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More => Old Versions => Media Center 16 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: benn600 on July 04, 2011, 12:59:13 pm

Title: Advice please: best way to cache side-by-side MP3s?
Post by: benn600 on July 04, 2011, 12:59:13 pm

Media Center has a lot of methods to export MP3s: faux device folder sync, built-in caching, convert format, other export options, etc...

Currently my music is stored as: //SERVER/DRIVE/Music/[Artist]/[Album]/[Track #] - [Name].flac

I would like to have Media Center automatically create and manage (keep up-to-date) a complete file cache with correct (updated) tags and cover art included in the tags.  I am thinking of three file structure options:

1)
//SERVER/DRIVE/Music/[Artist]/[Album]/[Track #] - [Name].flac
//SERVER/DRIVE/Music/[Artist]/[Album]/[Track #] - [Name].mp3

2)
//SERVER/DRIVE/Music/[Artist]/[Album]/[Track #] - [Name].flac
//SERVER/DRIVE/Music/[Artist]/[Album]/MP3/[Track #] - [Name].mp3

3)
//SERVER/DRIVE/Music/FLAC/[Artist]/[Album]/[Track #] - [Name].flac
//SERVER/DRIVE/Music/MP3/[Artist]/[Album]/[Track #] - [Name].mp3

All three options have merit.  I think the third is the most appropriate choice.  I started following this structure with video: (DVD, Blu-Ray, Clips, ...)

My questions for the Media Center community:
1. Which file structure do others think is the best?
2. Is there a way to have Media Center build this cache (with my desired file structure) and keep it up-to-date?  I've seen the cache building options but don't see the control I am looking for.
3. Any other thoughts on this topic?  The goal of this move is to allow MP3s to be pulled from the music database into iTunes for iPhone synchronization.

Title: Re: Advice please: best way to cache side-by-side MP3s?
Post by: kensn on July 04, 2011, 02:57:39 pm

I thought about this for a bit on the Tree structure when setting up my files. As in your last example you will have 2 artist folders, this is what I wanted to avoid. For the FLAC albums I used [HD] after the Album name..

//SERVER/DRIVE/Music/Artist/Album [HD]/[Track #] - [Name].flac
//SERVER/DRIVE/Music/Artist/Album/[Track #] - [Name].mp3

Just another way to do it...

Ken

Title: Re: Advice please: best way to cache side-by-side MP3s?
Post by: benn600 on July 05, 2011, 01:36:33 pm

I like that.  Now how do you export and manage the MP3s as a massive cache, updating it only when needed?