FreeNAS To Samsung Smart TV

[Kestutis]

Hi there,

Is there any way to access FreeNass as a simple device on Samsung Smart TV?
For example when i connect external HDD to my TV I can access this HDD directly and browse all files in HDD.
I have even successed to access windows media share from my PC (not so comfortable but works).
It is possible to reach PC with special samsung software that shares your PC files to TV - looks great but it's on a PC.
What is the best way to share my FreeNas to TV so I coul access this media as storage or at least media server?

 

[Ismael Duarte]

Install plex, works great, at least with LG.

 

[Kestutis]

But with plex i will need to run plex app on tv right?
What about using nas as simple hard? No possibilities?

 

[jgreco]

No, generally smart TV's don't support browsing random network shares. They need something like DLNA to provide hints as to how things are structured. Plex also supports serving content via DLNA, though the Samsung DLNA client doesn't seem to handle the Plex DLNA server very well.

 

[Kestutis]

So the best solution in my case would be PLEX? Sad..

 

[jgreco]

The best solution if you don't want to run Plex would be a DLNA server. Then you'll come to discover that the DLNA clients on the Samsung Smart TV's aren't that hot. And that you've got to figure out how to set up a DLNA server.

What's so sad about Plex, anyways?

 

[jgreco]

I'd also note that the capabilities of the TV on its own are rather limited. Part of the magic of a service app like Netflix or a client-and-server app like Plex are that there's a lot of intelligence on the backend that bring an organization and presentation framework to the user interface. This is typically missing with the "play from hard drive" feature or DLNA browsing feature.

Since you don't even need a Smart TV in order to play content off a HDD/USB (recent Samsungs offer this even on many non-Smart models), what's the purpose of acquiring a Smart TV if you're just going to blow off the apps that are there to provide you with the extra functionality?

 

[Ismael Duarte]

But with plex i will need to run plex app on tv right?
What about using nas as simple hard? No possibilities?

I use plex only on freenas, tv recognize the plex media server without nothing more.

 

[Kestutis]

The best solution if you don't want to run Plex would be a DLNA server. Then you'll come to discover that the DLNA clients on the Samsung Smart TV's aren't that hot. And that you've got to figure out how to set up a DLNA server.

What's so sad about Plex, anyways?

Nothing specific to Plex, I believe it's all OK. I just want to open my nas storage the same way I open external hdd connected directly to TV. Just stupid Old Scool stuff..
Anyways, thank you for help, I'll try Plex after work. Also i need to mydify my CPU Cooler because it sounds like a flying plane...
I'll let you know about any results

 

[jgreco]

Nothing specific to Plex, I believe it's all OK. I just want to open my nas storage the same way I open external hdd connected directly to TV.

The DLNA client on the the C-, D-, and F- series Samsung Smart TV's looks similar to accessing from HDD/USB. I can't tell you about the current model year.

However, the HDD/USB/DLNA presentation is pretty awful. You end up digging through layers of folders and then files in the folders (eventually). The DLNA dig-down looks something like

which is at a point where you've had to hit a bunch of keys to get to that point, and it looks like crap.

By comparison, the Plex for Samsung 2.001 client gives you a poster display

and then for things like TV seasons, you get the episode display and the detailed descriptions and other metadata

That's actually the Sony but the Samsung app is similar.

So, yes, you can do what you want, it's called DLNA and it frickin' sucks, but by all means, install a DLNA server and you can have it that way.

Getting a nicely running Plex setup is admittedly more difficult, but once that's done, it's very nice. An impressive bit of software, and presentation that I think is at least as pleasant as Netflix. Plus the bonus of being able to access your media on numerous devices.

 

[Kestutis]

jgreco - THANK YOU!! This looks amazing. What I was thinging about...

 

[jgreco]

jgreco - THANK YOU!! This looks amazing. What I was thinging about...

And I'll warn you now: you'll like it, then you'll HATE it ... because it requires a certain amount of work to organize and maintain a collection in a Plex-friendly manner. Then you'll eventually love it again.

The great thing about Plex is that it is relatively device-independent, so you can, for example, synchronize content to your phone or tablet, and those devices themselves can even act as mini-Plex-servers. It's a totally crazy media platform.

The above doesn't do Plex much justice, by the way. The new Plex for Samsung 2.001 client is also substantially different (mostly better) than the stuff you'll find in YouTube videos of Plex for Samsung, and a lot closer to the Windows or Apple Plex clients in overall feel.

 

[Bidule0hm]

Note that I have excellent results with MiniDLNA, if you only need to share some directories I think there is no better solution ;)

 

[Kestutis]

And I'll warn you now: you'll like it, then you'll HATE it ... because it requires a certain amount of work to organize and maintain a collection in a Plex-friendly manner. Then you'll eventually love it again.

The great thing about Plex is that it is relatively device-independent, so you can, for example, synchronize content to your phone or tablet, and those devices themselves can even act as mini-Plex-servers. It's a totally crazy media platform.

The above doesn't do Plex much justice, by the way. The new Plex for Samsung 2.001 client is also substantially different (mostly better) than the stuff you'll find in YouTube videos of Plex for Samsung, and a lot closer to the Windows or Apple Plex clients in overall feel.

OK, if managin plex is a bit tricky, is it possible to set plex directory the same as my torrent download dir is?
I mean i need NAS to download torrents and automaticaly add (index) all downloaded concent to Plex.

 

[Kestutis]

Note that I have excellent results with MiniDLNA, if you only need to share some directories I think there is no better solution ;)

Is this a plugin for freenas? How hard is it's installation?

 

[jgreco]

OK, if managin plex is a bit tricky, is it possible to set plex directory the same as my torrent download dir is?
I mean i need NAS to download torrents and automaticaly add (index) all downloaded concent to Plex.

Couldn't tell you anything about that. I've only used Plex with a well-curated content library.

 

[Tywin]

The DLNA client on the the C-, D-, and F- series Samsung Smart TV's looks similar to accessing from HDD/USB. I can't tell you about the current model year.

However, the HDD/USB/DLNA presentation is pretty awful. You end up digging through layers of folders and then files in the folders (eventually).

As a counterpoint, I use a Samsung D8000 with Serviio and have no issues. Serviio presents multiple structures to the TV, so I can choose to see folders/files, movies, latest added, series->season, etc. Works perfectly fine for me. The only issues are when Serviio can't identify what a file is, which is 99.9% of the time because I named it improperly (wrong episode number, typo in the movie title, or whatever).

 

[Bidule0hm]

It was a plugin on the 9.2 but it's not on the 9.3 so you need to install it manually, see the tuto here if you want: https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...inidlna-on-freenas-9-3-prior-to-plugin.25395/ ;)

 

[PeterWeyland]

So the best solution in my case would be PLEX? Sad..

Contrary to the marketese, 'Smart' TV's, especially expensive Samsung ones are really rather dumb. I discovered this the hard way.

 

[danb35]

I’m sure OP has reached that conclusion in the 3+ years since he posted.