MK5 Golf GTI
General => Random Chat => Topic started by: vRStu on August 09, 2011, 10:33:33 am
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Does anyone (ifti maybe) have their iTunes Library stored on a NAS drive??
I have mine working this way but I'm not 100% sure I have it working optimally so I'm looking for advice on how anyone else has done it.
My NAS has iTunes support - http://www.synology.com/dsm/itunes_server.php?lang=enu
One slight issue I have is when syncing iDevices media stored on the NAS isn't automatically 'seen' so I have to connect to the NAS first,
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Why me?? :signLOL:
But yeh, I have a Synology as well. Lol
When you have the NAS switched on, does Finder automatically see it? With mine, as soon as the NAS is on, it'll just show up in finder with nothing needing to be done. Also remember the NAS does go to sleep now and then, but the program that's accessing it usually wakes it up automatically with a little delay.
I don't have my complete iTunes library on the NAS itself though. I prefer to have this local on my MacBook for when I sync my devices. So I have my apps, and most of my music local on the iTunes library on my MacBook.
I do, however, use my NAS to store anything else.
Once the iTunes server has been enabled on the NAS, you can place photos, movies and music on the unit. Bear in mind an iTunes server does not do the same thing as your iTunes library. A library is the complete iTunes folder that your device syncs with etc. Content on an iTunes server is simply shared to all iTunes clients on the network so that it can be run/played. You don't actually sync directly with it.
So, as I said, my music and apps stay in my local iTunes library on my local machine for easy and quick syncing. I use the iTunes server on my NAS to store some music, all of my movies, my home videos, and my photos. All the bigger stuff basically. As long as these are all in the correct formats etc, they are all shared automatically into my iTunes on my local machine. So I can view them etc through my iTunes shared folder when I'm on my MacBook just like they were local.
So, we now have content on the NAS that's shared to all iTunes clients on the network.
Next, we want to be able to view all this content directly on any devices, such as my iPhone or iPad etc. I didn't want to keep my MacBook on constantly in order to do this. I wanted a direct connection. Hence I use an app called 'airplayer'. Make sure DLNA on the server is switched on, and this app will then find your NAS straight away. You can then stream your movie, photos, or music straight to your device and watch/listen as though it was on the device locally itself. No mac or MacBook needed in between.
So I now have my content on my NAS. iTunes can see it and uses it as a shared device. My iPad and iPhone can stream data from it directly. But let's take this a step further......
I now want to stream this content straight to other devices. I have an Apple TV2, so want to stream movies straight onto my main TV, again without having to use my MacBook at all just to run iTunes.
The great thing about this AirPlayer app, is that it let's you use Apple Air Play to stream content straight to the Apple TV, or AirPort Express, etc. So now I can use my iPhone or iPad to connect to my NAS and stream movies, photos or music, straight to my Apple TV2. This is actually how I watch most of my movies now. Lol. All works perfect, with no jail breaking involved.
If you want your entire iTunes library itself on the NAS, so that devices sync straight to that directly - although I've not tried it - you could probably move your iTunes folder onto the NAS and point iTunes across to that. The sync speed will depend upon your network speed. Bear in mind you must always be connected to the NAS in order to use iTunes though, or use that library. I've used external HDDs to host my iTunes library before and it seemed to work OK. Don't see why it, would be any different with a NAS....
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Oh, and if you have an iPhone or iPad, do a search for Synology in the app store. They have some pretty good free apps that let you browse and download any files or documents etc you have on your NAS. :wink:
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Thanks mate. :happy2: :notworthy:
At the moment I have the library file on my NAS which may be where the problem lies. I guess what I need is the library file on the MBP but the content on the NAS. The content on my NAS is ultimately what I'm trying to achieve, for a couple of reasons - I want to have all my devices have access to my content but also I hope to move to an SSD shortly so don't want to tie up valuable space with the content when it can be happily stored on the NAS. I don't often use the MBP to listen to music and I've almost always got my iPhone with me which has a fair bit of the content on it.
I have the airplay app on my iPhone but to be honest I've never used it. Time give that a go :evilgrin:
I think I have most if not all of the Syno Apps as well a nice nice 3rd Party one which controls downloads from the iPad.
Wish me luck!! :signLOL:
As a side note you mentioned in another thread about pricing up SSD's, anything come of it??
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I'm just setting up iTunes for the first time on my new lion install.
