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Author Topic: Multiple MC PCs, media on NAS and dedicated server, one library ... Advice  (Read 5758 times)

Z0001

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  • Posts: 541

Hi

I currently have one MC HTPC. It's a Great Big Black Box. Sits proud and indignant in my lounge room. I often access it by remote desktop to manage tags, rip etc, because using a regular keyboard and mouse is more efficient. But this means that family can't access content while I am down this. I want to overcome this and in so doing end up with smaller footprint machines around the house used for accessing media.

I want to manage my overall MC experience from a single machine (I'm calling this Server)  for ripping, tagging, MC options etc, and have multiple MC machines running around the house (I'm calling them Clients) that access the dedicated MC library and MC options by wifi or ethernet so that I only need to manage a single machine and the library it serves up (the data as opposed to the actual media files).

Is this how the MC server-client arrangement works?

So for example if I rip a new CD or update video tags via the Server will this immediately show up on my Clients?

Presumably each Client then has its own settings for audio and video output (HDMI, USB, RCA etc) set using Zones.

If I can get this arrangement to work I hope to use it to keep my Client machines as simple as possible by minimizing HDD, optical drives, power consumption, noise, fans etc.

Appreciate any assistance
Z
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wraith

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  • Posts: 30

Hey!

I also am chasing this feature [refer thread at http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=90273.0]

I have given this a shot by placing the library on our NAS and accessing the library from both my wife's and I PC. All the settings [including renaming pre-sets etc] transfer over. The only issue is that the library gets 'locked', supposedly by the first PC that opens the library.

Might be worth putting this on the MC20 forum [http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=90662.0]
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System: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X; 32Gb RAM
OS: Windows 11 Pro
MC: 30.0.96 (64-bit)

Vocalpoint

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  • Posts: 2007

I have given this a shot by placing the library on our NAS and accessing the library from both my wife's and I PC. All the settings [including renaming pre-sets etc] transfer over. The only issue is that the library gets 'locked', supposedly by the first PC that opens the library.

I got around this long ago - by placing our media in a central location (Windows Server), having the HTPC act as the "media server" and then have all the client PCs in the house connect to the Library Server exclusively - save one. That takes care of anyone wanting to play stuff while I am editing.

To maintain the actual content - I use a separate install of MC (with it's own library) on my workstation PC - but it points to the master media in the server. This is where I get to play "library custodian" and do all the ripping, tagging, moving, analyzing etc etc. All media that makes it to the master library goes thru my machine first. And because it's isolated and most importantly - NOT a client to the Media server running on the HTPC - there is never any contention.

I can do my thing while the HTPC does it's thing. I can be ripping and tagging and editing in my office - while my wife can be listening to music in hers (Via HTPC server) and my son could be watching The Lego Movie on the big screen (Via HTPC library server). No one is bothered by any of the other activities going on.

I make big time use of the Rename, Copy and Move toolset to "place" new adds out on the server in real time. Then when the HTPC - which uses Auto import to "watching" the server paths - simply brings in new content as it appears on the server.

And because my PC stands alone - I can have my own custom playlists, views and other things that benefit the "editor" in me - while the HTPC library has more standard "family" centric views, playlists etc.

I would not have it any other way.

Cheers!

VP
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