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Author Topic: Media Server  (Read 2810 times)

mstan

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Media Server
« on: December 04, 2013, 09:10:21 am »

I have a problem on the Windows side now running the MC Media Server and MC GUI at the same time.   I get GUI crashes when trying to edit tags while paying music; Windows gives error message suggesting you can't run Media Server and MC client at the same time.   If I shut down the client and just have media server running I get strange behavior like failure to play a complete playlist.   So i just run MC client without the server and everything seems fine.  What do I need that server for?  Running other instances of the client on other PCs?

I am running MC19 on a Mac Mini to an outboard D/A converter.   All the files are on a remote Mac Pro shared to WIN7 and connected via ethernet.  I may occasionally like to access the library via MC on other computers within the home LAN.
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Matt

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Re: Media Server
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2013, 11:51:47 am »

I'm not perfectly clear what you're doing.

It's not officially supported to run the server and client on the same machine.

You should run the server under your current user account (in 'Media Server' mode) and use it directly.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

mstan

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Re: Media Server
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2013, 12:39:26 pm »

I'm not perfectly clear what you're doing.

It's not officially supported to run the server and client on the same machine.

You should run the server under your current user account (in 'Media Server' mode) and use it directly.
I log into WIN7.  Then open MC19.  At this point the media server icon does not appear in low right hand task bar.  I select music or video to play via iOS JRemote or via VNC remote from another computer.  Content is played from Mac Mini to DAC via USB and TV via hdmi.

Now if I click on media server, it opens with icon in low right task bar.  This is where I experience lookups, other anomalies.  If I now close the GUI server runs and I can play from JRemote.   However in this mode I experience glitches as well such as incomplete play of an album.

So what is correct setup for this scenario?
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Matt

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Re: Media Server
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2013, 12:42:23 pm »

I think you want:
Options > Startup > Windows Startup > Run on Windows startup: Media Server
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

mstan

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Media Server
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2013, 12:52:29 pm »

I think you want:
Options > Startup > Windows Startup > Run on Windows startup: Media Server
Does that not start the GUI?  I will need to use that to edit library tags and other maintenance tasks right?  Is starting media server at startup different than starting it from the GUI?
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glynor

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Re: Media Server
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2013, 10:17:16 pm »

Is starting media server at startup different than starting it from the GUI?

Yes.  I really think you're overthinking this.  First...

If you pick the option Matt suggests, then on boot, your computer will:

1. Load MC in Media Server mode in the tray.
2. MC will serve the media library from this "Tray Media Server" mode.

This does not load the full MC GUI, but it does "launch MC" into Media Server mode (where all of the server components are active, but the GUI stuff is hidden/unloaded).  It looks like this:



Then, to launch MC fully, you can just open MC using a regular Start Menu, Taskbar, or Desktop shortcut.  However you would normally if MC wasn't already running in the tray.  But, and this is the part I think you're missing, these are NOT two separate EXE files, and they aren't two separate applications.  When you launch the full MC GUI, it just "activates" the rest of the stuff in the application that is already running.

Lastly, when this option is enabled, when you close the MC GUI, it doesn't actually quit the application, it instead "minimizes itself" to the tray.  Essentially, this option enables MC's "Media Server is always on" mode.  Once you enable it, to actually get Media Center 19.exe to quit, you have to close the GUI and then go to the tray, right click on the Media Server, and choose Close Media Server.

So, to be completely clear:  You do not, and cannot, "connect to the Media Server" while using the computer that is the Media Server.*  Doing that is for accessing the Library on other computers (and via mobile devices, etc).  To access MC's GUI on the server machine, you just open MC.  It is the server (with, or without, the GUI loaded).  Same application.  Two modes: full blown GUI mode, and itty-bittly little Tray Media Server mode.

There are other choices available in Options > Startup > Windows Startup > Run on Windows Startup.  They work in the following manner:

Nothing - the simplest option.  MC does not use the Tray Media Server at all, and doesn't run anything on boot.  When you run MC it runs, and if you have the Media Network stuff turned on, it serves its Library while it is running, but shuts down when you close out of the GUI.

Media Center - this is simple, it just launches MC automatically (full GUI) when you boot.  This does NOT enable the Tray Media Server mode, so when you close MC's GUI, then it shuts down any Libraries it is serving and they can no longer be reached by other clients on other computers.  Use this to get MC to start up in full-blown GUI mode automatically when the computer boots if that computer isn't serving its Library to any other computers (if this install is a "client-only copy" and connects to a remote Library Server, for example).  It behaves identically to just putting a shortcut to MC in the All Programs\Startup folder, or any of the other ways to get Windows to launch an application on boot.  It launches MC on boot, but then if you close it, it is completely quit.

Media Center and Media Server - This is effectively "both of the above".  It enables the Tray Media Server mode, the same as picking the Media Server option would, and then also launches the full-blown GUI.

* I wonder if you have some kind of shortcut that tries to connect to your media server from the media server (which it can't do because it is already loaded and sharing the library you're trying to connect to).  I'm not sure, but whatever it is, you're trying to be too fancy.  Just open the application and it'll be okay.

It is also possible that you just were confused that turning on "launching Media Server on startup" was connected with "activating the Tray Media Server mode", and so were picking the wrong option here.  In any case, if you want MC to be always running and serving a Library on a particular machine, you need to pick one of the two options that say "Media Server" here.
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glynor

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Re: Media Server
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2013, 10:30:31 pm »

I should note, there is another option buried in there that should be explained.

Options > General > Interface > Minimize to System Tray

This option is completely unrelated to Media Server mode.  When enabled, and you minimize (not close) the main MC GUI, it will minimize to the System Tray instead of to the Task Bar.  This is a separate System Tray icon from the Media Server one (if enabled), and provides some right-click "next/previous track" type commands and other stuff like that.  Again, it is separate from Tray Media Server mode.  It is just a "different way to minimize MC".


The one highlighted is the minimized MC with the Minimize to Tray option enabled.  But see how there is also still a separate Media Server icon in the top-right corner?

I don't like that option (I'm not a big fan of applications that minimize to the tray like this, generally), but it is there so I figured I'd mention it.  Some people like it.
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mstan

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Re: Media Server
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2013, 09:03:48 am »

Thanks, Glynor.   I think I understand now.
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glynor

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Re: Media Server
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2013, 09:50:42 am »

No problem.

BTW... I asked you before to start a new thread because this will make it easier for the next person who has the same kind of question to find this and get their answer without having to ask.

We generally try (usually failing) to have a one thread == one issue for this reason.
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mstan

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Re: Media Server
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2013, 11:31:06 am »

No problem.

BTW... I asked you before to start a new thread because this will make it easier for the next person who has the same kind of question to find this and get their answer without having to ask.

We generally try (usually failing) to have a one thread == one issue for this reason.
Yes, agree It is a  good practice.    BTW, I think the reason for my confusion was coming from the MAC version where you don't have these different server/client/GUI combinations.

  I have now installed MC on my laptop and other desktops and see that I can edit on them and sync with remote library avoiding having to VNC into the Windows server box.   I can do that right?
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