I have unchecked copy files to iTunes media file which I guess is what I want to leave the content elsewhere.
Have you enabled sharing the library on the local network in preferences?
After that would you suggest I just choose add to library and add the content from the NAS?
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I just use te home sharing feature on my mac
Mini that is on 24/7! Works fine for me.
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I could do that but there isn't anything to gain as the NAS should have it covered. I just need to set it up correctly.
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Having looked at this briefly it seems you should only move the iTunes Media folder to the NAS and the remainder stays on the MBP.
I run mine from an external drive and thats how it works so i would assume it is the same for the NAS just with a few other settings enabled.
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So do you want to leave the basic library on the MBP and move content to the NAS?
I enabled the DLNA and iTunes Server services. This creates Music, Photos, and Video folders for you. Simply put your content into the correct folders, and it should then be viewable in iTunes, or on your idevices.
Try it with a little content and see I that's what you're after....
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I didn't read all that fully but a trick to get the nas to connect when you open iTunes with a mac is to put the iTunes program into the, I think, iTunes media folder on the nas. Then create a shortcut of iTunes that is actually in the nas then drag that to the dock.
So now when you click iTunes in the dock, as it's a shortcut to the actual program in the nas, it opens iTunes and connects.
I apologise if isn't what you asked, I just thought I'd give another way of connecting the nas quicker to the mac when you open iTunes.
I use both pc and mac, pc seems to better with nas.
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Ifti have you got your NAS mapped to the MBP?
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With my NAS switched on, I simply open finder and it's listed under shared devices. I can then access any of my shared media and documents via finder. I didn't map anything etc. It just worked!
When I open iTunes I have a shared library, which again comes up automatically, in which I have all my content placed not my NAS.
I have both DLNA and iTunes Server services enabled. Nothing else.
Isn't that what you have?
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DLNA and iTunes Server is enabled. In Finder I see Diskstation in Shared and in iTunes Finder I see Diskstation too. If I click on Diskstation in Finder then it logs in with the PW etc already entered from the first time I connected (I have a user called iTunes) but if I click on Diskstation in iTunes it just goes back to the Music tab at the top.
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Have you put anything into the movies, music, or photos folders on the NAS?
Yours is exactly how mine is working, except when I click on DiskStation in the left panel in iTunes, it lists all of my movies and other content that I have on my NAS also.
I have a feeling it's an actual iTunes setting somewhere rather then anything on the NAS itself? Thera not much else to set on the NAS other then tick the iTunes Server box, which is working as DiskStation is coming up in iTunes....
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It's just updating my library at the moment, I'll update you when it's done. :happy2:
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Library is updated and I have the content in the main Music tab of iTunes but when I open the Diskstation tab under shared it instantly closes.
I also tried setting up Home Sharing, that seems to setup but then the tab disappears from the finder and it doesn't appear to work.
Getting tedious now. :fighting:
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Hmmm. To be honest all I use the iTunes server for is movies, not music. When I click DiskStation under Shared in iTunes, it just lists the movies I have on the server (the mp4 ones).
I'll try putting some music in later and will see what happens.......
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Still not getting anywhere with this. Been googling all afternoon for info and it seems lots of people have issues with the sharing but not one defined correct result. I've tried all the suggestions (Reboot everything, check all settings, rebuild iTunes library, enable IGMP in the router and more)
I can't seem to get anything on AirPlay or any sort of a sharing between any devices.
Any more ideas??
Ifti did you have to open any ports in your router??
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I use a HP Data Vault X510 for streaming and Itunes, no issues at all.
Google HP Data Vault X510
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Google HP Data Vault X510
Nice but I fail to see how that's going to help me with my OSX Lion and Synology NAS :fighting2:
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Update -
Tried my Mac Mini which is still running SL and an older version of iTunes. Home Sharing still doesn't appear to work however the diskstation appears correctly in iTunes Finder.
So the diskstation issue is linked to the MBP and possibly iTunes Beta 10.5 and the Home Sharing, well who knows!!
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Home sharing is now working between the two Mac's but I can't solve the Diskstation issue on the MBP and I can't see anything with AirPlay on either my iPhone 4 or iPad 1.
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You're using the app named 'air player' right??
That just see's any DLNA servers on the network - not iTunes servers. So make sure DLNA on the Synology is enabled...
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I think I had the wrong App Ifti. Just bought AirPlayer and it works fine.
The only anomoly left is the NAS not being useable as a share in iTunes.