iTunes Setup Advice - Help Please!

[mattmcl1]

OK - I know there are a ton of posts on this topic - many of which I have read. I am looking for some real world experience. Here is the situation...I am setting up a new home media network from scratch have the following environment:

- 4 iPods
- 1 iMac
- 1 Desktop Windows XP PC
- 1 Windows Vista Laptop
- 1 NAS X6 with 2 TB of storage
- 1 Xbox 360

So what do I want to do?

1) I want to be able to stream iTunes from one or more computers at the same time.
2) I want a "master" library which contains all my information with the ability to sync limited songs, etc. to different computers (only take part of my library on my laptop, only put kids songs on their computer, etc.)
3) I want to have a full backup of my iTunes library on the NAS X6 to keep from losing it
4) I want to be able to stream any MP3's or other non-Apple DRM content to my Xbox 360
5) I want to be able to hook up any of my 4 iPods to any computer and have them recognized and work

Is this too much to ask? Did I make a mistake switching from Windows DRM subscription? Is the Infrant iTunes streaming server functionality not really that helpful in this case?

Please help! I have new hardware that I want to set up but don't want to make a mistake!

Thanks in advance!

- Matt

[Vatoe]

- 4 iPods
- 1 iMac
- 1 Desktop Windows XP PC
- 1 Windows Vista Laptop
- 1 NAS X6 with 2 TB of storage
- 1 Xbox 360

I have something similar at home, so I can share my experiences.

1) I want to be able to stream iTunes from one or more computers at the same time.

This can be done quite easy. Just load/transfer your iTunes library/songs to the NAS and turn on the NAS iTunes server via frontview. This will allow you to stream the music, but not copy it to your ipods. So it will be ok for general listening/streaming to xbox or PC/Mac speakers. If you want to actually transfer music to your ipods see below.

2) I want a "master" library which contains all my information with the ability to sync limited songs, etc. to different computers (only take part of my library on my laptop, only put kids songs on their computer, etc.)

As indicated above you can keep all your music on the NAS. You can then use the import file folder option on each PC / Mac via iTunes for the specific artists/albums that you want on each PC / Mac. This can be done two ways. One is to keep the music on NAS (ie not transfer to the host computer) but iTunes 'links' to them, so the NAS needs to be on when streaming to any device or transferring songs to your ipods. If you want to use this option, make sure that the 'copy files to iTunes folder when adding' is not selected in iTunes settings. The second method is to transfer whatever music you would like to have on the host device (Mac /PC) by checking the aforementioned 'copy to iTunes folder when adding to library'. This then will transfer the music you select to import from the NAS to each device.

3) I want to have a full backup of my iTunes library on the NAS X6 to keep from losing it

If you already have your whole library on the NAS (and it's redundant) then you already will have the 'backup'.

4) I want to be able to stream any MP3's or other non-Apple DRM content to my Xbox 360

See point one above.

5) I want to be able to hook up any of my 4 iPods to any computer and have them recognized and work

This also can be done. But remember, its an iPod/ iTunes limitation that the ipods are synced to one computer account. So, if for example you use your ipod on the Mac, you must always use the Mac (and account if set up) to sync to that particular iPod. If you dont, you will get a message that the iPod is in fact synced to another device.

[mattmcl1]

Vatoe,

Thanks so much for your detailed response.

I think you are saying that my hard wired PC's and Mac should stream from the iTunes library on the NAS. I also think you are saying that I should keep an iTunes folder on each PC/Mac but set them to not download music except in the case of my laptop where I should set it to download to the local folder.

I guess I read that there were problems with this regarding:

1) Proper syncing of metadata (Song data, Ratings, etc.)
2) Ability to purchase a song, movie, etc. and send it to the NAS X6 so it is available for all.

I guess ideally I would have 1 iPod (mine) sync to my laptop, 1 iPod (wife's) sync to iMac and 2 (kids) sync to their Windows PC. I guess the question is things like if they rate a song on their iPod will it get back to them. If I buy a TV show while on the road how do I get it back into the NAS library?

I REALLY appreciate the help...thanks again for your thorough response.

- Matt

[ericdano]

Vatoe,

Thanks so much for your detailed response.

I think you are saying that my hard wired PC's and Mac should stream from the iTunes library on the NAS. I also think you are saying that I should keep an iTunes folder on each PC/Mac but set them to not download music except in the case of my laptop where I should set it to download to the local folder.

I guess I read that there were problems with this regarding:

1) Proper syncing of metadata (Song data, Ratings, etc.)
2) Ability to purchase a song, movie, etc. and send it to the NAS X6 so it is available for all.

