Develop Bugs

[Review] Allshare Cast Dongle - lag/disconnection problems solved

Just got mine this morning. I was a little surprised it came next day from ordering because I never paid for express delivery.
Anyway when I opened it, I was surprised the dongle is so small and compact. It will be handy to take on trips.
l have just had a good play with it on my 47" hdtv and it's better than I thought it would be. There is only one button on it and it is used for resetting the dongle to use with other S3's. So when you first turn it on you must press reset to pair it with your S3. I did have to connect it a couple of times before it would stick but once it's connected, it will connect every time now.
The S3's screen is mirrored exactly. It will also auto rotate to fill your tv screen if your screen rotation is on. Although there is a slight delay when the screen rotates there is no delay when starting apps and games or viewing your pictures. Playing videos is not mirrored though using the stock video player. Unfortunately you can not use the S3 while watching video. It will stop playing if you exit the video player.
Browsing the Web on a large screen is a pretty good experience. It's great for sharing with others. When watching YouTube, your S3 screen will go black and it will fill the screen of your tv. You can still browse for related videos while its playing but not exit the playing YouTube video page otherwise it will stop. I really like this web browsing on a big screen while controlling it on my S3. I can see myself using the dongle for this a lot.
Now to the fun aspect of this dongle which is playing your mobile games on your big tv. I initially thought from video's I watched that there was going to be too much lag to play anything graphic intensive like modern combat 3 but I was wrong. It plays superbly. Like most people though playing a fps with a touch screen is too challenging so I play it with my dualshock 3 and I suddenly feel I am playing a game on a console. This is really what most people will get this dongle for. With more graphic rich games coming in the future this dongle will be really quick and convenient like a console to connect and play games on your big screen tv and not just Samsung tv's.
Verdict:
I think this is a wonderful addition to the S3. A must have if you want to browse the web, watch YouTube or play games on your big screen tv. It's worth the money I paid for it because it opens up a lot more options to enjoy your S3 to the fullest. I just wish it came out a lot sooner.
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Contents

1080p playback with an mkv with high bitrate runs smooth on it ?
Playing games with it, have video delay ?...

Further testing
I have tried a 720p mkv and it plays smooth. What the S3 can play will be streamed to your tv via the dongle. I will try a 1080p mkv later and report.
As for games, I have tried Modern combat 3, Gangstar rio, Shadowgun and Asphalt 7. All play without delay except Asphalt 7 as the graphics are moving so fast it can't keep up and the controls are very tricky. Asphalt 7 is currently free on samsung app store. It has a special dual screen mode which shows a map on the S3 while you play the game on your tv, but like I said its tricky to control. I will update the op on other games that play ok.
More testing.
I have played a 1080p mkv high bitrate 24fps Avatar movie which the S3 is capable of playing smoothly and it streams to the dongle and my tv very smooth. No audio sync problems I can see.

nice review, but sorry for question: if i have smart tv es6800 still i need that dongle to use allshare cast? somewhere i have read that smart tv with wifi-direct doesnt need that dongle

The biggest problem I'm having is the Audio/Video sync is fine playing videos but anything else including games or even just scrolling through the menus there's about a 1 second delay on audio where video is just a fraction of a second, and obviously there's no settings to fix this so it's pretty much ruined the whole thing for me.

Is it possible to change the audio output to the phones speakers? I have a HDMI computer monitor with no built in speakers.
Sent from my Galaxy S3

I will be getting this for gaming and surfing.......
with this i dont really see the need for a Tab anymore.....i mean the only reason i used my tab was a bigger screen, my phone is faster than my tab so i would love to use it on my super 60inch tv and take advantage.
thanks for the review, i was a little spectical but i think i will just pull the trigger and get it.

Sorry for my ignorance, but will this work to"share " movies from the Play store? I can stream YouTube videos now thru the Ps3 but not my movies I bought.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

g2uzer said:
Sorry for my ignorance, but will this work to"share " movies from the Play store? I can stream YouTube videos now thru the Ps3 but not my movies I bought.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All it does is "Mirror" everything you see on the S3 screen.
Meaning everything you can see on phone screen just gets transmitted to the Tv screen the same way a HDMI cable works.

Geordie Lad said:
All it does is "Mirror" everything you see on the S3 screen.
Meaning everything you can see on phone screen just gets transmitted to the Tv screen the same way a HDMI cable works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, sorry, didn't know, guess I should if read the description first lol, thanks
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

EdgaBimbam said:
nice review, but sorry for question: if i have smart tv es6800 still i need that dongle to use allshare cast? somewhere i have read that smart tv with wifi-direct doesnt need that dongle
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have read that Samsung's new 2012 models support Allshare Cast. It will probably require a firmware update but I'm not sure on that as I have yet to buy a new model. Check on the Samsung website or give them a call to find out.
nicky041192 said:
Is it possible to change the audio output to the phones speakers? I have a HDMI computer monitor with no built in speakers.
Sent from my Galaxy S3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see any sound change options or any settings for allshare cast. Plugging in headphones is not allowed either. It cuts the connection when you plug headphones into S3.
Geordie Lad said:
The biggest problem I'm having is the Audio/Video sync is fine playing videos but anything else including games or even just scrolling through the menus there's about a 1 second delay on audio where video is just a fraction of a second, and obviously there's no settings to fix this so it's pretty much ruined the whole thing for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not getting this audio delay on the games I tried except on Asphalt 7 racing game because its bonkers fast it can't keep up. Unplug and reset to pair again. That might fix it. Another thing to try is turn on game mode on your tv, that reduces the scan rate. It helps on my tv. By the way what s/w version you on. I've got LF21.

g2uzer said:
Lol, sorry, didn't know, guess I should if read the description first lol, thanks
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's still a valid question, because I know at least T-mobile TV is blocked when using the MHL adapter, and I would assume it's the same on this. Realizing that this is for the international version, and you don't have T-mobile TV, but I have also heard other apps, like HBO GO, detect the output and block it.
The part I am most surprised by is that you are telling me there is no lag? Have you tried any emulators? Mainly N64oid, and FPSE? If those run smoothly, I will be delighted!

