[tbmorris]

Hello all,

I have been using XBMC on my old XBOXs for a while now and run all of my media from a Ubuntu-based server in my basement. Now that I have XBMC for Linux installed, I am wondering about how to go about things. Currently I have XBMC running my media from the SMB shares. Would I gain anything by mounting my media shares on the Linux box with NFS and having XBMC use these "local" stores? I know that NFS is supposed to be faster than SMB, and while everything works great for right now, I want to look forward to the future as I push my high def files over my network to my media boxes.

Thanks,

Terry

[crackers]

Yes, NFS is much faster. I've got default settings over wired connections and basically can't tell if it's local or not. And, if you do other video processing on the server (my "server" is my workstation), you can set up the same user on both the server and the XBMC box and have proper file permissions on the shared files.

[darkscout]

Look up autofs it's how I have everything in my house setup.

It's near magic.

[bmcclure937]

I would highly recommend NFS!! Much faster than SMB.

Thanks darkscout, will have to check out AutoFS. You caught my attention!

[FishOil]

I have yet to play ANYTHING that wont do just fine with SMB. 35 Mbps 1080p bluray rips with no problem whatsoever. SMB is PLENTY fast enough.

You wont gain anything by switching to NFS that you dont already have now with SMB.

Download the killa.sampla.x264.mkv and try it yourself. If your hardware can handle it so can SMB.

Code:

General
Complete name                    : killa.sampla.x264.mkv
Format                           : Matroska
File size                        : 96.1 MiB
Duration                         : 23s 46ms
Overall bit rate                 : 35.0 Mbps
Movie name                       : Avidemux
Writing application              : Lavf51.12.1
Writing library                  : Lavf51.12.1

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : [email protected]
Format settings, CABAC           : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames        : 16 frames
Muxing mode                      : Container [email protected]
Codec ID                         : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration                         : 23s 65ms
Bit rate                         : 33.8 Mbps
Width                            : 1 920 pixels
Height                           : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate                       : 23.976 fps
Resolution                       : 8 bits
Colorimetry                      : 4:2:0
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.680
Stream size                      : 93.0 MiB (97%)

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AC-3
Format/Info                      : Audio Coding 3
Format_Settings_ModeExtension    : CM (complete main)
Codec ID                         : A_AC3
Duration                         : 23s 46ms
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 448 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 6 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Resolution                       : 16 bits
Video delay                      : -83ms
Stream size                      : 1.23 MiB (1%)

[darkscout]

I have yet to play ANYTHING that wont do just fine with SMB. 35 Mbps 1080p bluray rips with no problem whatsoever. SMB is PLENTY fast enough.

You wont gain anything by switching to NFS that you dont already have now with SMB.

Download the killa.sampla.x264.mkv and try it yourself. If your hardware can handle it so can SMB.

Other than autofs.

/net/htpc.local/media/Movies/
/net/server.local/tank/Movies/
/net/server.local/tank/SickBeard

All point to the exact same thing from every single computer in my house.

I have SickBeard, CouchPotato and SickBeard all configured to use /net (even if its going to be to localhost).

So I can launch SickBeard, CouchPotato, on any computer in my house and it just works.

I use an custom P2P program that only works on campus (And get gigabit speeds too). So I'll get an entire TV series in an hour. Rather than rsync it to my server, then process it. I just tell SickBeard that I want to process /net/maclappy.local/Downloads/.

OR, I kill it on my server, navigate to /net/server.local/opt/SickBeard. Launch SickBeard. Then point it locally to /Downloads and tell it to process it. Since "MacGyver" is /net/server.local/tank/TV/MacGyver, it just copies it over like it's local.

[crackers]

Yeah, autofs with NFS is the only way to go, especially for mobile devices (e.g. netbooks, laptops). And besides, NFS is more "native" to Linux than SMB is (and simpler to setup).

[bmcclure937]

Seems like a totally bad@$$ setup darkscout!! Loving it... although i do not fully understand the configuration complexities! I would need to do more research

[FishOil]

Yeah, autofs with NFS is the only way to go, especially for mobile devices (e.g. netbooks, laptops). And besides, NFS is more "native" to Linux than SMB is (and simpler to setup).

There is nothing to setup. Type a usename / password and address.
If you add the source at a top level you only have to do this once.
It couldn't get any easier.

[darkscout]

There is nothing to setup. Type a usename / password and address.
If you add the source at a top level you only have to do this once.
It couldn't get any easier.

smb.conf is a @(**(7 to get working right. There doesn't seem to be any standardized format (to let people be lazy it seems that they allow a billion different settings)

allow guest = ok
guest ok = true
etc

Solaris and OS X seem to have the easiest SMB setups to configure.

Samba is just ... annoying. I can't get guest to work. Guest to work with RO access, RW access to certain accounts, etc.

Setup NFS.
Setup Users/Groups.
Set Unix Permissions.

It works.

[kees667]

I don't know if it is still true but I switched from SMB to NFS over a year and a half ago. DVD menu's would take forever to load over SMB. Still not sure why but found more users then with the same issue and it dissapeared as soon as I switched to NFS. So for me there really was one application where NFS stands out.

[FishOil]

smb.conf is a @(**(7 to get working right. There doesn't seem to be any standardized format (to let people be lazy it seems that they allow a billion different settings)

allow guest = ok
guest ok = true
etc

Solaris and OS X seem to have the easiest SMB setups to configure.

Samba is just ... annoying. I can't get guest to work. Guest to work with RO access, RW access to certain accounts, etc.

Setup NFS.
Setup Users/Groups.
Set Unix Permissions.

It works.

I wouldnt know. There isnt anything to setup. I have never had to use that method. I dont even own a windows machine but use SMB for the simplicity.

XBMC add source (network location) type name password address. Done. Its that easy. There is no configuration / setup. Maybe my setup is somehow unique but I doubt it. FreeNAS on one end and XBMC on the other. FreeNAS you just click a couple of buttons.

[bossanova808]

What's the best NFS server app for a windows box (best as in 1.easy 2.cheap/free!)

[JumJum]

Hello all,

I have been using XBMC on my old XBOXs for a while now and run all of my media from a Ubuntu-based server in my basement. Now that I have XBMC for Linux installed, I am wondering about how to go about things. Currently I have XBMC running my media from the SMB shares. Would I gain anything by mounting my media shares on the Linux box with NFS and having XBMC use these "local" stores? I know that NFS is supposed to be faster than SMB, and while everything works great for right now, I want to look forward to the future as I push my high def files over my network to my media boxes.

Thanks,

Terry

I prefer sshfs. It requires no configuration and you get the added benefit of security and full access to your media over any internet connection.

[poofyhairguy]

I just switched from NFS to SMB for easier library syncing. Even the largest files I have play fine over SMB.