Which TVs support dlna. What is the essence of DLNA technology? TV Support Options

03.10.2023 -

One of the characteristics that distinguishes some modern televisions from others is their degree of intelligence. In a figurative sense, of course. We are talking about the technological advantages of the so-called Smart TV. Conventional digital TVs, as a rule, can play the role of the TV itself, working in tandem with a receiver, play media content using the built-in player (alas, often with a limited list of readable formats), and also serve as a monitor for a computer, game or TV set-top box . Whereas Smart TV, they are also smart TVs, are able to participate to a greater extent in the chain of content reproduction as independent participants.

1. About media streaming and DLNA technology

Smart TVs are actually the same computers, because they have their own hardware capabilities, have their own software, and can connect to wired and wireless networks. And the last thing is almost complete independence from source devices. The advantages of direct TV access to the Internet are obvious, but there are many of them with local access to a computer. Streaming media from a computer to TV is the TV's direct access to files on the computer. Streaming eliminates the fuss with flash drives and external hard drives. Files are transferred from the computer to the TV over the network. Without the participation of a computer, as long as it is simply turned on, without the participation of a smartphone, without the participation of set-top boxes and other source devices, all permitted material can be played using a TV - video, photos, music, any media files that such a TV can play.

DLNA technology allows devices on the same network to exchange media content. It is supported by many modern devices that can connect to the network - computers, tablets, smartphones, TV and game consoles, and, of course, Smart TV. For example, smart TVs from LG that support DLNA technology have a proprietary Smart Share application - a shell of this technology with a user interface. Applications from other Smart TV brands are called differently and, accordingly, have a different interface. In particular, on Samsung smart TVs the shell for DLNA technology is the standard AllShare application. And for Sony TVs, this is the Vaio Media Server application.

How to set up streaming media from a Windows computer - PC or laptop - to TV? We will examine this issue in detail below.

2. What do you need to set up streaming from a computer to TV?

To set up streaming from a computer to a TV, as mentioned, it is necessary that the latter supports the network. By the way, to stream media files, the Smart TV “status” for the TV is not required. The TV may not have super-functionality; it simply must support the network and allow the selection of a signal source with at least primitive standard functionality. Such a TV must have a built-in Wi-Fi module or an Ethernet network port. As a rule, modern Smart TVs provide both options - both a wired and a wireless network connection.

Both devices - the TV and the PC or laptop - must be connected to a single local network. When connected to a router (router), any devices - computers, smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, smart TVs - are automatically combined into one small network. Of course, if you don’t have a router, you can get by by directly connecting the TV to your computer over the network. What you need to do this is to connect the network cable to the Ethernet ports of the devices. But in this case, if the computer has only one network port (one network card with one Ethernet port), you will have to constantly reconnect the cable from the TV and the cable from the Internet provider. It is not comfortable. A router must be in the house if there is a question of unlocking the potential of Smart TV. Well, a Wi-Fi router is a must-have if you use smartphones or tablets in the house.

The method of connecting the TV to the network - wired or wireless, if it provides both options, is not important.

The next condition for streaming is configured access using DLNA technology to the media library folders on the computer. On Windows, this can be done in several ways.

3. Setting up network access to computer files in Windows Media Player

A way to configure access to computer files in Windows without the need to install third-party software is to use the standard Windows Media Player.

On the Windows Media Player toolbar, click the “Stream” option and check the box next to:

“Enable media streaming...”

After enabling this option, a system window with streaming parameters will open, where you can specify the name of the media library and flexibly configure the availability of media content for specific network devices: leave the preset resolution for some, and remove it for others.

The configured permissions will allow other devices to access files over the network only in the user profile folders. These are the “Video”, “Music”, “Pictures” folders, which are displayed in Windows Explorer along with disk partitions, drives and removable devices of the computer. If this is more than enough, you can start testing file playback on your TV using local applications that work with DLNA technology.

But storing files in user profile folders on the system drive is not a good idea both from the standpoint of having free space on drive C and from the standpoint of preserving these files in case of a critical Windows failure. As a rule, media libraries of impressive size are stored on non-system partitions of the computer disk. Folders of such media libraries must be added in a separate step to the Windows Media Player library,

To make the contents of other computer folders available for streaming to the TV in the Windows Media Player window, click the “Arrange” option, select “Manage Libraries”, and in it – one of the content types: “Music Library” for audio files, “Video” for video files , “Gallery” for photos and pictures.

A window will open with a list of existing libraries, and to add the desired folder to this list, click the “Add” button on the side. Add this folder in the Explorer window that opens, then click “Ok” in the list window.

An alternative way to add folders with media content to the system list of folders with public access for home network devices is to add to the library using the context menu command in Windows Explorer. At any time, any folder on your computer where videos, music or photos are stored can be accessed for playback from network devices. To do this, you need to open this folder in Explorer, call up the context menu and select the “Add to Library” command. The folder will be added to the appropriate library and its contents will be available for streaming.