I'm not using any paid movie service so I couldn't tell ya. If they use there own video player then they can probably block it. If you are using such a service please let us know.
I have not used those emulator apps you mention but from what I've played so far there is no mirroring lag of the S3. Asphalt 7 is now my favourite waste of time right now. It plays fast and now I have my sixaxis controller to play it with it's not a bad game. I particularly love the dual screen mode with the track displayed on the S3. The only lag or frame rate slowdown is because the game isn't optimised for the S3. Your large tv just displays 1 to 1 what the S3 shows. If the S3 is lagging it shows it on the tv screen. Anyway if the S3 can play those emulator games smoothly then it will mirror that on your tv.
I did have a slight delay when using the BLG8 stock rom. You can see this with the stopwatch app in the clock app. I then flashed the DLI4 jellybean leak and the delay has gone. As of now this is the best rom to use with this dongle.

Where i can get it ? dont find it anywhere

Deus_ex11 said:
I'm not using any paid movie service so I couldn't tell ya. If they use there own video player then they can probably block it. If you are using such a service please let us know.
I have not used those emulator apps you mention but from what I've played so far there is no mirroring lag of the S3. Asphalt 7 is now my favourite waste of time right now. It plays fast and now I have my sixaxis controller to play it with it's not a bad game. I particularly love the dual screen mode with the track displayed on the S3. The only lag or frame rate slowdown is because the game isn't optimised for the S3. Your large tv just displays 1 to 1 what the S3 shows. If the S3 is lagging it shows it on the tv screen. Anyway if the S3 can play those emulator games smoothly then it will mirror that on your tv.
I did have a slight delay when using the BLG8 stock rom. You can see this with the stopwatch app in the clock app. I then flashed the DLI4 jellybean leak and the delay has gone. As of now this is the best rom to use with this dongle.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's really interesting. The Jelly Bean rom has the best performance when using this device. Makes sense I supposed. Do most of the games you are playing have a dual mode, where the phone becomes some sort of controller instead of continuing to mirror the image? I am curious to see if you still had good results on a game that isn't optimized this way. Sorry to keep bothering you with essentially the same question, it's just that i would hate to drop $80-$100 on something that ended up being too laggy to use. Thanks a ton for the feedback.
---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:54 PM ----------
abovebeyondgal said:
Where i can get it ? dont find it anywhere
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is one place. http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-EAD-T...47386082&sr=8-1&keywords=allshare+cast+dongle

The only two with dual screen mode features are MC3 and Asphalt 7, both free on samsung app store. MC3 just displays the controls and Asphalt 7, the track. I particularly like it showing where the nitro and cash is on the track. I am looking out for more dual screen games.
Yes I was using the jellybean leak so I didn't have any lag delay from when I first tried it. Then I flashed ics blg8 and it was showing a visible delay.
Max Payne is very smooth as it is on the S3.

Has anyone that ordered thru Amazon already gotten theirs?

Try handtec.co.uk. They do international delivery. They are selling the EU version so i'm not sure it will work with an US S3. You could email to ask. It should cost about $85 if you choose Royal Mail delivered.

Have you test how this works with Bluetooth phone calls? I want to get this to integrated into my car display and act as a navigation but I don't want to loose my current in car Bluetooth. Also is there a option to turn off the phone display and only display the thru the dongle or a horizontal screen lock?
Thanks!

Bluetooth headset calling shouldn't be problem as you can turn on bluetooth while you are casting. I will try it with my headset.
As for connecting to your in-car display. You would need hdmi input on it and able to display in HD. You would also need a voltage converter to plug the power adapter into. It may not be possible without some ingenuity.
Turning the S3 screen off will also turn off on the other display.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

Allshare APK for CM10

Now, I know how much $h!t people give when you don't research, but I'd like to disclaim that I've looked at a lot of different posts (in xda) and other forums and am still at a loss to find allshare for the GS3.
I've tried the kyanAPPEND method, finding a stock rom and extracting it out of that, and a few other workarounds.
I'm still looking how to install the allshare framework and use it as it's intended.
Please help. Thank you.

What exactly do you want allshare for? There are 3rd party apps that do the same thing. Might I suggest imediashare or skifta.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda premium

I want to connect to my Samsung TV. It's fairly new and has allshare.

