File Sorting and other issues

[eday_2010]

I just picked up the Aios yesterday and am still trying to figure out if I like it. I tried the latest official firmware and was not crazy about it. I just installed the most recent semi-official firmware and will figure out if it works for me.

In the meantime, I have noticed a couple of things that annoy me. One is that the files are sorted in some demented way. Instead of folders coming first, they seem to go alphabetical regardless of whether it's a file or a folder. Is there a way to fix this?

I also noticed that nothing comes up under movies or music, and that all my video files (movies and TV shows) and music come up under "File Browser". Why?

I also noticed that files, like folder thumbnails, that I set to Hidden in Windows and that the WD TV HD Live also treated as hidden are now visible.

Fourth has to do with networking. It seems that any time the unit is rebooted or turned on from an off state, the drives connected to it are assigned different letters by the unit, forcing me to remap the drives as network drives. What causes this, and how do I stop it?

So far I am on the fence about the Aios and might give the Asus O!Play Live a try, or stick with Western Digital. The seemingly infinite format support the Aios has is what attracted me to it.

[aasoror]

One is that the files are sorted in some demented way. Instead of folders coming first, they seem to go alphabetical regardless of whether it's a file or a folder. Is there a way to fix this?

Thats the native Linux sort order (case sensitive, alphabetical, indifferent to files and directories).

I also noticed that nothing comes up under movies or music, and that all my video files (movies and TV shows) and music come up under "File Browser". Why?

Libraries are meant for local (internal/external storage), so it wont work for networked sources. If your source is local then just press "Green" remote button at home screen.

I also noticed that files, like folder thumbnails, that I set to Hidden in Windows and that the WD TV HD Live also treated as hidden are now visible.

Linux thing again, linux doesn't recognize windows hidden folders.

Fourth has to do with networking. It seems that any time the unit is rebooted or turned on from an off state, the drives connected to it are assigned different letters by the unit, forcing me to remap the drives as network drives. What causes this, and how do I stop it?

Linux, no linux based box can automatically fix mount location, there is a known linux fix for this which requires you to predefine your mount locations (editing /etc/fstab) that fix was tested on semiofficial firmware with success (its a set and forget thing).

So far I am on the fence about the Aios and might give the Asus O!Play Live a try, or stick with Western Digital.

Which O!Play you mean (not sure which model is the Live one), just take note that most O!Plays are based on RT1073DD chipset so not only you will get the same linux related issues, but also you will be getting a prior generation chip (relative to the 1185 inside the AIOS).

[eday_2010]

I've already decided to return the Aios and get the WD TV Live rather than the O!Play. The interface is just better suited to what I like. The Aios seems to require a lot of tweaking. Plus the Linux issues bother me. I like my files to appear organized, and for me, the way Linux does it seems disorganized.

At least I finally gave it a try after speculating about it for almost a year, and for tweakers it seems to be quite open and customizable. I can see why it's got a dedicated following.

[aasoror]

A side note for the WDTV live streamer:
- no 24p output support (so no true cinema mode).
- no DTS-MA support (no 7.1 BR bit streaming).
- no RMVB support.
If the above is not an issue, its particularly good for online streaming (thus the name) with lots of premium services.
Best of luck,

[eday_2010]

None of those things are an issue. I don't rip my blu-rays for watching disc-less.

[firecake]

hi aasoror,

I just purchased the aios today and i'm having an issue along the same lines. I am far from an IT or multimedia specialist and i apologize if this topic was covered. I looked through a bunch of the forum posts and this was the only one i saw that speaks to my issue..

My IT specialist friend has set up a home network for me, i store my media on a QNAP on my network (called twonkymedia) and have two wd tv players, an asus live and the my new aios... i love the wd's but they don't support 7.1, so i use them on the kitchena and bedroom tv's, the asus does do 7.1 but i hate the interface and the controller is terrible, it also freezes/crashes regularly etc.. so the aios is the replacement for my downstairs 7.1 capable home theatre. I love everything about it so far but for one problem

going into file, and then upnp, selecting twonky...video... i usually choose the search "by folder" as we sort all our downloads in folders.. kids... movies.. tv.. etc... and voila i'm in to my video files as all my other players do perfectly... however for some reason i'll pick a movie/show and it will play a different one from the same folder... maybe two or three further down.. or more...

i get that the linux interface is different then how my media may be saved (we aren't super anal about the filenames.. often whatever the name is on download will be how it stays) so you can get something like:
S01E09
s.01e.08
or even the uploaders name as in: dimension.s02e10-2009 etc.. and so on...

to be honest, i don't care if the aios mixes them all up, because we ARE meticulous about the folders.. so all of 30 rock season 2 is within one folder... and since the aios does seem to know the folder i'm in, and is just mixing them up within that folder... what i don't get is why i would select "the lion king" and it plays "a bug's life" maybe 5 spots away...?!

shouldn't it still know which one you are highlighting and pushing "ok" on, regardless of whether the order in that folder is a little wonky..? its like the aios is changing it into linux order, but displaying it to you in the same order its stored...

i tried it straight up out of the box and discovered this issue, so i tried your very cool firmware (R21)... same thing. so i went to the most recent official firmware... same thing...

i don't want to return this device, but my wife does a lot of the downloading and convincing her to rename EVERYthing we've already got, plus all the future files.... not going to happen...

sorry for the length of the post, not sure how much of this is useful but wanted to give you all i knew... any help would be greatly appreciated

sidenote: if i happen to have a perfect season downloaded (as in every file follows a perfect set of parameters) there is no issue... so i know it comes down to the filename... just don't get why it can't play the file you are highlighting...?