warning could not directly access media. will attempt to stream. use unc path on server for direct playback

[thousandbuckle 0]

I have recently upgraded to MediaBrowser 3 Server and upgraded the MB Client on my Windows 7 Media Center PC as well to  Ver 3.0.74.0 B10-3.1. After updating the MB client on the Windows PC I get the following error below and the movie will not play. It just sits on the backdrop graphic.

 

**"warning could not directly access media. will attempt to stream. use unc path on server for direct playback"**

 

If I uninstall the upgrade MB client and go back to the older version the DVD's play fine. Can some one help me figure out what the issue is?

[crashkelly 62]

Hi,

 

Are MB3 and MBC on the same machine?

 

Check out http://mediabrowser.tv/community/index.php?/topic/703-how-to-make-unc-folder-shares/ as it solved some of my access problems when I moved MB3 to a separate system than MBC

 

Also, please read http://mediabrowser.tv/community/index.php?/topic/739-how-to-report-a-problem/ as it will assist greatly when seeking help.

 

Thanks

[ebr 14942]

Just as the warning message says - you need to define your library on the server using UNC paths.  There is also a bold warning on the page where you define your library saying the same thing.

 

Don't point to your media with mapped drives (D:).  Instead, point to it using a UNC path (\\servername\share).

[thousandbuckle 0]

Thank you for the fast response I never figured that mapping to the local drive would be the problem. I was trying to find something in the client to map the unc path to the server.

 

I followed the document from crashkelly and it was exactly what I neeed, I will also follow the problem reporting process you linked to as well. Media is playing over the client now.....Many Thanks to both of you.

[crashkelly 62]

Thank you for the fast response I never figured that mapping to the local drive would be the problem. I was trying to find something in the client to map the unc path to the server.

 

I followed the document from crashkelly and it was exactly what I neeed, I will also follow the problem reporting process you linked to as well. Media is playing over the client now.....Many Thanks to both of you.

 

Glad I could help

 

Cheers

[Info1 13]

Hello,

 

I am getting the above error message as well, happens on my Xbox 360 or local Media browser session.

 

It is for my series but the weird part is I only get it for a couple of the video's in the directory other play fine. I do not have networked drives all are in my media server box where I run MB3 or the extender maps to. I compare the video types and they are AVI's.

 

All play fine in Windows media center. Any suggestions would help.

 

Thanks

 

M

[ebr 14942]

You still need to use UNC paths.

[Info1 13]

You still need to use UNC paths.

Thanks but when did this change? All was good until recently? Like stated above for example one series has 44 episodes. All play fine except the latest last 4? Seems to impact only new files.

 

Little frustrating to be honest as it was working just fine. Will remap all the drives and directories tomorrow.

 

Thanks

 

m

[Yogi 367]

Nothing has changed this has always been the case that you should use UNC paths,it even says that when you do the initial set it up

 

Maybe you have just been lucky and things have worked in the past.

[ebr 14942]

Are you sure those aren't future or missing?

[Info1 13]

Are you sure those aren't future or missing?

Yup been my setup since day 1.

 

11 seasons of Family Guy no issues except recently, last 3 weeks.

 

2 seasons of Anger Management same deal, last 3 episodes will not play but play with native windows media center. Not sure why this only impact recent files in a local directly that was mapped in Media servers a N:\series.

 

Will remap the drives on the weekend when I have time.

 

Thanks

 

m

[ebr 14942]

 Not sure why this only impact recent files in a local directly that was mapped in Media servers a N:\series.

 

Because the MBC machine cannot see "N:\series".

 

You just need to change the media locations in the dashboard.  Change "N:\series" to "\\machinename\sharename\series".  Or just use the network link when you pick them in the dialog.

 

This is nothing new.  MBC has always needed to have direct access to the media in order to play it properly.  It will try and stream it but it won't work most of the time and won't work well when it does.

[Info1 13]

Because the MBC machine cannot see "N:\series".

 

You just need to change the media locations in the dashboard.  Change "N:\series" to "\\machinename\sharename\series".  Or just use the network link when you pick them in the dialog.

