web access to the server here. Let's move on to the next category of the left panel of the “Server” settings section.

Add your TV to the client devices (look in the menu, TV network settings for static IP). When you click on the lifebuoy icon, the program will automatically detect the name of your computer and add it to the Server - Name line. To identify devices on the network connected by DLNA technology, use the “Search” button. Make sure your TV is turned on and connected to a wired or wireless network. After scanning the network, the program will add the found network clients (PC and TV). Click on TV and go to client settings.

By clicking on the Settings button, you will be taken to the individual device settings. Set the settings we talked about above.

When you click the “File Types” button, you will be taken to the file registration settings, where you can make the necessary changes.

Return to the main settings window and go from the left panel to the “Transcoder” category.

Set the settings according to the image and go to the bottom tab “Codecs, Frame”.

I draw your attention to the parameter section “Sound - Original audio track if compression is the same”. Unchecking this box will help avoid losing the Russian track when playing a video. Remember that before transcoding, each file can be viewed and changed if necessary.
The next tab we'll look at is Subtitles.

In this window, you will configure the subtitle display style to your taste and other parameters necessary for their correct display. Let's look at the last category in the left panel, "Advanced".

Place a tick in the checkbox “Installing the Windows Home Media Server (UPnP) service”. Thus, the program will automatically load when you turn on the computer as a service, I wrote about this in the section Automatic server startup.

From this article you will learn how to connect a TV to a computer via DNLA through a home media server. After you set up a media server on your computer, you will have a home multimedia network. Using it, you can transfer video from your computer to your TV, as well as other media content (photos, music) and play it in real time. This approach to playing video and audio files on your TV will save you from having to download media content to a USB flash drive every time and will create conditions for selecting the required file on the TV panel.

How to connect a computer to a TV via DLNA.

It should be said that in order to create such a network between a computer and a TV, your TV panel must support a set of DLNA standards. What is DLNA?

DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance - Living Digital Network Alliance) is a certain set of standards that make it possible for all compatible devices (laptop, tablet, mobile phone, game console, printer, video camera...) to transmit and receive via wireless (Wi-Fi) and wired (Ethernet) networks to play photos, videos and audio files.

All famous brands such as Microsoft, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Sony... are members of this digital alliance, but Apple, together with BridgeCo, has developed its own standard (technology and protocol) AirPlay, which is supported by devices from such manufacturers , like Bowers & Wilkins, iHome, Marantz, JBL. Therefore, if your TV or any other device is from Apple, then you will not be able to connect it to your existing DLNA network.

In one of the publications for Samsung TV owners, I already wrote about how to set up a media server using specialized programs from developers of the same company. This is about . So, no problems were noticed in the operation of the PC Share Manager program, which cannot be said about the AllShare product. But most often it still works properly.

Numerous calls to the support service from different users did not yield any results, and all of them received a very dry answer: “Our AllShare product does not work on a good half of the hosts.” Well, let's leave them alone with their buggy “product” and use a universal alternative, the Home Media Server program (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP). It works with TVs from Samsung, LG, Philips, Sony, Toshiba. You can find out more about the program's capabilities on the official website.

It is better to connect a computer to a TV through a router to transfer multimedia files using a LAN cable () than via a wireless Wi-Fi connection (). Why? Of course, digital progress does not stand still and with each new Wi-Fi wireless standard () the coverage range increases, signal stability increases, data transfer speed increases... All this is certainly relevant in our information age.

But in my opinion, to transfer multimedia files from a computer to a TV, it is still better to use a LAN cable. The fact is that a wired connection has only one disadvantage - wires, and the advantages include high data transfer speed, low ping (response time), minimal interference... Despite the fact that in a wireless Wi-Fi connection, connection stability and speed directly depends on the antenna power, the influence of interference and the presence of obstacles ().

Therefore, for comfortable viewing (without lags or freezes) of video standards such as: Full HD, Ultra HD... it makes sense to connect a computer with a TV to a multimedia network using a LAN cable. But this is just my recommendation and you can do it your way. So, how to connect your TV to your computer via DLNA? First of all, make sure that your router is configured and there is a connection with the TV (read here and set up Wi-Fi).