I guess ideally I would have 1 iPod (mine) sync to my laptop, 1 iPod (wife's) sync to iMac and 2 (kids) sync to their Windows PC. I guess the question is things like if they rate a song on their iPod will it get back to them. If I buy a TV show while on the road how do I get it back into the NAS library?

Check out SUPERSYNC http://supersync.com/

It works really well. Here is how I manage my library on a NAS

Two computers, various iPhone/iPods. One computer has Read/Write access to the library. This is the one that will add and delete tunes/movies on the NAS. The other computer is read only.

They started with similar libraries. Using super sync on the read only one allows it to be updated with new additions (podcasts, movies, etc) easily. Plus, having read only access allows the other computer to sync iPods/iPhones up without problems.

If you are going to transfer something you bought on your iPhone from iTunes, then you'd need to sync it with the read/write one.

This system seems to have worked for me for the last year or so. I'd really like someone to develop something for the Mac where it would just WATCH the library folder and add things when they change.......some day.

[Vatoe]

Vatoe,

Thanks so much for your detailed response.

No worries, I know what its like wanting answers to what seem difficult questions.

I think you are saying that my hard wired PC's and Mac should stream from the iTunes library on the NAS. I also think you are saying that I should keep an iTunes folder on each PC/Mac but set them to not download music except in the case of my laptop where I should set it to download to the local folder.

Yes and No. I highlighted both options for you. I personally choose the streaming option for the xbox360 and any other device where syncing to ipods is not required as my NAS is almost on all the time. For the other computers (bar one - see below for further explanation) I would then choose to add the relevant music folder to library option via iTunes with the option not to 'copy files to iTunes folder when adding'. That way the music is still stored/maintained on the NAS (which must be on) and you essentially selectively 'link' to which music required via iTunes. Alternatively, there is nothing stopping you from maintaining the songs on the particular computer, if for eg you don't want to keep the NAS on all the time. If you wnat to do it this way you uncheck this setting in iTunes. Either method will allow from proper syncing to ipods, maintaining ratings etc.I was on my daughters computer the other day helping her with something in iTunes and I am 99.9% sure I saw that her star ratings were being maintained, so I do not think that this will be an issue. The iPod ratings I imagine will be synced to the relevant computer account. These ratings must be kept locally on each device they do not have write access to the NAS media share.

I guess I read that there were problems with this regarding:

1) Proper syncing of metadata (Song data, Ratings, etc.)
2) Ability to purchase a song, movie, etc. and send it to the NAS X6 so it is available for all.

I guess ideally I would have 1 iPod (mine) sync to my laptop, 1 iPod (wife's) sync to iMac and 2 (kids) sync to their Windows PC. I guess the question is things like if they rate a song on their iPod will it get back to them.

I guess ultimately you may need one of the computers to be the 'master' or 'manager' of your whole music library. Among our family of 5 we have 4 nano's, 1 iPhone, 2 PC's, a Mac, a Xbox360, PS3 and media streaming PVR which made/makes the NAS an ideal device for storage!

This is what I do: I use my Macbook Pro (it hardly leaves the house) to manage our music library. Essentially all our music (kids listen to weird crap ) is on this Mac and then I use a syncing program (Chronosync for Mac) to regularly sync (the whole iTunes library/directory (which includes album artwork, iTunes ratings etc) changes on the Mac's hard drive to my NAS (NV+), that way they mirror each other. You could, I guess, manually do it as well but I find the setting up schedules for syncing etc convenient. This also provides an easy way of maintaining the NAS copy as I can even sync deletions if I want. This may be important if you listen to a lot of podcasts for example which are ultimately deleted off iTunes. Be careful with this option though for obvious reasons.

I manage the music library this way, as I am very reluctant to give my relatively young children write access to the media share on the NAS and it makes it easier when one person is administering the music library.

If I buy a TV show while on the road how do I get it back into the NAS library?

As indicated above, if you sync the iTunes folder, the songs, movies, podcasts, even iPhone apps etc will be copied across to the NAS as they are maintained in the iTunes directory. I am not sure about any DRM issue that might though? Maybe you could let me know about this, if you choose to go this way. All our music is ripped from CD's and I haven't purchased any movies/music via the iTunes store.

Syncing the whole 'master' iTunes directory also sync's downloaded movies, podcasts etc. The problems that might exist if one or more other family members purchase music etc via their individual iTunes account as these would not be synced, hence probaly best to have one person administering and maintaining a master type of library which can then be shared (putting any possible DRM issues aside for the moment) by all others. With the DRM issue, the easiest way is to test it I suppose with a low cost purchase.