The list of folders with video and audio files open for streaming will also change when changes are made to it using the standard Windows 10 Movies and TV and Groove Music applications. In the settings section of both applications, you can add and remove folders to local collections of video and audio files. Local application collections work in conjunction with system libraries.

4. Setting up network access to computer files using the LG Smart Share program

Some Smart TV brands have their own software for desktop operating systems, through which you can configure access to your computer's media files. These programs can be downloaded from the TV manufacturers' website or on the Internet. For example, to allow Samsung smart TVs to access computer content, the South Korean corporation created the Samsung Allshare program. And for LG TVs, the LG Smart Share Windows program for PC is available for free download on the company’s website. Let's take a closer look at it. On the LG website, select the version for Windows and download.

Installation of LG Smart Share is standard. After launching the program, you need to select any of the proposed content settings options – Movie, Photo, Music.

In the window that appears, access must be enabled. If it is disabled, set the switch to the “On” position.

Switch to the “My Shared Files” tab. Here you can allow access to files in the specified folders. Using a button in the form of a folder with a plus sign, you need to add any other folders with media content to the existing folders of the user profile. After adding, click the “Apply” button at the bottom, then “OK”.

Everything - now the content of all folders displayed in the “My Shared Files” tab of the program will be available for network devices, in particular for TV.

In the program settings tab just below - “My device settings” - you can change the computer name. Using this name, the computer will be identified on the network for other devices.

The LG Smart Share utility process will automatically start along with the Windows system, providing further access to your computer's media files.

To make sure that everything works as it should, launch the SmartShare application on the TV.

Go to the “Devices” section and select our media server.

Open any of the shared folders that contain media files.

Let's try to play the file.

5. Setting up network access to computer files using the Home Media Server program

Another way to provide TVs, set-top boxes, mobile and other devices that support the network and DLNA technology with access to your computer’s media content is the Windows program “Home Media Server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)”. The program works with many popular TVs: LG, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, Philips. Using this program, a DLNA server is launched on the computer, to which all network devices can connect. By default, the program allows you to manage server files from the TV - essentially, computer files.

The advantage of using Home Media Server over all of the streaming options listed above is that it has more features and is more customizable. The program provides various transcoders for video and audio files, which allows you to convert media content, if it initially exists on the computer in a format not supported by the TV, into a format that is supported by it. You can additionally configure the broadcast of individual Internet channels (radio and digital television) on your TV.

“Home Media Server” can be downloaded absolutely free on the creators’ website.

Download the program, install it and run it. Upon startup, the initial settings window will immediately appear. You can leave everything as default and refuse to scan media files. Let's move on to the program settings in a separate order.

In the program window, click the “Settings” button on the toolbar at the top of the window.

In the settings window that opens, we will see the category tabs on the right. In the first tab “Media Resources”, using the “Add” button, we can add any folders with media content to the program list to give them access for streaming. Shared access can be opened immediately to all partitions of the computer disk (C, D, E, etc.), to all network drives, to all connected removable media. To do this, you need to check the boxes next to the required options at the bottom of the window - respectively, “Local drives”, “Network drives” and “Removable devices”.

The Media Resources settings tab provides many options for the added folders. For example, by clicking the “Change” button, we will be able to exclude hiding files and directories, remove certain types of files, set a different folder name - and all this within the framework of the DLNA server, without changes on the computer.

At the bottom of the “Media Resources” tab there are separate sections with an abundance of different settings. In the “Scanning” section, you can pay attention to the option “Always use file name as the name of the media resource.” Without checking this option, the names of media files in Russian will be converted into transliterated Latin letters or into unreadable crocodile.

In the “Devices” settings tab we will see a list of all detected network devices that will have access to DLNA server files. Any of the devices on the list can be disabled by removing the green activity button.

In the “Server” settings tab, instead of the default DLNA server name, we can set our own name, for example, more convenient for perception. Next to the server name field we will see its port - 45397. It may happen that the antivirus or firewall running on the computer will block the operation of the DLNA server. In case of such blocking, the DLNA server port must be granted permission to work in the antivirus or firewall settings.

Also in the “Server” tab, you need to pay attention to the default option that prevents the computer from going into sleep mode while the DLNA server is running. If it becomes necessary to put your PC or laptop into sleep mode, the DLNA server will need to be stopped in the future. If, on the contrary, the checkbox for the option “Prevent the computer from going into sleep mode while the server is running” is not checked for some reason, it is better to check it. Otherwise, watching a movie on TV will be unceremoniously interrupted as soon as the laptop goes to sleep to save battery power.

The Home Media Server program has a very rich selection of settings, and its potential can be revealed gradually, testing certain features as you become familiar with them. For now, let's limit ourselves to the settings already made and save them. Click “Ok” below and agree to scan media files in the configured folders.

