Stream from Android to WMC Via Bluetooth

Experiences and questions about WMC on your iPhone, Droid, WP7, and more.
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bsockel

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Stream from Android to WMC Via Bluetooth

#1

Post by bsockel » Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:13 pm

Is there a way to stream media from my android device to my WMC box via Bluetooth?

barnabas1969

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#2

Post by barnabas1969 » Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:30 pm

What you are asking is twofold:

1) Is it possible for Windows to act as a DLNA Digital Media Renderer (DMR)?
2) Is it possible for an Android device to act as a DLNA Digital Media Server (DMS)?

The answer to both questions is, "Yes", but this has absolutely nothing to do with Windows Media Center. It actually involves Windows Media Player.

To learn how to setup Windows Media Player as a DMR using Media Player's "Play-To" feature, see this link:
http://thedigitallifestyle.com/w/index. ... -7-playto/

Next, you need your Android device to act as a DMS. There are probably a number of apps that can accomplish this in Android. The link below shows one such example.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... .dms&hl=en

I have not tried this app, so I cannot tell you if it is the best app available. Now that you know that you need to make your Android device function as a DLNA DMS, you can search for apps on your own.

Also, I have used Media Player's Play-To feature as a DMS to stream media directly to my "smart" TV (and to my network-enabled AVR, both of which can function as a DLNA DMR), but I have not tried using Media Player as a DMR. It should work fine though.

EDIT: Also, this solution does not use Bluetooth, rather it uses WiFi from your Android device and the data will be sent to the PC's network interface (wired or wireless, it doesn't matter).

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#3

Post by foxwood » Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:37 pm

bsockel wrote:Is there a way to stream media from my android device to my WMC box via Bluetooth?
Why Bluetooth - does your Android device not have a wifi connection?

Most streaming media applications are going to expect to use TCP/IP, and I don't think BlueTooth connections ususally use TCP/IP (I have no idea whether they do or not, actualy, but I've never read anything to indicate that BlueTooth connections use TCP/IP), so you'd probably have to use a BlueTooth aware Media player on the PC, and I've never seen that listed as a feature on any Media Player.

You definitely won't be sending anything to WMC - you might be able to install some other software on the same box that you run WMC on, and use that instead of WMC, but I don't know of any such software.

Sending audio from Windows to a BlueTooth headset doesn't require any special BlueTooth support in the application, the BlueTooth software just presents itself as an ordinary Windows Playback device, which any application can use.

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#4

Post by barnabas1969 » Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:50 pm

foxwood wrote:but I don't know of any such software.
Windows Media Player does this (but not through Bluetooth). See my post above.

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#5

Post by barnabas1969 » Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:58 pm

One correction... you'll need your Android device to act as a DMC (Digital Media Controller) in addition to being a DMS.

EDIT: Here's a link to a DMC for Android (written by the same people who wrote the DMR software linked above):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... WMuZG1jIl0.

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#6

Post by foxwood » Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:11 pm

barnabas1969 wrote:
foxwood wrote:but I don't know of any such software.
Windows Media Player does this (but not through Bluetooth). See my post above.
You may have noticed that my post SPECIFICALLY dealt with the issue of Bluetooth, which was what the original poster SPECIFICALLY asked about.

It would have been a bit redundant of me to point out that he could use Windows Media Player, if only it supported Bluetooth, when it doesn't in fact support Bluetooth, don't you think?

bsockel

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#7

Post by bsockel » Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:18 pm

Thanks for the Info everyone. Can be Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. I am trying to mimic Airplay with in media center. Looks like the easiest option may be through Plex which i already have installed and configured on my MCE box. Looks like it can be a DLNA client

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... rch_result

Will have to check this out when i get home.

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#8

Post by barnabas1969 » Thu Apr 25, 2013 1:57 pm

bsockel wrote:Thanks for the Info everyone. Can be Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. I am trying to mimic Airplay with in media center. Looks like the easiest option may be through Plex which i already have installed and configured on my MCE box. Looks like it can be a DLNA client

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... rch_result

Will have to check this out when i get home.
Whatever software you end up using, it will be using DLNA to do what you want. Unfortunately, Media Center won't do it natively.

