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FireTV's new app makes it a "Smart TV" for playing music, photos and videos.

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mike27oct

The new app is called Twonky. Some of you know what Twonky is; likely many  don't.  It is a DLNA/UPnP media server that is tucked away inside all the WD NAS products, in apps, and in other gadgets like a Windows PC.  Media servers can send playable media to DLNA receiving devices like Smart TVs, and the music or movie from your NAS or Windows PC (another server) is playing on the TV.

Easy to use new Fire app. find it in Apps menu of FireTV, install it on Fire TV and open app. Done.

Now, sit down and grab your Android phone or tablet.  Unfortunately, Apple is not a big supporter of DLNA (they would rather sell folks an Apple TV) so I do not have a good DLNA app I can recommend to use on our iOS devices that will work with the FireTV/Twonky combo.

I can recommend a couple of good ones for Android and Kindle, (if you don't currently have a DLNA app) and they are both free. The easier app to use is called Avia, and the other app (less easy) is the Bubble/UPnP app. 

Install either app (or both), and go explore your home network for servers and beam/cast the media on them to your new "Smart TV", complements of the FireTV and Twonky app.

mike27oct

Does anyone want an easier way to do this; then here you go.

Open Twonky app on FireTV.

The only other device needed is a Windows PC (maybe a Mac can do this, too, but I doubt it.)

Select music from your source (via Win File Explorer)  I can access my entire media collection from my PC, hope you can, too.

So, I select a complete album, mark/highlight all files in album.  Now, right-click on those highlighted tracks and notice the "Play To" choice on the pop-up menu and select Twonky on Fire TV to play it to, press enter and enjoy that album on the TV, in album order and with album artwork on screen.

If you cannot do this, then likely your Windows Media Player is not configured correctly to share your media with other devices. OK, maybe its not easy for some who have not done this, but it is easy, so ask if you need help.

castiel

This is an idiot proof way of the above. also works with all platforms

https://plex.tv/downloads