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[Rozzer]

Hi all,

I'm a new MC9 user, and, I have to say, this is an amazing piece of software  

I have a main PC upstairs which contains all my mp3s, and I have a laptop downstairs, on which I currently stream my collection using Media Server. This works very well, but it seems to be limited, in that I can't change the main (upstairs) library (such as updating ratings or playlists). Also, album artwork is not streamed with the mp3s (even if it is embedded in the file).

Is there any way round this? Can I connect straight to the library though the network without using Media Server?

many thanks,
Rozzer

[Robert Taylor]

Gday Rozzer,

I am a user of Media Server, also...

It has been asked of the dev team a number of times if they could build in library database updates from the client back to the server. It seems as if this feature MIGHT appear in MC10. Apparently, the database needs some re-writing to allow for multi-access (ie. 3 clients mights try to update the server simultaneously).

As for the cover art, this seems to be an issue with different builds. Generally it works. I keep all my covers in the folder where the album resides (covert art file is called Folder.jpg). I do this as it works nicely in WinXP (ie WinXP Explorer will show all the folders with the album cover embedded in the folder image in Thumbnails view). Sometimes I find a certain build of the software just doesn't seem to send the cover art correctly to the client. My only suggestion is to:
a) Go back to a slightly earlier version
b) Wait for the next version...

You COULD map a shared network drive containing your media files to your client machine, and have it build it's own library. The main problem with this (for me anyway), is that you then have two (or more) libraries on your LAN, and there's more work in maintaining this setup. I have also seen a number of posts hereabouts which refer to slowdowns when you use this method.

As for me, I am happy to wait for future versions which have the Server update from Client features. It would be nice if my server had all the play stats etc. from the client, but I can live without it for the time being..


Hope this helps...

[Rozzer]

Thanks for the info Lunchmeat. I can see by browsing round this forum that I have alot to learn. I only really bought MC to sync to my iPod, but I'm discovering it does so much more!

Shame about the multi-access , but I'll live As for the cover art, I might try your method, but all my cover art is currently in the MC Data directory, and I don't fancy moving hundreds of files. Are you saying that Media Server should stream the cover art with the song, or with the database when it is first downloaded?

thanks again,
Rory

[dragyn]

If I were you, this is what I would be doing:

Create a directory like c:\library. Make this a shared folder.
Import your files using the \\computer\pc\path method

Now on your laptop, run MC, and have that library point to \\computer\c\library on your other computer.

The plus side to doing this is that you can stream every file. Media Server is limited on certain types of files and doesn't work that great (for me at least). You're cover art will show now. You can make changes and they will stick.

The bad side about this is if you have both libraries opened at the same time, the one that closes last will be the new library.

Now if you just want to show cover arts and stuff, you could make c:\library a read-only share and you'll be safe. You can edit file properties but they won't stick on the main library so you would need to do an update library on your main pc if you did it this way.

---

I use the \\computer\drive\library and \\computer\drive\path in my setup because I want to stream ape,apl files and show cover art and play videos and modified tags, playlists, view schemes, etc on the server pc.

[Rozzer]

"Import your files using the \\computer\pc\path method"

Hmm.. could you explain what you mean by this? Do you mean import normally from the mapped network drive?

This method is still essentially 2 databases is it not?

thanks

[dragyn]

Let's say your files were in c:\mp3s, you would need to share this folder with the other computers on your network. Have your library in a shared folder also like c:\my library\

On the server pc, import files from network places. eg: \\computer name\c\mp3s\
On the client pc, have the library point to \\computer name\c\my library\

When you do it this way, both MCs will be the same on the pc and the laptop. Everything will be streamable and the covers will show fine...same with images and video files.

[Rozzer]

Brilliant! It works. Thanks Dragyn   I had to move the default folder for the cover art to the Library shared folder aswell, but once that was done it worked a treat. I knew there'd be a way  

cheers

[LisaRCT]

This has been an interesting thread as I have learned something here  

But I am still a bit fuzzy on something so perhaps I can get it answered here.
What is the difference  between:
1- running media server to listen on a network PC
2- running MC on the remote PC using a network library (as outlined above by Dragyn)
3- running MC on the network PC using a library on a mapped drive
4- streaming audio over my network to the network PC where it is played as if it were an internet radio stream

I do understand about the restrictions to library changes in some of these setups and the loss of some player controls (such as song selection) in #4.  I am most interested in the resource load on each PC involved as some in my network are old and slow.

[dragyn]

1. doesn't work with all files. cover art (external) does show (AFAIK).
2. works but you have to be careful when closing MC. Not sure about that auto-save of the database. That just occured to me. Should only happen when you make changes, right?
3. mapped drives would have to be the same. the files in both pcs have to point to the same file.  like if you have files on c:\ on the server, you couldn't map that into another drive (windows wont let you). so files on the client would still be pointing to it's c:\ drive (not on the server).
4. I don't understand the question.

[LisaRCT]

#4 was a reference to:
 IF we had the ability to have MC send an audio stream (like an internet radio station does)  over my network  . . . . and listen to it from another PC on my network as if it were an internet radio stream.
(I guess it might be like Media Server, except instead of servng a file to be played by the network PC you would pla the file on the Server and stram just the audio signal)
I don't know why but for some reason I imagine thistaking les resources on the network PC.
maybe not?

[Bryan]

Here's a 5th option and one that I find works quite well..

I put all my media (music, photos, video) on one separate volume and set the drive letter to M: .  I share the root out as "Media"..  My music files are in M:\Music\,  photos in M:\Photos\, etc..  My MC library files are also in M:\Music\ .

On a remote machine I map a network drive M: to the share created above.  Now M:\Music\ points to my music library on both machines.  

Then I backup the library on machine #1 and restore it to machine #2.  Thus using separate libraries.  

This works great in my particular situation where I have a primary machine that I do all media creation/editing/tagging/library management/etc on and the oither machine(s) is simply for playback.  When I add new music or make a lot of changes to tags or library fields I have to backup/restore but that's a quick and easy task.  

While I don't proclaim this to be the ultimate solution for everyone. It does have the following important advantages:

 - eliminates potential library corruption.  

 - All MC features work properly (cover art, all media files, etc)

 - Mapped drives tend to be more persistant than UNC mapping (altho you could do the same thing using UNC).

 - simplifies storage and backup of all your important digital media.

Bryan