After the program completes the scanning process, we can launch the DLNA server. To do this, click the “Launch” button on the toolbar at the top of the main program window.

Home Media Server runs in the background and can be controlled from the system tray. By calling the context menu on the program button in the system tray, the DLNA server can be stopped, started, or restarted.

You can automate this process so that the DLNA server starts automatically when Windows starts in the program settings. The last settings tab “Advanced” provides in the “Startup” column options for autoloading the program itself when Windows starts, autostarting the DLNA server when the program starts, as well as installing its background service in the Windows system.

Once the DLNA server is running, all available media content on the computer can be played on the TV through a local DLNA application. In the TV app, the DLNA server will appear as a connected playback device. Inside it, folders with computer media content configured in the Home Media Server program will be available.

You can launch available media content for playback not only in the TV application. You can also assign the Home Media Server program to start playing media files on your TV. To do this, in the main window of the program, select the appropriate content - click on the “Movies”, “Music” or “Photo” button on the toolbar at the top. The right side of the program window will display folder files that were previously accessed for broadcasting to the TV. Select the desired video, audio file or picture from the list, call the context menu on this file and select “Play to” among the commands. In the list of devices that appears, select the TV. The selected movie, track or photo will unfold on the TV screen.

6. "Bring to device" function Windows 8.1 and 10

The function of starting playback of media files on a computer with displaying images on a TV is also provided as part of the standard functionality in versions of Windows 8.1 and 10. If the Windows system allows playback of media files on the computer by network devices in the Windows Media player, as discussed above, a movie, audio track or photo You can launch it on your computer and continue watching or listening on your TV. This is a handy thing when you don’t particularly want to fiddle with the TV remote control and look for, for example, the desired movie among a bunch of other media files, killing your nerves with monotonous flipping through file after file.

To launch a media file on your computer, you need to open the context menu on it in Windows Explorer and select the “Bring to device” command. This is a command for Windows 10. In Windows 8.1, this context menu command is called “Play To”.

After this, we will see a list of network devices available for playback. Choose a TV. The launched file will unfold on the TV screen, and on the computer screen we will see a small Windows Media player window with a playlist where you can additionally add some files.

7. Bring to Device feature in Windows 10 Movies & TV app

The “Bring to Device” function available for media files in the Windows Explorer context menu is also implemented in the Windows 10 Movies & TV application. It works on the principle of launching a video file in an application on a computer and continuing to watch it on a network device, in particular, on a TV screen. Open the “Movies and TV” application, launch the video and in viewing mode, click the first button at the bottom – the button to connect to available playback devices. A list of all network devices defined for outputting the video file will appear in a small window. Choose a TV.

In the future, you can continue watching the movie again on your computer, in the “Movies and TV” application. This is a great idea for a home filled with digital technology that is connected into one network. For example, having started watching a movie on the TV screen in the living room, you can continue watching it on the kitchen TV screen. And then you can move back to the living room with the film. And to do this, you just need to pause for a couple of simple actions on the computer.

8. Conclusion

As you can see, the choice of ways to configure the computer part of the chain of interaction between the computer and the TV over the network is large. Despite the fact that the article turned out to be voluminous, in fact, not all programs on the software market for implementing multimedia streaming from a computer to a TV are considered. Setting up your TV is easier.

As mentioned above, your computer's media files can be accessed through local smart TV apps. And these are the above-mentioned Smart Share for LG TVs, AllShare for Samsung, Vaio Media Server for Sony and others. On regular network-enabled TVs, where the firmware does not provide separate applications, access to computer files can be configured by selecting a media server as the signal source. In many cases, the source button on the TV remote is called “Source”.

Have a great day!

DLNA technology was developed by companies producing consumer electronics, personal computers and mobile phones. Its presence in devices allows several devices to easily and affordably unite into a single home network for transmitting audio and video data, as well as digital images.

The acronym DLNA stands for not only a technology, but also an organization. It stands for and is translated as DIGITAL LIVING NETWORK ALLIANCE (Alliance of Digital Networks for the Home).

Introduction

Typically, various types of information, such as music, drawings and photographs, movies and other types, can be stored either on removable media or on the computer's hard drive. What is usually done in a situation when you need to view multimedia files located on your computer on the TV? For this purpose, hard drives, video players or game consoles are used. Currently, there is technology that can directly broadcast files from a personal computer to a TV screen. This process is made possible thanks to the specially developed DLNA protocol. It provides connectivity to all devices that can support it. The connection format is established as a server-client type, in which the computer is the server and the TV acts as the client. Moreover, all modern PCs that have Windows Vista or XP preinstalled are compatible with DLNA. This support is provided by Microsoft. Apple computers running Mac OSX can also support this protocol, but only after adding a special program.