Installing and configuring a DLNA home media server.

As you already understand, in order to create a network between a computer and a TV, you need to install a media server. Launch the program distribution package downloaded from the official website and begin installation.

All you need to do is specify the installation path, check the “Create shortcut” box and click on the “Install” button. The installation process will go quickly, and upon completion, launch the program.

After starting the program, you will be prompted to familiarize yourself with the list of changes. Click the "Close" button and in a new window "Initial settings" in the dropdown menu "Devices from the list" select your device type. Depending on the type of media device you select in the field "Native file support" will display a comma separated list of supported formats according to the documentation.

If your device supports any other types of formats that are not in the list offered by the program, then you can switch to "Custom device" and in the extensions field (movies, music, photos), add the required format separated by commas. Click the “Next” button.

In the next window "Catalogues of media resources" you need to share, that is, make folders or local, network, removable drives visible for your device. Here you can add your directory with media content (specify the path to it) by clicking on the “Add” button and delete the folders already proposed by the program.

Green dots indicate what type of media content is stored in this directory. I typically share local and removable drives because it eliminates the need to download and move files to specific directories. To do this, you need to tick the necessary boxes and add your local drives. Click the “Finish” button. After this, the program will prompt you to scan media resources. Click the “Yes” button.

You can also add all local drives (or selected directories) after installing the media server in the program settings on the “Media Resources” tab. To do this, click the “Add” button and select a local drive, and then “Scan”. After this, the program interface will display the entire list of video files that are stored on your hard drive (see image below). Please note that due to the large amount of media scanning during server startup, the program will take longer to load.

So, decide for yourself how much media data will be available to the server. The fewer local disks (directories) are added, the faster the media server will start.

Go ahead. After scanning is completed, a window will appear “Backup/restore program data”. Here, if you wish, you can specify a different path for the backup directory and set up automatic backups on a schedule. I'll leave everything as it is.

In field "Backup directory" the path for saving and restoring program settings is displayed. After you click the “Run” button, the settings will be saved. That’s it, click the “Close” button because all the basic settings have been completed and the home computer-TV network has been created.

I recommend you in the program settings on the tab "Additionally" Check the box “Install the Windows Home Media Server service (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)” so that the media server starts as a service. After this, confirm your changes by clicking the “Ok” button.

To start your DLNA home media server, just click on the button in the top menu of the program “Run”. Take the remote control in your hands and select your media server from the list.

Now you have your own network between your computer and TV. By the way, if you need to check your TV for dead pixels and, if possible, restore them, then read more about this. That's all I have for today. Bye!

2019-06-13T18:31:00+00:00

The LG49sk8500 TV does not see my desktop computer in the connection manager. The laptop sees it, but the PC doesn’t. I even tried the stock LG Smart Share program, same thing. MGTS provider.

2018-07-24T14:09:39+00:00

The home media server sees TV in the settings. The TV still doesn’t see the PC.

2018-07-24T13:34:17+00:00

Antivirus is off.

2018-07-24T13:32:05+00:00

Good day! TV TCL 43P6US on Linux. The TV is connected to the Internet via a Wi-Fi router, but the TV cannot be seen by the computer. The media server program was installed, I did everything as written, but everything was in vain. Please help me figure it out. Thank you.

2017-09-18T11:51:04+00:00

We searched for a very long time and found you. Everything was done according to the description, there is a list of channels, but it says the image is temporarily unavailable. Samsung TV connected via LAN

2016-12-19T22:25:42+00:00

Good night. Philips TV pfs7309/60, video, photos, and IPTV are included from the TV. It's annoying that the TV is not displayed in the DVR playback device menu. I can’t figure out how to make it visible and run files from the computer and not from the TV. There is a second Samsung TV, everything is fine, it is displayed and you can run files from the computer. What's the salt???

2016-11-30T18:06:19+00:00

Try resetting your router to factory settings and creating the connection again. If there is updated software, then it may make sense to update the firmware. P.S. Post whether it helped or not. OK.

