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Author Topic: JRiver Client / Server  (Read 5372 times)

spiggytopes

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JRiver Client / Server
« on: March 11, 2015, 11:47:29 pm »

Hi All,

Please be patient -- REALLY basic question coming up.

I have version 20 on two machines, both attached to the same NAS drive.

PC 1 is downstairs for entertainment

PC 2 is upstairs and my work machine; I use JRiver on this machine for ripping, burning, media file management etc.

My question is --- I want PC 2 to run using the same database as PC 1; that is, I open PC 2 and it looks exactly the same as PC 1, same settings, file structure etc.

Please tell me how to do this, or tell me that it is better to run the two installations separately.

Cheers.
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Vocalpoint

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Re: J River Client / Server
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2015, 07:49:57 am »

Hi All,

Please be patient -- REALLY basic question coming up.

I have version 20 on two machines, both attached to the same NAS drive.

PC 1 is downstairs for entertainment

PC 2 is upstairs and my work machine; I use JRiver on this machine for ripping, burning, media file management etc.

My question is --- I want PC 2 to run using the same database as PC 1; that is, I open PC 2 and it looks exactly the same as PC 1, same settings, file structure etc.

Please tell me how to do this, or tell me that it is better to run the two installations separately.

Cheers.

We have the same scene here. All media is on the NAS. PC 1 is the HTPC - running as Media Server. Several "client" PCs hit that in addition to iPhones and iPads running JRemote

Then I have my personal workstation - which serves as the "editor" for all media.

The HTPC has it's own master library - the one it "serves" to all other clients. It is constantly scanning the NAS for new material - as staged by me using PC 2

PC2 - my station - has it's own unique library that resides on the machine. It has different views, playlists etc but uses the same material as PC1 - the master stash on the NAS.

I find this layout to be much more flexible than trying to always hit a "perfect" mirror replica of the library on the HTPC. You could try and run your work machine as a "client" and try to manage the library that way - but I still find there are too many restrictions on clients to allow them to act as a library custodian.

You could also set up a file sync scenario (I did this with SyncBack SE years ago) where Syncback would be on the HTPC and would copy the actual MC library files to my personal PC to ensure I had the identical library on both. That worked okay but there was plenty of setup and handholding involved in making sure PC 2 had the right stuff at the right time.

After a while - I just stumbled on the "separate" library concept for my personal PC and I find it to be way more to my liking. This way I can have things the way I want them for my personal space instead of having to conform to the HTPC library that the family sees.

Cheers!

VP
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Castius

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Re: J River Client / Server
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2015, 09:42:08 am »

It's sounds like you should start with pc2 as the server and pc1 as the client.
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CountryBumkin

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Re: J River Client / Server
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2015, 09:55:15 am »

As Vocalpoint Castius said, you want PC2 to be your "Server" since this is where you do your file management work. The downstairs computer (PC1) is a "Client".

So on PC2, the Server, you need to set it up so it is running (all the time) whenever you want to be able to access your media files from PC1.

Assuming you have the two computers connected via a network;
1) You go into Tools>Options>Startup and at he "Windows Startup" select "Media Server" or "Media Center and Media Server" (either is okay as long as the Media Server is started).

2) On the Server (PC2) go to Tools>Options>Media Network and check the box for "Use Media Network to share this library ..."
     Then go through the setup sets and get the "Access Key".

3)  On the Client PC (PC1) go to Standard View and under "Playing Now" expand it to see "Add Library" then type in a name (like "Server Library") and enter the Access key.

That's all there is to it.  

EDIT: Just to add - the way I described the setup you are maintaining one library on the Server (you set up Auto Import on the server to monitor the folders where your new media files go, then they are automatically added to the Library). This means your second PC (Client) does not have its own Library and always connects to the Server.

If you wanted to have each PC connect to the NAS and have their own Libraries, you could still set them up as individual "Servers" operating independently with the same settings and views, but then you would have to do file maintenance on both machines - it's double the work and not worth the extra effort IMO, plus you lose some features (like being able to start watching a movie on one HTPC then stopping it, and resuming watching where you left off on the other PC, and sharing a TV tuner, etc.).
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spiggytopes

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Re: J River Client / Server
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2015, 12:56:24 pm »

Thanks for the thoughtful replies - I'm going to sleep on it.

I guess I could copy the library from PC 1 (HTPC) to PC 2 (work PC upstairs).

What I really want is to use the play lists I have created on PC1 on PC 2 ....

If I make sure that the drive mapping is identical I would just need to copy the library from time to time?
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Vocalpoint

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Re: J River Client / Server
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2015, 01:11:33 pm »

What I really want is to use the play lists I have created on PC1 on PC 2 ....

I would just export the playlist off PC 1 and import them to PC2. That's what I did here.

Unless we are talking a ton of different lists - I wouldn't go as far as copying libraries and so on. But that's your call :)

VP
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Castius

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Re: J River Client / Server
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2015, 02:56:03 pm »

Do playlist sync from client to server?
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spiggytopes

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Re: J River Client / Server
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2015, 01:44:50 am »

I would just export the playlist off PC 1 and import them to PC2. That's what I did here.

Unless we are talking a ton of different lists - I wouldn't go as far as copying libraries and so on. But that's your call :)

VP

Well, that's the perfect solution.

Thanks.

I actually feel a bit sad that I will never master this software!  :)
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JimH

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Re: JRiver Client / Server
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2015, 08:03:57 am »

It is also possible for each one to be both client and server, so that each can load the library of the other. 
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spiggytopes

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Re: JRiver Client / Server
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2015, 12:05:40 am »

Right Jim,

The work PC2 can use the HTPC PC1 database?

So, I would be able to make play lists, do library tasks in comfort upstairs directly to the HTPC? (I do this now via remote desktop, but it is not very satisfactory).

I think that is the answer ....

Please point me at the instructions to set it up ...
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csimon

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Re: JRiver Client / Server
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2015, 06:49:58 am »

So, I would be able to make play lists, do library tasks in comfort upstairs directly to the HTPC? (I do this now via remote desktop, but it is not very satisfactory).

Not exactly ( see paragraph 5 of the second post in this thread). Clients cannot be used as *complete* library managers, there are limitations on things like ripping CDs, assigning cover art, playlist management I think. Remote desktop is probably the better way of doing it. I've been trying to do exactly what you want too, have only one server and the ability to manage it from the most sutiable PC ( the office one) but it's not possible.
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