Ripping & Streaming – if you had to do it all again ?
Posted by: Lost-in-fog on 16 January 2013
What would you not do again or wish you had done to get where you are now.
Perhaps a list of hardware, software & file format that you have found works well together as a package.
As someone who is going to find it hard enough to get started what lessons did you learn so foggy heads like me can get it more right than wrong first time?
Cheeky ask I know but starting off with stuff that works would be a big help.
Thanks Foggy.
iTunes is not fussy where its library is as long as it knows where it is. You create the library on your NAS and drop all of your ripped/TAG'd music into the Automatically Add To iTunes Folder ... .
Guy,
IME, the only rub is if your remote library is not available, iTunes "helpfully" resets the library preference to the local drive, forgetting your true preference, requiring you to reset it. Does anybody know a way to prevent this? If I were run over by a bus my family could not deal with this behavior. (Nice to be needed . . .)
I would prefer that iTunes complain, in this case, rather than "just work". What do US and HDX do in similar situation, I wonder?
ATB,
Nick
Hello Nick
You could hold down the option key when starting iTunes as this will pop up a box that lets you choose which library you want to use ... Not quite as you wanted, but might help.
All the best, Guy
Mark,
there must be something majorly wrong, if you cannot use the extended tags on MP3Tag. the version you mention is fine and there is only this one free version. Are they Flac files? Are the tags Flac (Vorbis Comment) tags? In order to check this choose the appropriate column in the disply of the file data in MP3Tag. It should be Tag Type, or just Tag.
Is the directory where the files are located protected and set to Read Only or something of that kind? This is really weird ...
TPE2 is a standard ID3 tag. This is used for mp3 files, so nothing to worry about as long as you are not using mp3s really. It's original intention was to contain the performing band. But it is now more commonly used for the Albumartist. Therefore the option on LMS.
PH - yes they are FLAC files, ripped to the Vortexbox Appliance.
"Are the tags Flac (Vorbis Comment) tags? In order to check this choose the appropriate column in the display of the file data in MP3Tag. It should be Tag Type, or just Tag."
I am sorry, but I am not sure I understand what you mean by this.
The file location is assuredly NOT set to Read Only.
iTunes is not fussy where its library is as long as it knows where it is. You create the library on your NAS and drop all of your ripped/TAG'd music into the Automatically Add To iTunes Folder ... .
Guy,
IME, the only rub is if your remote library is not available, iTunes "helpfully" resets the library preference to the local drive, forgetting your true preference, requiring you to reset it. Does anybody know a way to prevent this? If I were run over by a bus my family could not deal with this behavior.
Hello Nick
You could hold down the option key when starting iTunes as this will pop up a box that lets you choose which library you want to use ... Not quite as you wanted, but might help.
All the best, Guy
Thanks, Guy. I had forgotten about that option. I run (mostly) headless and keyboard-less; I use Apple Remote Access from my MBPro to control things, unless that fails. Fine for me, not so good for the wife and nine-year-old. We all love the computer-audio experience, though. I may just have to sit them down for a "facts of life" conversation about DIY computer and network self-reliance.
Nick
iTunes is not fussy where its library is as long as it knows where it is. You create the library on your NAS and drop all of your ripped/TAG'd music into the Automatically Add To iTunes Folder ... .
Guy,
IME, the only rub is if your remote library is not available, iTunes "helpfully" resets the library preference to the local drive, forgetting your true preference, requiring you to reset it. Does anybody know a way to prevent this? If I were run over by a bus my family could not deal with this behavior.
Hello Nick
You could hold down the option key when starting iTunes as this will pop up a box that lets you choose which library you want to use ... Not quite as you wanted, but might help.
All the best, Guy
Thanks, Guy. I had forgotten about that option. I run (mostly) headless and keyboard-less; I use Apple Remote Access from my MBPro to control things, unless that fails. Fine for me, not so good for the wife and nine-year-old. We all love the computer-audio experience, though. I may just have to sit them down for a "facts of life" conversation about DIY computer and network self-reliance.
Nick
I "solved" this issue by upgrading to a Mac Mini with 1.5TB of onboard discs that hold my whole library. They're always on when iTunes is looking so it doesn't get confused. No NASs, just a USB HD for backup.
Going back to the orginal question, I have ended up with UnitiServe and Uniti with ReadyNas Duo V2 as a backup.
Things I would do differently:
1. Get a dedicated server to start with. I could not get uPnP working reliably on either a PC or a Mac. Something like a NAS or a dedicated Mac Mini.
2. Decide whether you want multi-room or not. If not then a dedicated computer (eg Mac Mini) hard-wired into DAC then amp is going to be a good option.
3. Put ethernet into the rooms where you are going to have boxes. If you cannot do this then your server, storage and streamer need to be off the same switch for hires to work reliably. And forget about trying to get wireless working reliably.
I'm pleased I've made the switch. Has changed my listening habits for the better.
"Are the tags Flac (Vorbis Comment) tags? In order to check this choose the appropriate column in the display of the file data in MP3Tag. It should be Tag Type, or just Tag."
I am sorry, but I am not sure I understand what you mean by this.
Mark,
in MP3Tag on the right hand side, where the files are displayed, you can right-click on the header and choose which colums to display. Choose "Tag" and see what it gives you. It should read "FLAC (FLAC)". If it doesn't that would explain why you cannot edit the tags.
If it does read "FLAC (FLAC)", I am at the end of my wisdom and the only explanation I have left is, that the files may be corrupted. Have you tried reripping this particular CD and disababling the compilation tag befgore commencing with the rip?
Just been playing around with MP3Tag. How are you trying to enter the extended tags?
If you go via the menue on the top, you previously need to select the files in the display pane. If you do not do so, "Extended Tags" will be grayed out.
in the future something better will be the norm. store all cds safetly then start again
Back to the subject.... If i knew then what im doing now, I would have started with at least 600 x 600 album art. I thought 300 x 300 was fine back in the day.
-patrick
All my cover art is 300 x 300 .. Doesn't seem to affect sound quality in my set-up.
All my cover art is 300 x 300 .. Doesn't seem to affect sound quality in my set-up.
The ones I tracked down or scanned in myself are 300 x 300 but not sure what the ones found automatically when I ripped the CD's are. They look fine on my iPad 1st gen.
PH - I see what you mean now. I was thinking of the compilation tag as an album level setting, but in actuality it is an individual song-file setting. I was able to see it and in fact once selecting a file, hitting ctrl-A to select all, and then I could change the compilation tag en-mass from 1 to 0. And Janis Joplin no longer appears in "Various Artists"!
I really appreciate the thought you put into helping me with this - if we ever meet in person, I owe you a beer or 5 or 6! 
Thanks a lot!
Glad I could help.
One really has to dig into this ripping-tagging-straeming thing in order to get things right. One of them is that there is no such thing as a tag to an album, but only to indiviual files.
After a few startuperrors i am now happy with:
dbpoweramp Rip --> FLAC --> Synology NAS --> HQ Ethernetcable --> ND5XS --> Supernait with Flatcap --> KEF R900 --> Ears
Biggest Errors (for me): Exact Audio Copy; Max Ripper (Mac); Yamaha Network Player; ALAC
Greetings,
Thorsten