iTunes.

[imported_Shivetya]

I have on order a slim line dell pc I plan on using as a file and print serve, it will run XP.

What I want to do is leave all my iTunes music on that machine, leave iTunes up in the background, and be able to rip CDs from any other machine into that machine. Does iTunes support this?

Can I purchase from any machine sharing the base library?

 

[Kaido]

-If you purchase from iTunes, you can play back those purchased songs on up to 5 machines
-If you rip your own content, you can play back on any machines
-If you purchase from Amazon (no DRM) and add to iTunes (they have a helper app), you can play back on any machines

-If you rip content to one machine, it is ripped to that machine
-If you want to move the content to your server, you must do so manually or set up a sync program

 

[Kaido]

This should work if you're running Windows on both machines, and it's free:

http://www.goodsync.com/

 

[loup garou]

Just rip your music to a shared folder on your server and set that as your library location.

PS, have you considered a WHS box instead of XP? Not sure how much you're planning on spending, but WHS is really fantastic. I like HP's box:
http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/...47351-0-0-225-121.html

 

[imported_Shivetya]

Originally posted by: loup garou
Just rip your music to a shared folder on your server and set that as your library location.

PS, have you considered a WHS box instead of XP? Not sure how much you're planning on spending, but WHS is really fantastic. I like HP's box:
http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/...47351-0-0-225-121.html

I bought a system from them outlet, around 280 shipped. Simple dual core, dvd-rom, and 160gb of storage. Lets me have other uses for it long term in case I move on to some real network storage.

 

[TheStu]

You should be able to store all the music on that system, then, mount its drive as a network drive for all your other systems. You can then tell iTunes on each computer to use that as its library. Then, if you rip anything to the library on any of your systems, it will get copied to taht one location (So long as after you set the Dell as the library, you tell iTunes to copy files to it)

The only thing I have been unable to figure out is how to keep them all synchronized. So if you copy a CD on computer A, it will get ripped to Server and then Computers B, C, D, and E will all have their libraries updated auto-magically.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: TheStu
You should be able to store all the music on that system, then, mount its drive as a network drive for all your other systems. You can then tell iTunes on each computer to use that as its library. Then, if you rip anything to the library on any of your systems, it will get copied to taht one location (So long as after you set the Dell as the library, you tell iTunes to copy files to it)

The only thing I have been unable to figure out is how to keep them all synchronized. So if you copy a CD on computer A, it will get ripped to Server and then Computers B, C, D, and E will all have their libraries updated auto-magically.

iTunes doesn't do that? Wow, that's pathetic if true. WMP/Media Center will update their libraries based on watched folders updates.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: loup garou
Just rip your music to a shared folder on your server and set that as your library location.

PS, have you considered a WHS box instead of XP? Not sure how much you're planning on spending, but WHS is really fantastic. I like HP's box:
http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/...47351-0-0-225-121.html

Agreed - Windows Home Server is the bomb!

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: TheStu
You should be able to store all the music on that system, then, mount its drive as a network drive for all your other systems. You can then tell iTunes on each computer to use that as its library. Then, if you rip anything to the library on any of your systems, it will get copied to taht one location (So long as after you set the Dell as the library, you tell iTunes to copy files to it)

The only thing I have been unable to figure out is how to keep them all synchronized. So if you copy a CD on computer A, it will get ripped to Server and then Computers B, C, D, and E will all have their libraries updated auto-magically.

iTunes doesn't do that? Wow, that's pathetic if true. WMP/Media Center will update their libraries based on watched folders updates.

Yeah, it doesn't really make sense that iTunes doesn't have folder syncing. If you're on OS X you could always use Smart Folders...