2016-11-30T17:20:50+00:00

Good evening, the problem is the following, the TV loses connection with the server 12-16 minutes after the start of viewing, the TV is Samsung UE55K6550AU, before that it was a Sony Bravia, there were no problems...

2016-11-10T13:20:18+00:00

Dmitry, hello! Please help me figure it out. There is a laptop with a “Home Media Server”, a Dlink 615 router and a Philips TV. The router and TV are connected by a patch cord. Everything works in this way. I replaced the router with a Xiaomi mi nano and the TV stopped seeing the server - asking to start it. At the same time, there is an Internet connection via smart TV and the router sees the TV in the devices. Tell me what could be the reason?

2016-09-02T19:44:35+00:00

2016-09-02T06:42:11+00:00

It would be better to talk about the LG SMART SHARY program. How to run it separately via LAN so that it does not affect the Internet and works separately.

2016-08-26T12:06:37+00:00

What's not to like about this media server?

2016-08-26T11:48:26+00:00

Hello, can anyone tell me the name of the official Philips program that allows you to connect to a computer via a Lan network?

2016-08-19T15:43:41+00:00

Most likely the FireWall network is blocking it. Disable it for a while and if everything is in order, then add HMS to the exceptions.

2016-08-19T13:04:01+00:00

Hello! Has anyone encountered setting up HMS on a Samsung UE48H6400 TV. I set up the server myself, and I can see the TV in it. But I can’t see the network from the TV itself. I don’t find the Allshare function on it, and there is no media server in Source. Everything is connected to one router. What can be done in this case?

2016-05-15T14:09:38+00:00

A lot depends on the network equipment. I hope the TV does not receive such “heavy” files over Wi-Fi. P.S. Please describe in more detail the diagram for connecting the TV to your home network.

2016-05-12T22:43:38+00:00

Hello! I couldn’t watch 4K videos through the media server. What is the reason? What to include? It shows normally through a flash drive, but through the server it’s like a simple HD. TV LG 49UB-830V

2016-05-01T16:27:28+00:00

But for me it’s different. The Android has the LAZY IPTV program installed, it already has built-in DLNA, I can watch different channels and run it on an LG TV

2016-02-21T19:23:31+00:00

Better is a loose concept. You justify why it is actually better. P.S. Maybe I'll test it if I'm free.

2016-02-18T17:41:10+00:00

I used this program, but found it better Twonky server

2016-02-11T22:24:55+00:00

I haven't encountered such problems yet. Alas! I just won’t give any advice and I don’t have a clear answer yet.

2016-02-11T22:18:12+00:00

Moreover, when you go through the set-top box to HMS, the folders are completely displayed there (Actors, Genres, Media Resource Catalogs, etc., but when you go to the Media Resource Catalogs folder, it’s empty

2016-02-11T22:16:15+00:00

Thanks for the link, but computers see each other and access each other (even connected to different routers). The set-top box also sees the HMS and Windos server, but does not see the files in them. But the Home Media Server itself does not see the set-top box at all. Moreover, before that I connected the TV itself in the same configuration, everything worked fine. I think the problem is with the set-top box, but I can’t understand why.

2016-02-11T21:07:02+00:00

I set the scan to automatic, the result was zero. In HMS itself, the set-top box is not displayed in playback devices and there is no “play to” item.

2016-02-11T21:36:48+00:00

2016-02-07T21:39:27+00:00

On the "Scanning" tab, is there a checkmark for "Automatic scanning"? Is the program added to firewall exceptions or Windows firewall (depending on what you are using for network filtering)?

2016-02-07T21:30:09+00:00

Try turning off encryption on your wireless network. Also pay attention to whether the devices share the same IP address. P.S. If the devices IP is not tied to the MAC address, then I recommend doing this.

2016-02-07T16:43:20+00:00

Hello! Dmitriy. Media set-top box DOM.RU, the media server is running on the computer, but does not display playback devices, the set-top box itself sees the server (both HMS and standard windows (win 10), but the media resource folders are empty (files are not displayed). The network is configured as follows - the main router with connection to the Internet (192.168.1.1), an additional router in another room with the address 192.168.1.30, a computer 192.168.1.40, a media set-top box 192.168.1.35. I did not register ports on the routers.