In order to know for sure whether the TV supports the PC connection function, you need to make sure that the DLNA logo is present on the TV device. Thus, having a TV that supports the DLNA standard and a connection to your home LAN, you can seamlessly play multimedia from your computer on your TV. The home network, through which everything will be carried out, is most easily formed through an ADSL router/switch, which can simultaneously act as a modem for access to the World Wide Web. Another option for connecting the TV to the computer is direct - using a cross-crimp cable.

Computer hardware

To successfully implement home communication, the server must use software that can provide access to files. On Windows, this is what the latest version of Windows Media Player does. However, it has some disadvantages. So, when working with it, you need to create playlists yourself, since the directory structure of multimedia files stored on the computer is simply ignored by the Media Player. Therefore, the ideal option would be to use a specialized program. One of the most convenient is TwonkyMedia, compatible with Windows, Linux and MacOs. The program is shareware, that is, after thirty days of free use, you will need to purchase a license for 30 euros. TwonkyMedia is easy to install and operate. For correct operation, you just need to mark the directories containing multimedia files, and the folder structure on the TV will be displayed in the same order as on the PC. In addition, multimedia viewing capabilities can be expanded by adding a NAS computer with a network drive. This network storage device, connected to your home network, allows you to copy all your multimedia files from different computers to it. And content playback on the TV can occur even when the computer is turned off.

Typically, personal computers are not part of the living room interior, since using it in conjunction with a TV as a media center or HTPC does not seem very convenient. However, the very idea of connecting a TV to the Internet or to a home network has long been exciting the minds of many of the world's manufacturers of equipment and electronics. But these attempts did not bring results, since the ergonomics did not best suit the conditions of the living room or the TV format. Questions remained open such as: “Who wants to work with mail on a 52-inch TV?”, or: “Who needs an inconveniently large remote control and a QWERTY keyboard?”

But the giants of engineering do not stand still, and today TVs that supported the DLNA protocol have a convenient menu for accessing content. You can control it using the crossbar of the remote control or the wheel. The latter is available, in particular, in expensive TV models from Philips and Samsung. Today's designs make file management easier than ever. Today, searching for content by title is a thing of the past; previewing photos, displayed as thumbnails, and video materials can save time. In theory, the DLNA protocol makes it possible to transfer and play all music, photos and videos. However, practice shows that a very large number of formats are not yet recognized by televisions.

All devices with DLNA logo can communicate with each other.

All files located on users' computers have different formats. The best option, of course, would be to be able to play as many formats as possible on TV. Let's look at music formats first. The leader in this category is the most common MP3 format, slightly behind it is WMA from Microsoft, which is also very popular on PCs and networks. With photographs, the situation is also quite simple: the most universal format is JPEG, it is used by all camera manufacturers. As for video, the situation is complicated by the wide variety of formats. Among them, the proven standard and used for DVD is MPEG-2. Its brother, DivX, is able to perfectly find a compromise between video file size and image quality. Almost identical in volume and quality to the previous format - WMV from Microsoft. The MKV format is relatively new and hides a container (like the AVI format) that allows you to keep subtitles, video and audio in one file. However, DLNA TVs currently do not support it.

It's worth noting that some TV models can read subtitle files associated with videos. Of course, all DLNA TVs are high definition, and it would be nice to be able to play HD movies in that quality. True, the DivX and Xvid formats have already been implemented in HD, but this does not yet mean that they can be played on a TV that supports these formats in standard definition. In the vast majority of cases, the promised DivX and Xvid compatibility applies only to SD. Other high-resolution formats, such as MPEG-4 H.264 and WMV HD, are rarely supported.

Protection against illegal use

When it comes to the technology that protects digital content from piracy called DRM, no DLNA TV can play DRM-protected videos or music. Hence the conclusion that TVs with DLNA are not suitable for viewing legal content, which is protected by DRM. That is why, when purchasing a device that supports this protocol, you should look at the availability of formats that the TV will actually support. And even if they are not indicated on the logo, do not be lazy and look at the instructions for the TV to avoid further disappointment.

Setting up a DLNA home network

A home network can be structured as follows: the TV is connected to a computer using regular LAN cables (the so-called “twisted pair”). They are inexpensive and can provide good data transfer speeds. When both devices (PC and TV) are in the same room, the option of connecting them to each other via a cable system is optimal. If you need to lay cables across several rooms, then the best way to connect devices is to use WiFi or a network via electrical wiring.

Using electrical wiring

It's no secret that for a TV to work, it needs to be connected to an electrical outlet. Today, technological progress has reached such a level that a laid network of electrical wires can be used not only to transmit current, but also data. And modern technologies have many advantages: there is no need for specialized software, protection, or special settings. Thus, electrical wiring can be considered as an extension of an existing computer network.

In order to connect a TV with DLNA function to a computer network, you need to buy a couple of adapters for electrical wiring. The most suitable options will be the new 200 Mbit/s standard. They can provide enough bandwidth to transmit high-definition video formats. The cost of adapters is approximately 100 euros. On the one hand, you need to connect the TV to the adapter and plug it into the outlet. The second adapter must be inserted into an outlet next to the computer/router and connected to the latter. As a result of the above steps, the network will work without any additional steps on the part of the user.