 

This is nothing new.  MBC has always needed to have direct access to the media in order to play it properly.  It will try and stream it but it won't work most of the time and won't work well when it does.

 

I hear what you are saying ebr, my point was this was working fine with N:\Series up until the release, or around then, that added the "start as service" which would require the map to be UNC as drives are not mapped until you log in.

 

Set the drive names to \\server\n\series and deleted the other mappings. Library is scanning. Video's that did not play before are being presented. So all looks good but in hindsight I am doing a full media scan, just for kicks I might put the n:\series back and rescan to see if it picks up the media...

 

Thanks for you fast response and for this great community of support.

 

Mark

[MoNkLorD 0]

Ive been getting this error past two days and switched unc from \\servername\media\movies to \\192.168.x.x\media\movies

 

and still get the error

Edited January 11, 2014 by MoNkLorD

[ebr 14942]

Then it is probably an access permissions issue.  Basically, whatever windows user/machine is running MBC needs to be able to access that UNC share.

[mediaGuy 8]

I have this issue on my system as well (sometimes).

My media is on a NAS and MB3/MBC are installed on my HTPC, all shares are UNC.

 

Most of the time it works fine but every few days I'll get the warning listed above and am unable to play any media.

My only way to fix t is to reboot the HTPC.

[ebr 14942]

I have this issue on my system as well (sometimes).

My media is on a NAS and MB3/MBC are installed on my HTPC, all shares are UNC.

 

Most of the time it works fine but every few days I'll get the warning listed above and am unable to play any media.

My only way to fix t is to reboot the HTPC.

 

Your HTPC is losing its network connection to your NAS.  Maybe it is going to sleep?

[MrLinford 54]

I had the same issue only when playing media on my XBOX 360.

 

Server: 3.0.5115.35703

Classic: 3.0.108.0 B1-7.1

 

Media library is pointing to '\\Tranquility\e\Movies\'

 

Media plays fine on web client and on MB Classic on the same machine as the server.

 

I had everyone set to Read/Write for sharing the E drive, but had to add sharing to the Folders under E drive to get this working again!

 

Hope this helps others.

[mediaGuy 8]

Your HTPC is losing its network connection to your NAS.  Maybe it is going to sleep?

HTPC or Extender?

No chance the HTPC is losing connection.  I can be watching a movie on the HTPC streamed from my NAS and will see this happen on the extender at the same time (Ceton Echo).

And if the Echo was loosing connection it would disconnect from the HTPC (WMC).

 

The NAS and HTPC never go to sleep.

This never happens when already using the extender.  It will only not work on an initial extender startup.  If it works on start-up it will always work until I turn the Echo off.

Used the extender for 8 months with MB2 and never had this issue.

[mediaGuy 8]

Another thought...

My extenders use a different user login than the HTPC to access the NAS files.  I use the ExtenderLoginScriptTool.

 

Could this be part of the issue (never was with MB2), should I try a different method?

Edited January 18, 2014 by mediaGuy

[ebr 14942]

MB2 was a completely different animal without a server component so that isn't a good comparison.

 

All I can say is that, if you get that message, it means we could not access the media file we were trying to play.  So either there is a network access or permissions issue.

[mediaGuy 8]

MB2 was a completely different animal without a server component so that isn't a good comparison.

 

All I can say is that, if you get that message, it means we could not access the media file we were trying to play.  So either there is a network access or permissions issue.

Fair enough.

 

So just to help me understand the permissions...

MB3 uses (when not running as a service) whatever user account started the program (the current logged in user).

And MBC would use the logged in user as well.

And Extenders would access the media directly using their created account (or does it feed through MB3)?

[Luke 37138]

No extenders run under their own windows account. i don't recall the specifics so try searching.

[ebr 14942]

Windows creates a hidden user called something like mcx_1 on the host machine (the machine running WMC).

 

Any client that streams through the server (Android, iOS, Roku, Web client) will not have this issue because they go through the server which uses whatever user the server is running under.