I REALLY appreciate the help...thanks again for your thorough response.

No problem, hope this helps further. I will be interested to know how you get on.

[Vatoe]

Check out SUPERSYNC http://supersync.com/

It works really well. Here is how I manage my library on a NAS

Two computers, various iPhone/iPods. One computer has Read/Write access to the library. This is the one that will add and delete tunes/movies on the NAS. The other computer is read only.

They started with similar libraries. Using super sync on the read only one allows it to be updated with new additions (podcasts, movies, etc) easily. Plus, having read only access allows the other computer to sync iPods/iPhones up without problems.

If you are going to transfer something you bought on your iPhone from iTunes, then you'd need to sync it with the read/write one.

This system seems to have worked for me for the last year or so. I'd really like someone to develop something for the Mac where it would just WATCH the library folder and add things when they change.......some day.

This seems like quite a good program, but I prefer Chronosync as it not only syncs music, but any directory you want. So its handy if you want to sync document and other important folders (via scheduling or manually) to your NAS. edit: you can also tell it which way to synch, ie from NAS to Mac/PC or other way around. This is ha ndy if you need to rebuild libraries etc.

cheers,

[ericdano]

This seems like quite a good program, but I prefer Chronosync as it not only syncs music, but any directory you want. So its handy if you want to sync document and other important folders (via scheduling or manually) to your NAS. edit: you can also tell it which way to synch, ie from NAS to Mac/PC or other way around. This is ha ndy if you need to rebuild libraries etc.

cheers,

Except you'll not have your playlists, or anything else.....Chronosync is not really designed to manage iTunes. SuperSync is. How are you going to tell Chronosync to just add new items to your iTunes library that are not already there?

[Vatoe]

This seems like quite a good program, but I prefer Chronosync as it not only syncs music, but any directory you want. So its handy if you want to sync document and other important folders (via scheduling or manually) to your NAS. edit: you can also tell it which way to synch, ie from NAS to Mac/PC or other way around. This is ha ndy if you need to rebuild libraries etc.

cheers,

Except you'll not have your playlists, or anything else.....Chronosync is not really designed to manage iTunes. SuperSync is. How are you going to tell Chronosync to just add new items to your iTunes library that are not already there?

I am not suggesting its the 'perfect' program, just that its other abilities are also desirable from my point of view. Chronosync via automatic scheduling syncs my iTunes library/directory on a frequency I choose (weekly at this stage) so 'everything' is synced? I do the same for iPhoto, documents and other important directories.

[ericdano]

I am not suggesting its the 'perfect' program, just that its other abilities are also desirable from my point of view. Chronosync via automatic scheduling syncs my iTunes library/directory on a frequency I choose (weekly at this stage) so 'everything' is synced? I do the same for iPhoto, documents and other important directories.

However, what happens when you get into the 100s of Gigabytes of data?

For keeping a couple of iTunes libraries synced via a centralized NAS, SuperSync works very very well.

[Vatoe]

I am not suggesting its the 'perfect' program, just that its other abilities are also desirable from my point of view. Chronosync via automatic scheduling syncs my iTunes library/directory on a frequency I choose (weekly at this stage) so 'everything' is synced? I do the same for iPhoto, documents and other important directories.

However, what happens when you get into the 100s of Gigabytes of data?

For keeping a couple of iTunes libraries synced via a centralized NAS, SuperSync works very very well.

Ah, see this where things change. Its all about needs/priorities, which I tried to point out before. I will never have hundreds of gig's of Ttunes data! I delete the crap we haven't listen to for years and as I stated before syncing the others directories is very important to me. In addition, when chronosync sync's even with gig's worth of data in a particular directory, only the changes are written, so the sync generally takes a couple of minutes only. The only exception is when I have gone a picture shooting spree and have several gigs of photos to synch, then this may take a little longer..

Dont get me wrong as initially stated, I can see that Supersync is very good at its specific purpose. It's just a little to specific for my needs.

cheers

[sphardy]

Matt,

I went through a similar scenario to you when I first got my NV+ at the beginning of the year - I describe a little how my setup works here http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=18201 which seems similar to what you are trying to acheive.

For a small number of family members and not a huge media collection I think what you and Vatoe discussed will work very well. I don't use Chronosync as I prefer to try not to have to install extra software - just something else to support and educate the users on. Rather I rely on Timemachine and have mutiple copies of data in case I screw thingsup by accident - the huge disk space on the NAS allows me this luxury - of course including an external USB copy.

If I can help further, let me know

///P