Mac + PC Networking & NAS plus iTunes mega question thread

[PFDarkside]

Currently I have:

*PC desktop
-All my music files (~120GB)
-iTunes manages my music and podcasts
-Sync my ipod (music) and iphone (podcasts) to it

*Macbook Pro
-Movie files ripped with Handbrake for portable use
-Share music to the MBP using iTunes Home Sharing

What I want:

-To be able to access my music and movies from either computer in the house
-To be able to play those music/movies on the Living Room TV/Stereo (Thinking of a new Apple TV)
-Have playcounts/ratings update no matter where the file is played
-Create playlists and sync my iPod and iPhone to at least the Macbook Pro if not either computer
-Still take a few movies with on the MBP? (Assuming a don't get an iPad.... )

My desktop isn't going away (and obviously neither is my MBP) as I use them for different purposes. I don't want to load up all my media on the laptop as that would consume a massive chunk of hard drive space, and I'd still like to access that content on the desktop. Right now, Home Sharing isn't updating playcounts (which I'd like) and additionally, I'd like to get a new Apple TV to send media to my TV and Stereo.

What is the best way to accomplish this? If I keep the entire library on a NAS, can either computer access it and update playcounts? Will I be able to access it wirelessly over the network and "send/stream" the content to the Apple TV?

I'd like to see how you guys are managing a decent sized music/movie library with a mac/pc setup and how its working out for you, as well as how this impacts the ability to modify/add content on the road and sync it back to the home network/itunes library.

 

[PFDarkside]

Should this have gone in a different room?

 

[shamrockgrl74]

can't wait for an answer for this.

i have a very similar question / issue.

have a PC and use a NAS to store all itunes files. recently bought a mac book pro, and haven't been able to see my library on the NAS. want to be able to share music between both computers, and store it all on the NAS

 

[rvinny]

I have a similar dilemma (2 MBP, iPad, Airport Express for music, Apple TV 2 for big screen) - I need some sort of central media server.

From what I've found plenty of people offer iTunes servers on a NAS but then the ATV won't see it. I would love to see Home Sharing support added somewhere.

In the meantime I built myself a media server PC, migrated all my media to iTunes on it and run Home Sharing, works great.

A couple of points I wrestled with (might help someone else)

-- Why a PC and not a Mac? I wanted to do this cheap since it's just a server. Mac Minis are too $$, even used.

-- Why not Boxee / XBMC / Windows Media Center. The server is in a closet and not on the TV so Boxee and XBMC are out. I have an Xbox but the Media Center Extender didn't look as appealing as the Apple TV. I know some people will say I am crazy but I already had 90% of my collection in iTunes and like the simple Apple TV interface. Plus it seems quicker and more responsive than streaming through a Xbox. YMMV. Plus the Apple Remote for iPhone is great (and Free) - very responsive.

-- Mixed OS's. THis is still my biggest issue. I don't have computer problems because I keep things simple. It gnaws at me that I have to maintain two different OS's. I am considering switching this box to a Hackintosh.

-- What about media on the go? Streaming outside of the house I haven't found anything I like. For the laptops I was able to free up hard drive space since everything shows up in Home Sharing now. If I want to take a movie with me, I synch it to the iPhone ahead of time.

-- Backups. This is another issue I am working through. I have two USB drives that I back everything up to. But now that I have two OS's I need one for each. I kinda lost my trailer park RAID and one step backup I enjoyed on OSX.