Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Zootsuit]

I've been using Media Center 27 on my primary setup: Windows 10, with 2 NAS devices and 3 externals for a very large library. I frequently access the library remotely, either through my iPad (JRemote) or my Android phone (Gizmo) and often Bluetooth connect the client either to a headset while working out, or another remote audio device at home (Peachtree tabletop).

I have a new Samsung laptop where I've installed another copy of Media Center 27 with Windows 11. (I strongly prefer the original MC GUI to what I get from JRemote or Gizmo.) I access the home library through the server function in Media Network. On the client, I've exempted the MC files from antivirus scans, per Taming Windows Defender. I've OK'd the program through the firewall. I can open the counterpart library on the Samsung client  and sometimes can play one song from the library but when I try to perform any other function, the Samsung library hangs and becomes greyed out. Also, if it's minimized to the task bar, it's very difficult to reopen, if at all. Not just a one-off, this always happens. Meanwhile, playing from Media Center in my primary setup is very stable.

I wondered if this was a problem accessing files remotely from the NAS libraries, but a given NAS file plays correctly on other remote devices without a glitch. What else can it be? Should the remote Samsung program be as unstable as this or is there another function being performed that interferes with its operation? Is there a difference between the two Windows version creating this problem?

Note: I can't keep the client open long enough to access the log function. I do have the client system info if that's helpful.

I'm a bit of an idiot savant about computers, or maybe a Hedgehog a la Isaiah Berlin, so I'm sometimes slow following complex advice, but welcome all thoughts.

(I've seen konkeydongs somewhat similar issue, although his relates to opening the library locally and not with the server, but pls merge these discussions if it seems appropriate.)

[Richard Martin]

I don't know what is causing your problems. The scenario you describe works for me.
But as a work around you could try using the web interface on the server. http://xxx.xxx.xxx:52199/Panel/ replacing the X's with the IP of your server

[Zootsuit]

Thanks for the suggestion but I should have mentioned that I experienced the same thing when I attempt to run Panel, using that configuration. It opens with what appears to be the proper interface but I cannot access any files in my library and the program hangs indefinitely. I get the message that the page is unresponsive and asking whether I want to quit.

The client program itself is so unstable I cannot create a log file, at least through MC..

[bob]

The fact that's an issue with panel pretty much rules out the Media Client as the issue.
Sounds to me like a networking issue between the 2 PC's.

[Richard Martin]

The fact that's an issue with panel pretty much rules out the Media Client as the issue.
Sounds to me like a networking issue between the 2 PC's.

It could be a network issue between the server and the NAS. Does Panel work on the server? Can you play music from JRiver on the server.
You mentioned the firewall on the client, what about on the server?

[JimH]

Power cycle everything.

You can get a new Access Key by turning Media Network off and back on.  You can also do the test there.

MC has a new tool to display servers.  It's in the tree on the left under Services ... / Media Network.  There's an SSDP button above.

Your ISP might be able to help diagnose the problem.

IPv4 vs IPv6?

[bob]

It could be a network issue between the server and the NAS. Does Panel work on the server? Can you play music from JRiver on the server.
You mentioned the firewall on the client, what about on the server?

I assumed you were running to panel on the server from the client. That would be a way to test if the problem was network related or not.

[Zootsuit]

I've done everything Jim suggested and created a new access key.. I'm using IPv4 address, of course, accessed through cmd>ipconfig

I installed 30 on the client and now can access the main library on it. I can play some files, but as soon as it's in playing mode, it becomes impossible to perform other tasks, e.g., highlighting another file to add it to the Playlist. It's still rather slow and balky, and when I minimize it, it just won't reopen, although if I place the cursor over the icon in the taskbar, I get a tooltips balloon, which disappears as soon as I navigate away.

Comcast is my ISP, so I'm not going to waste a day or so with their Help ( ) line.

Music plays OK through the server (my main setup). I can't access Panel, wherever I try, server or client, and never have.

Both firewalls have been configured to OK Media Center. I ran through Awesome Donkey's checklist for the server quite a while ago, and did the same on the client device.

There's something inhibiting performance but I'm buffalo'd by what it could be. As Jim knows, I have an enormous library and I'm wondering if the performance issues are simply a function of navigating trough that remotely. I could create a much smaller alternate library to see how that loads, but as always, welcome input from others and and appreciate what I've already received.

[bob]

I've done everything Jim suggested and created a new access key.. I'm using IPv4 address, of course, accessed through cmd>ipconfig

I installed 30 on the client and now can access the main library on it. I can play some files, but as soon as it's in playing mode, it becomes impossible to perform other tasks, e.g., highlighting another file to add it to the Playlist. It's still rather slow and balky, and when I minimize it, it just won't reopen, although if I place the cursor over the icon in the taskbar, I get a tooltips balloon, which disappears as soon as I navigate away.

Comcast is my ISP, so I'm not going to waste a day or so with their Help ( ) line.

Music plays OK through the server (my main setup). I can't access Panel, wherever I try, server or client, and never have.

Both firewalls have been configured to OK Media Center. I ran through Awesome Donkey's checklist for the server quite a while ago, and did the same on the client device.

There's something inhibiting performance but I'm buffalo'd by what it could be. As Jim knows, I have an enormous library and I'm wondering if the performance issues are simply a function of navigating trough that remotely. I could create a much smaller alternate library to see how that loads, but as always, welcome input from others and and appreciate what I've already received.

There is one thing different when you have a giant library.
The entire thing needs to be loaded on the client and compared for changes each time you start MC.
Perhaps you are running into some issues there.

[JimH]

Creating a new library with 100 files or so would be an interesting test.  Just import Slim Gaillard.

You're not using memory playback on a machine with not much memory are you?
 

[Zootsuit]

https://tinyurl.com/4axtm4ys - Slim's Jam:   Dizzy Gillespie (tp) Charlie Parker (as) Jack McVea (ts) Dodo Marmarosa (p) Slim Gaillard (g,p-1,vcl) Tiny "Bam" Brown (b,vcl) Zutty Singleton (d)

I'll try the small library alternative, see what happens.

[Richard Martin]

This has one Slim Gaillard track, and many other good ones
https://www.discogs.com/release/4313352-Various-Stompin-At-The-Savoy

[bob]

That's undoubtedly part of it. However, once the alternate library loads and I begin to play 1 file, the program either hangs or crashes. That suggests to me that there are additional operations running in the background that I can't see. Is this logical?

Many builds ago, I ran into this with rebuilding thumbnails. It was sucking up resources. Could there be something like that going on, and if so, how do I curtail it?

Thanks for the suggestion.

The library and deltas are loaded in the background.