Finally, this week I will be attempting to stream music, video and pictures to my devices wirelessly from my WD My Cloud.
Beginning with my phone: In order to simplify my life and hopefully not make things complicated, I installed the My Cloud app on my phone. The app is easy to use, gives me complete access to my files, at home or on the go, and I can download individual files if need be. I will not attempt to stream .mkv files to my phone since the screen is so small I will not be viewing any videos on it. Streaming music on my phone was surprisingly easy, just click on the song that I want, and I can play that song from within the app, even .flac files. Switching to a different track (in the same folder) was just like using any other music app. Success!
Beginning with my phone: In order to simplify my life and hopefully not make things complicated, I installed the My Cloud app on my phone. The app is easy to use, gives me complete access to my files, at home or on the go, and I can download individual files if need be. I will not attempt to stream .mkv files to my phone since the screen is so small I will not be viewing any videos on it. Streaming music on my phone was surprisingly easy, just click on the song that I want, and I can play that song from within the app, even .flac files. Switching to a different track (in the same folder) was just like using any other music app. Success!
Next is the iPad. Again, I downloaded the My Cloud app, which is easy to use, but was unable to stream .flac and .mkv files because the iPad does not natively support the format like my phone does. For music I attempted to use a previously used app: OPlayerHD. Set up was easy just like before (easier), and I had complete access to my files in a matter of seconds. .flac files played instantly:
Video on the other hand, required a different app, thankfully I was able to use the Infuse app I had previously used when playing files from my computer's hard disk. Accessing my NAS was surprisingly easy, easier than accessing files off my PC's hard disk. I was able to play .mkv files, but I did hit a snag. Not all my .mkv files played.
This led me on a search where I discovered that there were different types of encoding for .mkv files. 8bit and 10bit. 8bit is generally supported by most current hardware, 10bit is not, and requires powerful hardware. Unfortunately, my iPad is fairly dated and does not have powerful enough insides to power through 10bit .mkv files. Partial Success.
Streaming on my TV was again easier than streaming from my PC. There was no longer a need for Plex either. For my television I was not interested in streaming .flac files. Accessing my files was easy and painless. Although I did encounter the same error I did with the iPad regarding .mkv files. 8bit files played flawlessly (even in 1080p) while 10bit files refused to even start.
Streaming on my TV was again easier than streaming from my PC. There was no longer a need for Plex either. For my television I was not interested in streaming .flac files. Accessing my files was easy and painless. Although I did encounter the same error I did with the iPad regarding .mkv files. 8bit files played flawlessly (even in 1080p) while 10bit files refused to even start.
Overall, I would highly recommend getting a NAS device for home. Files become much easier to access no matter which computer you are using. If you buy a large enough NAS device, you even stop worrying about running out of space (initially, always room for expansion).
Research: https://www.diigo.com/list/maestroochoa/list-2014102205023250
Research: https://www.diigo.com/list/maestroochoa/list-2014102205023250