GoFlex Net & GoFlex Home

[Caleb22]

I have the FreeAgent Go-Flex Home Network Storage System - 2 TB.  

Everything has worked like a charm.  I absolutely love this thing.  However, I've rececently experienced an issue where most of my movies (mp4, m4v) will no longer stream through the iPhone / iPad GoFlex Access app.  The videos are H264 and viewed many times with the app.  I receive a message saying that the video format is not supported.  It definitely is because they have been synced through iTunes.  This problem just started happening today.  The movies stream fine through the web interface and folder view.  

Some other things I've noticed:

If a movie is over 2 GB, say 3.54 GB, the app will show 2.00 GB.  Not sure why it cuts it off.  Also, I use Air Video for streaming video of different file types to my iPad.  This has become inconsistant as well.  Most of the non-iTunes compatible movies will play, but not H264 encoded, MOV, MP4, M4V, etc...  

I'm attaching a screen shot to show what I am seeing.  

Please help!  

thanks.

[robyb]

Would you mind giving us a copy of the video for testing?  If so, please e-mail support@axentra.com .

Thanks,

Roby!

[jennanoelz]

I also just got the GoFlex Home and love it as well, I just want to be able to stream videos from it on my iphone. I have the same problem when trying to stream. I tried 3 different movies, they are all bluray, not sure if that is what's causing it, but they are mp4 and it streams fine from the web interface, just not on the app, it just says "Unsupported video format".

[Tizwit]

I am also having the same issue. Playing the files just fine then recently it started giving me the same error you are getting. But I am having one exception. If I am on my home wireless network I can play the file without an error but if I go off the network I can't play it. But I can still access the files and folder. Any help would be appreciated.

[pip-emma]

Hi there,

Has this been resolved. I can stream my video files over my home wifi but the same videos will not stream on an external wifi 

[faxedexcel]

Anyone get an answer to this? My mp4 files stream fine on my iPhone & iPad app while on my home wifi network, but when I try to stream the same file on someone else's wifi network or 3G I get the  "Unsupported video format" error. 

Does the GoFlex Access app only stream movies on one's home network where the NAS is attached to? If so, then GoFlex Home NAS is not for me. I was hoping to use this to stream movies while away on vacation. Bummer, if this is the case.

[faxedexcel]

---

faxedexcel wrote:

Anyone get an answer to this? My mp4 files stream fine on my iPhone & iPad app while on my home wifi network, but when I try to stream the same file on someone else's wifi network or 3G I get the  "Unsupported video format" error. 

Does the GoFlex Access app only stream movies on one's home network where the NAS is attached to? If so, then GoFlex Home NAS is not for me. I was hoping to use this to stream movies while away on vacation. Bummer, if this is the case.

---

This is the latest I got from Seagate Support:

"This issue lies within the 2 wifi networks. Either your home network doesn't have enough upload speed to send files this large (most likely the case) or the wifi network you are connected to isn't fast enough to download a file this large. The stream is hanging up somewhere during the upload/download process which is causing this message to appear."

I believe the problem is my home network. I only have a "Fast" ethernet router, anybody think if I got a "Gigabit" ethernet router instead this will solve my streaming issues?

[smp07726]

This problem has nothing to do with file size. It happens with mp4 files which are 20MB.

Here are my observations:

I have a DELL XPS 8300, iPad2, and NetGear WNDR3400 router. I have mp4 video files stored in the Public Folder in Seagate Share.  I can play the mp4 files on my PC in two ways. If I use the Seagate Dashboard and go to Seagate Share under My Applications, it opens my default browser (Firefox). If  I go to the public folder and play the mp4 file it will play in Adobe Flash Player.  The second way to play the file is to go to the Folder View under my Applications.  The folders then open in Windows Explorer.  If I now play the same mp4 file, it will play using Windows Media Player (or any other default player with mp4 capabilities).  Using the iPad or iPhone on my home network with the GoFlex Access App,  I have no trouble viewing the mp4 files.  The player appears to be the regular mp4 video player that iTunes uses. If I try connecting to Seagate Share with Safari Browser I can also play the mp4 video with no problem.

If I now move to a location outside my home network and connect to my GoFlex Home through Seagate Share using a PC , I can view the same mp4 file using the browser.  The browser displays the video using Adobe Flash Player.  Of course I can't use the second method because I have no access to Seagate Dashboard in order to access the files with Windows Explorer.  When I connect the iPad or iPhone to this same external  network,  I can not play the same mp4 file using the GoFLex Access App.  Instead of playing I get a popup saying "unsupported video format". 

