Installed Mint 18.3 now VLC UPnP won't work

[timmn1]

I deleted Mint 17.3 off of this computer and did a fresh install of Mint 18.3. Now, if I go into VLC, and click on "Universal Plug n Play" nothing happens. My other computers that are still running 17.3 can see my media server without any problems, so is there something I have to do to 18.3 to make UPnP work?

Here is the output from inxi -Fxzd:

Code: Select all

System:    Host: AMD-living-room Kernel: 4.13.0-26-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3) Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: Gigabyte product: N/A
           Mobo: Gigabyte model: F2A68HM-H v: x.x Bios: American Megatrends v: FC date: 01/19/2016
CPU:       Quad core AMD A8-7600 Radeon R7 10 Compute Cores 4C+6G (-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm) bmips: 24755
           clock speeds: max: 3100 MHz 1: 1400 MHz 2: 1900 MHz 3: 1400 MHz 4: 1400 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Kaveri [Radeon R7 Graphics] bus-ID: 00:01.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: AMD KAVERI (DRM 2.50.0 / 4.13.0-26-generic, LLVM 5.0.0)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.2.4 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] FCH Azalia Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:14.2
           Card-2 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Kaveri HDMI/DP Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:01.1
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-26-generic
Network:   Card: Intel Wireless 8260 driver: iwlwifi bus-ID: 01:00.0
           IF: wlp1s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 100.3GB (14.9% used) ID-1: /dev/sda model: Maxtor_6L100M0 size: 100.3GB
           Optical: No optical drives detected.
Partition: ID-1: / size: 85G used: 7.3G (9%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 7.46GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 3.8C mobo: N/A gpu: 5.0
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 196 Uptime: 1:26 Memory: 1159.6/6915.3MB Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) i

[timmn1]

After much research, I found that I can control just about every UPnP and DLNA renderer in the house from Mint 18.3 I can wake them up and make them play any song on my DLNA server, and where my evil half finds that quite interesting, that's not what I want to do, and I have found nothing on how to make VLC connect to my DLNA server in 18.3. So, where am I not looking?

[chris2370]

Hi, this is a longstanding bug in libupnp. It’s not an issue with VLC. You’ll get no luck browsing for any dlna servers unless you install a patched libdnla. Enable grilo on Rhythmbox and you won’t see any dlna servers.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1571199

I use the quick and dirty fix in post #2 and keep a copy of the patched deb around for fixing any distro based on 16.04.

I can’t see this getting fixed so although installing .deb using dpkg -i is not ideal, I’ve had to use this method for over a year without any ill effects.

I’m surprised this bug has gone on for so long....

HTH,

Chris

[timmn1]

I found that djmount works, and you can fudge VLC to work with it. However, if it's a bug in libdnla, is it such a big problem to fix it?

[SuffolkPunch]

Hi, this is a longstanding bug in libupnp. It’s not an issue with VLC. You’ll get no luck browsing for any dlna servers unless you install a patched libdnla. Enable grilo on Rhythmbox and you won’t see any dlna servers.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1571199

I use the quick and dirty fix in post #2 and keep a copy of the patched deb around for fixing any distro based on 16.04.

I can’t see this getting fixed so although installing .deb using dpkg -i is not ideal, I’ve had to use this method for over a year without any ill effects.

I’m surprised this bug has gone on for so long....

HTH,

Chris

The libupnp bug has been fixed in LM 19 Cinnamon Tara - have just checked by booting into LM19 from a live USB.

Tara has version 1.2.24 of libupnp6 from Ubuntu Bionic 18.04 LTS
https://packages.ubuntu.com/bionic/libs/libupnp6
But I'm loath to upgrade from 18.3 to 19 just for that!

Perhaps the helpful mint dev team might consider back-porting libupnp6 from bionic to LM18? Backports happen now and then - I got one for the Java RTE this morning. How does one make a formal request?

[catweazel]

Perhaps the helpful mint dev team might consider back-porting libupnp6 from bionic to LM18? Backports happen now and then - I got one for the Java RTE this morning. How does one make a formal request?

It's up to Ubuntu, not Mint.

Cheers.

[SuffolkPunch]

It's up to Ubuntu, not Mint.

Oh, Ok then. Since I have found a simple work-around (viewtopic.php?f=47&t=275342), I'll not pursue the issue further!

[MtnDewManiac]

However, if it's a bug in libdnla, is it such a big problem to fix it?

It is if the developer has zero interest in doing so (and no one else takes over the project).

By lack of spare time, motivation and interest, libldna development is currently discontinued (this may change though). Don't expect release anytime soon

http://libdlna.geexbox.org/

BtW, the only thing I know (or "know") about this PNP stuff is: When I was still using a Microsoft OS, I read about this new(?) thing that would allow clueless individuals to just connect a device and go, because the system would automagically take care of the configuration.

Is this in any way correct, that the whole point of the thing is so that the user need not manually configure things? If so, what's the big deal, lol? I recognize the implied convenience - and, being one of those clueless individuals, it's utility - but people used to configure everything manually. And we have this forum with lots of helpful members, so someone ought to be able to help the OP deal with the configuration/settings.

Or am I missing something pretty basic here?

Regards,
MDM