Better to use media server's iTunes library directly on client Macs OR to open server's shared library?

[pullman]

I wish to use a Mac Pro 1,1 as a home media server, which contains a drive with my iTunes library.

We have several other Macs in our house and I wish to set up access, over wifi, to the server's iTunes library.

I'm curious to know if there is any difference in how fast and smoothly the client Macs open the library if they:

1. set their libraries to the server's library directly (through Option-Open iTunes,
2. or access the server's library only as a shared library in parallel with their local (and empty) library (i.e. the server's iTunes is set, in Preferences–Sharing, to "Share my library on my local network")?

I am wondering if the client Macs perhaps store more information about the server library in alternative 1.

Would there be any other reasons to pick one option over the other?

Also, when I try out option 1 movies don't show up at all. I'm stumped as to this.

Thank you very much in advance
Philip

 

[Stephen.R]

Option one will likely lead to corruption of the library if multiple Macs try to access it simultaneously.

 

[pullman]

Thank you Stephen. Can you elaborate a bit so I understand? Are you referring to conflicting play counts etc? I'm wondering because wouldn't each Mac just read the files, as opposed to make changes to the shared library?

Option one will likely lead to corruption of the library if multiple Macs try to access it simultaneously.

 

[Stephen.R]

I'm wondering because wouldn't each Mac just read the files, as opposed to make changes to the shared library?

iTunes opens the library file(s) (the database itself not the music files) and does make writes to it while playing media. Best case scenario you’d see a heap of warnings and it would constantly need to “check library consistency” (which is what it does if the library wasn’t closed properly - eg if the disk the library is on, was unplugged, or iTunes crashed).

 

[pullman]

That's really too bad because from the (admittedly limited so far) testing I have done it seems option one results in a much faster loading library than option two.

iTunes opens the library file(s) (the database itself not the music files) and does make writes to it while playing media. Best case scenario you’d see a heap of warnings and it would constantly need to “check library consistency” (which is what it does if the library wasn’t closed properly - eg if the disk the library is on, was unplugged, or iTunes crashed).

 

[HDFan]

I wish to use a Mac Pro 1,1 as a home media server,

You'd be much better off running a media server such as Plex or Infuse which are built to support multiple users. Your WiFi bandwidth, cpu horsepower and disk speeds could be problems depending upon the content being streamed.

What OS version are you running? That also might be an issue.

 

[pullman]

Thanks very much for the reply, I really appreciate it. Yes the more I read up on this the more it seems that iTunes even with home sharing is not effective enough.

I run El Cap on the computer saved might upgrade processors to quad core at some point. The WiFi is based on an AEBS Extreme (v4) on the ground floor. It gives me almost full internet speed on the third floor of our house but if necessary to maintain a strong signal I'll add a second AEBS.

What are the benefits of Plex vs Infuse and perhaps other options?

Cheers
Philip

You'd be much better off running a media server such as Plex or Infuse which are built to support multiple users. Your WiFi bandwidth, cpu horsepower and disk speeds could be problems depending upon the content being streamed.

What OS version are you running? That also might be an issue.

 

[HDFan]

What are the benefits of Plex vs Infuse and perhaps other options?

Infuse has a simpler interface and is good at handling homogenous libraries.

Plexs' interface is more complex. It has a ton of options for sorting, viewing and data collection. There are a number of auxiliary applications such tautulli and IOS plex dash, with data analysis options not provided by the Plex dashboard. CPU & Memory use, active streams and their transcoding status (transcoded, direct play), most watched, recently watched, etc. Plex is the app to use if you are a data junkie.

Plex requires a Plex server running on your media source. Infuse can use either a Plex server or an SMB server. SMB sharing is supported on Macs so you can use infuse without having to run a server so it is the minimalist choice.

I have thousand of videos - including 4K movies, Blu-Rays, DVDs, YouTube Videos, Travel Videos, etc. Plex makes it very easy to find the last youtube video I added, and then seconds later sort by rating. It is very easy to change sort and search criteria on the fly. Harder to do in Infuse.

I have attached a couple of the Plex Dash screens. You can be watching a movie on your Apple TV and use your iPhone to monitor the server: