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The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => D-Link Storage => DNS-323 => Topic started by: jgj10 on November 27, 2007, 06:31:29 AM

Title: DNS 323 and iTunes Server -- My Observations
Post by: jgj10 on November 27, 2007, 06:31:29 AM
Hello all,

I have spent many an hour playing with the iTunes server capabilities of the 323 and wanted to share my experiences with the forum and perhaps the dev team.

**Disclaimer -- I don't know what's in spec or out of spec with this box -- I am just sharing my experiences. 

The Good -- Once working it is a fast and easy way to serve iTunes songs.  And when I say fast I -- just compare pulling the same file using the "shared" DNS server vs. pointing to the song natively via iTunes...3x faster.

The issues --
   --When coping your iTunes library over DO NOT copy any podcast or music videos or movies.  Each of these has a separate directory within the iTunes folder.  There is a problem when using the "refresh" function in that it locks up when it comes to something other than mp3 or aac files.  I think the "refresh" function creates a database pointer for the iTunes server and it does not understand the podcast/video files. If this happens the iTunes server is TOAST and will not restart.

If the above happens the only CURRENT way of recovering is to recopy (not move) the data somewhere else on the 323 and refresh again.

  --The unit is MUCH more reliable if you unclick "root" and point the iTunes server to the directory in which the music resides.

Suggestions for improvement--
  --Can you install a scheduler that automatically runs "refresh" at certain time intervals?  Otherwise when adding music (which I do Daily) you have to manually go in and click buttons!

--IF the "refresh" fails -- can you add a "recover" mode to repair the database to avoid recoping to recover from an issue.


Overall great box -- Thanks.

G



 







Title: Re: DNS 323 and iTunes Server -- My Observations
Post by: D-Link Multimedia on November 27, 2007, 10:22:53 AM
Hello all,

I have spent many an hour playing with the iTunes server capabilities of the 323 and wanted to share my experiences with the forum and perhaps the dev team.

**Disclaimer -- I don't know what's in spec or out of spec with this box -- I am just sharing my experiences. 

The Good -- Once working it is a fast and easy way to serve iTunes songs.  And when I say fast I -- just compare pulling the same file using the "shared" DNS server vs. pointing to the song natively via iTunes...3x faster.

The issues --
   --When coping your iTunes library over DO NOT copy any podcast or music videos or movies.  Each of these has a separate directory within the iTunes folder.  There is a problem when using the "refresh" function in that it locks up when it comes to something other than mp3 or aac files.  I think the "refresh" function creates a database pointer for the iTunes server and it does not understand the podcast/video files. If this happens the iTunes server is TOAST and will not restart.

If the above happens the only CURRENT way of recovering is to recopy (not move) the data somewhere else on the 323 and refresh again.

  --The unit is MUCH more reliable if you unclick "root" and point the iTunes server to the directory in which the music resides.

Suggestions for improvement--
  --Can you install a scheduler that automatically runs "refresh" at certain time intervals?  Otherwise when adding music (which I do Daily) you have to manually go in and click buttons!

--IF the "refresh" fails -- can you add a "recover" mode to repair the database to avoid recoping to recover from an issue.


Overall great box -- Thanks.

G


Thank you for your comments! Just a heads up but your request to add an "auto-refresh" timer is actually already implemented and will be in the next firmware 1.04. This is for both the UPNP AV and Itunes server.

Regarding your issues;

Podcasts/Videos should not affect the server at all unless they somehow misslabeled as an audio file extension. The current mt-daapd(itunes server) is an audio only service which should discard adding video files to the index file that is created by the itunes server. I will look into this and see if I run into any issues regarding having video/audio in the same itunes share directory and if it has infact become an issue it will be looked into and addressed appropriately.

D-Link
Title: Re: DNS 323 and iTunes Server -- My Observations
Post by: jgj10 on December 02, 2007, 02:58:55 PM

Regarding your issues;

Podcasts/Videos should not affect the server at all unless they somehow misslabeled as an audio file extension. The current mt-daapd(itunes server) is an audio only service which should discard adding video files to the index file that is created by the itunes server. I will look into this and see if I run into any issues regarding having video/audio in the same itunes share directory and if it has infact become an issue it will be looked into and addressed appropriately.

D-Link

Hello -- I just took it to the next level....My current (working) config and database index was for 9 gig of music that was in a directory under "itunes music".  I had another directory of music (75 gig) at the same level under "itunes music" and I decided to add to the itunes server.  So I just moved the pointer up to the "itunes music" to cover both lower directories on the 323 and did a "refresh" Well the itunes server started an index (I guess) and then went toes-up!!!!!!!!
 I Can't get it back and it does not show up in iTunes on my PC!!!

What's the deal? Is it that sensitive??? Is 88 gig too much for the server?  How do I recover (see earlier post)?

BTW I have 100 gig more to add!!!

What's the biggest library capable on this itunes server? Does anyone have more than 100 gig running on this thing???

DLINK: Feel free to IM me to discuss -- I am WAY over first levels' support  head right now and I need advice.
Title: Re: DNS 323 and iTunes Server -- My Observations
Post by: D-Link Multimedia on December 04, 2007, 04:34:22 PM
G,

I do not have 100+gigs of music on hand however I will stockpile and see how it goes. I can tell you currently on 1.04 beta that I have successfully added and scanned 50gigs of music without any problems what so ever. I will try to allocate another 50gigs to provide more test results but I will need a little more time since that would be doubling my current test data.

D-Link
Title: Re: DNS 323 and iTunes Server -- My Observations
Post by: DRT-1000 on December 04, 2007, 04:39:38 PM
Copy and paste your 50gigs.....:P
Title: Re: DNS 323 and iTunes Server -- My Observations
Post by: D-Link Multimedia on December 04, 2007, 04:53:21 PM
Copy and paste your 50gigs.....:P

Yeah but that's no fun. Plus its not really 'real life' testing since who in their mind is going to have two copies of the same song in the same place! Its hard enough to manage the collection as is.

D-Link