Of course, problems may arise with the network via electrical wiring, as well as through other channels, but these are practically isolated cases. Even if you have wiring made under Tsar Gorokh, the signal loss will be significant. But, most likely, you are unlikely to encounter this. Today, basically, any residential building or apartment with an area of up to 200 m?. the electrical wiring network is covered without any problems.

Some DLNA TV models have an integrated WiFi module. Thanks to it, you can also communicate with your computer via a wireless network. Today there are two WiFi standards in use: 802.11g and 802.11n. The first is capable of providing devices with transmission speeds of up to 54 Mbit/s, these are theoretical data. The practical speed is no more than 10 Mbit/s. This speed is quite enough for transmitting low-resolution video. The optimal standard for a WiFi network is 802.11n. It can transmit 300 Mbps in theory and approximately 30 Mbps in practice. Also, a WiFi network requires a router or access point, since point-to-point communication is unreliable.

Prices are stinging

Today, DLNA support is mainly found in high-end models with diagonal sizes of 42 inches or more. For this pleasure you will need to pay at least 1400 euros for a 42" TV or 1700 euros for a 46". Currently, the ability to connect to the network is quite expensive, so it is difficult to implement it on entry-level or mid-level TV devices.

However, if you intend to buy a TV today, then it is quite possible to use a compatible media player or games console to play files from your computer. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 models have DLNA support and easily play music, videos and allow you to view photos stored on the network. Both options have an intuitive and attractive interface.

Embedded Content

Some TV manufacturers, in addition to the ability to remotely download multimedia files, also offer built-in content. Moreover, its use is possible almost instantly after purchasing the TV. Thus, some Samsung TV models have a built-in library of recipes, fitness guides or games. Of course, all content is perfectly adapted to the TV and its ergonomics. In it, for example, recipes are displayed step by step, and have a large enough font for easy reading from long distances. Thus, such a library of recipes is made more convenient for use, in contrast to the interfaces of gastronomic sites, which are often complex and confusing.

If the TV has DLNA support, the device can play various information in real time. These could include weather forecasts, stock prices, or dollar rates. The developers also did an excellent job in implementing these functions. For example, instead of a page with a lot of text, information is superimposed on a picture. An excellent example of this is Samsung's Infolive service, a collaboration with Yahoo. And Panasonic has entered into a partnership with the Eurosport channel, allowing you to see a network of sporting events on TVs. Today, such proposals still look quite “raw”; they still need to be refined and supplemented. But an increase in content, I think, is just around the corner. Of course, if the largest producers make every effort to do this, adding the possibility of sharing content between them.

Current SMART TV models as of 2013.

The DLNA media server opens up wide possibilities for broadcasting video and other media files from one device to another via WiFi. Since this technology is cross-platform, it can be used to transfer images from a laptop or PC running Windows to a TV or set-top box running Android. The previous article aroused such interest among readers that I decided to develop this topic and talk in more detail about the capabilities of a UPnP home media server on Windows, as well as how to organize work with the Home Media Server and SmartShare programs.

What are DLNA and UPnP?

The Integrated Digital Network Consortium (DLNA) is a group of companies that have come together to create a common, open standard for connecting devices. All devices that have DLNA support can automatically, while on the same network, be configured to receive from each other and view content.

What types of devices support DLNA?

DLNA-compatible devices include TVs, mobile phones, PCs and laptops, music players, game consoles such as Sony PlayStation 3, home media players, personal computers, Android phones, Blu-Ray players, tablets, wireless printers, camcorders, TVs flat screen, routers and HiFi systems. First of all, make sure that your device has this support. All DLNA Certified devices have a logo or sticker indicating that the product has been tested to meet DLNA requirements and is capable of connecting to other certified devices. Next, the device must have a description of the type of digital content supported (for example, audio, video, photos), as well as the type of purpose (for example, server, printer, player, etc.). A more detailed description of the accepted notation is at the end of the article.

Currently, The Digital Living Network Alliance's membership list includes most of the major players in the market, such as Intel, HP, Motorola, HTC, Microsoft, Samsung, LG and Panasonic. These companies create products that work well with each other. Only Apple remained on the sidelines and developed its own standard - AirPlay. So if you have a device from the Apple family, you won’t be able to include it in your media network consisting of devices from other manufacturers.

How to use DLNA media server on Windows?

DLNA devices are designed to be interconnected. Each device is assigned its own class depending on its purpose. For example, any storage device belongs to the Digital Media Server class. These are mobile phones that store photos, music and videos in their memory. Any device that can receive and play digital content from another DLNA device will be a Digital Media Player. This is your TV that can play videos, music and photos from other devices.

