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Creating a Music Server

david.stodolsky - 07:00am Jan 3, 2007 PST

Over the years TidBITS has reviewed many systems for serving music. However, it's not clear where to start, if you need a server today. On the low end, serving on the LAN can be done with iTunes. On the high end, there is at least one open source server package.

People are now resorting to all kinds of tricks, including using file sharing, etc. that are not really suitable.

In my case, I'd like the server to download podcasts as well as serve, but its not clear that the server products will actually do this and what the impact would be on the clients. Can the client add podcast subscriptions, etc.? Can a server sleep when not being used?

Mark as Read

Mike Cohen (apparently) - Jan 4, 2007 6:36 am (#1 Total: 3)

via email

Posts: 133

Re: Creating a Music Server

On 1/3/07, david. stodolsky <david.stodolsky

socialinformatics.org> wrote:
> Over the years TidBITS has reviewed many systems for serving music. However, it's not clear where to start, if you need a server today.

I use a Buffalo LinkStation with OpenLink firmware & MT-DAAPD. It
appears in iTunes as a shared music library.

david.stodolsky - Jan 13, 2007 12:37 pm (#2 Total: 3)

Posts: 11

Re: Creating a Music Server

Complaints from MacIntouch on this same line:

Ian Chan AppleTV's video format support is disappointing.

It does not appear to play MPEG2 nor DivX formats, which are popular formats used with EyeTV PVR.

It doesn't appear to support native DVD (MPEG2, 720x480) nor over-the-air HDTV video either.

And it doesn't even support Dolby Digital/AC-3, nor DTS audio formats! AppleTV seems entirely geared toward playing iTunes store movies rather than being a general purpose media hub. *sigh* I was so ready to purchase one!

Rob Wyatt

So I took the bait and ordered an Apple TV. While the user interface sure looks impressive, I'm less impressed with the tech specs. Correct me if I'm wrong, but all this thing plays is MP4 video at a maximum of 720p? No 1080? No hardware upscaling? No support for other formats (ie: VOB, MPEG, DivX, etc)?

The only reason I'm checking out Apple TV is that I'm so frustrated with trying to find a decent network media player. I currently own a JVC SRDVD (the Kuro-Obi) and it sucks. Well, when it works, it looks amazing, but I have run into so many problems with incompatible files, etc.

At the very least, Apple TV should also support VOB and MPEG-2 files. But I suppose that goes against the idea of making users dependent upon the iTunes Music Store. If anyone out there knows of a *reliable* network media player with support for more formats and higher resolutions than Apple TV, I'd love to hear from you. I'm trying to be optimistic about Apple TV, but so far it strikes me as rather underwhelming.

<http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/macworldexpo/index.html#jan11>

Evandro - Mar 24, 2007 12:55 pm (#3 Total: 3)

Posts: 1

Re: Creating a Music Server

I made the same mistake. I have dumped all my family DVDs into a 500g external HD and converted it to MPEG2 with MPEGStream. I have the MPEG2 plug in for quicktime, which allows me to play these videos on Itunes and quicktime. I saw the adds from Apple "If it is on Itunes , it's on your TV", and I called up the Apple Store. I was very specific telling my case. At the end, the person in the line was clear that anything in my Itunes library will play on Apple TV. I bought it , and now I am returning it. If I want a fancy MP4 player I would use my Xbox 360 or PS3. I do not want to spend 6 months converting all my Mpegs to MP4. Apple should take more care with their support personal and with its Adds.

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