Don't see other HTPC's when going to play a file

[steveken]

I just installed the PC side of the app on my 3 media center computers yesterday and purchased the iOS app. I saw in the description of the app that you could tell the app which HTPC you wanted to play the file on when you hit watch.

Well, so far, every time I have hit watch for a file, the only destination that shows up is the computer that I am currently connected to. What do I have to do to be able to, for instance, pick out a TV show I want to let me son watch that is on my machine in my office, hit the watch button, and then be able to choose his machine instead of the one I am currently connected to? This would be very useful for me if I could do that. Would be even better if I could do that for a movie to get it playing on his machine.

The only way I have figured out how to do that so far is to go back out to the list of machines, choose the one I am wanting to watch the item on, search for it in the list, then hit watch from there. This isn't a very good solution because sometimes what I want to see on that machine is not on that machine, but on my other one that is in my office. So, if you guys could help me out on this, I would appreciate it.

Oh, and btw, I have already tried rebooting the machines and that didn't work. Anything I might have missed??


(I'll get to the missing art for my movies later. )

[Motz]

So when you connect to a PC you are able to play content back to that HTPC or any extenders that are connected to it. We don't have the ability to play to other PCs in the house. However you can install the companion services on those PCs and hook them up to your media center and then add them into the list.

I will ask to see if we should put this on our feature list. I would suggest submitting it to our bug/feature request tracker: http://tracker.cetoncorp.com

[steveken]

Oh, so you aren't supposed to see a list of all the HTPC's in the house to choose where to push the content? Ok, that would explain that then. I guess I was misreading when I thought I read that. I do have the companion service installed on all three machines.

What you are saying is that I can put in the media library all the locations of all the content? Like, add my main HTPC's Recorded TV and Movies directories to the other two machines and basically pair all three up like that? WIth each one having the other two's locations in the media library portion? That actually makes a lot of sense. I don't know why I didn't think about doing that in the first place. That way all three have the exact same content listed and available for playback. Brilliant. LOL

The ability to push it to any other machine with the companion service installed would be absolutely fabulous, though. If I get a chance, I might just go ahead and add that to the feature request list. I am sure that list is rather large already, but one more can't hurt. LOL

[steveken]

Ok, sorry to bring my thread back up again, but I am coming across a problem doing what you suggested. I am trying to add the movies folder which is on an external drive on another machine to my sons Windows 7 machine. I have the location added in the list two different ways (one mapped, one straight over the network), but there are no movies showing up. I tried it one at a time already and it still didn't work. Got any ideas on why the content isn't showing up? Just keeps showing "no content available" on the iOS app.

[Motz]

Did you enter network credentials under advanced-network in the config?

[steveken]

Yep, because Windows in general can see the directory I am pointing it to as can Windows Media Center. Everything can see the movies except the Companion app. I wanted the Companion app to see them so I could start a movie for him remotely. The way it is now, I have to go to the machine to do it.

[holidayboy]

I think I'd double check the network credentials tab in the Ceton Companion config app on the PC, maybe delete and re-enter user name and password - just in case.

It can't hurt.

[Motz]

You shouldn't have any issues as long as they are structured correctly. Ensure you read our guide.

http://www.cetoncorp.com/documents/Comp ... pGuide.pdf

I have all my movies on my WHS and it is working just fine and I know others do as well.

A few things to check as well after you hit save:
1.) Check your event logs: Computer Management ->Event Viewer -> Windows Logs
Look under both Application and System in there and sort by most recent. If you see errors or anything for YAMMM read it as it will tell you if it wasn't able to access the remote drive.
2.) Also try to restart the YAMMM service (yet another meta media manager) and see if it picks it up in the logs.
3.) Go to C:/ProgramData/Yammm and see what is in there, you should hopefully see some cache and artwork folder.
--> Inside this folder see if there is a config file if so then delete this entire folder and restart YAMMM service.

Let me know if this stuff helps. I am always available to attempt to remote help as well if you want to set up a time I can do a Team Viewer session into your machine.

[steveken]

Ok, so, apparently it was an issue with the YAMM service. I stopped and started it again and now it populates the data.

In the event viewer, it also showed a few errors for FileSystemWatcher saying something about the path is invalid or something even though it is fine. To go with that, I have noticed that, for some reason, when I am using the Ceton Companion App the connection for my wife's computer where the data resides will disappear for a moment and then come back. For a short time, it will act like it can't connect to it at all, but then a couple seconds later it will be perfectly fine. Not sure what causes this. I never had that problem before installing the Companion app. Might just be a weird side effect from using YAMM or something. Or it could be something about the crappy Windows networking when connecting to shares on an OS X machine.

[steveken]

Wait just a second! Back to my original point I made when starting this thread.

If you look at the page http://cetoncorp.com/products/companion/ and then look down at the picture and text beside the "Use Anywhere" section, you will notice in the picture that the options for playing back the file says "Family Room" and "Bedroom" on it. It also says "and choose the PC or Extender on which you want to watch." To me, that indicates that you can choose the file to play back and then tell it which media center box it is to be played on. The picture doesn't say anything like "MCE-x01" or whatever mine says when I have my XBOX 360 turned on. (I can't remember what exactly its called because I don't have it turned on right now and that TV is busy.)

That specific part is what made me want to purchase this app in the first place. So, with that said, all I can do is ask why this isn't part of the application if it is being advertised as being a part of it?

[Motz]

We can change the wording on it so it doesn't confuse anyone.

"Start playback to your PC and any Extender connected to it."

The image is for illustration for family room being your htpc and bedroom being an extender. We are actually working on a feature for the companion services to rename any of the devices so they don't show up as MCE-x, this just happens to be the default name that windows gives to the user.

A few people do have multiple HTPCs in the house and they actually add multiple into the PC list and connect to each seperately.

Let me know if this is better wording as we don't want to confuse anyone with wording as that is not our intention at all.

[steveken]

Yeah, I suppose that wording is good and would help clear it up a little. Like I said, I just assumed that you could do what I thought you could without doing any actual research into it. That is my fault completely. In any case, I suppose it does all the other stuff it is supposed to do. The few minor tweaks here or there are just standard things that every end user is going to put on the wish list. Can't satisfy everyone.

You know, it didn't even occur to me that the bedroom entry was an extender. I mean, it only makes sense now that I think about it. It certainly would make it a bit less confusing if I could rename my MCE-x entry. I saw that the first time and was like "what the hell is that?". It took me a second to realize that was the 360. I look forward to that change.

Yeah, I just happen to be one of the small minority of people with multiple HTPCs that do like that. That's why the pushing of the show from one HTPC to another would be kinda cool for me to have, but it isn't a dealbreaker by any means.

Sorry if I am being a pain in the ass.