Now every Internet user has the opportunity to store their media files on a home server without using computer memory. This is very convenient if you collect your favorite films, videos or video clips, and you can view all this not only on your PC, but also on your LG TV. This review is devoted to a detailed consideration of this topic and answers the question of users on how to set up an upnp dlna home media server for an LG TV.

To be able to use all the benefits of a home server on your LG TV, it is necessary that the computer and TV are connected to the Internet via the same network, this can be either wi-fi or cable.

Also, to synchronize devices you will need a special program, it is called “Home Media Server”, you can download it from the official LG Store. In the case of a PC, the program can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s official website, but you need to activate it on both devices, and then agree to the offer to synchronize them.

• If it is not possible to handle the settings yourself, take advantage of the very convenient offer that is presented on our website: calling an LG service center technician to your home.

How to set up upnp dlna home media server for TVLG: Access folders and files

Open the settings interface of the “Home Media Server” program and select “media resources”, here specify the path to all folders and files that you want to play on the TV. To make your task easier, you can open access to local disks, then you can play all the files. Once you have decided on the access rights, you can launch the dlna server itself; the corresponding button is located at the very bottom of the main screen of the “Home Media Server” program.

All visible devices to connect will be shown here, you need to select your TV.

In turn, on TV you can activate the Smart Share application; on smart TV it is installed by default. Open Smart Share, on the main screen you will see an icon with a picture of a folder and the inscription DLNA server. This icon will appear if you have already activated and configured the “Home Media Server” on your computer or laptop and both devices are connected to the same network.

Open the server folder and select the video or music folder, now you can play them on your smart TV.

Hello! Today we will talk about DLNA technology on SAMSUNG TVs and how to set it up. First, I will briefly and popularly tell you what it is, and then we will move on to the main topic of the article.

If you have experience setting up a SAMSUNG DLNA TV, you are welcome to comment with advice. If anyone has any questions or problems, feel free to write to us!

general information

What is DLNA? This is a set of standards, a technology thanks to which compatible devices transmit and receive images, video, and music over a local network. Also, using DLNA, media content can be displayed online. At the same time, connecting compatible devices to your home network is possible both wired and wireless.

3 groups of devices that support the technology:

1. Designed for use on a home network - network storage, network media players, TVs, printers, etc.
2. Mobile devices – smartphones, audio and media players, digital cameras that support file transfer via Wi-Fi, etc.
3. Mobile devices for connecting mobile networks to home networks - for example, a modem.

How do you know if your TV supports DLNA? Everything is simple - in the instructions or on the sticker on the receiver itself there will be the inscription: DLNA CERTIFIED. However, it must be taken into account that some large manufacturers have given a proprietary name to the technology. SAMSUNG SMART TV, which will be discussed below, has DLNA called AllShare.

Universal method

To connect a TV to a computer or laptop, there are specialized programs from the manufacturer’s developers. But there is also universal software that is compatible with all TV models - Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP).

Instructions for using the application are available in video format:

Before you start setting up, check that your TV and PC are connected to the same router - via cable or Wi-Fi, it doesn’t matter.

And now step-by-step instructions for working with the Home Media Server program (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP), which will help connect any TV to a computer:

1. Install the utility on your PC or laptop: download the archive and run the installation file, then follow the prompts of the Installation Wizard.
2. Launch the software and go to “Settings”, where in the “Media Resources” section you will need to select the files that you want to open on TV. To allow access for all content, you need to check the “Local drives” box.

1. To be able to view videos, photos and listen to music from an external drive, click “Add” on the right and mark the desired device.

1. After the settings, click “OK” and confirm scanning directories.
2. After scanning is completed, look for “Launch” at the top and click.

1. Turn on the TV and look for it in the “Playback devices...” section and click “Update”.

1. We check the work. Click on “Movies”, “Music” or “Photos”, and the file to which we have given access will be displayed on the right in a separate window. Click RMB, then “Play to”, look for your TV.

You can open the necessary files directly from the TV:

• We leave the program running, you can simply minimize it;
• On the TV, go to the section that is associated with DLNA - for SAMSUNG it is “AllShare” (in some models the button is located on the remote control for convenience).

