[Guide] Streaming your own videos with SugarSync.

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Intro:
This is a quick guide on how to stream your own videos with SugarSync. You can sign up on their site for free 5GB storage, or use this link to get extra 500MB (5.5GB), enough for 1-2 more movies! =P


Pre-Requisites:
-SugarSync account (see intro)
-HandBrake (available here)
-SugarSync (available at Amazon's App Store)


Convert the File:
You need to convert the file to something more manageable on the Kindle Fire (e.g. something smaller, with the stream flag turned on).

Open up HandBrake. On the right hand side, select "iPad". Then, click on "Add" on the bottom left (again, on the right plane). This will add a new preset based on the iPad presets; I named it "Fire".

On the top left, click on "Source", and select your source (video file or folder of video files). Ignore the warning (or set a default directory).

Here are the required settings (that isn't previously set by using the iPad preset):

Under Output Settings (Preset: <Name>)-
Container: MP4 File, Large file size (unchecked), Web optimized (checked), iPod 5G Support (unchecked)

Here are recommended settings (optimal; what I use):

Under Picture-
Width: 512 (if source is over 512), Height: <automatically calculated>
Keep Aspect Ratio checked; if you don't want black bars, uncheck this, and select either Loose or Strict under Anamorphic.

Under Video-
Framerate (FPS): Same as source
Quality: Constant Quality: RF22 ; If you want higher quality (thus larger file), reduce this number. If you want lower quality (thus smaller file), increase this number. For file size examples, check end of this post.

Under Audio-
Mixdown: Stereo
Bitrate: 96 ; as Kindle Fire is no audiophile quality, 96kbps AAC should be fine; if you want better quality sound, increase this to say 128kbps or more.

After changing these default settings, be sure to save them! Right click on your named preset, save. Alternatively, you can IMPORT these settings by downloading my preset here (or check attachment; extract first); right click on the preset panel, and hit "import".

After all the settings are done, select your destination (where the output mp4 file will be saved to), then hit Start or Add to Queue!

Note you don't have to set all these settings again the next time you encode; that's why it's important you SAVE the settings!

It should take anywhere from 10-60 minutes to encode a file, depending on your processor and the source material. After it's done, you need to upload it to your SugarSync account.


Upload the File:
Download and install the SugarSync File Manager. When you run it, click on "Web Archive". Click and drag the .mp4 converted files, and it should upload. You're done!


How to stream the file on your Fire / Mobile Device:
Download and install from Amazon's App Store.

Open up SugarSync, log in, click on Web Archive, and select your video! If you have more than one video playback app installed, it'll ask you what you'll want to use. Personally, I think the default Gallery / Amazon's video is just fine (alternatively, I used MoboPlayer, but MoboPlayer seems to take longer for the stream to start).

And there you have it! You can now stream videos on any device that SugarSync has an app for!

Again, you can sign up for SugarSync at their website, or use the referral link to get extra 500MB here.


Example File Sizes:


Too Long ; Did Not Read:
Sign up on SugarSync website, encode to mp4 using Handbrake with "web optimized" checked, upload to SugarSync's Web Archive directory, install SugarSync app via Amazon App Store, stream using your favorite player (default, MoboPlayer, etc).


Any questions, comments, etc. are welcome.

lol dont forget about that referral in your link so mr Printerscape gets some more storage space !!!

https://www.sugarsync.com/referral?rf=b0kvxjfvzbmkv

Originally Posted by surmanm

lol dont forget about that referral in your link so mr Printerscape gets some more storage space !!!

https://www.sugarsync.com/referral?rf=b0kvxjfvzbmkv

That's the point >.>. In exchange, you also get extra storage too, vs. signing up by yourself.

I've tried box.net and Livedrive, and both ended up badly. Box.net's upload is slow, and Livedrive is for backups only (e.g. can't use it as a cloud drive). I have yet to try Dropbox, but SugarSync fit my bills (cheaper @ $10/mo for 60GB vs. $10/mo for 50GB, plus I had a coupon for 50% off for SugarSync from getting referred myself =P), in that it's fast for uploading as well as downloading (faster than box.net and livedrive).

Just an update; it seems to drop connection while streaming past ~30 minutes. The default player does not re-establish the connection (forcing a re-start of the video), but MoboPlayer allows for re-establishing.

Seems like a lot of work, just an alternate, the emit app is only a couple dollars, allows for real time transcoding with you computer as the server. Works great, I use it every day

Originally Posted by screwyluie

Seems like a lot of work, just an alternate, the emit app is only a couple dollars, allows for real time transposing with you computer as the server. Works great, I use it every day

The idea is to use it wherever, whenever, without ties to your computer (which is what I want, since I can tether the Kindle Fire to my Android phone, and watch videos on the go, without keeping my desktop on for streaming, or buy/set up a NAS, especially if you have poor bandwidth / upload speed).

Originally Posted by Printerscape

The idea is to use it wherever, whenever, without ties to your computer (which is what I want, since I can tether the Kindle Fire to my Android phone, and watch videos on the go, without keeping my desktop on for streaming, or buy/set up a NAS, especially if you have poor bandwidth / upload speed).

Emit meets all those needs except leaving the computer off... I have all my videos on an external drive, emit app running on the computer, emit app on my phone/tablet/etc. I never turn my computer off anyways so that's no bother. I do have a fast connection, but emit allows you to change the bandwidth options for slower connections.

There is a free version as well, give it a shot, maybe it works for you, maybe not... Just offering an alternative

Jriver/gizmo works as an alternative.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

NO need to sideload SugarSync anymore, as it's available in the Amazon appstore:
http://www.amazon.com/SugarSync-Inc/dp/B004US4STM

Got a kindle fire for the family for Christmas. Was hoping to use Plex to stream...but quality is really terrible.

Found a nice app called Skifta...makes it super easy to see network shares from the kindle. Install the server app on the PC, install the app from the amazon app store, and super easy access to files over the network.

Tried to stream some 720p mkv's and use moboplayer, mxplayer, etc....but they all choked.

Using handbrake, I can encode kindle specific files. Still messing with different resolutions, but over the network, file size isn't that big of a deal. I've done a 500 pixel file and then an 800 pixel, and 800 looked much better. Going to try a 1024 and see how it fares. Encode time goes up...but I'll probably be converting an entire TV series at a time, so it's an overnight job anyways.

Obviously if you're trying to store it via dropbox or some other service, size would matter.