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[Misterboy]

Hi all,

I'm a long-time Media Center user, but only recently have I attempted to use the Server to broadcast media throughout my home.  I attempted to do this several months back, with bad results.  I made assumption on how this worked, and ran into issues with the serving computer vs remote computers accessing the library.

Rather than bumble through again, I figured I'd better get some advice.  I'm afraid this may be "Media Center Server 101" but I do appreciate the help.  Note, I have no issues with connectivity and setup.  I'm just not sure how I should lay out the network diagram, as it were.

What I'm working with:

- Lightweight HTPC box is hooked up to my TV/Receiver.  This is always on.
- Various devices, mostly mobile, that run Media Center to view/categorize/sort my media library.
- Primary workhorse computer where I would like to do most Media Center management.  This is NOT always running.  It is the place I want to do most media management.

So where I ran into trouble is that I was using the HTPC as the primary Media Center instance, and everything else would be served from there.  So far, so good.  The issue really became in managing things from my Primary Computer.  I wasn't aware of the limitations that remote libraries have.

What I'm trying to achieve:

- HTPC that serves everything else content.
- Primary PC that has full management over my library.

One solution *appeared* to be that both my HTPC and Primary have full libraries based off of the same content location (basically duplicate libraries).  I just had to be sure to shut down one or the other so that any given computer could have "full control".

I have a strong suspicion that I'm simply ignorant of how this, seeming simple, setup is supposed to be achieved using Media Center.  Any advice is appreciated!

[rec head]

I'm no expert but I think the best and easiest solution is to have the Primary computer as the server. Depending on how you need the media maybe you could use a wake on LAN? I don't have any idea how to set that up.

I'm typing this from a computer that I would love to have full control of the library on. I can do most of the management I need to but agree (as have others) that it would be nice to have full management capabilities.

Its not that big a deal to me to try the headache of 2 libraries.

[Misterboy]

Yes, that seems to be the obvious solution.  But the whole point of the low power HTPC is that it runs all the time and serves media.

Maybe I'm having issues because Media Center simply fails at this use case?  I find that hard to believe... I mean, isn't this an extremely core use-case for a home network environment?

[blgentry]

From what I've read over the years there are some subtle things about trying to edit metadata from a client computer connected to a server.  In this case your "primary computer" is a client.  Cover art is a problem in this scenario.  Depending upon your sync settings, saving basic metadata from a client might also be a problem.

The solution?  Edit everything from the server.  I hear you screaming "but I don't have the server set up for me to edit from it.  It doesn't have a proper keyboard and it's in my living room and... !!!!"  The solution to this problem is to use remote access.  Windows Remote Desktop is probably the best solution, as it's fast, native, and should be easily available on client and server.

There might be some more involved or more clever way of achieving this, but remote control (remote desktop as if you are sitting in front of the server) seems to be the most straight forward way of getting a consistent media center experience if you are editing metadata.

Brian.

[Misterboy]

Thanks Brian.

You've described the solution I envisioned, assuming there wasn't a better way.  I just assumed there was a better way.

I was really anticipating someone saying, "oh yeah, you have to be sure to do it this way with these configuration settings to get it to work".

[jmone]

You don't say if you a Audio and Video user so I'll presume both for now.  I will also presume that you have a mix of MediaCenter and "Other" (DLNA, Phones, Tablets etc).  This is what I have to make it all work:
- MediaCenter Server:  Needs to be 24/7 and needs to be reasonably grunty as it will have to Transcode your media for streaming to the "Other Clients".  This will hold your library and where you want to do your maintenance and media mgt (you could use a Remote Session as suggested by Brian)
- Media Storage:  This could be physically part of the server or on another networked device.  It should be "shared" on the network so all clients can have direct access to the media reducing the amount of transcoding that is needed.
- MediaCenter Clients:  These should load the library from the server and access the media storage directly
- "Other Clients":  These clients will both read the library info and be given the streams from the Media Server (eg they don't directly access the Media Storage).

Also check our the Wiki on this - https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Media_Network

[adrixadrix]

Windows Remote Desktop is probably the best solution, as it's fast, native, and should be easily available on client and server.

Like Brian said, Remote Desktop is the way that I deal with the need of tagging, organizing and seting up MC. It's simple and comfortable. I don't think that I need any other solution for the matter.

Just my 2 cents.

[swiv3d]

If you don't have windows remote desktop facilities on your pc's you can use TeamViewer. It's free for non-commercial work and very easy to use.

[The Big Labinski]

My internal solution is like this:

1: I have just one location where all files are stored - on my server where also MC server is running. There is also the database for MC stored.

2: I set an auto-import on the server for this database to the location of all my files. So any changes made on the files is automatically taken into this database.

3: I´m using a working pc like your "working horse" to edit, move, copy, delete etc. my files stored at the server. But I´m not connected to the database of the server. I have a second database running on the working horse. This keep both databases independent but with the correct configured auto-import on the server I´m always up to date.

4: all my remote devices are connected to the database only on the server.


For works this fine.