Air Video is an app on iOS that's really simple to use and just works. It streams all video from your Air Video server to your iOS device, converting what needs to be converting, playing what can play (though in my experience, xvid/avis, can play just fine on my iPhone, so they don't really need to be converted, but whatever).
Every other option I came across for my a500 tablet except Plex for Android was a pain to setup and use, but now I have found Mirage beta, in the app store and found here.
All you need to do is install the free Air Video server (i recommend the beta) which is here and create a password if you want to (do not allow internet access unless you know what you're doing), and Mirage should find it automatically.
Some things I noticed.
1. Unlike the iOS version, it streams everything I've tried without converting. THANKS DEV! Edit: It gives you the option of streaming or live converting with a long press, but lag exists with both options.
2. Everything other than .mp4 and .flv played with lagging. Standard def xvid/avi was watchable, but only if you can read lips.
3. iOS Air Video has a download option
These are files that can play just fine on my a500 though, so hopefully whatever problems stopping them from doing so are fixed. Or even better, give us the option to play it in an external player.
Basically, without xvid/avi support, it's near useless to me, even though I have a bunch of short .mp4 clips I like to watch without converting (Plex converts pretty much everything against your will).
3. Just like the iOS Air Video client, Mirage found my Air Server easily. I only had to type in my password and click my server.
Anyway, the program definitely needs to mature before it becomes truly useful and it needs an option to play in an external player, but I'm happy to see they got the basics right (not converting files that don't need it, simple setup) and will be waiting for every new update.
Every other option I came across for my a500 tablet except Plex for Android was a pain to setup and use, but now I have found Mirage beta, in the app store and found here.
All you need to do is install the free Air Video server (i recommend the beta) which is here and create a password if you want to (do not allow internet access unless you know what you're doing), and Mirage should find it automatically.
Some things I noticed.
1. Unlike the iOS version, it streams everything I've tried without converting. THANKS DEV! Edit: It gives you the option of streaming or live converting with a long press, but lag exists with both options.
2. Everything other than .mp4 and .flv played with lagging. Standard def xvid/avi was watchable, but only if you can read lips.
3. iOS Air Video has a download option
These are files that can play just fine on my a500 though, so hopefully whatever problems stopping them from doing so are fixed. Or even better, give us the option to play it in an external player.
Basically, without xvid/avi support, it's near useless to me, even though I have a bunch of short .mp4 clips I like to watch without converting (Plex converts pretty much everything against your will).
3. Just like the iOS Air Video client, Mirage found my Air Server easily. I only had to type in my password and click my server.
Anyway, the program definitely needs to mature before it becomes truly useful and it needs an option to play in an external player, but I'm happy to see they got the basics right (not converting files that don't need it, simple setup) and will be waiting for every new update.