In order to create a home media server and start using it, you will need at least one DLNA server for storing content (for example, a laptop or mobile phone) and one DLNA device for playing it, for example, such as a TV.

DLNA devices connect and communicate with each other through a configured home network. The layout of this network is probably similar to your home Internet network. In reality, a router is the central point of communication in a network and is used to connect devices to each other.

Here's a short list of what you'll need:

TV with DLNA support

at least one DLNA digital media server, such as a file server, laptop or phone

router

one of three to connect the receiver to the transmitter: Powerline adapters (for distributing the Internet via the power grid), Ethernet cables or a wireless adapter for connecting to your network.

Setting up a DLNA home media server on a Windows computer or laptop?

We have come close to the topic of setting up a home media server via DLNA. First of all, you need to connect a laptop and a TV that supports this technology (for example, Samsung with Smart TV) to the router. There are several ways to do this. This is discussed in detail in, but they are briefly listed below. Which one to choose is up to you, depending on how far the router is from your TV and other connected DLNA devices.

Ethernet cable
If your router is close to your TV, an Ethernet cable is the easiest way to connect them.
Simply connect one end of the cable to the TV's Ethernet port and the other to the router's port.
Wireless bridge
If you have a wireless router, or your TV is far enough away, you might want to consider installing a wireless bridge to connect your TV to your router. The wireless bridge connects to the TV via an Ethernet port, and to the router via a wireless connection. Or, if your TV supports WiFi via a built-in or external adapter, then connect it to the router directly.

Some wireless routers, such as those from Buffalo Technology, are DLNA certified and are specifically designed for a DLNA home network.

Via electrical network, without cables
Networking using a power grid is a great way to set up a network throughout your home. Installation using your home's electrical network is simple and safe. Since existing wiring is used, cables are no longer required for connections within the DLNA network. Adapters for connecting to a network outlet are produced by almost all manufacturers of network equipment. They are called Powerline devices. Next, you simply connect the plug of the router, TV and other devices to the power outlet as usual, but now all your devices will form a DLNA network

Before you can transfer files from your computer, you must install the appropriate software on it. Options include Windows Media Player 11 or 12 (included in the new version of Windows 7) or VAIO Media Server (for Sony TV), AllShare for Samsung, LG Smart Share, Home Media Server, etc. After installing the software, you can select files to transfer to TV - photos, videos, music files, etc. How the transfer occurs depends on the software you're using, but typically it involves specifying a playlist, library, or files, or adding them to the appropriate folders.

Let's now look at the most popular programs that allow you to stream files from your computer to other devices.

Windows Media Player

To set up Windows Media Player to transfer files from your laptop to your TV, follow these steps:

SAMSUNG Allshare Software

You can download it here. More advanced compared to the previous program, but again only for Samsung. It is based on the *DLNA standard, and with its help you can share multimedia content not only on your TV, but also on many other devices that support the *DLNA standard: computers, tablets, camcorders, digital cameras, mobile phones, etc.

The operating procedure is as follows:

Now, for greater clarity, watch a video demonstrating how to work with these programs from Samsung.

Home Media Server - Home Media Server

This is another cool free program for organizing a full-featured media server from your computer, from which you can broadcast files to other devices included in the local network - not only a TV, but also a tablet with Android OS, for example. Its advantage is that it is suitable for any TV that supports network connections, for example the same inexpensive LG. You can download the latest version.

Let's take a closer look at how to use the Home Media Server. After installing it, you will be asked several times to set the basic parameters - here we click “Cancel” everywhere, but we do nothing, since we will configure everything later.

We get to the main program window.

In addition to viewing files, this program also allows you to broadcast streaming broadcasts from the Internet to your TV. But we’ll talk about this separately.

I hope that now it has become clearer to all blog readers what a DLNA media server is (not to be confused with) and how to connect various devices to it. Well, after carefully studying all this information and competent implementation, you can build something like this:

By the way, the phone can also work as a server - but more on that in a separate article about. You can learn about the same by following the link.

For a snack, there are many more delicacies - the most popular questions with answers, a glossary of terms and visual videos on DLNA. And don’t forget to subscribe to blog news using the form below the article so you don’t miss the next article in the DLNA series. It will focus on the universal cross-platform media server Xbox Media Center (XBMC).

Frequently asked questions about setting up a DLNA server

Are all TVs DLNA certified?

No, not all TVs support DLNA. To make sure yours supports the DLNA network, look for the corresponding logo on it.

What should I do if my router is located a long distance from the TV?

There are two options if your router is located far from your TVA and other devices

DLNA: Connect via wireless bridge or electrical cable. This way you can connect your TV and devices to the router
DLNA wirelessly. This article describes detailed installation steps.

Is it possible to connect other devices to the DLNA server via WiFi?

Some DLNA devices have built-in WiFi functionality. The method of connecting via WiFi will depend on the device itself. You may need to enable WiFi or Network Sharing in order to connect to your router (and DLNA network).

