I used to have the Maestro cable service but upgraded because of the costs. Streaming videos from PC to TV was a breeze with the Maestro’s built-in support. My new TiVo service uses an Android TV box with no such support.
After some trial and error, I finally figured out how to use VLC to stream from my computer to my Android TV. I wrote before about streaming from device to device with VLC. Read here:
How To Stream Videos With VLC Private Networks
I already have VLC on my computer so it was only a matter of going to my Android box. I clicked on the TiVo menu button and went to the “APPS & GAMES” option. I selected the “Google Play Store” app.
I had to click “Sign in” on two separate screens before getting to the sign-in screen. I put in my email and then my password.
I’m now at the “Google Play Store”. I search for the VLC app. Installed and opened. I had a few information screens to get through before the app started. I allowed it to access photos and media on my device.
This is what VLC looks like on my Android device.
I already have a media folder shared on my computer but when clicking on the “Local Network” icon, it couldn’t find any media. I believe the issue here is that my Android box is connected through the “Ethernet” and not wireless.
I could not get my Android to connect to my wireless, even after much troubleshooting. An article for another time if I can figure it out.
So I selected “Streams”.
I set up my movie on my PC to stream as covered in my previous article. I typed in my “IP address”. I retrieved that from the command prompt using the “ipconfig” command. I entered it in the space provided ending with the port numbers. So mine read: http://192.168.4.26:8080
One good thing is that it saves the address so the next time you want to access it you only have to highlight it and press OK.
And of course, it didn’t work. Choppy video, no sound then it crashes. I first thought it might be the video format or resolution so I tried different formats and resolutions. Nothing.
In the VLC setup at the “Destination Setup” (This is on the PC) options I tried them all, HTTP, RTSP, UDP, and so on. Nothing.
So then I started experimenting with the “Transcoding Options” and finally solved the problem. I usually left it on “Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4)” the first option. High-resolution video graphics, video stutters, no sound then it crashes within a few minutes. I tried most of them including the ones that seem to be designed for Android but the best one for me is “Video for MPEG4 720p TV/device”. I tried the “1080p” one as well, good quality but the sound seems slightly out of sync.
You might have to experiment with each one to find the best output for your device.
Still not Maestro. I still have to set up each video individually for streaming. I’m convinced that if I can get the wireless working, I will have better access through the network settings on the Android. I’ve seen videos online where they are accessing folders through VLC. I might have to get in touch with Tech support about this. Also, I cannot access my router settings. But for now, I consider this torture session a success.
For more streaming and VLC tips:
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