[Shteve0]

Hey guys!

Thanks for all your help in my other thread a week or so ago. I'm really fascinated by the potential uses for this programme. Now just come the practicalities of making it work...

My wife uses itunes extensively for her music, and I don't want to kill that. I wonder if I can combine the two things for use in a complete multiroom entertainment system? I'm therefore reckoning the following, if it works, is a pretty ideal solution. Will it work? There's a pretty broad array of stuff here.

General notes
Room 1 setup controlled by universal remote (suggestions welcome!). All AppleTVs controlled through a pair of iphones with Remote HD app. AS Rock and AppleTVs [and nintendo wii - I'm going to need more ports] all connected to wireless router (suggestions welcome!) by ethernet cable.

Room 1
TV with HDMI input, sound routed through Onkyo 2.1 sound system. ASRock vision 3d (with XBMC installed and itunes running in the background) attached to TV via HDMI. 2TB WD Elements drive with music (for itunes) and video (for XBMC) connected via USB to the ASRock.

Room 2
Normal Apple TV2, connected to mini speakers (such as the logitech speakers in the link below). This setup to be replicated in one other room and is intended for music streaming from the ASRock.

Room 3
AppleTV2 with XBMC installed, connected to Sumsung H03 projector. Sound through mini speakers as above. This setup to be replicated in one other room (except through a 17" TV for the visual stuff) and is intended to give the option of audio or visual entertainment. Music to stream from itunes on the ASRock, movies to be streamed from the external hard disk attached to the ASRock.

So, that's two iphones with Remote HD controlling two XBMC-hacked apple TV2s and two normal apple TV2s, and an XBMC loaded ASRock as the main home theater (but with a background itunes running so as to feed the ATVs) controlled through a universal remote, all rigged up to a home network. What could possibly go wrong? Oh, and I'd like to be able to add music to the itunes library from a Mac or windows laptop from elsewhere on the network. Given all that, I'm not sure I want to ask if I can set up a webcam for skype chat through the ASRock tv...

Main concerns:
+ can I run itunes in the background of the ASRock while XBMC is running?
+ can I stream music from an itunes library to an ATV2 through the ASRock?
+ can Remote HD control four ATV2s at the same time?
+ can two different iPhones control the same ATV2s?
+ can two different ATV2s draw different music from the same library simultaneously?
+ can three XBMC devices draw from the same source of video files?
+ can I add music to the ASRock itunes library through a different PC or Mac?
+ how the hell am I going to afford all this stuff?

Cheers guys. As ever, any insights would be *invaluable*

reference:
Remote HD app for iphone http://www.remotehd.com/AppleTV/Overview
iPhone 4 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-iPhone-4-1...268&sr=8-1
ASRock http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASRock-3D-i3-370...695&sr=1-1
Onkyo sound system http://www.amazon.co.uk/Onkyo-HT-X22HDX-...533&sr=1-2
WD Elements http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-...736&sr=1-2
ATV2 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-MC572B-A-N...673&sr=1-1
Logitech speakers http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-OEM-S12...00&sr=1-10
Samsung projector http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Pico-Poc...939&sr=8-1

[lloydsmart]

You should build a server and store everything on that. Definitely the best way to go for multi-room setups. I can recommend Unraid.

Also, you may think that 2TB is enough but believe me it won't be for long. You always need more storage than you first think. Unraid will let you add more storage as you need it.

You can store all your music on Unraid and stream it via DAAP (iTunes streaming), via something like forked-daapd or Tangerine. This will enable you to listen to your music on any of the computers, and still store it in a centralized, safe location.

Another advantage of a server would be a single MySQL-based library for XBMC, allowing you to do stuff like pause a movie in one room and continue from the same place in another room. Very handy.

Oh, iirc the Wii doesn't have an Ethernet port, so you'll have to connect this via WiFi. Shouldn't be a problem so long as it's in range. If not, you may have to get an Ethernet adapter for it. I think they do make them.

Using iPhones to control the ATVs should be fine. In fact, you can also use your iPhones to control XBMC on any of the systems.

hth

[Shteve0]

Whoah - that was scary quick

You should build a server and store everything on that. Definitely the best way to go for multi-room setups. I can recommend Unraid.

Can I do that? I read that a computer, switched on and with itunes actively running, was required to stream to the ATV2?

Also, you may think that 2TB is enough but believe me it won't be for long. You always need more storage than you first think. Unraid will let you add more storage as you need it.

Tell me about it. 2 years ago 320GB was enough. A year ago I bought an extra 1TB har drive. I just traded that in for a 2TB last month... and I'm thinking I'll need to go for a 4TB NAS soon at this rate. All files legally acquired, of course.

You can store all your music on Unraid and stream it via DAAP (iTunes streaming), via something like forked-daapd or Tangerine. This will enable you to listen to your music on any of the computers, and still store it in a centralized, safe location.

ATV2 isn't a computer though, I don't think. Hence the need to have itunes running on something. At the end of the day the server idea is cool, and even better if I can use it to stream to the ATVs without the ASRock being on, but my understanding was that it's not possible... And no idea what DAAP, forked-daapd or Tangerine are.

Another advantage of a server would be a single MySQL-based library for XBMC, allowing you to do stuff like pause a movie in one room and continue from the same place in another room. Very handy.

Pretty cool, and good to know. Thanks

Oh, iirc the Wii doesn't have an Ethernet port, so you'll have to connect this via WiFi. Shouldn't be a problem so long as it's in range. If not, you may have to get an Ethernet adapter for it. I think they do make them.

*Facepalm*. No, you're right. Pretty much the only thing in the whole list I already own, and I ballsed up the ports. No issue, though.

Using iPhones to control the ATVs should be fine. In fact, you can also use your iPhones to control XBMC on any of the systems.