I believe that the problem has something to do with the fact that the mp4 plays through Seagate Share using AdobeFlash which is not supported on the iPad or iPhone.  In any case, the claim that videos can be seen by connecting anywhere on the internet is not true until this problem is corrected.  Looking at the Forums it seems this problem has been around quite a long time.  I have not found  a resolution in any forum.

I have sent this information to Seagate and received a response which basically said I need a browser on the iPad or iPhone that can play flash videos.  The real solution is probably that Segateshare and Goflex should not be using the flash format or an App that will play flash format.  I do not understand why the App will work for videos on the home network and will not work outside the home network.

I have also sent this info to support@axentra.com and am awaiting a reply.

[faxedexcel]

This is the latest response I got from Seagate Support:

"Upgrading your router to a faster one would definitely help on the end where the GoFlex Home is connected, but the stream would also be dependent on the internet service provider connection speed where the GoFlex Home is located as well as the connection speed at the end where you have your i-device (iPad or iPhone) connected and the speed of the WiFi router where you have your i-devices connected."

My ISP (Cox Preferred internet plan) allows up to 18Mbps download & 2Mbps upload speeds. My GoFlex Home is hooked up to a fast ethernet router (DLink DIR 615). The external wifi network that my iPhone is connecting to has 12Mbps download & 0.09Mbps upload speeds. With all this I'm still not able to stream any movies and get "Unsupported video format" error.

You think my 2Mbps upload speed is too low? I would think the external wifi with 12Mbps download speed would be enough.

Or the problem could be like what smp07726 stated above and that the GoFLex Access App uses AdobeFlash while on an external network and Seagate does not want to admit this flaw. 

Has anyone had success streaming movies on the GoFLex Access App while on an external network? If so, can you please post your setup (ISP, router, etc.)?  I'm still within my return period for this product, but I'd rather try to get it to work than to have to return it.

[smp07726]

After further investigation (see original comments 05-10-2012) it appears that the video can be seen on the home network because the connection between the app and the computer is directly through the port that the GoFlex is attached to.  When using a browser to view a video on the home network , the address bar  shows that the address is the IP address of the Goflex connected to the router (Example 192.168.1.3). The video plays using the default player of the computer or browser.  

If using an external network, the only way to connect is by using Seagateshare.  Since Seagateshare is an Adobe Flash based application, it can only allow video to be played with a flash player.  When using a browser on an external network, the address in the address bar of the browser will not be the IP address of the router on your home network. If you check it, it is an address connected through Seagateshare. You can view the video only if the browser that your using can play a flash video.

To summarize, whenever Seagateshare is used to view a video it must be viewed as a flash video.  Even on the home network.

As long as Apple does not allow flash to be played on the iPhone or iPad, the App or browser will not work for videos away from the home network.  The only solution is a rewrite of Seagateshare to allow nonflash videos to flow through the software.

Seagate should also stop claiming that you can view a video anywhere  using the iPhone or iPad. 

If Seagate thinks this analysis is incorrect or has a solution to this problem, I am sure we will all welcome their comments.

[smp07726]

After further investigation (see original comments 05-10-2012) it appears that the video can be seen on the home network because the connection between the app and the computer is directly through the port that the GoFlex is attached to.  When using a browser to view a video on the home network , the address bar  shows that the address is the IP address of the Goflex connected to the router (Example 192.168.1.3). The video plays using the default player of the computer or browser.  

If using an external network, the only way to connect is by using Seagateshare.  Since Seagateshare is an Adobe Flash based application, it can only allow video to be played with a flash player.  When using a browser on an external network, the address in the address bar of the browser will not be the IP address of the router on your home network. If you check it, it is an address connected through Seagateshare. You can view the video only if the browser that your using can play a flash video.

To summarize, whenever Seagateshare is used to view a video it must be viewed as a flash video.  Even on the home network.

As long as Apple does not allow flash to be played on the iPhone or iPad, the App or browser will not work for videos away from the home network.  The only solution is a rewrite of Seagateshare to allow nonflash videos to flow through the software.

Seagate should also stop claiming that you can view a video anywhere  using the iPhone or iPad. 

If Seagate thinks this analysis is incorrect or has a solution to this problem, I am sure we will all welcome their comments.