iTunes .. syncing content from home sharing library?

[monty77]

Here's the setup:

Mac Mini running main iTunes library acting as HTPC in living room
MacBookPro as my day to day machine in the office, running iTunes sharing the main library - no content is stored here

I want to plug my iPad into the MacBook and sync some content to it. I can do this by importing an item from the home sharing library to my MacBook's local library then sync but this takes up space and is pretty annoying.

Wireless syncing all to often gives me the 'cannot find x iPad' so I've given up with that, HTPC is hidden away so don't want to have to plug it in each time I want to sync either.

Ideas?

Thanks!

 

[mic j]

SuperSync

Could this product be an option?

http://supersync.com/index.php

 

[monty77]

Could this product be an option?

http://supersync.com/index.php

I might be missing something but I don't see how this allows me a to sync content from my main library to my iPad via the MBP.

Thanks!
Adam

 

[mic j]

I might be missing something but I don't see how this allows me a to sync content from my main library to my iPad via the MBP.

Thanks!
Adam

I was thinking along the lines of just using office wifi/internet to access your files from your server and not import them. Of course, that wouldn't help you on a plane or in the car I guess.

Do you have iTunes Match? Could you use that to download to your iPad instead of going through the MBP?

 

[monty77]

I was thinking along the lines of just using office wifi/internet to access your files from your server and not import them. Of course, that wouldn't help you on a plane or in the car I guess.

Do you have iTunes Match? Could you use that to download to your iPad instead of going through the MBP?

Yup I have Match but that of course works for music only.

Cheers,
adam

 

[mic j]

Yup I have Match but that of course works for music only.

Cheers,
adam

Yep, true. I was only thinking along music lines. I'll be interested if anyone comes up with a solution to your problem as my situation (with my wife's iPad) is about the same. She likes to load movies onto her iPad for plane flights. I am using a MB as my media server and a MBP (with no content) as my work computer and sharing the MB iTunes library. Hadn't really given this issue much thought but it will be helpful if you come up with a solution.

 

[monty77]

Yep, true. I was only thinking along music lines. I'll be interested if anyone comes up with a solution to your problem as my situation (with my wife's iPad) is about the same. She likes to load movies onto her iPad for plane flights. I am using a MB as my media server and a MBP (with no content) as my work computer and sharing the MB iTunes library. Hadn't really given this issue much thought but it will be helpful if you come up with a solution.

I'm not alone then that's something!

It'd be nice if wifi syncing just worked then I could set it up using screen sharing (for the Mac Mini) and sync wirelessly.

 

[monty77]

..update. Moved to plex.

- Syncs to all iOS devices, controlled from the device itself
- It's more robust than iTunes home sharing for streaming
- If I don't want to I don't have to keep everything in H264/AAC etc.. although it still pays to to reduce transcoding time/processing
- Works with AppleTV3 (using plexconnect hack)

So I bought an HP microserver, runs Windows 8.1. I have 4 drives running Stablebit drive pool (to take care of data security) and run Plex server, plex connect, iTunes and a few other bits. It's small and the whole setup cost 1/4 of the equivalent Mac Mini solution - 8.1 isn't as bad as people make out although I'm not about to make it my everyday OS anytime soon

Any regrets? Aside from feeling a bit dirty using Windows none at all. Even the new remote desktop app is pretty slick.

Mini rant .. I signed up for lifetime Plex and they now are charging for most useful features. Fair enough but if you're going to charge you need to have a proper support mechanism for your users - can't hide behind 'it's free - get over it' mentality now I'm afraid