Can I Setup an iTunes Media Server?

[Shake 'n' Bake]

As I'm sure you're aware, I want to setup a server with my 733 MHz DA G4.

Until I can get my hands on a copy of Tiger Server, I'd like to have an iTunes server to centralize my media. I've done some searches and couldn't find anything relevant.

I know I can just copy all the stuff to the G4 and make a shared library, but I'd like to be able to have the media transferrable from the client computers, i.e. putting it on an iPod because the G4 is in the basement which is a hassle to get to and a bit of a sh*t shack.

My G4 has the following specs:

733 MHz G4
1 GB RAM
1x 60 GB HDD, 1x 40 GB HDD
Mac OS X 10.4.11, not server
The latest version of iTunes 8
A gigabit ethernet connection

Thanks for your help!

 

[GimmeSlack12]

How would I be aware you are trying to setup a software???

Anyway, if you want an iTunes media server you do NOT need OS X Server. In fact, the thought that you think you need it makes me sure that you do not need it.

Here's what you do:
Put your iTunes music on your G4.
Share your G4 harddrive to your client computers.
Point your client iTunes libraries to the shared drive music.
Listen to shared music, and sync your iPod with shared music.

Smile

EDIT: Get bigger hard drive and more music...

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

How would I be aware you are trying to setup a software???

Anyway, if you want an iTunes media server you do NOT need OS X Server. In fact, the thought that you think you need it makes me sure that you do not need it.

Here's what you do:
Put your iTunes music on your G4.
Share your G4 harddrive to your client computers.
Point your client iTunes libraries to the shared drive music.
Listen to shared music, and sync your iPod with shared music.

Smile

EDIT: Get bigger hard drive and more music...

I knew I didn't need OS X server. I thought some may know because I keep mentioning it.

So, just to get this straight, I put the music on the G4. Then I share the G4's music folder through the Sharing Prefs and not iTunes. Then tell iTunes on the client computers that the library is located at the G4.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I knew I didn't need OS X server. I thought some may know because I keep mentioning it.

So, just to get this straight, I put the music on the G4. Then I share the G4's music folder through the Sharing Prefs and not iTunes. Then tell iTunes on the client computers that the library is located at the G4.

OS X Server is a beast. I installed it once and was like "woah, overkill".

Basically that is how you would create the setup you are asking about. Sharing through iTunes is nice when you want to play the music. But for file manipulation you'll want to have the G4 HDD mounted on the client computers. I recommend mounting the drive to a client computer then making an Alias of the drive and have that drive be opened at startup. Therefore you have your music ready to go right from startup.

Note: You may experience some slow file copies over the network.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

Thanks for your help.

I've got it going with a few songs now and the transfers, at least for audio, are taking about 15 seconds each.

Now, my only problem is how to get music downloaded from the iTunes Store onto the G4 without using the G4 to download the music.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

Here's an update:

I found out that I've got to click the "Consolidate Library" button. So my library is copying, over the network, to the G4. It is going fast enough.

I've set the library location to the G4, so that means the stuff downloaded from the store will go there, correct?

Now I just need to sell the rest of the family on the idea .

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Here's an update:

I found out that I've got to click the "Consolidate Library" button. So my library is copying, over the network, to the G4. It is going fast enough.

I've set the library location to the G4, so that means the stuff downloaded from the store will go there, correct?

Now I just need to sell the rest of the family on the idea .

Cool, yeah the consolidate library option is exactly what you want to do to get all the music in one place. Once it's all consolidated to the G4 you can remove the music from your client computer (unless you want a backup). Selling the rest of the family on the idea is not something I can help with.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

This is working great. The only thing I don't like about it is the library doesn't dynamically update, i.e. if you add a song from one computer, it doesn't show up on the others until you drag the music folder into iTunes. But that is a minor inconvenience.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[PD3]

Does anyone know how to solve that last problem?

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

Does anyone know how to solve that last problem?

For OS X, http://www.robertvenema.nl/journal/archive/itunes-library-auto-update-for-mac-os-x/.

Couldn't find one for Windows, but I'm going to try to make one either later today or tomorrow.

 

[Nitrocide]

OS X Server is a beast. I installed it once and was like "woah, overkill".

Haha, ditto, and that might even be back in the 10.2 - 10.3 days. i was surprised by the amount of extra stuff!

 

[RandomKamikaze]

How are you dealing with multiple computers writing to the same library, as I thought this corrupted the library?

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

How are you dealing with multiple computers writing to the same library, as I thought this corrupted the library?

Do you mean the xml files? The library is totally intact, and works with multiple computers playing music or video from it.

 

[RandomKamikaze]

Do you mean the xml files? The library is totally intact, and works with multiple computers playing music or video from it.

TBH I don't know. All I know when I was researching putting my library on a NAS, was that multiple computers syncing to it causes the library to become corrupt.

Reading and playing over the network was fine, but when it came to syncing an iPod or iPhone, can cause library corrruption

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

Some of the family sync music and others sync podcasts. We've had no problems so far.

 

[tdmac]

How are you dealing with multiple computers writing to the same library, as I thought this corrupted the library?

I don't believe he is actually sharing the xml library file.

He said that if add music on one computer it doesn't add it to the other. If he was using the same library xml file then as soon as he closed itunes on the computer that did not have the newly added musis and then opened itunes again it would auto appear. Of course sharing the xml will corrupt or cause issues so not advisable.

The library file is stored in the user/music/itunes folder by default even though the itunes music files themselves are on the NAS.