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#9

Post by foxwood » Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:13 pm

barnabas1969 wrote:Whatever software you end up using, it will be using DLNA to do what you want. Unfortunately, Media Center won't do it natively.
Unless some writes a driver to make the stream look like a "Networked TVTuner" :)

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#10

Post by barnabas1969 » Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:39 pm

foxwood wrote:
barnabas1969 wrote:Whatever software you end up using, it will be using DLNA to do what you want. Unfortunately, Media Center won't do it natively.
Unless someone writes a driver to make the stream look like a "Networked TVTuner" :)
That would be super cool, but I don't think such an animal exists today.

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JazJon

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#11

Post by JazJon » Sun May 12, 2013 1:30 am

barnabas1969 wrote: 1) Is it possible for Windows to act as a DLNA Digital Media Renderer (DMR)?

To learn how to setup Windows Media Player as a DMR using Media Player's "Play-To" feature, see this link:
http://thedigitallifestyle.com/w/index. ... -7-playto/
This helped me get started with my problem/question. I have a new WiFi Panasonic DMC-ZS30 Camera. It supports Play to TV. (which basically pulls up a list of any DLNA DMR device on the network)

It works great with my XBOX, but I'd like it to work while Media Center is up and running. It does work with Media Player using the link above, but I'm forced to close Media Center to see Media Player.

I know I could quickly close Media Center with an ALT F4 IR command via Harmony, but I have to at least ask if anyone knows of DLNA DMR app that says inside Media Center without having to close it.

~Jon

EDIT: (I should have read the rest of the thread here closer)
barnabas1969 wrote: Whatever software you end up using, it will be using DLNA to do what you want. Unfortunately, Media Center won't do it natively.

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#12

Post by barnabas1969 » Sun May 12, 2013 5:26 am

Jon, I suppose you could use something like Relaunch to open Media Player from Media Center. Then, if you've configured Media Player to act as a DLNA DMR, then you'd be able to send content to the TV. It's not perfect, but it may be workable.

I don't have a need to do this. I've experimented with it, but only as a curiosity. If I really wanted to send stuff to my TV, I can do it without the HTPC even being turned on... because my TV is a DLNA DMR.

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#13

Post by staknhalo » Sun May 12, 2013 5:58 am

barnabas1969 wrote:Jon, I suppose you could use something like Relaunch to open Media Player from Media Center. Then, if you've configured Media Player to act as a DLNA DMR, then you'd be able to send content to the TV. It's not perfect, but it may be workable.
Also for semi-seamless experience, see if you can get it to launch in fullscreen mode. Set ReLaunch to close WMP and return to WMC via the green button.

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JazJon

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#14

Post by JazJon » Sun May 12, 2013 6:07 am

barnabas1969 wrote:Jon, I suppose you could use something like Relaunch to open Media Player from Media Center. Then, if you've configured Media Player to act as a DLNA DMR, then you'd be able to send content to the TV. It's not perfect, but it may be workable.

I don't have a need to do this. I've experimented with it, but only as a curiosity. If I really wanted to send stuff to my TV, I can do it without the HTPC even being turned on... because my TV is a DLNA DMR.
I've heard of Relaunch mentioned in the past but never looked into it, I'll mess around and see how it goes. (might as well)

I too have a DLNA TV but unfortunately it's one of the very first generation Samsung ones. (so it's very minimal clunky) My camera see's "TV" as a choice, connects, but then fails when it trays to send a photo.

TV:
Image

Camera Connection:
Image

Fails:
Image

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#15

Post by barnabas1969 » Sun May 12, 2013 9:38 pm

Each DLNA DMR has it's own specifications as to what codecs, bit rates, etc. are supported. You may be trying to send pictures/videos to the TV that the TV cannot display. Check the TV's manual to find out what resolutions, codecs, and bit rates are supported.

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