Sweet! And the multiples aren't an issue? Great to know!

hth

and indeed you have

[Chris!]

Using iPhones to control the ATVs should be fine. In fact, you can also use your iPhones to control XBMC on any of the systems.

Sweet! And the multiples aren't an issue? Great to know!

No, the instances show up separately - you select which one you want to control.

ATV2 isn't a computer though

If you install xbmc on it it acts like any other XBMC device (so a lot like a computer)

I agree with lloydsmart, you should aim for centralised storage - remember you cannot run itunes on Unraid (as it is an operating system) hence the reccommendation of DAAP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Aud...s_Protocol)

[Shteve0]

https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?id=30302

Still lost, I'm afraid. Is this - and/or are you guys - saying I can grab a netgear router, plug my hard drive into it, install this forked-daapd thing onto it and I'm away?

Curious. How big can I go with this? Can I plug a big NAS into it and do the same for 4-8 TB, for itunes music and xmbc video? If so I reckon I'll drop the ASRock entirely and just go with a bunch of ATV2s.

Or do I have the wrong end of the stick entirely?

[lloydsmart]

are you guys saying I can grab a router, plug my hard drive into it, install this forked-daapd thing onto it and I'm away?

Not quite. You'd need to use an actual computer as a server, not just a hard drive. It needn't be a particularly powerful computer, but something that can run linux (which Unraid is based on). This, you could plug into your router and leave "headless" (no monitor required).

DAAP is the streaming protocol used by iTunes. If you ask Apple, they'll tell you that the only way to make iTunes streaming work is to have a computer running iTunes constantly. That's not the case, however. You have other options. One of them is to install a program that will take the music files on your hard drive and create a DAAP stream in the same way iTunes would, so anything that understands DAAP (e.g. iTunes, XBMC) can pick up the stream and play the music. Some free, open-source tools that achieve this are forked-daapd and Tangerine.

https://forum.openwrt.org/viewtopic.php?id=30302

Although openWRT is pretty cool, it's kinda irrelevant here. Sorry. :confused2:

Bottom line: if you do go with a server running some version of DAAPd, along with a few other utilities, you'll have centralised, expandable storage for all your music and videos that is protected, and compatible with both iTunes and XBMC. You can then get away with pretty tiny hard drives (or SSDs) in your frontend machines, and can use ATV2s, ASROCKs or pretty much any kind of computer with your displays.

[Shteve0]

Ok, cool - thanks man. That all sounds funky dory, and I'm convinced you guys know what you're on about, but I've lost confidence in my own ability to understand what it is I need to do.

I understand that:
+ a server can (probably?) be made to do this for me
+ servers are better as they offer centralised and expandable storage
+ servers are safe and back up your stuff
+ if I go with a server I can do away with the ASRock

But what does this server look like, hardware wise? I'm well outside my understanding comfort zone here. Is it a NAS? Is it a tower PC with loads of hard drives in it? Is it Superman?

Sorry guys. Appreciate your patience, honestly I do.

[Chris!]

It will probably look more like a tower pc with lots of drives in it which is then connected to your network by a lan cable.

There is a hardware section in this forum with some very talented people in.

A thread suggesting unraid set-ups:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=104489

There is also a HTPC recommendation thread:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=94268

The hardware for htpc is here:
http://forum.xbmc.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=112

I think if you have a look around there at your leisure then it may be a more comprehensive pro's/con's, explanations and general learning.
The guys there are very friendly - they helped me move away from mac and use a very nice shuttle box.

[lloydsmart]

My server looks like a tower PC with loads of hard drives in it, but it could also be rack-mounted or just about any other PC configuration that exists. Technically, you could even use a laptop with a bunch of external hard drives as a server, though you wouldn't want to do that.

My advice would be to either build or buy a tower PC with lots of space for drives and plenty of SATA ports and PCI-Express slots on the motherboard for expandability. Lime-Technology (who make Unraid) have some standard builds that they sell, which look quite nice (disclaimer: although I love their software I have no experience with the hardware that they sell. They just seem to have good specs).

[ibixat]

Ok, cool - thanks man. That all sounds funky dory, and I'm convinced you guys know what you're on about, but I've lost confidence in my own ability to understand what it is I need to do.

I understand that:
+ a server can (probably?) be made to do this for me
+ servers are better as they offer centralised and expandable storage
+ servers are safe and back up your stuff
+ if I go with a server I can do away with the ASRock

But what does this server look like, hardware wise? I'm well outside my understanding comfort zone here. Is it a NAS? Is it a tower PC with loads of hard drives in it? Is it Superman?

Sorry guys. Appreciate your patience, honestly I do.

If you are not comfortable building your own server there are a few places to buy them premade and tested. http://www.greenleaf-technology.com/ sells pre-built unraid servers (need to add drives) and there are plenty of other places that do so

*disclaimer, I did not buy a server from nor am I affiliated with the link above,
I just know about them from the unraid support forums, where the guys who run that site are VERY helpful active in the community.

[ibixat]

My server looks like a tower PC with loads of hard drives in it, but it could also be rack-mounted or just about any other PC configuration that exists. Technically, you could even use a laptop with a bunch of external hard drives as a server, though you wouldn't want to do that.

My advice would be to either build or buy a tower PC with lots of space for drives and plenty of SATA ports and PCI-Express slots on the motherboard for expandability. Lime-Technology (who make Unraid) have some standard builds that they sell, which look quite nice (disclaimer: although I love their software I have no experience with the hardware that they sell. They just seem to have good specs).

Lime-tech doesn't really sell the premade servers anymore, the website is a bit out of date on that part =( Though I'm quite happy with the server I put together using their software. 20tb of media storage and it uses less power than my gaming pc does.