Networking iTunes
One for the Mac-heads: I want to network iTunes but I’m not sure of the best way to do it. Anyone experimented with various options and found a solution?
This is what I want to do: I’ve got a powerbook upstairs and a Mac Mini under the telly, running Wi-Fi. I want to replace the wi-fi with powerline ethernet to get better performance (my house kills Wi-Fi very quickly) so there’ll be a Mac up here, Mac downstairs, Xbox 360 there too – and when I replace the powerbook, another Mac kicking around somewhere. Plan is to have them all connected via ethernet.
Each machine (Xbox excepted) will be running OS X and iTunes, and what I want to do is store the iTunes library in a single, central location (possibly an ethernet-aware hard disk). No matter what machine I use, I want to be able to use a single library – so I can update the iPod from whichever machine’s handy at the time, and so I can rip CDs from whatever machine is handy and then access the songs on any other Mac. What I *don’t* want to do is have an entire Mac running 24/7 or tunes streaming from one Mac to another.
Anyone tried something similar? Any top tips or warnings? I’m all electronic ears…
13 Responses to “Networking iTunes”
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Stephen on October 9th, 2006
This article seems to provide a way to move the library to an external hard drive: no reason it couldn’t be an ethernet drive, although be aware that the LaCie one is formatted FAT32 and therefore won’t support some Mac file names: if you reformat it to HPFS it won’t work on network, only FireWire! I don’t know about any of the others, but I would just get one of those Mac Mini external drives that fit under the Mini and leave the Mini on all the time: global warming’s a myth anyway!
Then once you move your main iTunes library, just set the iTunes on the other Macs to use the new library.
Here is the link:
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/moving-your-itunes-library-to-a-new-hard-drive/
Gary on October 9th, 2006
Thanks for that.
> global warming’s a myth anyway!
My electricity bill isn’t :)
Gary on October 9th, 2006
I like the look of Lacie’s 300GB network drive. It’s not too pricey, either. Yay! Or, yay if I ever get enough free cash for a network drive and powerline ethernet…
david on October 9th, 2006
Only partially related – do you still have to grow a goatee if you own a mac? :-D
How would I go about blasting a G3 ibook? Desperately needs wiped back to factory. I know how to do this on windows but not mac. (Also I have no disks other than any that come with the intel imacs)
Gary on October 9th, 2006
Try the tiger install disk, I think it’s universal (not sure though). If not I’ve got a PPC build I can send you.
david on October 9th, 2006
Cool, I’ll let you know. Obviously I won’t do it until after I’ve had a play with the imac. (Assuming it comes tomorrow)
david on October 9th, 2006
I do feel a bit of a traitor btw. ;-D
Tony Kiernan on October 9th, 2006
Actually, I’m just about to do something similar(ish) with my old eMac and a linux pc. So, keep us posted. TBH, I just haven’t sat down to have a real go at it yet.
david on October 9th, 2006
I’ve never installed OS X before. I’ve done linux so it’s a new experience.
Tony Kiernan on October 9th, 2006
I meant network them round the flat – sorry. OSX is a piece of piss to install. You should be able to use the restore disc for any machine – nevermind the install one.
david on October 9th, 2006
Ah…
Apparently power networking is quite simple and reliable now. You’re pretty much buggered if you get spikes though.
Olly Hodgson on October 10th, 2006
IIRC there’s a NAS out there that will share any music on it as an iTunes library. I can’t remember which one it is though, or if you can copy from a shared library to an iPod.
My, what a helpful comment that was ;)
Gary on October 11th, 2006
Er, thanks Olly ;-)