I have a Samsung TV as well. And have found that twonky video works a lot better and it let's you stream any video from almost all websites and your personal stuff
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

There you have it imediashare, skifty and twonky you'll find plenty of apps that replace allshare.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda premium

I personally use I media share paid version and I like how it ports to not just Samsung TVs but my apple TV. Not to mention it gets rid of that annoying allow popup.
AT&T SGS3
TEAM BAKED ROM Blackbean 5
Ktoonsez KT747 Kernel
Medical MJ supporter

mrnovanova said:
There you have it imediashare, skifty and twonky you'll find plenty of apps that replace allshare.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dankest said:
I personally use I media share paid version and I like how it ports to not just Samsung TVs but my apple TV. Not to mention it gets rid of that annoying allow popup.
AT&T SGS3
TEAM BAKED ROM Blackbean 5
Ktoonsez KT747 Kernel
Medical MJ supporter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do any of these allow full mirroring? I think AllShare allows a full mirror image unless it is playing a video then the screen on the phone goes black to save battery.

thacounty said:
Do any of these allow full mirroring? I think AllShare allows a full mirror image unless it is playing a video then the screen on the phone goes black to save battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a feature called AllShare Cast - different from the media sharing AllShare. There is no equivalent 3rd party option; it's a proprietary Samsung thing.
As of right now there is no way to use any of the AllShare components on non-TouchWiz ROMs... and it most certainly will never be possible.

radeon_x said:
That's a feature called AllShare Cast - different from the media sharing AllShare. There is no equivalent 3rd party option; it's a proprietary Samsung thing.
As of right now there is no way to use any of the AllShare components on non-TouchWiz ROMs... and it most certainly will never be possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might I add you also have to buy the allshare cast dongle since as of yet there is no allshare cast compatible tv.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda premium

Sucks about AllShare. I have used it to connect to my computer files (samsung laptop) and i have a samsung Blu Ray player with wifi that worked with it.

Volume control?
Allshare allows control of your tvs volume as well, do these apps perform this function?
And does anyone actually know where to find allshare or are we all against the use of it? haha

Does anyone know of a similar app that will work with LG TVs?

Yajirobe said:
Allshare allows control of your tvs volume as well, do these apps perform this function?
And does anyone actually know where to find allshare or are we all against the use of it? haha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not hard to find - take it from any stock ROM package. It just won't work on AOSP ROMs.
And yes, BubbleUPnP will (or at least should) control renderer (TV) volume.

I use my samsung galaxy tab to view content of my amdroid phone.. any app for this?
Sent from my GT-I9103 using Tapatalk 2

I like BubbleUpNP. Its on the play store and its free.
I use it with my BluRay player to stream content from my phone onto my TV. I can stream on the Xbox, PS3.
If you buy the license, I did, it lets you search through all the files on your phone and you can set up an internet server too, so you can stream to a device via the web.
Its pretty cool.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

hoss9009 said:
Now, I know how much $h!t people give when you don't research, but I'd like to disclaim that I've looked at a lot of different posts (in xda) and other forums and am still at a loss to find allshare for the GS3.
I've tried the kyanAPPEND method, finding a stock rom and extracting it out of that, and a few other workarounds.
I'm still looking how to install the allshare framework and use it as it's intended.
Please help. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1803436 I have an epic4gtouch on cm10.1 that I'm about to try this on. I have tried all the other upnp/dlna apps and to me they are horrible and buggy even with the stock rom.. allshare has always worked great with my Samsung "non-smart"lcd tv with allshare (just has an ethernet input in the back) and my Samsung laptop running ps3media server. I hope the link helps you out, since only a couple people addressed your question and not tell you to try bubbleUpnp... Home dia is the closest decent one..

screen mirroring and video streaming to HDTV?

I am looking to find a good device that's compatible with my 10.1 2014 edition Note, and will stream video, along with screen mirroring if possible, all to my HDTV. I have a 32" Samsung smart TV that does this flawlessly but I want to also be able to do this with my 42" Panasonic Plasma TV (It has USB ports but does not appear to have DLNA or any method of streaming video since it does not have wifi built in.) I know there's the Samsung brand Allshare device, but I've heard quite a bit of negative feedback about it. Ultimately I want something that will be reliable, and will also stream 1080p video. I saw that there are various Miracast devices, but many that I have seen do not have especially great reviews. I saw that the Roku devices can send video to an HDTV but it seems that they only do this with select Android devices, and I wasn't able to find a list of compatible devices on the Roku.com website. Lastly I was also thinking that I could possibly stream video to my Panasonic TV if I got a wifi USB stick, but I'm not sure if this would allow DLNA/video streaming. Any help with finding a device for my tablet that would allow me to stream video to my TV would be most appreciated.

Mugenakuma said:
I am looking to find a good device that's compatible with my 10.1 2014 edition Note, and will stream video, along with screen mirroring if possible, all to my HDTV. I have a 32" Samsung smart TV that does this flawlessly but I want to also be able to do this with my 42" Panasonic Plasma TV (It has USB ports but does not appear to have DLNA or any method of streaming video since it does not have wifi built in.) I know there's the Samsung brand Allshare device, but I've heard quite a bit of negative feedback about it. Ultimately I want something that will be reliable, and will also stream 1080p video. I saw that there are various Miracast devices, but many that I have seen do not have especially great reviews. I saw that the Roku devices can send video to an HDTV but it seems that they only do this with select Android devices, and I wasn't able to find a list of compatible devices on the Roku.com website. Lastly I was also thinking that I could possibly stream video to my Panasonic TV if I got a wifi USB stick, but I'm not sure if this would allow DLNA/video streaming. Any help with finding a device for my tablet that would allow me to stream video to my TV would be most appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've the AllShare Cast Hub and if work well with Note 10.1.
Better than using S3 or S4. With them I've a lot of random disconnections.
Unfortunately AllShare Cast Hub stream only at 720p ancd not at 1080p. On the box I can read 1080p, but I've NEVER got this kind of connection with S3, S4 or Note 10.1.

