Hi Pat.

How can I open a video in Mplayer from my Network share connection?

"It will list Shared folders and Shared Media, sometimes they take a couple of seconds to appear. "

This may be the problem. Doesn't happen, never happened. Only local resources (internal storage, SD card) in File Manager, ever. Hence my impression that the tablet wasn't capable of what seems to be a basic task, without installing some additional application.

Now I need to figure out why File Manager is broken. I'm starting to see a reflash in my future.

Do a quick reboot.

In Xterm:

root
reboot -n

If you have a shared network, it should show up after this.

"root
reboot -n"

You mean FROM root? Those commands just give me "not found". Is it the same as a reboot with the power button?

This will give you root privileges.

easyroot_1.0-4_armel.deb

I think I'm going to bag this for the day, maybe permanently. I'm beginning to think I've got at least major software, and possibly hardware issues. This thing has led me on a wild goose chase looking for over-elaborate solutions to simple problems, when it's now looking like it's just broken.

The media I can get to play run at about five frames per minute. Throughput is decent on other devices over wireless so it's not the network.

A punt to the back yard is sounding like a reasonable alternative at the moment. Thanks for your help. I'm a glutton for punishment so I'll probably be back, unless in a moment of sanity I step on this thing.

You'll be missing out.

On what? Further hair loss and stress-induced cardiac arrhythmia?

If you find a TV show online to download, an hour episode should be about 350 megs in .avi format. Mp4 is not good at all.

I have $3,500 + in med apps.

A $1,000+ in med books.

SCUMM. Dosbox. GBA. Super Nintendo. Jagged Alliance.

Evince and Kchmviewer for books.

Cbrpager for comics.

Xmms and Vagalume for music.

That's for starters.

There was a bug that sometimes happens, If you Opened File manager when there was no WiFi connection or resources, then sometimes later when you connect to WIFI it fails to show these two listings. I think there is some way to force a refresh without rebooting , but will have to look it up.
But if you fully power off the n810, then power it back on, connect to the WIFI that your PC is on and while your PC is running, and then and only then start File Manager, you should see the listings for Shared folder, shared media might work, but I'm not sure which Windows Media player you need.