Remote iTunes storage options

[PaulMoore]

Hi there

I have an iTunes library (900GB) which was on an iMac (now dead) but which I want on a network storage device so as to access from a MacBook (with a hard drive too small for the library)

I just bought a 2TB Time Capsule but the drive continually dismounts (not just when the MacBook goes to sleep) so I get endless iTunes error messages/iTunes can't find the media when I go to play songs

My question: is this just in the nature of having iTunes on an external source and I have to live with it... or would something like the WD My Cloud (I don't know much about it but I've seen it can be an iTunes server) be a more reliable source...?

 

[Boyd01]

Maybe something is wrong with the wifi on your MacBook? I got a new 2TB Time Capsule last week as a server for my iTunes library (about 400gb) and it works great with my 2013 MacBook Air.

There was only one time when it dismounted in fact - last night I took the MBA out on the porch and got an error that it couldn't connect to the server. But the issues was clearly on the MBA because the old MBP I use to rip DVDs was still connected and it is even farther from the Time Capsule. Rebooting the MBA fixed the problem.

I have been really happy with this setup, with the AC wifi on my MBA, I'm getting about 30MB/s throughput. Only minor annoyance is that the Time Capsule disk spins down almost immediately after being accessed, causing a pause when you start iTunes or if you pause a video for a minute.

So I am using a little utility called "Keep Drive Spinning" that touches a file on the Time Capsule at regular intervals to keep it awake. That did the trick and I don't have any delays now. FWIW, I am only using the Time Capsule for iTunes and not backups (I have thunderbolt drives for time machine backups).

 

[ColdCase]

Like Boyd says, drives dismounting on their own is unusual. I've had a TC drive mounted for months.... maybe years... without issue.

iTunes servers provided by third party appliances are not nearly as reliable as iTunes running on a mac. Many use something like a mini or older retired to host iTunes.

 

[Boyd01]

I am just running iTunes on my MBA but the library is on the Time Capsule. I considered using another computer to run iTunes, but that is a much more expensive option. I have a 2008 MBP, but it's still running 10.5 so I would have to update that and buy an external drive. And I would still need an Airport Extreme to get AC wifi. The old MBP already has one foot in the grave, so I don't want to sink any money or time into it.

I also considered getting a refurbed mini, but they are around $500 and I'd still need a big external drive and the Airport Extreme.

But the Time Capsule gives me AC wifi and a 2TB drive and only cost $278 at Best Buy. Can't beat that price and it does what I need.