2010-09-19, 11:00
This might be useful to someone, I did some tests with XBMC UPnP server Dharma Beta 2 under Windows with an old gen 1st gen iPod Touch currently running iOS 3.1.3 The H.264/MP4 movies are all compatible with the iOS device as they sync through iTunes.
I got a few UPnP clients from the app store to see how they handled XBMC so here are some test results;
* Media Link Player Lite - this reads the XBMC library coverart but cannot play the videos as it thinks they are MPEG-4 Part 2 videos, a free app with a fast GUI.
* PlugPlayer - plays the videos but like a music file first then plays the video properly, doesn't see the XBMC coverart either and is a commercial app.
* iMediaSuite - trying to play the videos crashes the application, get brought back to the iOS home screen is also a commercial app.
* NAS Vip - sees XBMC server but has no listings at all in it, commercial app.
* Media Browser - unable to test doesn't work on my iPod Touch.
* 8Player Lite- unable to test doesn't work on my iPod Touch.
* media:connect - unable to test doesn't work on my iPod Touch.
It seems Media Link Player Lite is the best of the bunch as its free, displays the coverart XBMC downloads in its library and fast to use the only problem is that it thinks the MP4/M4V files are XviD videos as it flags videos unplayable that are not compatible with the iOS device. This app can read and play same MP4 videos from my Synology DLNA server so I know it can play such files, the Synology server seems to supply more information about the file then the XBMC server does (when looking at same file info on PS3) maybe thats part of the problem.
I contacted the Media Link Player Lite developer and let them know of the problem though whether it can be fixed or is something that needs to be altered on XBMC's end is something I dont know.
I got a few UPnP clients from the app store to see how they handled XBMC so here are some test results;
* Media Link Player Lite - this reads the XBMC library coverart but cannot play the videos as it thinks they are MPEG-4 Part 2 videos, a free app with a fast GUI.
* PlugPlayer - plays the videos but like a music file first then plays the video properly, doesn't see the XBMC coverart either and is a commercial app.
* iMediaSuite - trying to play the videos crashes the application, get brought back to the iOS home screen is also a commercial app.
* NAS Vip - sees XBMC server but has no listings at all in it, commercial app.
* Media Browser - unable to test doesn't work on my iPod Touch.
* 8Player Lite- unable to test doesn't work on my iPod Touch.
* media:connect - unable to test doesn't work on my iPod Touch.
It seems Media Link Player Lite is the best of the bunch as its free, displays the coverart XBMC downloads in its library and fast to use the only problem is that it thinks the MP4/M4V files are XviD videos as it flags videos unplayable that are not compatible with the iOS device. This app can read and play same MP4 videos from my Synology DLNA server so I know it can play such files, the Synology server seems to supply more information about the file then the XBMC server does (when looking at same file info on PS3) maybe thats part of the problem.
I contacted the Media Link Player Lite developer and let them know of the problem though whether it can be fixed or is something that needs to be altered on XBMC's end is something I dont know.