Thanks for the reply. I'll definitely consider the Allshare box, although I may just go with a hard wired MHL2 connection since I really want to get 1080p.

Just found this IOGEAR box that isn't released till 12/20/2013, yet it looks like it may be exactly what I'm looking for! http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815290053
Guess I'll have to wait till its released to see how it performs, and if it works well with my tablet.

It's not screen mirroring, but have you checked out Google Chromecast? I don't have one, but it looks promising and may be the simplest and cheapest solution for what you're looking for.

Do you have a Samsung smart tv? I have a 6500 and my s4 and this note 10.1 2014 screen mirrors fine in 1080. It may be the TV you have? If you don't have a Samsung smart TV the the All share hub is likely what you're looking at to achieve your goal.

zamboniman87 said:
It's not screen mirroring, but have you checked out Google Chromecast? I don't have one, but it looks promising and may be the simplest and cheapest solution for what you're looking for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried the Chromecast and wasn't satisfied. On lifejacket there's a good article about the pros and con's http://lifehacker.com/google-chromecast-does-it-deserve-a-place-in-your-livi-945082974
I think a Roku will be a good solution for many people, but if you take time to read about all the miracast products you may find a really good and inexpensive way to do it.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app

I'm using this little guy: NetGear Push2TV
got mine at Amazon - can't provide the link since I'm too new here.
Works pretty well on any WiDi enabled device: tablet, phone, laptop, etc.

tjoebgen said:
I'm using this little guy: NetGear Push2TV
got mine at Amazon - can't provide the link since I'm too new here.
Works pretty well on any WiDi enabled device: tablet, phone, laptop, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the Netgear Push2tv, had it for a few days and returned it. Even with the latest firmware it frequently disconnected. I just got that iOgear box I linked above and it works flawlessly, all in 1080p.

I have been looking for a way to connect my note to my TV. My TV is 4 years old and not smart lol. So this IOGear box just streams files? or does it mirror the tablet on the tv? I use VLC player on my note. Is the playback sluggish or fast enough to watch large files?

Wilan84 said:
I have been looking for a way to connect my note to my TV. My TV is 4 years old and not smart lol. So this IOGear box just streams files? or does it mirror the tablet on the tv? I use VLC player on my note. Is the playback sluggish or fast enough to watch large files?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an older plasma Panasonic that is somewhat "smart" but doesn't have built in wifi. The ioGear will work with just about any tv but I definitely needs an hdmi input, and I believe a usb input. Streaming runs beautifully even when running 1080p video files that are over 2 GB. I use MX player (the free version.)

Mugenakuma said:
I got the Netgear Push2tv, had it for a few days and returned it. Even with the latest firmware it frequently disconnected. I just got that iOgear box I linked above and it works flawlessly, all in 1080p.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this support full screen sharing of just transmission of movies and pictures like all share. Could I for example share BBC iplayer or a video running inside the Firefox browser?
Sent from my SM-P605 using Tapatalk

dcoales said:
Does this support full screen sharing of just transmission of movies and pictures like all share. Could I for example share BBC iplayer or a video running inside the Firefox browser?
Sent from my SM-P605 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it supports all of that.

Screen Mirroring over WiFi-Direct
I got it working with my Note 3, I can connect my Note3 via WiFi Direct to my TV
BUT.....
Is there way to turn off my display of Note 3 ?

I use Screen Standby... takes a little bit of setup, but works well.

AestenD said:
I use Screen Standby... takes a little bit of setup, but works well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For screen mirroring ? (without using hdmi cable)
can you please write what you setup ?

I use my ps3 and I know Xbox works as well. Install skifta and you can move all your media files to you movie folder and it works perfect for what I use it for. Which is watching torrent movies in 1080p on my 60inch TV
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

RussellEstridge25 said:
I use my ps3 and I know Xbox works as well. Install skifta and you can move all your media files to you movie folder and it works perfect for what I use it for. Which is watching torrent movies in 1080p on my 60inch TV
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried this but only get "Playback errors" when try to play a video or movie.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app

jjdevega said:
I tried this but only get "Playback errors" when try to play a video or movie.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently stopped using skifta cause of that. Just turn on near by devices under settings/connections and then go to video on your ps3 and learn in media servers
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Q] Buying First Ever Tablet - General & galaxy tab & note 10" questions

