Turning your Mac into a turnkey audio server

uglymusicuglymusic
edited January 2012 in Digital
This discussion was created from comments split from: Pooters are 'orrible - discuss.

Comments

  • uglymusicuglymusic
    edited January 2012
    Well, I've turned my MacBook into a turnkey solution.

    Switch it on - or Reboot - and:
    1. It logs on to OS X automatically
    2. Connects to the folder on the NAS where all my iTunes files (not just hi-fi audio; includes video (TV and movies) and podcasts) reside
    3. Runs iTunes and Audirvana+

    That's it. Ready for me to select what I want to play and play it.

  • JustinJustin
    Hi Dave,

    That sounds like the nearest thing to a dedicated device. Do you fancy doing an idiots guide (bear in mind my computer skills) to how to achieve this?

    Sounds ideal set up.

    Regards

    Justin
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    edited January 2012
    It is. You just see a little more of the innards as it's a computer OS
    user interface with a couple of visible apps, rather than just one
    unified UI.

    I'll certainly write it up, but I have the 'how to
    post images' screen caps and how-to to do before. I'll get a revolt from
    some parts of the Chews crew if I don't ;-)
  • AlanAlan
    I realise I can probably do the same, using the log in items in security. Using Automountmaker (which is usually unnecessary), one can also delay the mounting of the NAS by a few seconds.

    I am just hung up trying to use my external storage by ethernet. I can mount it manually with no problems, but for some reason I am unable to automate this with a direct connection from the MAC. I may have no chooice but to go wireless, which probably wouldnt matter.

    Also, remote app is not always reliable for me, which necessitates the restarting of iTunes. Perhaps its because I have a second gen iTouch with the older OS?
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    My NAS is connected via Ethernet to my MacBook and wirelessly to everything else, so that's not the issue. Everything goes via our wireless hub/cable modem which has a number of Ethernet ports.

    I'd wager it's something to do with DHCP or confusion over the IP addresses allocated (or not) to each device. Do you know where the DHCP server is on your network? If not, you may be better setting up fixed IP addresses for everything on your network. 

    The other way in, I suppose, is to put an Ethernet hub in the network, although I'd need to fully understand everything you have connected to your home network and how it connects to the Internet before going down that route. It's possibly adding complexity that you might not need.
  • AlanAlan
    The NAS (its a QNAP TS110) Only has a single ethernet socket. It finds an appropriate IP at startup, but I am sure you are right about static IP addresses. I wish I understood this stuff.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    I would expect your NAS to have just one Ethernet socket - so does mine. The multiplicity of connections is at the hub.
  • AlanAlan
    Does my router (I am newly with BT) double as an Ethernet hub in that way? I knew the sockets could recieve data from up to four or five devices, but I didnt know it could potentially send data out from them.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Does my router (I am newly with BT) double as an Ethernet hub in that way? I knew the sockets could recieve data from up to four or five devices, but I didnt know it could potentially send data out from them.
    Most do. If it has Ethernet sockets, then you can connect wired as well as wireless devices to the same network.
  • AlanAlan
    Turnkey server looks a little like Turkey server if you read fast. Snigger.
    ;))
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    I've been waiting for that one :-)
  • JustinJustin
    Thanks Dave, really look forward to your write up.

    Just sat down about 10 minutes ago to listen to some tunes, and after taking a quick glance at my watch, it appears that I've gone through some kind of time warp, as i seem to have lost a couple of hours of my evening!

    It's great, this music lark, when you get lost in time.

    Regards to all

    Justin
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    You are Doctor Who :-)
  • AlanAlan
    'Sup Dave!
    Port 4 is marked GigE, and should be used for the NAS.
    Thanks for that nugget. My Turkey server is now headless.(snigger).

    It works just fine (notwithstanding very occasional remote app issues), mounts the correct volume consistently via login items. Very pleased indeed! YouDaMan!

    Only thing is it takes 10 - 20 seconds to start play on a fresh album - no doubt due to Audirvana+ loading & processing a new track that wasn't consecutive from the last track.

    This seems to indicate the hub is limited to good old 54mbps through it's ethernet switch. Is there any mileage in a different cheap ethernet switch? Even a gigabit switch? I got much faster load time with a direct ethernet connection between the NAS & the MAC.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    GigE means Gigabit Ethernet, so that's the fastest of the four ports. Buying another Ethernet box won't get you anywhere.

    I still think it's most likely to be a DHCP issue.
  • AlanAlan
    edited January 2012
    The NAS goes into the GigE port, but the ethernet cable back to the MAC isn't Gigabit, no?
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    It depends on the speed of the port on the NAS. If that's slower than Gigabit, then the link will operate at that speed.

    BT recommends that a NAS is connected to the GigE port.
  • AlanAlan
    The NAS goes into the GigE port, but the ethernet cable back to the MAC isn't Gigabit, no?
    I edited the post above to reflect what I actually wanted to say! Back to the MAC...
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Probably not.

    I guess it probably makes a difference if you have several devices accessing the NAS simultaneously, so the most traffic is over the hub/NAS connection.
  • AlanAlan
    At the moment I am very happy, you have helped me find a definite improvement with minimal trade-off. A bit more speed can come later.

    Someone give this man a beer & a pizza!
    =D>
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Send 'em round!  :D
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