2011: What makes a good iTunes server?

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antoniosk

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#75737 22-Jan-2011 16:48

I've had a look at this forum, and it seems most discussions are a few years old.

So I am investigating getting something to act as an iTunes server for the house.

In this case WAF doesn't apply; the far more demanding MAF applies (MY ACCEPTANCE FACTOR!).

While i can easily assemble a pc into this state... what I really want is something I can just put away and never have to see again, which doesn't doesn't generate a ton of hot air or noise.

So folks... thoughts on what's good???

________

Antoniosk

gehenna

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#429921 22-Jan-2011 16:52

The HP MediaSmart Home Servers come with special add-in software to act as an iTunes server. That's supposedly a good tool.

Otherwise the age old NAS/other-type-storage with the iTunes library files pointing to it will have to suffice.

Personally I don't mind having my music stored in a couple of locations. For one it means I'm more redundant than if it were only stored on my laptop. The other reason is that I want all my music when I leave the house, so if my laptop were also the server then other users in my house would suffer.

I find Home Sharing works well as a middle-ground.

nakedmolerat

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#429924 22-Jan-2011 16:57

antoniosk: I've had a look at this forum, and it seems most discussions are a few years old.

So I am investigating getting something to act as an iTunes server for the house.

In this case WAF doesn't apply; the far more demanding MAF applies (MY ACCEPTANCE FACTOR!).

While i can easily assemble a pc into this state... what I really want is something I can just put away and never have to see again, which doesn't doesn't generate a ton of hot air or noise.

So folks... thoughts on what's good???

what about Thecus products? majority of them support iTunes server (i have Thecus N4200)

Set and forget:-

alitom

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#436170 7-Feb-2011 10:53

Anything that runs FireFly http://www.fireflymediaserver.org/

antoniosk

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#522580 18-Sep-2011 10:38

So due to a number of things I put this on the back burner, but I'm still thinking through what's available.

The key criteria for me are silence, hot air (ie none), discrete form factor and the ability to just 'put it away'. It's not a workhorse PC that will need to do other duty - just a tiny form factor unit for distribution media wirelessly where I want it.

Zino HD by Dell looks interesting - and the pricepoint looks ok ($600) but still a little pricey.
http://www.dell.com/nz/p/inspiron-zino-hd-410/pd

Downside: I fear the hot air. The fan is an 80mm monster, and the case is 90mm. I can't tell if there's an external power brick, which means space consumed is 3x the footprint of the unit itself.

Mac Mini looks nice. $950, 4cm high, integrated power supply. From factor aside it's overkill and a shame to waste on just occasional media duty.

and... that seems to be it. I can't find much else with the right form factor to do media work?

Anything else happened since Jan when I started this topic?

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Antoniosk

freitasm

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#522585 18-Sep-2011 10:51

The Dell Zino HD is not too noisy, and it does have a power brick. I never had a problem with heat, although it's not enclosed.

cyril7

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#522614 18-Sep-2011 12:14

Hi, the Qnas devices are keener prices and have good reputations.

http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=395295

Cyril

antoniosk

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#522753 18-Sep-2011 20:58

I've being doing some research...

So the key thing is a workhorse media server - it will not contain master data, just a working copy of everything (the master is on another drive, which is backed up to a raid array).

All the media unit needs to do is FEED.

The Silverstone DC01. It has a brick I expect to feed that demanding 5V/2A environment (10W... oooo) line, but it's a tiny linux appliance and is cheap. $220. Add a 500gb 2.5" HD - another $94 - and plug it into the back of wireless router.

http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=396465

In addition, it reduces a network hop (PC over wifi - different wifi - streaming device becomes NAS->Ethernet->Streaming Device)

hmmm....

________

Antoniosk