How to link Mediaserver and Mediaplayer -> Browser?

[DocMC]

Dear community,

within the last weeks I managed to integrate different bindings for Hardware (Homematic, Synology Surveillance Station, Philips HUE, …) to my openHAB and to program and link them with rules and sitemaps. As next step I would like to integrate my media server… where I’m now stuck nearly at the beginning, since I don’t yet know and understand the concept of media streaming in terms of programming.

What I’d like to program:
-Something like a media browser on a sitemap, where I can select a media file and get it played by my AV receiver (AVR).

What I have so far:
-HEOS binding successfully installed where I can see my DENON AVR. Among others, the binding offers an item “PlayUrl” where I can send a link to a media file in order to get it played by the AVR.
-Synology DiskStation which is set-up as media server. I have access to the media server by different apps in mobiles, iPad, … and also by the AVR itself. So in principle the media streaming is running fine in my network.

My questions:
-Using openHAB, How can I browse in my Disk Station so that I can select a link to a media file, which I then can send to the AVR?
-Is there something like a “template browser” which I can include into my sitemaps?

Maybe my question might sound too simple and basic, but I couldn’t so far find any topic in the community helping my further. Maybe, because I don’t even know the right “keywords” to search for…

Thank you in advance for a helpful link or similar,
Doc MC

[rlkoshak (Rich Koshak)]

@DocMC

since I don’t yet know and understand the concept of media streaming in terms of programming.

The biggest thing to understand is that OH is not a home media automation system, its a home automation system. The distinction is that OH is designed and built to control devices, not manage and play from a library of media. You will be far better off deploying software that is special built for that purpose (Plex, Kodi, Sling, etc.) and provide some minimal integration with OH (turn on the stereo and send this predefined/hard coded playlist to the speaker).

@DocMC

-Something like a media browser on a sitemap, where I can select a media file and get it played by my AV receiver (AVR)

As far as I know, this can’t be done. You might be able to code something yourself and put it on a sitemap using a Webview element, but that’s not really part of OH.

@DocMC

-Using openHAB, How can I browse in my Disk Station so that I can select a link to a media file, which I then can send to the AVR?

No.

@DocMC

-Is there something like a “template browser” which I can include into my sitemaps?

No

[DocMC]

Thank you again, @rlkoshak, for your clear answer. Your proposal to use a Webview element for the media player is a good hint. I’ll try to integrate the Synology Audiostation Web GUI (accessible via https: //…) into my sitemap then.

It’s clear to me, that media streaming is not the key focus of home automation… or not even in focus at all. Hence, my target is to get “everything” combined into one UI to avoid switching between different apps.

Best regards,
Doc MC