Cloudstor - how is streaming video SUPPOSED to work?

[ChrisCar]

I installed my Cloudstor Pro this past Wednesday (today is Sunday).  Supposedly it has been transcoding since then.  To be fair, I've got a lot of video files, so I know it's going to take a long time but it doesn't look like anything is actually working correctly.  Here's the status:

 

1.   Most of the videos have thumbnails generated.  But when I click on one using the web interface it opens a larger thumbnail with a "play" icon in the center (the preview screen).  But when I click on that it starts cycling through a slideshow of thumbnails.  It doesn't play the video.  So if everything is working fine, how/when is the streaming supposed to begin?

 

To be sure I was using a file that was ready I sat there watching the list of videos being transcoded and waited for one to be done (so I would know that the file was "ready").   Then I tried to watch that video.  Same thing as above.  Still didn't play.  

 

2.  Then I accessed the Cloudstor using the Pogoplug on my android phone.  I tried to stream the same video as above (i.e. one I knew had been transcoded), and it still said it hadn't been "optimzed for streaming".   Is "optimized for mobile viewing" the same as transcoded? 

 

Maybe I'm just trying too soon or with the wrong file(s)?  Is there a way to search/find files that have been fully transcoded so I can really see if this is working or not?  Gotta tell you that the streaming feature was a major factor in my deciding to purchase this NAS.  If it's not going to work it's likely going back.

 

Also, there are no thumbnails for mp4 or mkv files.  are they not compatible formats with the Cloudstor?

[Jotin]

MKV files are not going to stream. And when you transfered the files, did you upload them through mycloudstor.com or did you map a drive through Windows and copy the data over that way? The unit will only stream H.264 files, which the transcoding is supposed to convert them to. Also, which browser and you trying to access the files with? Streaming is supposed to work once the files are transcoded.

[ChrisCar]

Thanks for the quick response.  Good to know about the mkv's.

 

 All the files were copied via mapped drive not the web interface.  

 

My browser of choice is Google Chrome, but it doesn't seem to work well wtih that browser at all.  With IE9 I can get one video that appears to be fully transcoded to start.  It plays (literally) about 3 seconds and then freezes.    Could it be that it just can't handle streaming and transcoding simultaneously?

[mikehalvorsen]

I would like to know what files types ARE supported because it's just a guessing game at this point. 

[Jotin]

H.264 is the supported video file type.

[Jotin]

Do you have the Pro or the standard version? The pro version should be able to handle it.

[ChrisCar]

I have the pro version.  

[Jotin]

I don't think its a problem with the unit itself, it may be a problem with the trasncoding. I believe it is being looked at now.

[ChrisCar]

As a follow-up to my original question: on the few files that did apparently transcode and would stream the previews via the web interface, when I tried to stream them to the PogoPlug web app for Android I received the error that the file hadn't been "optimized for mobile viewing."    Is this a separate process from the basic transcoding?  How do I do it?

[pat4714]

[TreyWingbat]

I'm not getting my videos to stream either, transcoded or not.  I have the CloudStor Pro, trying to stream to an Android based smartphone, and no luck.  After playing for about 5 seconds or so, the video stops.  Is there a specific Android based player that is supposed to work the best?

[ChrisCar]

Hey Trey, I've actually now been having more success streaming to my Android phone than I have to a PC browser.  Here's what works for me:

 

Go into the PogoPlug App for Android.  Browse/navigate to the file you want to stream and tap it.   You should then get the message telling you it's not optimized for mobile viewing which gives you three choices: (a) optimize now (yeah, only if you've got a few hours to wait), or (b) play original or (c) cancel.   Select Play Original.  

 

This should then give you a choice of which media player you want to use to watch the video (assuming you have more than one).  I find that the built-in Android player won't handle too many formats/codecs.  I use the free version of ARC Media (no I'm not affiliated with them in ANY way and this is not a plug for them).  

 

That begins the streaming process using ARCMedia as the player.  Works fine -- although sometimes if I try to fastforward the audio/video come out of sync.  

 

Hope this helps.  

[ChrisCar]

Been playing with this now for 2 months.  Here's where it's at thus far:  

 

1.  If I map a drive to the CloudStor (the PogoPlug Drive program available on the downloads page makes this really simple), I can stream videos to my PCs using whatever player is on the PC (e.g. VLC, WMP, etc.).  

 

2.  On any machine which does not have the drive mapped I still cannot get video to stream in a browser window.  I've given up trying seeing as the mapped drive seems to work (as long as I'm always on my own computers).

 

As an aside, if I fast forward when streaming the audio/video sometimes go out of sync.  

[TreyWingbat]

Well, I think I found what works for me (knock on wood).  I transcode everything using AVS4U to H.264 Android optimized video on my PC, and transfer files to the Buffalo CloudStor drive.  Then when I go to play it, I use VPlayer for my Android smartphone, and select "play original".  This plays the video back flawlessly.  i can get movies and TV shows to play back fine, and also old Chicago Bulls games I have on there too! 

 

I guess Chris there's a few combinations that work out there (transcoding software, playback software)... hopefully everyone finds something that works for them, because when things do work, it's amazing.