# Is there a DLNA App for that?



## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

Is there an app that will send a live web surfing session from a DLNA tablet or device to a DLNA TV? 

I have a Samsung DLNA panel and I've been really impressed with apps like Zappo and Imedia Share, that send content from any pc or DLNA device on my network to my TV. Those apps got me wondering why I can't do the same thing with my iPads Safari... Sent to my panel. What are the obstacles to an app like that? And for that matter, why couldn't my panel mirror whatever im doing on my iPad?


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## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

Hmm, no replies. Doesn't anyone know what it would take for an app to display your tablet's web surfing session onto your TV? 

Can it be done?


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

No. It's not what DLNA is for. You have to plug the tablet into the TV.

DLNA is a standard for streaming a file from a server to a client; if you can run a DLNA server on your tablet, and have the tablet encode its video out as a muxed stream to the TV's DLNA client in a format it can handle...sure. But that's not going to happen on a tablet.


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## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

RasputinAXP said:


> No. It's not what DLNA is for. You have to plug the tablet into the TV.
> 
> DLNA is a standard for streaming a file from a server to a client; if you can run a DLNA server on your tablet, and have the tablet encode its video out as a muxed stream to the TV's DLNA client in a format it can handle...sure. But that's not going to happen on a tablet.


Do you know what tablets can plug into a TV to display a live browser session?

Wasn't there a laptop a year or so back that promoted this as a feature? I recall that the reviews were that it worked, but there was a very slight delay from laptop to TV.

Is it possible that someone could make an app that in essence records the live session and near-instantly then streams it to the TVs DLNA client? Why do you say that's not going to happend on a tablet? What are the technical challenges?


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## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

Your talking about WiDi. It is in Intel solution and requires you have hardware installed both for sending and receiving. Most new laptops have an option for this, but it will still require a receive unit connected to the TV. It does work as advertised once everything is in place.

The challenge for streaming a "desktop" session from a tablet is pure horsepower. A solution more likely to work would be to use remote desktop to a computer that is streaming or "connected" to your TV.


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## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

phat78boy said:


> Your talking about WiDi. It is in Intel solution and requires you have hardware installed both for sending and receiving. Most new laptops have an option for this, but it will still require a receive unit connected to the TV. It does work as advertised once everything is in place.
> 
> The challenge for streaming a "desktop" session from a tablet is pure horsepower. A solution more likely to work would be to use remote desktop to a computer that is streaming or "connected" to your TV.


Thanks! I just googled Widi, and that's what I was thinking of. So why isn't something like this possible.... An app that "records" my tablet session "desktop", kind of like what "SnagIt" can do, then continually records on-the-fly converting it to a video file, then an app like imedia Share or Zappo sends that video file as stream of video to my DLNA panel? There would be a slight delay but it seems like it could be possible, no? Possible?


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

itzme said:


> An app that "records" my tablet session "desktop", kind of like what "SnagIt" can do, then continually records on-the-fly converting it to a video file, then an app like imedia Share or Zappo sends that video file as stream of video to my DLNA panel? There would be a slight delay but it seems like it could be possible, no? Possible?


You're looking for something in software than can do what it takes hardware to do on computer platforms. Therein lies the error in your logic.

To get video out of a tablet, you typically have to use HDMI; either through a supplied HDMI port or with some sort of add-on HDMI adapter.

The other major issue with what you're trying to do is Digital Rights Management which is also problematic (if not impossible) to do in software.


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## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

harsh said:


> You're looking for something in software than can do what it takes hardware to do on computer platforms. Therein lies the error in your logic.
> 
> To get video out of a tablet, you typically have to use HDMI; either through a supplied HDMI port or with some sort of add-on HDMI adapter.
> 
> The other major issue with what you're trying to do is Digital Rights Management which is also problematic (if not impossible) to do in software.


I was afraid of hearing that, but what you say does make sense. I keep thinking there could be a software workaround (screen capturing and converting to video file format, then streaming). I didn't really think of the DRM issues though.


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

My Xoom has an HDMI port that connects directly to my television.


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## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

RasputinAXP said:


> My Xoom has an HDMI port that connects directly to my television.


And you can use that to display a Xoom browser session or a video playing on TO your tv, right? So there goes that whole DRM issue, no???

So now we're back to hardware doing the work via your HDMI cable? If so then why can't software like Snagit capture the desktop, turn it into an avi or some other file and then an app like iMedia Share or Zappo can send it to my TV via DLNA. I'm thinking this can all happen with a second or so delay (unlike your HDMI where its probably near real-time).

I'm back to my original question then.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

HDMI is a 2 way connection.. so DRM can be maintained by identifying what is connected..

doing a decode and then reencoding of a live video takes a ton of proccessing power.. even a lot of computers will choke without specialized hardware to do it..


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