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[Osho]

Hi,

Considering that the extracted DVDs (either .iso or directories) are not working over Media Server/Client interface, I am thinking about not using MC12  as a client and instead make a regular library with all the files mounted via NAS. This is the size of my library:

• Audio: 181.9 GB, 9081 files, 833 albums
• Images: 2.7 GB, 1816 files
• Video: 146.8 GB, 316 files
• Documents: 20.7 GB, 24 files

Arond 350GB data in total. Will creating library of this over NAS work with MC12? What is the total size of library over NAS that people have been able to use with MC12?

thanks,
Osho

[dtblair]

I thought I would chime in to share my wealth? of experience on Media Center in a networked home.  I have tested darn near every product out there looking for something better and so far there is nothing.  Not that Media Center doesn’t have its own warts.  The lack of a relational database structure being the major problem

I have multiple computers in the home, each driven by a touchscreen.  JRiver is not all that touchscreen friendly, especially the theater view, but is it manageable.  It would be nice if you could increase the size of certain features selectively.  When you increase the base font, the whole top of the form gets scrunched.

Each computer is part of a domain running off Server 2003.  This isn’t really necessary but as I develop SQL Server and Access databases for a living, I can double up its duty.  The server has 2 Terabytes of storage, 250G wav files (I don’t use compression), 1TB DVD files, 250G jpg and tiff.  I have an additional 2Terabytes on another machine which is networked

For general video and audio playback, a Pentium II 400 with 768Meg is adequate.  Ram is more of a concern in that a Pentium III 950 with 512MEG doesn’t work as well as the Pentium II.  I use these as base systems throughout the house because they are cheap and silent (no CPU fans).  Each has a fanless video card with 128 to 256MEG RAM.  This is important to play the videos with these processors.  I used to keep the library on the server and share this among the systems.  This doesn’t work.  One is that since it is not a real database share, the last computer shut down replaces the file.  Also on the smaller processors, they have difficulty bringing the large library data across the LAN.  They work better when the library is local.  I do all my updating and adding of media on my workstation.  I then backup the library to the server.  For each of the home systems, I use restore to update them to the master.

I don’t have much experience with MC12 in that the smaller processors choke trying to run it.  Also it doesn’t handle dual monitors correctly.  My media room runs dual monitors, one being a touchscreen for control and general audio, the TV being a HDTV that works off of a DVI to HDMI cable.  When I tried MC12, it would crash too often. 

So regarding your NAS, as long as you put the library local on each machine, it should work fine.  All my files are mapped to the server the same (audio, cover art, DVD, photos) so the library pointers are identical.

Hope this helps

[Osho]

dtblair, thanks for the detailed info. Very useful.

How are you networking all your computers? wireless 802.11? Or, do you have CAT-5 hookups all over your house?

Osho

[gpvillamil]

I have a much larger library than this sitting on an Infrant ReadyNAS NV+, about 1.2TB in total. It is connected to several PCs over gigabit ethernet, via a netgear switch.

I indexed it in MC12 (which took quite a while) in a library that is stored locally, on the C: drive.

It works fine. Searches are practically instantaneous. Playback of audio starts instantly. Some video plays instantly (DVDs are giving me problems).

Hi,

Considering that the extracted DVDs (either .iso or directories) are not working over Media Server/Client interface, I am thinking about not using MC12  as a client and instead make a regular library with all the files mounted via NAS. This is the size of my library:

• Audio: 181.9 GB, 9081 files, 833 albums
• Images: 2.7 GB, 1816 files
• Video: 146.8 GB, 316 files
• Documents: 20.7 GB, 24 files

Arond 350GB data in total. Will creating library of this over NAS work with MC12? What is the total size of library over NAS that people have been able to use with MC12?

thanks,
Osho

[dtblair]

My network is Cat5e gigabit with a switch.  I used to have a 10/100 hub and didn't really see much difference for a JRiver application.  I needed the faster ethernet for my work.  In the past I dabbled with wireless and for audio it was fine, too much "buffering" for video.  It would not play a vob file without severe audio and video syncopation. Also real problems with photos in a slideshow as many of my photos are high res jpeg or tiff.  Have to go hardwire for the photo stuff. 

One aspect for DVD storage is curious.  Under MC10 and before, when you imported a DVD directory it would assign the filetype as "DVD" and all the various files were imported together as chapters.  For MC11 and MC12, the various files are imported as individual ifo and vob files and each handled separately.  This creates multiple records or thumbnails for the same movie.  I found that all that is needed to import is the iso or first vob file.  All the rest can be deleted from JRiver.  The VTS_01_0.IFO or VTS_01_1.VOB contains all the information or links necessary to play the video.  Really cleans up the records and views.  I then assign the DVD art to the single file and start all the movies from a double-click of the art

[Osho]

I found that all that is needed to import is the iso or first vob file.  All the rest can be deleted from JRiver.  The VTS_01_0.IFO or VTS_01_1.VOB contains all the information or links necessary to play the video.  Really cleans up the records and views.

How come MC12 doesn't do this by default?

Osho

[NickM]

0.8TB audio
2.8TB video
0.4TB images
Works fine from a set of TeraStations over 100GB switched hub.  3 clients accesses via MC and 2 SlimServers ( each with half a dozen players ) can all access simultaneously.