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[syndromeofadown]

I'm almost done building my new server.
I'm almost finished copying all my media to this new server.
The router i ordered should be here in a few days.
By the end of the week i will have a fully operational server that will feed my 3 PCs around the house.
All will be running the latest version of MC on Windows8 connected by LAN.

This is as far as planned. Its my first server. Its actually my first network as i don't even have internet.

My question is, how do i use MC on it?

The idea i have right now is as follows:
- In windows, share each drive on the server over the network.
- On all other PCs, map the network drives using the same letters at the server.
- Configure my existing portable install of MC to auto import from the server.
- Copy the portable install to all PCs except the server.
In my imagination each PC will be able to play any of the files on the server as if it was on the actual PC. ie. No conversions.

Please correct me if I'm wrong or offer a better solution.
Any advice is appreciated.

Most of my music is FLAC.
Most of my movies are DVDs ripped to hard disc folder.
I do have some BD ripped to hard disc folder.
My 3D blu-rays are iso's that i mount when i want to watch. Can this work over a network?

I don't want a screen on my server so can i use a some kind of remote desktop to start/check it?

I have an Android mp3 player that I want to use as a remote. Can it be used on any of my PC's or just one? Is this what gizmo is for?

Thanks for any help

[csimon]

- Configure my existing portable install of MC to auto import from the server.
- Copy the portable install to all PCs except the server.

This means that all clients will have to perform imports themselves and, if there is any metadata that cannot be stored in the actual files, manual tweaking to the tags may have to be done on each PC. Your data might be perfectly fine though and it will therefore all run without intervention.

An alternative is to regularly make backups of the library (using the built-in function) and then copy the backup to the clients and restore them. This will not only replicate the entire library but also all your view schemes, so that if you decide to make a change then you don't need to reinstall the whole thing or make changes manually.

I'm not saying which is the best method for you, just an alternative idea for you to think about,

I don't want a screen on my server so can i use a some kind of remote desktop to start/check it?

Yes, you can use the Windows RDP if you have a Pro version of Windows on the server. Or you could investigate a VNC application or something like Splashtop.

I have an Android mp3 player that I want to use as a remote. Can it be used on any of my PC's or just one? Is this what gizmo is for?

Gizmo is J River's own Android remote control for MC, although I believe it has been surpassed by the iOS third party app JRemote and needs some more development, and there are others too. All these remote controls will allow you to connect to any MC library server and push media to any MC client, alternatively connect to any client and pull media from any server.

[MrHaugen]

Install and use the server functions on the server. Connect the clients as library clients. This is MUCH better than what you are trying here. There will be NO conversion if you have the same mapped drive on the server as the clients!

[syndromeofadown]

Thanks for the help.

There will be NO conversion if you have the same mapped drive on the server as the clients!

Good to know. I wanted to check because I have read many times that dvds over a network need converted but maybe that was when they are getting sent directly to a TV or DLNA device.

you can use the Windows RDP if you have a Pro version of Windows on the server

Also good to know. I have the pro versions so i should be good to go. I always thought 3rd party software was needed to do this so its nice to know i already have this ability.

All these remote controls will allow you to connect to any MC library server and push media to any MC client, alternatively connect to any client and pull media from any server.

Perfect

I will Install MC on the server and connect clients as library clients.

[MrHaugen]

The only reason you would have conversion is if each client do not see the same source path as the server does. So, if you use the same drive mappings on the server as the clients, each clients will do direct playback from the mapped drive over the network. No conversion.

Only time you get conversion is if the server have to "serve" those files. Than you can end up with conversion. Or if you use DLNA features and the equipment or software does not support the files you're playing. For example using gizmo or other DNLA players, might have to convert some type of files for playback to some devices. I do not know the details of what is converted or not here, as I don't use it that much. You'll probably have to read some more on your specific setup.

[syndromeofadown]

Thanks
I will only be playing media on other PCs. The Android device will be used as a remote only.
So no converting needed.
Looks like everything should be fairly simple which is what I want.