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Can someone please explain to me the uses for an iTunes Media Server?

M

marklight

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 6, 2006
315
0
I've never really fully understood the concept. Do you just use one so that you centralize your media and so you're able to access your files without having to have your main computer on all the time? I use an apple TV. I wirelessly stream my media from my main computer - which has some external drives plugged into it that have all my media on them. This media is then linked into iTunes. I'm just wondering what if anything an iTunes server could/would do for me... (i guess if you have to ask your probably don't need one, but I'm just curious).

Also this is a bit off topic, but is there a way in iTunes to have iTunes continually check your media folders for updated files?
 
GimmeSlack12

GimmeSlack12

macrumors 603
Apr 29, 2005
5,403
12
San Francisco
Its a good way to save space if you have insane media collections. I use my iMac as my music server to my MediaMini and iBook. You really could devise a household music server if you wanted to connect a library of music to a bigger sound system and/or other computers.
 
H

hexonxonx

macrumors 601
Jul 4, 2007
4,610
1
Denver Colorado
A bad side to this is when the hard drives in the media server fail, your music and videos are lost.

I prefer to keep copies of the same music and videos on both of my Macs for this reason.
 
M

marklight

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 6, 2006
315
0
hexonxonx said:
A bad side to this is when the hard drives in the media server fail, your music and videos are lost.

I prefer to keep copies of the same music and videos on both of my Macs for this reason.
Click to expand...

I just don't exactly understand *what* it is. I mean I see some NAS that feature ITMS ... I'm just thinking, I have a computer that has hard drives attached to it and it streams to my apple TV... does this count as an ITMS?
 
H

hexonxonx

macrumors 601
Jul 4, 2007
4,610
1
Denver Colorado
marklight said:
I just don't exactly understand *what* it is. I mean I see some NAS that feature ITMS ... I'm just thinking, I have a computer that has hard drives attached to it and it streams to my apple TV... does this count as an ITMS?
Click to expand...

Basically yes. With iTunes, you can store everything on one computer, then share that collection through iTunes to other computers in your house. They just open iTunes and connect to your computer which is shown in iTunes. Everything can then be played on the other computers.


You don't need something called a media server to do this. Save the money if you have a few computers.

There are other differences too, especially if you sync. A media server will allow you to sync those files to iPods. Sharing music between iTunes computers will not allow you to sync.
 
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