Hi all,
I’m trying to find a media player that can stream videos from my Mac to my living room smoothly on a Samsung TV. I have a large video library, and it would be great if it supported DLNA. Any recommendations?
Thanks!
Chromecast? That should work and I think I have done that to a Samsung TV at some point. Not ideal mind you, but the alternative is something like Jellyfin and setting up the Mac as a media server. Actually, that might work...
Not sure how much overhead that will put on your Mac, or if you would need to use a chromecast or Kodi on the TV
Surely the answer is an Apple TV box connected to the TV? While you can mix and match stuff Apples own nearly always works more seamlessly. I've only got a handful of files - a few things ripped from iPlayer and x264 films but they play fine. You can install VLC as well which will deal with more file formats (and picks up the SMB server on my router and presumably other streaming servers)
It's not the cheapest but most reviews say it's the best interface for Netflix/Prime etc as well.
Surely the answer is an Apple TV box connected to the TV? While you can mix and match stuff Apples own nearly always works more seamlessly. I've only got a handful of files - a few things ripped from iPlayer and x264 films but they play fine. You can install VLC as well which will deal with more file formats (and picks up the SMB server on my router and presumably other streaming servers)
It's not the cheapest but most reviews say it's the best interface for Netflix/Prime etc as well.
An Apple TV box would defintely work, but I would wait before purchasing one there is a new version of the Apple TV box due out early this year.
Can you cast via Airplay? I do this on my LG
That's what we do to our Sony. Works perfectly. I think you can do that from RealPlayer from memory, if it's still available. Been ages since I've used it as all our casting is from Safari not a dedicated media player.
Surely the answer is an Apple TV box connected to the TV?
An Apple TV box would defintely work, but I would wait before purchasing one there is a new version of the Apple TV box due out early this year.
Might even be out in the next week or two. Though for most use I'm not sure what an upgrade's going to offer - I'm still using a model that was released 2015 in our kitchen (only upgraded the living room to a 4k model to get the support for Matter home automation). The kitchen one still runs the latest operating system and has no signs of slowdown.
I use Plex for this. Might be slight overkill, but is a great system. Video files on a mac running Plex, Plex app (or Plex web interface) on smart TV's, Apple TV, phones, tablets, other Macs. Steaming via home network, or internet if you are away from home.
Apple TV is great, but if you followed every rumour of an incoming model you would never buy one. Just buy one when you need it. Also the version to version upgrades are very incremental. And you don't need one here, you just need some DLNA server running on the mac and an app on the TV to play it. I haven't used it in years as I prefer Plex, but my LG smart tv didn't even need an app installed, it has a network media player built in.
Screen casting is entirely different - but you know that, as you mentioned DLNA!
In order of descending utility and complexity:
Jellyfin. In a container. Plus there’s probably a native Samsung app.
Apple TV and home sharing
AirPlay from Mac to TV.
OP, unsure if it sounded like you wanted to have the Mac serve up the files but use the Samsung TV to select and play or whether you wanted to just play on the Mac and show on the TV.
I use Plex for this. Might be slight overkill, but is a great system.
If it runs on Apple, I've been using Plex for years. I paid actual money for it and everything.
DLNA underpins most solutions as you suggest, my Plex server appears on devices as a source outwith the Plex client.