Hi there! I'm an old-fashioned windows 7 pc user with NO smart phone or android experience. I've never had a touch screen device besides a nintendo DS! However, now that I'm thinking of taking vacations & loving watching more tv and media, I'm in the market for a portable media-consumption device that can cooperate with my existing media library on my windows 7 desktop and external HDD's.
Now, the market is flooded, black friday is upon us, and I'm LOST in a sea of devices and options. Please help me figure out what I need to look for.
I have a budget of about $500 (+/-) and want a ~10in tablet with a full HD or greater display that is ideal for viewing HD media either indoors or out and fair battery life. Decent keyboard and gamepad peripheral options are also somewhat important.
The main problems I am facing are doubts about connectivity and compatibility. I have hundreds of GB of HD video (mpeg4/h264 in .mkv files) including many subtitled files, and mp3 music stored on my wireless-g networked home pc & external hard disk drives (one with its own power source and once toshiba canvio that just plugs in via USB) that I wish to have accessible for playback on my mobile device. When at home I would like to play videos that are already on my networked PC or its harddrives through the network, or at least the ability to play external files on drives via usb. When travelling, I would like to bring either an microsdhc (the highest capacity available, 128gb?) or my 1tb canvio portabl HDD.
I've done some research on video playback and windows network filesharing, but without any android experience feel very lost. What are my options (Both tablet models and apps/software/accessories that work well) for playback of media at home, when my tablet is connected to the same wifi as my PC? (e.g. watching tv in bed) Conversely, what are my options for portable entertainment and storage?
I'd prefer not to have to root, as this will be a heavy investment in my first portable device - but if I must, I will - but keep in mind I am an absolute novice.
secondary considerations to viewing my existing library of media files are gamepad and keyboard peripherals - ease of connectivity and availability/best models.
Finally, I have read a variety of reviews and narrowed my choices to the galaxy tab S 10.1, note 10.1, asus transformer pad line, or sony xperia latest gen. However, this was just a overview of existing 2013/2014 models and as I have never owned older tablets or android devices, really I am more concerned with how to achieve my aforementioned goals on any device, and then picking the best device for my needs.
Thank you!!

For videos the screen of the tab s makes a huge difference. But you'll need someone to help for debloating and some android tricks to get this device to its full potential. Video codecs or connectivity won't be an issue.

Also you might have some SD card problems because of kitkat. Root can fix that. The tab s can break really easy if dropped and is expensive to replace.

Hmm - can anyone please share specifics as to how I could access media on my windows pc (on the same wifi network) on a tablet? I saw info about an app called splashtop... would this be the way to go? If not, what is? AFAIK android doesn't have CIFS support...
I don't want to buy any tablet at all if I can't connect to view HD media that is already on my pc. connecting a harddrive via usb would be OK, but cumbersome for bed-viewing, etc. And, the Tab S only has the micro usb port. Halp?

As far as your concerns with playing media spend 5 bucks on the google play store and get Mx Player Pro it literally plays everything and plays it so beautifully on a tab s screen which is the absolute best screen on a tablet. Also I saw a thread something about staples you can get the tab s 10 inch for 300 bucks which is a steal since it's normally 500 bucks. Think it's in the general tab. Cheers.

Thanks CCieslin, I was already planning on getting mxplayer as I heard good things about it.
My real question is, how do I get it to play media that exists on my home pc, not my tablet's internal memory or SD card?

my 10.5 is arriving tomorrow. this will be my first tablet and first samsung device.
i am having a good read on things as I have absolutely no experience on a sammy device.

Emirena said:
Hmm - can anyone please share specifics as to how I could access media on my windows pc (on the same wifi network) on a tablet? I saw info about an app called splashtop... would this be the way to go? If not, what is? AFAIK android doesn't have CIFS support...
I don't want to buy any tablet at all if I can't connect to view HD media that is already on my pc. connecting a harddrive via usb would be OK, but cumbersome for bed-viewing, etc. And, the Tab S only has the micro usb port. Halp?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Install Plex on the PC. Then you can use the client on the tablet. Plex is about the best for media servers. You can choose to sync the content to the tablet (that may still be a pay feature) or stream it. You can also set it up to stream outside your network.

nicholb said:
Install Plex on the PC. Then you can use the client on the tablet. Plex is about the best for media servers. You can choose to sync the content to the tablet (that may still be a pay feature) or stream it. You can also set it up to stream outside your network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I found a review of "top free DLNA media center apps" on a blog that led me in this direction!
I hate to say, Ccieslin, that staples was a bunch of a-holes and refused to give me the $299 price - it was either price match the online price (they lowered it to $399 too) or get $100 off the STORE price (which is still $499!! WTF!) and the argued with me and insisted that the staples.com website prices have NOTHING to do with in-store prices and the website and stores are "separate operations" despite having store info, in stock searches, and coupons for in-store use. They claim the coupon was mis-printed and that it was meant to say "$100 off tablets at normal price of $400+" not "normally priced $400+" what a disaster.
We ended up getting it, but elsewhere.
Now, people mention removing bloat - where to start? Rooting, obviously - something I've never done - and I assume installing some different UI or ROM? And, will an OTG cable alone enable external NTFS storage, or am I stuck with the microsd unless I hax?
Thanks for all the help.

Emirena said:
Thanks! I found a review of "top free DLNA media center apps" on a blog that led me in this direction!
I hate to say, Ccieslin, that staples was a bunch of a-holes and refused to give me the $299 price - it was either price match the online price (they lowered it to $399 too) or get $100 off the STORE price (which is still $499!! WTF!) and the argued with me and insisted that the staples.com website prices have NOTHING to do with in-store prices and the website and stores are "separate operations" despite having store info, in stock searches, and coupons for in-store use. They claim the coupon was mis-printed and that it was meant to say "$100 off tablets at normal price of $400+" not "normally priced $400+" what a disaster.
We ended up getting it, but elsewhere.
Now, people mention removing bloat - where to start? Rooting, obviously - something I've never done - and I assume installing some different UI or ROM? And, will an OTG cable alone enable external NTFS storage, or am I stuck with the microsd unless I hax?
Thanks for all the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For rooting there's a thread in the android development. Rooting just installs root and doesn't wipe everything. You can install a custom recovery to install a custom ROM like cm11. Idk about otg as I never owned one. To remove bloat just root and download an app called system app remover and pick the stuffmyou don't need. Hope this helps!

