How to Stream Movies from Synology NAS to Android TV

In an effort to make my home theater tidier, I’ve tried to reduce the amount of cables as many as possible. I’ve used the Chromecast, a Sony Android TV and a Philips wireless soundbar. Now, I’ve decided to buy a Synology network attached storage (NAS) to stream my movies, home videos, TV shows, as well as pictures and music to my Android TV.

Previously, I often had to connect an external hard drive to the TV or stream movies from my laptop. Here is the guide to set up the Synology NAS to stream movies to your Android TV wirelessly.

1. Set up Synology NAS

After receiving the Synology NAS, you can follow the video below to set it up on a Mac.

2. Transfer files to the NAS

Copy your movies, videos, and photos to the NAS. You should arrange them into categories like Movies, TV Shows, Home Videos, or Photos.

3. Install a media player on Android TV

You’re almost done. Now you will just need to install a media player on your Android TV. I prefer using the VLC, Synology’s DS Video or Plex client. The Plex app is more convenient because it is it organizes all your media files in one place. You can not only see media files from the specific NAS but also from your other networked devices. If you want to use Plex, you will need to install the Plex Media Server on your NAS. Just go to Plex website, download the installation file and manual install it on your NAS.