My TV does not connect to the media server. What should I do?

Check the cable and connections between the TV and the router, and between the DLNA devices and the router.
Check your network settings on your TV. Connecting a TV to the network is described in detail in a separate article, the link to which I provided above.

Which devices support DLNA?

There are a number of devices that support DLNA. Visit the Integrated Digital Network Consortium (DLNA) website

My BRAVIA TV does not recognize some devices. What should I do?

If your BRAVIA TV does not find content on another device, there may be the following reasons:

Your TV or other DLNA device is not connected to the network.
The problem is with the router or the network.
The other device does not support DLNA or is not a Digital Media Server, in other words, it does not have memory to store files.
Your PC or laptop does not have the appropriate DLNA server software installed.
Depending on your network settings, you may need to disable the firewall feature on your laptop. You should be aware of the risks associated with this activity. They are entirely your own responsibility. If you don't know what to do, seek professional help.

Which network setup method is better - cable or wireless?

It all depends on the distance of the network components and how desirable it is to have visible cables in the house. A cable network, however, may perform slightly better than a wireless one. A few more tips:

Try to avoid complex network setups with multiple subnets and hubs as this may impact the performance of your DLNA network.
If you want to be able to stream HD video files, we recommend using a network speed of at least 200 Mbps for more stable performance.
When choosing an Ethernet cable, choose Cat5e over Cat 5 as this will allow your network to reach faster speeds.

Can I rotate images when the TV is connected to a PC?

No, you cannot rotate images on the screen. You must rotate the image on your laptop or other device before it can be displayed on your TV screen.

Photos appear distorted on the TV screen. Why?

As you enlarge the photo, the image quality may deteriorate. For optimal quality, display photos at their native resolution, even if they don't fill the entire screen.

My photos don't fill the entire TV screen?

Images may not fill the entire screen. It depends on their resolution and format. For optimal image quality, do not change the native resolution.

What file types are supported by DLNA devices

It depends on the device itself. View your specific device's DLNA certificate
or visit the DLNA website. Depending on the network device, some files may be converted before
transmission. Below is a list of files that are typically supported by DLNA devices:

Images: JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF
Audio: MP3, WAVE, AAC, AC-3, Ogg Vorbis, LPCM, AMR, WMA*
Video: AVI, FLV, MPEG2-PS, MPEG4, H.264 SD, WMV, WMA

Can I store files on my TV?

No, your BRAVIA TV is a DLNA media player. This means that it is capable of finding and playing files from DLNA media servers that contain content. Your DLNA-enabled BRAVIA TV guarantees an amazing audiovisual experience when watching movies and listening to music. In every sense, the TV is the best DLNA media player.

Do I need to install additional software on my PC or laptop to transfer files? Where can I find this software?

Yes, in order for your PC or laptop to transfer files within a DLNA network, software installation is required. In some cases, such as Windows Media Player 11, the required software is already installed. Below are programs that allow file sharing within the DLNA network and which you can download for free:

Is it possible to access iTunes or share and play DRM files online?

No, although this may also depend on the codecs supported by different devices.

Why aren't the names of the files and folders with my photos displayed?

Some folders or files may not be displayed on the TV screen if certain characters are used in their names. Try changing the name and repeating their transfer to the TV. Please note that on many models, only the Latin alphabet is supported in the names of files and folders with photos.

My DLNA server device is listed on the TV screen, but the files are not available. Why?

The connection between the DLNA device and the router may have been lost. Check cables and connections. To check the connection between your DLNA device and your TV, you can also run an automatic diagnostic test, which is different for each model.

Sometimes the video quality when streaming wirelessly is quite poor. Why?

The quality of your wireless network connection can vary depending on the distance between the bridge and the router, any interference in the room, and the quality of the wireless router itself. To improve picture quality, use a wireless router that supports 5GHz video streaming and place the router as close to the wireless bridge as possible.

DLNA Technology Conventions

When using DLNA connections, you can create a connection between any devices that work with this standard, and each of them can act in different roles. To refer to them precisely, a number of terms are used, which are described below.

The first group of device connections, which are used mainly in the home, is called HND (Home Network Devices)

	DMS (Digital Media Server) - media server. These are devices that are the source, that is, which contain the files that we want to watch on another device. This could be a computer with the special software listed above installed, or a NAS device that has DLNA support.
	DMP (Digital Media Player) - media player, or DLNA client. These are the devices that receive content from the media server and can either play it or transmit it to another device, acting as a media renderer. These are TVs, game consoles, independent monitors, home theaters, etc.
	DMR (Digital Media Renderer) - media renderer. A device capable of playing content received through a media controller, which in turn transmits it from a media server. Usually the same ones that can do this are those listed above in media players.
	DMC (Digital Media Controller) - media controller. Allows you to find files on the media server and transfer it for playback on the media renderer. These are tablets, smartphones, digital cameras with support for WiFi connections
	DMPr (Digital Media Printer) - devices that provide printing services for others - these are also printers. Media players (DMP) and media controllers (DMC) are capable of transmitting printed information to them.