If the setup is done correctly, all files available for viewing will be displayed on the screen.

Programs for SAMSUNG

What programs are there for this manufacturer to connect the TV to a PC:

• SAMSUNG AllShare – home media server for sharing and playing content on devices that support DLNA;
• SAMSUNG PC Share Manager is a media server for combining a TV and an external device into a network.

AllShare

Watch a video about how the program works here:

To work, install the official media-server from SAMSUNG on your computer or laptop and launch it. Next, follow the Wizard’s prompts (after each step, click “Next”):

1. Check the shared server.
2. Turn on the device (sometimes AllShare activation on the TV is required).
3. Configure the device network.
4. Select the device to connect and click “Connect”. At the end, click “Complete”.

Now the setup:

• Select “Folder Settings”;
• Set up a shared folder - it will contain files for playback;
• Set the save folder – content transferred from other devices will be stored here;

• Go to “Privilege Settings”;
• Allow access to the connected TV;

• Move the desired file to the created shared folder, select it in the list, and select the device to view.

Share Manager

The use of the software is relevant where there is no router. The TV and PC are connected directly with a cable or via Wi-Fi (of course, provided that both devices are equipped with a wireless module).

After connecting, both devices need to set an IP address. This is done in the “Network and Sharing Center...” in the connection properties. For example, for a PC we set the address 192.168.1.1, and for TV 192.168.1.2. We leave the subnet mask the same - 255.255.255.0.

Now you can run the installed program and do the following:

• Select the desired folder with files from the list;
• Click on the folder icon with a green check mark at the top;
• Next, click “Sharing”, then “Set device policy”;
• Change the status to “Accepted” and click “Set changed status”.

If everything is done correctly, the desired image will appear on the TV screen.

Windows Media Player

To connect your TV to your PC and view any content on a big screen using DLNA technology, you don’t have to download third-party software - you can use the Windows tool. This is a standard audio and video player for Windows OS.

Here are the instructions using the “seven” as an example:

1. We connect the TV and a computer or laptop to the same network - via cable or over the air. You can connect directly, without using a router - in this case, you need to set both devices to an IP address (as in the previous instructions).
2. Launch the player and select the “Stream” tab. In the drop-down menu, we allow all actions: “Allow Internet access to the home multimedia library...”, “Allow remote control of the player...”, “Enable media streaming in the home group...”.

1. On a SAMSUNG TV, go to the “AllShare” section. If everything is in order, we will see the files available for viewing on the screen.

That's all. As you can see, taking advantage of DLNA technology is easy. The main thing is to choose a method that is convenient for you.

Today you will learn how to properly connect a TV to a computer and all the possibilities of such a connection, as well as how to organize viewing of your media library on Smart TV and other devices that support a home DLNA server.

What is DLNA?

The Integrated Digital Network Consortium (DLNA) is a group of companies that have come together to create a common, open standard for connecting devices so that all DLNA-enabled clients can automatically view media content from each other while on the same network.

What devices support DLNA?

DLNA technology is compatible with any devices:

• smart TVs;
• smartphones and tablets;
• PCs and laptops;
• media players and Blu-ray players;
• game consoles;
• home media servers (NAS);
• wireless printers;
• photo and video cameras;
• audio systems.

All DLNA-enabled devices have a corresponding logo or sticker indicating the type of digital content supported (for example, audio, video, photos), as well as the purpose: server, printer, player, etc. Most devices from major manufacturers such as Intel, HP, Motorola, HTC, Microsoft, Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, etc. support DLNA. Apple has developed its own standard - AirPlay. If you have an Apple device, then using it in your media network, consisting of clients from other manufacturers, is not possible.

How does the DLNA network work?

As you already understand, DLNA devices are designed for mutual connection: creating a multimedia network between themselves. Each device is assigned its own type depending on its purpose. For example, any storage device: smartphone, media player, TV or PC can belong to both the Digital Media Server and Digital Media Player types, because they are capable of both receiving and playing digital content from another DLNA device.

How to create a DLNA network?

A wireless router (or wi-fi router) is the central element in the network and is used to connect devices to each other in a common home wireless network.

