Help - itunes

[read99]

Here is my set up: We are a mac family. Lots of kids, lots of macs, ipods, iphones etc.

We also have an apple tv. For music we use a combo of rhapsody, mp3s, mp4s, and xm. We manage all our mp3s and mp4s in itunes. We have a separate copy of mp3s on our hc1000. Each person has their own itunes libarary right now

I would like to bring our music library into one spot: one itunes library. I would love to have this also be the same spot that C4 looks to.

Part of my question is C4 based and part is mac. I would love thoughts on either the mac or the c4 questions:

1) C4 - how best to do this?

a) I have heard about something called "extraveggies" (??) using appletv. Does this work well? Do you get album art etc. What functionality do you lose? Should I use a nas or just a drive attached t to the mac mini in the rack?

Will 2.0 address any of this?

c) Am I best off continuing to make a copy over to the hc1000?

d) other options?

2) Mac part of the question: With 5 people all using itunes will itunes sharing allow each to have their own view of the master library and be able to sync only what they like etc while keeping everything on a master library? What are the options to accomplish this?

Thanks

Jim

[ILoveC4]

I would put everything on a NAS, then have iTunes and C4 look to the NAS for audio files. This is what I do currently.

I can't answer your question about the library syncing with 100% certainty, but you should be able to maintain seperate libraries (isn't the library really just an XML file?). If not, you can always check mark the music you want to sync. If each person used their own iTunes I believe their music selections would remain checked so they wouldn't have to go through it everytime.

[wappinghigh]

Jim. I share your pain!

I've mucked around over the years putting the main iTunes library on NAS. Trying to get it to work flawlessly. But basically it has never worked well for me. Yeh I'm a dumb arse I know.. So my library is back on a 1TB iMac with timecapsule backup. This is not ideal, but iTunes only works 100% the way it should this way IMHO. The problem is not with NAS in general. I think the problem is with Apple..that they don't fundamentally and philosphically support the concept. That's my impression (right or wrong). Sure you can move the library. Simple. But problems have always occurred for me later on down the track when changes are made to the library. I mean regular additions etc. For me it's been problematic.

Now if only Apple made a NAS! They actually sort of do: the macmini now has a 2 disc server option, but limited to 500G. But it's only software raided. Actually I've been wanting to put my library onto a macpro with raid card. This would be ideal IMHO. make sure you take a look at the DAS option- great post by 'well- armed' under showcase. http://www.c4forums.com/viewtopic.php?id=4947 He has set up an unreal iTunes based macpro media server using direct attached storage.

As for sharing iTunes libraries, what I do is still instruct the kids to sync music to their individual iPods off my main iTunes library. Sure I know there are programs like synctunes and fixtunes... But these are all compromises and you seem to end up with multiple iTunes libraries all over the place. I try and keep things simple. Avoids iTunes chaos. If you then want to play from the main library via other macs, use iTunes homesharing. This works great but leave the copy file option off. Or use your AppleTV. Use the digital out as a source and control this with Extravegetables 2 way C4 Driver.

As for C4 working with iTunes: no idea. But there are posts on trying to get this to work: http://www.c4forums.com/viewtopic.php?id=4720 I use Sonos because it's had a great sync feature for years. You can point Sonos straight at the iTunes music path. Syncs everytime. Takes less than 60 sec for my 5000 track library. Sonos then streams straight off the library. I've been asking questions on the new C4 media player: whether this device will do the same- for video. Stream straight off the itunes video/TV path. Still not 100% sure. I don't think the C4 media player streams music.

Extravegetables are writing great apps for C4. Visit their website. www.extravegetables.com Hope this all helps.

I wish there was an itunes C4 2 way driver. Or that the extravegetables AppleTV driver say worked with Frontrow on a macmini...

Anyway. Sorry to bore everyone to death again :rolleyes:

[sscottroth]

can't you use a time capsule as a NAS - you can have seperate folders on it and store stuff there.

[srhamy]

I have a drobo (with Droboshare NAS), that runs a firefly server. It works perfectly from all macs, and C4. My only complaint is that the coverart isn't served up. By the way, I am posting this not to suggest you get a Drobo, because I wouldn't buy one again (slow speed, high cost), but possibly the firefly server will work for you.

http://www.fireflymediaserver.org/