Emirena said:
Hmm - can anyone please share specifics as to how I could access media on my windows pc (on the same wifi network) on a tablet? I saw info about an app called splashtop... would this be the way to go? If not, what is? AFAIK android doesn't have CIFS support...
I don't want to buy any tablet at all if I can't connect to view HD media that is already on my pc. connecting a harddrive via usb would be OK, but cumbersome for bed-viewing, etc. And, the Tab S only has the micro usb port. Halp?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can definitely play streaming media:
- from pc or device shared in pc
- from other device as note 3 or galaxy s4 s5
- from an hd connected on a router (if your router has that feature)
- from a pendrive or hd connected on note/s (ntfs will require paragon ntfs or other)
- from a cloud
to:
- your tab screen or
- smart tv on same network
you can even play through tab a video located on your note3 to your smart tv. works like a charm.
no need for root or any special sw. I just use es file manager free and a secondary free video player to handle some formats not supported by stock player as flv .
the native file manager can not stream movies over ftp an not handle lan setup. es file mgr can. shame on you samsung! ?
hope this helps you to clarify the possibilities.
use any cheap wifi router to put everybody at same lan and you'll succeed. works over wan too.
cheers
ss of network panel es file mgr set lans ftps clouds .....
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Sent from my SM-T805M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

aldrighi said:
You can definitely play streaming media:
- from pc or device shared in pc
- from other device as note 3 or galaxy s4 s5
- from an hd connected on a router (if your router has that feature)
- from a pendrive or hd connected on note/s (ntfs will require paragon ntfs or other)
- from a cloud
to:
- your tab screen or
- smart tv on same network
you can even play through tab a video located on your note3 to your smart tv. works like a charm.
no need for root or any special sw. I just use es file manager free and a secondary free video player to handle some formats not supported by stock player as flv .
the native file manager can not stream movies over ftp an not handle lan setup. es file mgr can. shame on you samsung! ?
hope this helps you to clarify the possibilities.
use any cheap wifi router to put everybody at same lan and you'll succeed. works over wan too.
cheers
ss of network panel es file mgr set lans ftps clouds .....
Sent from my SM-T805M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DUHAsianSKILLZ said:
For rooting there's a thread in the android development. Rooting just installs root and doesn't wipe everything. You can install a custom recovery to install a custom ROM like cm11. Idk about otg as I never owned one. To remove bloat just root and download an app called system app remover and pick the stuffmyou don't need. Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! both of you helped a lot. @duhasianSKILLS:I found some info on the odin root program for the galaxy tab S 10.5 . I'll look into custom recovery and ROM's - any recommendations for a noob who doesn't know what a custom recovery even is? So, to clarify, the majority of the lag/bloat on the 10.5 is due to programs apps and features you can just disable once you've got a custom ROM installed? Seems simple enough to clean up, then.
@aldrighi: awesome - so esfilemanager is an alternative to DLNA media server programs like PLEX? I read into plex a bit and was surprised that it sounded like proper filenaming and tagging was required to stream files - I have a lot of obscure or custom videos and a huge library - I really don't want to have to go through and rename hundreds upon hundreds of files just to play them!
great advice. I'm currently purchasing a case (the samsung book cover is sold out on amazon atm - only alternative is keyboard case - might just grab the keyboard while I'm at it, seems useful!) , OTG cable, Ps4 controller, and microSDHC 128gb

Emirena said:
Thanks! both of you helped a lot. @duhasianSKILLS:I found some info on the odin root program for the galaxy tab S 10.5 . I'll look into custom recovery and ROM's - any recommendations for a noob who doesn't know what a custom recovery even is? So, to clarify, the majority of the lag/bloat on the 10.5 is due to programs apps and features you can just disable once you've got a custom ROM installed? Seems simple enough to clean up, then.
@aldrighi: awesome - so esfilemanager is an alternative to DLNA media server programs like PLEX? I read into plex a bit and was surprised that it sounded like proper filenaming and tagging was required to stream files - I have a lot of obscure or custom videos and a huge library - I really don't want to have to go through and rename hundreds upon hundreds of files just to play them!
great advice. I'm currently purchasing a case (the samsung book cover is sold out on amazon atm - only alternative is keyboard case - might just grab the keyboard while I'm at it, seems useful!) , OTG cable, Ps4 controller, and microSDHC 128gb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the lag will be gone if you install a custom rom. Right now I'm on stock rooted and run in gym a custom kernel. You won't really need a custom kernel since custom kernels are mostly for tweaking CPU, Gpu etc. If you root then you can disable apps like Knox, screen saver etc. So stock Rom with root is your best bet. That's how I started out. Custom recoveries is a recovery with a better UI and more features than stock. And it can also save you from bricking your tablet. They are easy to install (automated for you!) and just requires root.
Knox is an app/feature that's supposed to protect you from stuff. It's really useless and drains battery. As long you install apps from the play store and safe ones from the browser, there's no need for it. That's why custom roms don't have Knox. Google already has strengen security on kitkat and lollipop so there's no need for Knox.
As for custom roms they are developed for customization and better performance. Cm11 is a good one if you like skins and a better UI. Hope this helps!
BTW you get 8 hours of screen time if you leave it on constantly. Very great battery life!
Sent from SMT800 using Tapatalk.
-Helper around Tab S forums√
Active Everyday√