Equipment for building a home network with DLNA

You will need:

• TV with DLNA support;
• DLNA digital media server (for example, file server, PC, laptop or media player with HDD);
• wi-fi router.

I will talk about building a DLNA network not only with a wireless connection, you can also use a wired method of connecting devices, instead of a wi-fi router, use a regular router (switch) to connect the file source (home server - DLNA server) with a display device (DLNA client). You can also use (to distribute the Internet via the power grid), in addition, you will need Ethernet cables to connect devices to your network.

How to set up a DLNA home media server?

1 Connect a DLNA-enabled TV to a wi-fi router (for example, Samsung with Smart TV).

Option 1 - wired connection. Connect using an Ethernet cable to the router. It is enough to connect one end of the cable to the LAN port of the TV, and the other to a free port of the router (or switch, depending on the structure of your network).

Option 2 - wireless connection. If you are using a wi-fi router (wireless router), then just connect the TV to an existing wireless network via the built-in or external (USB) wi-fi adapter, directly to the router. If the TV is very far from the router, then you can install a wireless bridge (use the router in Bridge mode or buy one) to connect the TV to the router. I also recommend reading the article about. The wireless bridge connects to the TV via the LAN port, and to the router via a Wi-Fi access point.

Option 3 – connection using Powerline adapters. This type of connection uses the mains power without running Ethernet cables. This method will help you set up a home network using existing electrical wiring and you will no longer need cables to connect DLNA clients. Powerline adapters are produced by almost all network equipment manufacturers: TP-Link, Netgear, D-Link, etc. They are called Powerline devices. Next, you simply connect the plug of your router, TV and other devices to the power outlet as usual, but now all your devices will form a DLNA network.

2 Add other DLNA compatible devices to your home network

Now you can connect DLNA servers (devices from which you want to play files on your smart TV) to the router - PC, laptop, phone or media player. All servers will be displayed on the smart TV since they are on the same network and you can play the content that is stored on their media. There are different ways to configure different types of devices on a DLNA network.

PCs and laptops on a DLNA network

Connect your computer or laptop to your router or router using any of the above options. The most important point in setting up DLNA on a PC or laptop: the need to install the appropriate program - media center (media shell). The most popular of them (each program has a link with information about it and settings):

• Serviio

It is possible not to install media center applications to create a DLNA server, but use Windows Media Player 11 or 12. To use them as a DLNA server, you must allow access to files on your laptop or PC: open Windows Media Player, go to Options menu, then open the Windows Media File Sharing tab and enable media sharing.

Kodi Media Center Interface Window

You can select a media shell to use as a DLNA server from the list above. After installing the program you like to create a media center (DLNA server), you should configure it and select files (photos, videos, music files) to transfer to a TV or other display device.

Mobile devices on the DLNA network

3 Setting up DLNA on your TV

Once you have connected all DLNA devices, turn on the TV and go to the home screen of your Smart TV (using the example of a Samsung TV). Find and launch the AllShare app, which lets you find music, photos, and videos stored on DLNA devices on your network.

If you have a Sony TV (model before 2015), then you need to turn it on, press the “Home” button and turn on “Media Player”. Once you select the content type: music, photos or videos, you will be able to see the DLNA servers on your home network.

4 Using DLNA on Android OS

To watch videos from a computer on smartphones and tablets with the Android operating system, you need to install a special application. There are quite a few such applications; I can recommend MediaHouse or Bubble UPnP, which can be downloaded for free on Google Play.

After you install the application, you need to take a few simple steps:

• select the source - your computer or other device with DLNA support and installed, from which you will watch the video;
• select the receiver, that is, your Android OS device;
• select a video from the list of available files.

In addition to universal applications, mobile device manufacturers offer their own software with DLNA support. Samsung has AllShare, LG has SmartShare, etc.

Using DLNA-enabled apps on Android devices requires no setup. It is enough to launch a DLNA server (for example, Kodi on a computer), and it will immediately appear in the list of available connections in the application on your smartphone or tablet. Select your computer from the list, click “Browse” and specify the required folder. Don't forget that your smartphone can also act as a DLNA server.