Server Version#: 1.18.3.2156
Player Version#: none
So I just installed Plex Media server on my Windows 7 64-bit machine.
My only purpose for installing this program, is for the DLNA server; I have many videos, in various formats, on my computer, and we want to be able to play them on our TV, using Roku Media Player.
Well, this actually works, and all of our videos successfully play via the Roku 4400.
I added a movie library, and pointed it at c:\videos, which is where they all are.
However, the file listing has been flattened out, hiding all the subdirectories that exist under c:\videos.
I’ve been reading various past posts here, regarding this topic, but I don’t understand how to solve this particular issue. Can someone provide some pointers?
Plex Libraries are not accessed via DLNA, they are accessed via the Plex Server and a Plex client app. If you’re using DLNA exclusively, there’s no point in setting up Plex libraries and the like. The DLNA client (e.g. Roku or whatever) is responsible for the user interface / layout / navigation / etc.
If you want view folders in a Plex library, you use a Plex app, navigate to the Library view/tab, and then select “Folder”:
I don’t think that’s entirely correct… Roku Media Player doesn’t know anything about the directory structure on my machine, so when I told it to connect to the Plex DLNA server, and it showed the list of files in my videos directory, that information had to come from the Plex server, where I had set the libraries to be c:\videos. There’s simply no way Roku could know about that otherwise…
DLNA is what Roku Media Player uses. It’ll see Plex’s DLNA Server (if you have it switched on) - 'cause that’s what it’s looking for and knows where to look. Unfortunately DLNA is “Direct Play or the Highway”.
If you have media that can’t be Direct Played on a device, DLNA fails miserably. Plex, in this case, will know that item won’t play on that device and transcodes a version that will. That’s what Plex is for - that and the pretty presentation.
Select the proper tool for the job at hand. Choose wisely.
(DLNA blows, BTW)
When I use VLC to access the Plex DLNA server, there is a “by Folder” option, so to speak. I guess it depends more on your DLNA client than on the server…
