[Beta] [DLNA] Asuswrt-Merlin 380.61 Beta 2 - DLNA feedback ONLY

[RMerlin]

In light of the increasing issues with Minidlna, I decided to revert the vast majority of Asus's customization they did to minidlna, keeping only the essentials:

• Custom icon support that matches the router model
• Non-destructive database refresh (actually a patch they used from Sourceforge)

Their customized SSDP broadcast timer (which was hardcoded to 3 seconds, and also used a different method to check for time elapsed since the last broadcast) has been reverted for now.

Their custom thumbnail code has already been disabled for quite some time, as it was the source of general instability, and they only served to enhance (?) AiCloud.

I have tested streaming 3 TV shows in a row to my Android tablet using Plugplayer without any issue.

I am starting this separate thread so people can test specifically these minidlna change with 380.61 Beta 2. Any off-topic feedback should go in the general 380.61 beta thread.

Make sure to report what DLNA client you are using (Windows Media Player, Plugplayer, Samsung SmartTV, etc...).

Downloads are here.

 

[zenmota]

To RMerlin and john9527, thanks for looking into the media server on my RT-AC87 "pinging" my computer every 3 seconds. I have since flashed with 380.61 Beta 2 and that fixed the problem (pings the computer about every 600 seconds now). I never had any problems streaming anything even when it was pinging about every 3 seconds. Anyway, everything working fine for me.

Thanks....

 

[greggy101]

Minidlna works like a charm on Samsung SmartTV's
RT-AC88U,61-beta2.
Thanks for fixing it!

 

[RMerlin]

Minidlna works like a charm on Samsung SmartTV's
RT-AC88U,61-beta2.
Thanks for fixing it!

Did you have problems with previous builds?

 

[JohnNerd]

Dear Merlin,

Working good on both Betas. 380.61 Beta 1 and 380.61 Beta 2. Fast connection when power on.
On Samsung smart 9000- series TV and Philips BDP 9700 Bluray player.

 

[idenphones]

Beta 2 has been running for me now for just over four hours. No errors in the log. RT-AC66U

I am using a couple of Android TV boxes on a rather limited Internet connection of 4 meg down and 250k up.
But, it's is unlimited.

Also using a couple of Apps. One called STB Emulator and the other is STBEMU both from the same developer.

The boxes load on the TV services much faster and interestingly I can now run both boxes at the same time, one on the 5 gig wifi and the other on a LAN. Hardly any buffering when both are running. No buffering when only one is running.

Channel changing is also much faster with no noticeable delay.

The TV services provide live TV at 720 on most channels and 1080 on some of the movies channel but I haven't looked at that part just yet.

As a side note I have NEVER been able to get the Monthly Per User stats to display in Traffic Manager. All I did was load the new firmware and after it rebooted I went to traffic manager and clicked the boxes rebooted again and an hour or so later the stats appeared.

For a comparison I also have a RT-AC66U as a spare running 380.59 Merlin. I switched all of the cables over to that box, rebooted and immediately noticed the slower operation of the TV boxes.

 

[greggy101]

Did you have problems with previous builds?

Yes, I did, the last couple of builds (alphas and beta) To be honest I don't remember what build actually work good... possibly .58

 

[WET]

Well done, miniDLNA back to working perfectly for me.

miniDLNA was broke for me on 60beta1, 61alpha1 & 61alpha2 for all 3 of my clients. I would randomly but consistently stop streaming a movie. When I reverted back to 59 on each of these. 61beta2 is back to working the same as 59 for me, no streaming interruptions whatsoever. Tested on 2 of my 3 clients one wired & one wireless.

Broadcast detection of the server seems to be the same for me, 59 to 61beta2. There are times when I will have to wait a few minutes (~5) for the server to be detected but it always does get detected. It is possible brodacast detection of the server was better 60beta1, 61alpha1 & 61alpha2 but I am not 100% sure because I reverted back to 59 due to streaming issue.

My 3 clients are 2 Panasonic Blurays which are wired ethernet connections & a Samsung SmartTV which is a wireless connection thru a switch then an AP (EA-N66). I stream mt2s & vob movies on 2TB HD hanging off router.

I'm adding this in case it will help others. I have been able to fix my streaming to the Samsung SmartTV by lowering the power output of AP to 75mw. I previously made the AP & the SmartTV static IP's but still received random disconnects until I lowered the power output. The TV is approx. 14 ft from AP with nothing in between.

RMerlin thank you for taking the time to look into & fix the miniDLNA. I know this is not your favorite feature of the ASUS routers due to the conflicting posts you receive and the nature of miniDLNA because it does not perform any transcoding.

 

[RMerlin]

Thanks for the feedback. Closing this thread now, 380.61 final is available.