A Simple and Quick just get DLNA playing my net Videos
Emirena said:
Hi there! I'm an old-fashioned windows 7 pc user with NO smart phone or android experience. I've never had a touch screen device besides a nintendo DS! However, now that I'm thinking of taking vacations & loving watching more tv and media, I'm in the market for a portable media-consumption device that can cooperate with my existing media library on my windows 7 desktop and external HDD's.
...
Thank you!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just picked up my 11th Android tablet (Tab S 8.4) since 2008 so figured I'd try to play the NOOB and just start with getting it to Play from my Lan's Mediaserver as easily as possible... I've used multiple 'Favorite' Players and DLNA Client/Servers over the years but will just note the 2 I would suggest to anyone wanting to unbox and be watching a movie in first 30 min... ( I did cheat and use Odin to root in 10min. first but these apps don't require it!)...
I loaded ''MX Player Pro" (well worth a donation) from the Play store as my 'Strongly' suggested player of choice... and also installed the ' BubbleUPnP' DLNA client/server from the Play store... configuration of the DLNA client is very intuitive, and then choose something to Play and when it asked what player to use select 'MX Player' and click Always.... ten minutes start to finish and watching my movie!

Be aware that if you root your tab it will void the warranty. Samsung will know that you rooted it because there's a trip wire they can check. Knox isn't there to protect YOU, it's to protect THEM!

jtbnet said:
I just picked up my 11th Android tablet (Tab S 8.4) since 2008 so figured I'd try to play the NOOB and just start with getting it to Play from my Lan's Mediaserver as easily as possible... I've used multiple 'Favorite' Players and DLNA Client/Servers over the years but will just note the 2 I would suggest to anyone wanting to unbox and be watching a movie in first 30 min... ( I did cheat and use Odin to root in 10min. first but these apps don't require it!)...
I loaded ''MX Player Pro" (well worth a donation) from the Play store as my 'Strongly' suggested player of choice... and also installed the ' BubbleUPnP' DLNA client/server from the Play store... configuration of the DLNA client is very intuitive, and then choose something to Play and when it asked what player to use select 'MX Player' and click Always.... ten minutes start to finish and watching my movie!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is super helpful, thank you a million!
BubbleUPnP, huh? I just looked at the link about the server app - does this handle all local media hosting/directory sharing? I don't have a "server" per se, just my personal computer with win 7, which supports DLNA through OS, right? I assume this eliminates the need for windows fileshares that android doesn't support, anyway.
It mentions foobar 2000 - have you used bubbleupnp in conjunction with foobar? Is it required? I use winamp to play my music on windows, due to the more minimal UI, but would be interested in sharing my music dir to my tablet as well. The reduced bandwidth bulletpoint is below the foobar heading, sounds useful! If you have any tips or shortcuts, feel free to shrea. :highfive:

[APP] SecondScreen - Eliminate lag when Miracasting your phone to Fire Tv/Stick

SecondScreen - Eliminate lag when Miracasting your phone to Fire Tv/Stick​
This app doesn't do the casting - it simply changes your phone resolution to match your TV which eliminates the lag when using miracast
This app allows you to change your phones screen res so you can miracast it to your Fire TV with no lag.
This app requires your phone to be rooted.
Your phone must be capable of Miracasting. If your phone does not support miracast you may be able to enable it by adding/changing the following line to your build.prop and restarting the phone then enable wireless display by pressing the 3 dots on the top right of the cast screen settings page found in
phone settings > display > cast screen
Code:
persist.debug.wfd.enable=1
Instructions
Download SecondScreen from the playstore
SecondScreen Download Link
Open it and create a profile
As a guide here is mine based on my Moto G 4g XT1039
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Once done and applied your screen res on your phone will change and you can start casting via your phones native cast screen to miracast with no lag
Once finished just pull down the status bar and stop SecondScreen (or restart your phone)

TheFixItMan said:
SecondScreen - Miracast Your Phone To The Fire TV With No Lag​
This app allows you to change your phones screen res so you can miracast it to your Fire TV with no lag.
This app requires your phone to be rooted.
Your phone must be capable of Miracasting. If your phone does not support miracast you may be able to enable it by adding/changing the following line to your build.prop and restarting the phone then enable wfd from the cast screen menu via the 3 dots
Code:
persist.debug.wfd.enable=1
Instructions
Download SecondScreen from the playstore
SecondScreen Download Link
Open it and create a profile
As a guide here is mine based on my Moto G 4g XT1039
Once done and applied your screen res on your phone will change and you can start casting with no lag
Once finished just pull down the status bar and stop SecondScreen (or restart your phone)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Coolest thing ive seen here in awhile. To my surprise, i didnt need to edit the build.prop. But my htc phone has no miracast support. Youre thread helped me find a missing link which was a playstore app not available in the US. BUT it was on blackmart. It worked with secondscreen app. Thanks.

What would this be useful for?
Serious question. I have had various screen mirror alternatives (including the one built in to the firetv) and could never find a use for them. I just cant see what I would want it for.

