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[TorqW]

Hi all,

Apologies for the question, but I couldn't find anything that answered my questions.

Currently I back up the library of the master server which holds all the films/music/pictures etc.

I then import this backup to the clients so that all changes are mimicked.

This is obviously cumbersome and means making sure that settings are not altered.

Should I be using the library server functionality? When I tried it once, it started copying over the media files themselves which I do not want to do. I merely want to make sure that all media of clients are using the same library pointing to the master server, and that any changes made (films added etc) are cascaded to the other PCs on the network.
Is this what library server does?

Thanks again for any help.

[CountryBumkin]

I'm not sure I follow your process - but it doesn't sound right.

I use the Server - Client too. All my media is on the Server. I back up the Server (library and settings) regularly. There is no media/data on the clients. But each Client does have some specific settings (such as Audio device and Video settings) based on the client's hardware. So the Server's settings (such as which Audio device/output to use, etc.), would not be appropriate on the Client

When I add a file or change a view in Theater View I make the change on the Server. That new view then shows up on the Client since I am "sharing" the library (with a restart).

You definitely should be using the Server functionality. I'm not sure what happened regarding all the files copying over - perhaps you missed something on the setup.

I like to keep things simple. It's easier to maintain that way.

[TorqW]

So I tried using library server over the weekend.
Works fine, but doesn't let the user view DVD menus. Is there a setting I can change to get this to work?

Thanks again all.

[TorqW]

So I guess I'm stuck importing the server library back-up (but not the settings) as the only way to share a library across media center clients if I want to have access to DVD bonus features (I really don't have time to convert to MKV and tag)?

Shame, as the library server did seem an ideal way to cascade changes across all the media PCs in the house.

Surely this can't be hard to rectify?

[mwillems]

So I guess I'm stuck importing the server library back-up (but not the settings) as the only way to share a library across media center clients if I want to have access to DVD bonus features (I really don't have time to convert to MKV and tag)?

Shame, as the library server did seem an ideal way to cascade changes across all the media PCs in the house.

Surely this can't be hard to rectify?

The issue is that MC's dvd playback relies on Microsoft DVD Navigator, which has many limitations.  One of those limitations is that ifo style DVD rips don't always/often work correctly when served this way. 

You might be able to sidestep the issue by mapping the networked media drives the same way on all PCs, and then selecting the option on the client to "use local file if available."  If you do that, the client instance will see the ifo rip as a local file and DVD navigator might work.

See this wiki article for more info: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Media_Server#Access_from_another_PC_on_your_LAN

[TorqW]

Thank you - that sounds like a smart solution.
Will try it and revert.