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[raldo]

Ok, the ION not a blitzing fast computer but it's small and handles HD very well. As a matter of fact, when I first restored my old library, theater view was comparable to, and HD possibly better than, my old AMD XP 3500+

I've set it up as an HTPC in the livingroom with basically no extra applications installed. Just a clean Win7 with MC15 build 25. No virus checker.

The thing is, I'd like to avoid doing tagging etc. on the ION,  so I've set up my old HTPC (AMD XP3500+) as a server where my intention is I do all tagging and media management.

So, as far as I know, I have two options: using a shared library, where the ION library is in read only, or setting up a Library server on the office pc and connect to it from the ION.

So, here are my observations (for now)

(1) Shared library:
o Changes made in the "server" library aren't reflected on the client until I restart. Expected, I guess.
o Theater view is as fast as before

(2) Library Server:
o Changes made in the server library aren't reflected until I restart the client. This was not expected. Am I overlooking something?
o Theater view is approx 5 times slower in changing views when there is a calculated field in the tree.

[morrison]

Nice choice raldo! I also have asrock 330, and, in general, very satisfied - its powerful silent htpc.

little of my experience:

I use it as library client.
Win7 x32 installed, no AV scanner (I tried NOD32 version 4 - but it is very slow loading database (3-5min for 8 MB MC database), and I failed to add it to the NOD exceptions). I have Gbite lan and have some weird problems with nvidia driver for this.
Small disadvantage of productivity GPU can be felt in the theater mode, but at a moderate 3D settings can achieve exactly smooth.
I had to abandon the heavy cover (1-2 MB) for my files, because their presence strongly inhibited switching of MC views on Atom machine.

Switching standard views of MC is a major CPU load and appreciable delay - here we could benefit from a more powerful CPU or a more optimized code MC. In favor of the latter, I note that switching views on a powerful MC server also does with a perceptible delay and the "white screen" of frozen application, with the little CPU loads.

Syncing library with a server in my case takes 2 minutes and completely loads one core of an atom. I do it on average once a day, and the main problem for me here is not the expectation, but reset the current "playnow" after updating database from the server.
Formerly MC continually crashes after waking up PC from hibernate mode - due to the use of MC, I had to abandon the energy-saving technology. However, in recent versions of M15 it does not happen - thanks to our developers, probably this is due to recent changes in the library server.

My friend also uses ASR330 as a HTPC, but in the local base mode. He expanded memory up to 4GB, set Win7 x64 and also has a positive emotion from the system. He does not complain about delays and hang - but the size of the base we have is very different (8TB in my case, and 200GB my friend)

ION works fine with standalone MPC video decoder (DXVA), M$ VC-1 decoder (also DXVA I think), CoreAVC (CUDA).

...setting up a Library server on the office pc and connect to it from the ION

I think this is the best choice)

[morrison]

My benchmark result for ASR330:

JRMark (version 15.0.16): 359

JRMark (version 14.0.159): 371

Indeed there is that optimize

[raldo]

Yes, the Asrock seems to perform quite well. My system is x64, 4gb ram.

Win7 x32 installed, no AV scanner (I tried NOD32 version 4 - but it is very slow loading database (3-5min for 8 MB MC database), and I failed to add it to the NOD exceptions). I have Gbite lan and [...]
I had to abandon the heavy cover (1-2 MB) for my files, because their presence strongly inhibited switching of MC views on Atom machine.

What loading times are you seeing now for your library?

Syncing library with a server in my case takes 2 minutes and completely loads one core of an atom. I do it on average once a day, and the main problem for me here is not the expectation, but reset the current "playnow" after updating database from the server.

Exactly how do you update the database from the server? I see that there is a view item called "Library sync". What exactly does this do? There seems to be transfer of media files involved?

Your bench mark results are similar to mine.

[morrison]

What loading times are you seeing now for your library?

3-5 seconds, if talk about the progress of loading db. It was at this time a very negative influence virus scanner in my case.
30-60 seconds until completely ready to use (displaying any standard view with data).

Exactly how do you update the database from the server? I see that there is a view item called "Library sync". What exactly does this do? There seems to be transfer of media files involved?

I use Library Server feature.
I know that there are also "Library Sync" to merge two separate databases, but I never used it.
The same paragraph menu "File - Library - Library Sync .." perform different actions in different situations. If you are using a local database - its merge database with a remote server library, and if you use a remote database (ie serverip:port) - happens to synchronize changes client-server.
I use the second scheme - the client-server. I setup "Library" button to MC toolbar, and use "Library Sync" for send client changes. In latest MC buld I also check "Library Server Client > Automatically sync changes" for sync after close of MC.
For my clients I connected network drives with media files as well as on the server (M: V: etc). Checked "Play local file if one that matches Library Server file is found".
No mediafiles transferred in this case, only DB data.

[raldo]

3-5 seconds, if talk about the progress of loading db. It was at this time a very negative influence virus scanner in my case.
30-60 seconds until completely ready to use (displaying any standard view with data).

Ok. I'll just have to see how it works out.

I know that there are also "Library Sync" to merge two separate databases, but I never used it.

Thanks for the explanation. Another unrelated feature, then.

I setup "Library" button to MC toolbar, and use "Library Sync" for send client changes. In latest MC buld I also check "Library Server Client > Automatically sync changes" for sync after close of MC.

Ok, so that's for updating the server with changes to the database on the client side.

Have you any idea if there is a method to do it the other way, i.e. updating the client with changes on the server side?

As I wrote in my original post, I'd like to use my server PC to manage my data, f.ex. Picasa Photo Tagging, PvdImport/PVD Movie/series tagging, etc.

The client PC should be as clean as possible with few applications installed and one application running at all times : MC

Currently I have to restart the client so that the changes can be seen there.

Checked "Play local file if one that matches Library Server file is found".

Check.

[morrison]

All works on the server, work with the base MC, PVD, and even browsing - I do in a separate user session, through the RDP connection. Never logoff this session, only disconnect. Very nice to work on a powerful machine and not listen to her noise). With the current spread of broadband Internet, I can always connect through a VPN or ssh tunnel to my home network and a little tune MC).
With early builds of MC library server, client could easily crash in sync, I lost several hours of work - and quickly abandoned the scheme. Plus there're known limitations of client - not working "locate to", does not work to convert video (for the same reason, I think), can not work with the covers etc. I use MC synchronization only for the collection of statistics and ratings from clients. And update them DBs.

Library server now in active development - I hope for the best solution from the developers)

[HiFiTubes]

Just checking on how your rigs are all working with JRMC15 now.

I have found better performance for my ION w/ ATOM 330 as of late (last few months). Faster load time of network and view switching.