[dt2510]

I use both a HTPC (see signature) and a netbook (ASUS EeePC) for video playback with XBMC. All videos are stored on an ACER H340 Home Server (WHS with 7TB HDDs). At the moment HTPC and Netbook access the videos through windows shares (smb).

Problem: > 90% of my videos are 720p or 1080p that the netbook (Intel GMA950 chipset) can't play without massive stuttering.

Question: since the ACER H340 is a WHS it could run an UPNP media server XBMC could connect to. Now i'm looking for a media server that transcodes my HD videos (mkv with 1080p/1080i/720p h-264, x264 or VC-1 streams) to an SD stream (eg 624x352 - full PAL/NTSC resolution isn't necessary) the netbook can handle. Also the H340's Atom CPU should be able do the transcoding on the fly.

[scokem]

If I understand your question correctly then you're after some software that you can run on your home server box that will transcode your videos on the fly for use with your netbook.

If that's the case then from what I've read TVersity does what you need I believe. I know in the past I also read somewhere that Twonky can do it but I'm not certain about this so you'll have to check it out.

Hope this helps.

[dt2510]

I've already visited the Twonky and TVersity home pages but found no real information on what these servers DO at all - espacially if they can resize videos !
A list of supported formats can't also be found for both servers.

[dt2510]

i just tested both Twonky and TVersity with no luck.

Twonky: i wan't able to transcode the mkv file, Twonky just streamed the original file

TVersity: i got TVersity to transcode the mkv file, but there was no sound

any other ideas ?

[bluenote]

I know this is a little old, but I'll chime in in case it's still of interest.

In my experience the best transcoding UPNP servers are Orb and TVersity.

I seem to recall having the sound problem with tversity a while back, and I believe the fix for me was to install a codec from them. It took me days because I knew I had "all the proper codecs" on the box already. My memory is a little hazy, but I know I fixed it in the end.