DLNA User interface

Good day people!

Recently I've started to look around to update my current home setup. Right now I'm using a "dumb" Panasonic TV, with a small htpc connected. I programmed a small app that runs on it and connects to my nas. It uses metadata/fanart collected by Ember Media Manager to present a semi-nice interface to the user (girlfriend and kids don't like bland folder browsing). It's pretty basic and lacks a few options I'd like. I could probably code them, but why reinvent the wheel, right? Below is an example of how it looks.



I'd like to get rid of the htpc, if possible, and just rely on a new smart TV and a dlna server, like serviio, running on my NAS. However, I can't seem to find any info on how the TV presents to data offered by the dlna server. I suppose it can differ by TV brand and that's why I hope someone can offer some insight. I'm hoping for fanart, description, actors, covers. Things like latest additions, already watched, filters for genre, kids-only-selection, etc are nice extras.

Is this possible at all or am I stuck with a htpc options for the time being?

Cheers,
J

[DenyAll]

Unfortunately you won't get this type of user interface with DLNA with any of the current smart TV's that I know of. Most do not implement the full suite of DLNA features, and the best you generally get is a thumbnail of the movie (DVD) cover art. Even then the cover art thumbnails are pretty small on the devices I have (see signature); better than nothing, but not what you get out of a HTPC.

There is some work trying to get ServiGo working on GoogleTV devices, but I believe that is still a work in progress. ServiGo bypasses DLNA and talks directly to the Serviio server via its API and displays a lot more of the metadata. I dont believe it includes fanart though, as its not afaik stored in the Serviio metadata library... will (the ServiGo developer) is best positioned to comment further on this.

[will]

There is some work trying to get ServiGo working on GoogleTV devices, but I believe that is still a work in progress. ServiGo bypasses DLNA and talks directly to the Serviio server via its API and displays a lot more of the metadata. I dont believe it includes fanart though, as its not afaik stored in the Serviio metadata library... will (the ServiGo developer) is best positioned to comment further on this.

Its getting there, but there are still some bugs that I haven't found the time to get rid of, I'm hoping to support it officially at some point in the new year, but I'm incredibly busy at the moment with my work. If you have one, give it a go, but I wouldn't go out and buy a Google TV just for it. ServiiGo does support fanart and higher res posters, which it fetches itself from the online sources that Serviio uses, but only in the donate version.

All DLNA TVs I tried so far have a different way of presenting the contents of the media library they receive from the server.

My Samsung TV wants the user to select the media format first (video, pictures, music...) and then shows the categories to navigate as they are made active and organized by the media server. When playing media, it skips automatically to the next item upond finishing one. Items are shown in a two column list, with a rather small icon

The Sony TV at my parents' features a totally different appearance, and logic: it immediately offers a selection through the categories made available by the server, mixing any type of content. Items are listed on separate lines, and you can select some to be "favourites".

The latter is very similar to what MediaHouse App does on my Android device, the first is much closer to what you get with BubblePlay.

I reckon any brand is choosing their own way of showing media libraries, given that any DLNA servers only offers the same set of elements, and not a skin or control interface.