KLit75 said:
Coolest thing ive seen here in awhile. To my surprise, i didnt need to edit the build.prop. But my htc phone has no miracast support. Youre thread helped me find a missing link which was a playstore app not available in the US. BUT it was on blackmart. It worked with secondscreen app. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The build.prop line is to enable miracast if your phone does not have it enabled by default - Think it requires android 4.2 and above
jarayn said:
What would this be useful for?
Serious question. I have had various screen mirror alternatives (including the one built in to the firetv) and could never find a use for them. I just cant see what I would want it for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This app doesn't actually do the casting - your phone needs to be able to cast itself
What this app does is to change the resolution of your phone to match that of the TV for casting which eliminates the lag when miracasting your phones screen onto the tv
Then what ever is currently on your phone screen is displayed on the TV

Well after reading your op and failing to get it to work I found that my phone has support in build.prop but no cast screen setting to enable (supposedly its hidden). When I start the WiFi display (miracast) app it automatically launches the second screen app you said to install. From there i select my profile and I'm actually mirroring the device (dont ask how or why it works like that.) I haven't tested much but lag was mostly undetectable. This is something I've wanted for awhile. I can cast youtube with my android tablet but don't use it much for that. However, being able to mirror my phone on a big screen is very useful to me. This is the first time I've done it since retiring apple TV a year ago.

KLit75 said:
Well after reading your op and failing to get it to work I found that my phone has support in build.prop but no cast screen setting to enable (supposedly its hidden). When I start the WiFi display (miracast) app it automatically launches the second screen app you said to install. From there i select my profile and I'm actually mirroring the device (dont ask how or why it works like that.) I haven't tested much but lag was mostly undetectable. This is something I've wanted for awhile. I can cast youtube with my android tablet but don't use it much for that. However, being able to mirror my phone on a big screen is very useful to me. This is the first time I've done it since retiring apple TV a year ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you found a use for it

TheFixItMan said:
Glad you found a use for it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I thought i had discovered actual screen casting earlier (what you intended to teach)
When i launched wifi display app i found that my phone doesnt have a "cast screen" option however in settings/media output there was a new option for my fire tv. So i thought i had figured it out. I quit everything then just attempted launch second screen app but when i went back into media output the option was gone and wouldnt reappear.
Strange...for me it wont work without that wifi display app...not complaining because it basically does what i wanted.
The only thing that could be better is the aftv itself. Its kinda crappy that you need to navigate to the "enable mirroring" on aftv. Apple tv, an inferior box by most accounts, does this particular task very easily and has for a long time now.
Thanks again for the post.

KLit75 said:
Thanks. I thought i had discovered actual screen casting earlier (what you intended to teach)
When i launched wifi display app i found that my phone doesnt have a "cast screen" option however in settings/media output there was a new option for my fire tv. So i thought i had figured it out. I quit everything then just attempted launch second screen app but when i went back into media output the option was gone and wouldnt reappear.
Strange...for me it wont work without that wifi display app...not complaining because it basically does what i wanted.
The only thing that could be better is the aftv itself. Its kinda crappy that you need to navigate to the "enable mirroring" on aftv. Apple tv, an inferior box by most accounts, does this particular task very easily and has for a long time now.
Thanks again for the post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should be able to use wifi direct (if your phone supports it) to directly cast video stored on your device If your phone & fire tv is connected to the same network
There's 3 ways of doing it
1- use an app called allcast or allconect from the playstore
Install app on phone
Install the allcast receiver app or allconect receiver on fire tv
Open receiver app
Search for devices on your phone with the all cast app
Or
2- Create a media server on the fire box
Install bubbleupnp on both your phone and fire tv
Install bubbleupnp server launcher on the fire box
Start the server & configure it on both devices
Open bubbleupnp on the box
You can then cast video from any app that supports screen cast by opening the streams in the bubbleupnp app on your phone making sure you have set the receiver to the fire box
You can also use method 2 to stream stuff from kodi playing on your phone to the box but this requires a config file but I have done it and it works
Or
3 - install allconect app from playstore
Install kodi
Set kodi to receive airplay from settings-services-airplay
Now open allconect up and it should be able to detect kodi as a media streamer and you can cast videos or apps that support screen cast assuming both devices are on the same network but this method also works if your fire tv is connected to your phones wifi hotspot

KLit75 said:
Thanks. I thought i had discovered actual screen casting earlier (what you intended to teach)
When i launched wifi display app i found that my phone doesnt have a "cast screen" option however in settings/media output there was a new option for my fire tv. So i thought i had figured it out. I quit everything then just attempted launch second screen app but when i went back into media output the option was gone and wouldnt reappear.
Strange...for me it wont work without that wifi display app...not complaining because it basically does what i wanted.
The only thing that could be better is the aftv itself. Its kinda crappy that you need to navigate to the "enable mirroring" on aftv. Apple tv, an inferior box by most accounts, does this particular task very easily and has for a long time now.
Thanks again for the post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do not have to naviigate, just hold down the home button for a couple seconds and just click where it says mirroring

Im using miracast dongle to mirror my screen on my samsung tv. Im getting some pixeliness and some lag. Tried to lower the resolution with secound screen app, and the lag got a bit better but HD videos still look crappy.
Any ideas?

Thanks for your app. I see that there are a variety of resolutions, but ... All dongles support this like ezcast? I like to try this in a 1280x1024 VGA monitor with a Miracast and HDMI to VGA adapter.