Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[maxxsid]

Hello,
I just cannot solve this puzzle. What is the best way to share a library in a small home network?
3 computers.
1 - DESKTOP, where all tagging, downloading and ripping is done. Music listening too.
2 - HTPC, where movie watching and music listening is done. No tagging, maybe just rating.
3 - SERVER, where all media is stored. Master Library is stored there too.
All 3 computers have MC15 installed.

AFAIK, there are 3 ways to share:
1 - local "client" libraries on all computers. Once one of the libraries gets updated it is manually copied/synced to other computers e.g. via "master library" stored on a server.
2 - shared library. Single library is stored on a server and every MC15 uses it. The first PC to connect has writing privileges, the others only reading.
3 - Library server.

I've been using #1 for years and it works well, except for it involves some manual steps for library syncing and also the Play Count is not shared between the clients.

-- if I go with #2, will it allow for Play Count and Rating updates from clients connected in read-only mode?
-- Library Server. I played with it a little and don't think it's a good solution for a home network. It's ideal for a remote access or to connect a foreign PC/laptop.

What if I share a single library between DESKTOP and SERVER with the SERVER being in read-only mode (so that I'll do all importing/tagging on the DESKTOP) and then use Library Server to serve the library to HTPC? Will this combination allow for Play Count and Ratings to stay in sync?

Any thoughts anyone?
Thanks!
--max

[zxsix]

I use a combination of a shared library and Library Server feature.

Computers hardwired on local LAN point to a common library available on the network at the path \\servername\MCLibrary.
This is the best approach, I think especially if you'll be playing movies, since you'll be playing directly over the network instead of converting and streaming.
This has the added benefit of being able to make the library read only from certain workstations.  Don't want the kids changing tags.

Computers connected over slower connections (the internet) I use library server to connect remotely to the main library.
No new files are added from here, but tags can be edited.  No video, only audio in my case.  Audio is transcoded to mp3 prior to streaming.

[maxxsid]

Thanks!
I am inclining towards this approach too.
Do you know if ratings and play count get updated when MC is connected in read-only mode?
Also, if the server is asleep and MC cannot connect to the shared library on it, does MC revert back to the Default library? Well.. gonna check this tonite.

--max

I use a combination of a shared library and Library Server feature.

[zxsix]

Read only means read only.
They can change the rating field, but it won't stick.

If LS isn't running, it will display an error message and revert to a local library if any are listed in library manager.
If only the LS library is listed in library manager, it will error and exit.

[maxxsid]

Read only means read only.
They can change the rating field, but it won't stick.

Would be cool if it would stick. Would be a nice feature to have the write permissions to some fields.

If LS isn't running, it will display an error message and revert to a local library if any are listed in library manager.
If only the LS library is listed in library manager, it will error and exit.

This is not good and that's why I was staying away from shared libraries - I hoped this changed... My server is normally asleep..