Another group of devices - MHD (Mobile Handheld Devices) - are portable devices capable of transmitting and receiving content - mobile phones, tablets, smartphones, video cameras, cameras.

	M-DMS (Mobile Digital Media Server) - mobile media servers. Gadgets that are capable of distributing content stored on them to mobile players (M-DMP), media renderers (DMR) and printers (DMPr). these could be mobile phones or portable media players.
	M-DMP (Mobile Digital Media Player) is a mobile media player capable of playing video from servers - stationary and mobile (DMS and M-DMS). This role is played by phones, PDAs,
	M-DMU (Mobile Digital Media Uploader) are portable gadgets that can upload files to servers. For example, digital cameras, camcorders or phones.
	M-DMD (Mobile Digital Media Downloader) - portable devices that can find and download media content from DMS and M-DMS servers (mobile phones and media players)
	M-DMC (Mobile Digital Media Controller) are portable media controllers that have the ability to find content on media servers and broadcast it to DMR media renderers - phones and PDAs.

Using DLNA, you can synchronize your home computer with your TV and view various media content on the TV screen.

You need to make sure that your TV supports this standard. Some TV manufacturers create their own data transfer standard based on this technology, which is why Samsung calls this function AllShare, and LG calls it SmartShare.

The setup takes place in 3 stages:
create a DLNA server on PC
share the necessary files

connect your TV to this content

Connecting TV to PC

For this technology to function, you need to connect your TV and computer into one local network. This can be done either via an Ethernet network (connection via cable) or via a wireless Wi-Fi network. In the first case, insert the cable from the router into the LAN port of your TV, the connection will happen automatically. In the second, go to the TV settings, select “Network” -> “Wireless”, select the desired network from the list and enter the password for it.

You can also connect your TV to your PC directly. You need to connect the LAN ports of your computer and TV with a cable, and then set the network settings:
On TV, for example: IP 192.168.1.2, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, gateway: 192.168.1.1

On the computer like this: IP 192.168.1.1, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, gateway: 192.168.1.1

To create the necessary server on Windows 7 and 8, you need to install a special program (for example, Twonky, Plex, TVersity), or use the standard Windows Media Player.

The first thing you need to do to deploy the server is to check all three boxes in the Stream menu item. Next, open the menu item “Arrange” -> “Manage libraries” -> “Video” and in the window that opens, add a folder for expansion.

Media files will be visible on TV in a few minutes; to speed up this process, select the menu item “Arrange” -> “Apply changes to media information”.

The only inconvenience of using Windows Media Player for these functions is that it must remain open while playing files on the TV.

Watching media content on TV

The last stage is opening files on TV. For Samsung, you need to open the AllShare section; in some models there is a separate button on the remote control for this. For LG – SmartShare section. If the connection to the DLNA server is successful, the files available for viewing will be displayed.

Recently, more and more new technologies are coming into our daily lives. You need to be constantly aware of new products and implement them for yourself; they can increase the level of comfort around you. DLNA is undoubtedly such a technology.

Articles and Lifehacks

Today, many digital and mobile devices can connect to each other using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other services. Let's take a closer look at one such service and find out what DLNA is on a phone.

DLNA is a project that can unite all devices in the house into one large network. The abbreviation stands for Digital Living Network Alliance, which literally means “alliance of digital networks for the home.”

The development is supported by famous world brands: Samsung, Sony, Nokia, Intel, Philips, Microsoft.

How DLNA works

Android-based devices have become pioneers in the field of connecting phones to other digital devices. From there we will begin to delve into the essence of how DLNA works.

In order to play photos, videos and other files from a small mobile display on a large TV screen, all you need to do is open an image or any other material and click on the icon located at the top.
Now you need to select the device on which information from the phone will be displayed.
After a few seconds, you will see the desired file displayed on the TV screen.
Modern smartphones, TVs, computers and other devices already have a built-in function for transmitting data via DLNA, so you don’t have to install third-party programs.

How DLNA works on iPhone

But what about iPhones, where this service is not built-in, but you really need to connect to another device?

This problem can be solved by downloading one of the programs: iMediaShare, PlugPlayer or Twonky Beam.

Now you can transfer data from one device to another by pressing two buttons, but first you need to set what will be the source of transmission and what will be the receiver.

Play YouTube using DLNA

If your TV has the YouTube application, you can control it from your mobile phone.

To do this, open the application on the TV screen and select the “Select device” line in “Settings”.
A numeric code should appear.
Now go to the same application on your phone, in “Settings” select “Connected TVs”.
In the field that appears, enter the code that you see on your TV and click “Add.”
Now you can view videos selected on your smartphone on the big screen.