New DENON AVR-231CI Help Please!!!

[RyanAlmighty]

Hello,

I just bought a new DENON AVR-231CI to go with my Samsung smartTV and when I right-click on a video file on my PC and choose "Play To" I can select my TV and AVR system which are both on the network, but when I try to play to the Denon, I get an error saying:

"Media format is not supported. The device requires a codec that supports this media format. A device update might solve the problem. Please contact the device manufacturer for the latest updates."

However, when I try the same thing but send it to the TV, both audio and video work fine - the sound though just comes through the TV though not the surround sound speakers. The movie also plays fine on my computer.

Is there anyway to correct this?

(Using Windows Media Player 12, Windows 7 64bit, Denon/Cable/Bluray Player/Modem/WiFi are in the basement in one room, TV and wall speakers are in another basement room, Computer is also in a seperate basement room)

 

[Actran]

It seems like your denon receiver part number is missing a digit. Are you sure it's not a AVR-2312 CI or AVR-2313 CI? I didn't have any luck locating details on a Denon AVR-231 CI

I own a Denon AVR 2312-CI, but haven't used the PC media streaming features. I think I have some "homework" to play with tonight.

Edit: After digging through the manual for my AVR 2312-CI, I don't believe you can stream videos through the network. Per page 35 and 36 of the manual (found here: http://usa.denon.com/DocumentMaster/US/AVR-2312CIE3_ENG_CD-ROM_v00.pdf), the receiver can stream audio, and images (album art, or slideshows), but makes no mention of media player video capability. Page 36 of the manual also lists the compatible media server file formats as: WMA, MP3, WAV, MPEG-4 AAC, FLAC, and JPEG (none of which are video - except JPEG for stills). The text from the manual is below for convenience.

Of course, the info above is from the manual for the AVR 2312 which may differ from yours especially if you have the newer XX13 model.

Media player

This function lets you play music files and playlists (m3u, wpl) stored on a computer (media server)connected to this unit via a network.With this unit’s network audio playback function, connection to the server is possible using one of thetechnologies below​

Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
Windows Media DRM10​

Album art function​

When a WMA (Windows Media Audio), MP3 or MPEG-4 AAC file includes album art data, the album artcan be displayed while the music files are playing.If you use Ver.11 or later of Windows Media Player, the album art for WMA files can be displayed.​

Slide show function​

You can play back image (JPEG) files that are stored in folders on a media server and photographs on Flickras a slideshow. Also, you can set the time display that is shown during playback​

page 92).This unit plays back image (JPEG) files in the orientation in which they are stored in the folder.Function that simultaneously plays back music and image files from the network​

You can playback music and image files at the same time by playing back music files, and then playing​

back image files.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Anytime you see the words 'file format not supported' - assume the problem is yours, not theirs.

Basically you are trying to take a square peg and stick it into a round hole. The Denon says "Yep, I see the file you are trying to play, but I have no idea how to play that file back." The Denon doesn't speak that language.

This is the fun and joy of asking a product to be something it was not designed to be out of the box.

You MAY be able to use the Audio Return Channel from HDMI to get the audio from your TV back into the Denon if the TV has no problem playing that file.

Or, you may want to get a home network media player. There are dozens available from Western Digital TV, to AppleTV, to Popcorn Hour, or Dune HD. Dedicated media players are stand alone boxes that are strictly designed to playback audio and video files stored on your network in different flavors. AppleTV works well for an entirely Apple/iTunes world, but the rest are designed to handle your network and most work reasonably well. A single HDMI connection from their box to your receiver, and typically a better user experience than what your TV manufacturer, or your A/V receiver can deliver.