Anyone else have this problem? (Home Sharing)

[Lord Hamsa]

I use a Mac Mini as my home media iTunes client, serving two Apple TV units plus being hooked up to a TV itself. Most of the time, everything work perfectly.

Most of the time.

However, to administer the server and the library, I use my MacBook or the iMac to remote in. It seems that often when I do that, even well after that connection is closed, Home Sharing no longer works, and I'm forced to re-start iTunes (or reboot the Mini) to get it going again.

Anyone familiar with this or can offer advice on how to prevent it?

 

[Boyd01]

My setup is virtually identical to yours. 2012 Mini as an iTunes server with a screen, two Apple TVs and a MacBook Air. The Mini and Apple TVs are all on gigabit ethernet. The MacBook Air connects with 802.11ac wifi via a Time Capsule.

I have never seen the problem you describe and I frequently use the standard OSX screen sharing to control iTunes on the Mini from my MacBook Air. My Mini isn't running anything but iTunes however, I have not installed OSX server and don't run any other software on it. The Mini is running 10.9 and the MBA is still on 10.8.

The only problem I see is that after several weeks, sometimes iTunes on the Mini gets a little flakey and I have a problem on one of the AppleTVs or the MBA when accessing it (like a movie won't start playing). A reboot always clears this, so I have gotten into the habit of rebooting the mini every few weeks. I don't think this problem is related to screen sharing, or at least I never noticed if it is.

 

[Lord Hamsa]

It might just be general flakiness. I seem to notice it more after recently using screen sharing, but it might just be coincidence.

The other annoying thing abut screen sharing (which can't be fixed because "piracy") is that you can't play iTunes DRM protected video while screen sharing is on; so that rules out using the MBP as a "remote" to kick off video. I wouldn't mind as much if the Remote iOS app and/or Mobile Mouse was more reliable waking the Mini from sleep.

 

[Boyd01]

Well that is another difference in my setup. I have the Mini set to never sleep.

 

[helveta]

I haven't gotten any home sharing to work in months. A lot of people seem to be having various problems with home sharing, see this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1344238/

Remember, to Apple this is just a hobby.

 

[Lord Hamsa]

Well that is another difference in my setup. I have the Mini set to never sleep.

I should probably do that. It's just that one of the advantages of using a Mini over a Windows-based solution is low power consumption, so I've been resistant.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I should probably do that. It's just that one of the advantages of using a Mini over a Windows-based solution is low power consumption, so I've been resistant.

Depending on which Mac Mini you have, they use a shocking low amount of power during idle. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201897 . Indeed, the newest 2014 model, despite it's downsides, uses a mere 6watts at idle. The 2012 model uses ballpark 11watts. It's really a negligible amount, I don't bother with sleep mode for it.