Music server in my room. how to? just curious...

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
ok everyone,

i have got myself a nice stereo set up in my room (old amp +speakers) and what i currently do is plug my iPod Mini up to it to pump out the jams. But what id really love to do is buy an older 2nd hand laptop and plug that up instead.



But we've also got a G5 iMac and id like to know how could i easily network the two computers? Wirelessly? And is there someway so that i can set up the same User Account on both computers?

That way if i were to add/edit my iTunes Library in my room, on the laptop, the changes would also take place in my account on the familly's iMac (the computer im using now)?



Does all this make sense?



If so, then would i be restricted with my options regarding what kind of laptop i could use (keeping in mind im on OS 10.4.1)? Needless-to-say, it would have to be a Mac.

And getting atleast a 50GB Ext. HD would probably best (then i could take it with me when i travel inter-state).



Ok. that's all for now. If you could give me any advise, id be very pleased





.... damn, i wish out old iMac hadn't died... i could have probably fixed it up....

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    ive been giving it some more thought and have some more queries/comments.



    Firstly, i didnt mention that we already have an 80GB external HD that i have my music collection on. But even if i did get my own laptop, i couldn't simply pinch this as my mother and sister use it too, so it would have to stay connected to the main computer. BUT, is there anyway i could set it up so that i would be able to access my mp3s even without the main computer on?



    the HD has it's own external source of power (not relying upon the computer) and it DOES have a 2nd Firewire/USB 1.0/2.0 port ... so if i were to work out how i could get my (currently imaginary) laptop connected to it i could then use it independently of the main computer.



    Who can tell me about AirPort or wireless networking? I know that i need to purchase AirPort cards for it to work, for both computers, yes?

    And is there a way to network this ext. HD of mine wirelessly, and independtly of the iMac??



    OK, that's enough. Sorry if it makes no sense. If you can help me/advise me then please do.

    Thank you
  • Reply 2 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    could AirPort Express help me connect the ext. HD with out wires?

    If i had an AirPort Card in the laptop, could i connect the HD into the AirPort Express unit (via the USB jack on the bottom) and then broadcast that so that the laptop picks up the signal and can read/write to the HD??



    that sounds too easy though.



    but on the site is does quote [regarding sharing a printer]:



    "Share a Single Printer ? Wirelessly



    Have several computers in your home but only one printer? No problem. Just connect a printer to the USB port on the AirPort Express Base Station and the printer instantly becomes available to everyone on your wireless network.(6) No longer do you need to move your printer from one place to another to connect it to this or that computer. No more dealing with tangled cables or emailing files from one computer to another that?s connected to the printer."



    this seems similar to what i want to do.



    of course i would still want the two computers to be networked, and to set them up so that i was still using the same user account on them both.



    I really just want this [fictional] laptop to be an extension of my user account on this computer, but also to be able to access my iTunes Library independtly of this computer.



    Sorry for this to being so long. But im really trying to workout if i can do any of this. That's it.
  • Reply 3 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    oh. Airport Express only recieves signals, doesnt it?
  • Reply 4 of 20
    stustanleystustanley Posts: 236member
    ok, here is what i think you could do.



    Itunes allows you to share music libraries over networks, with up to five different users connecting per day.

    For itunes with sharing over airport express, you would need



    Mac OS X v10.3

    400MHz G3 processor or better

    256MB RAM recommended



    then what you could do, is get another external hdd and connect it to your laptop that you are going to buy (which would have to have at least the spec stated above,(if its just staying attached to your stereo, why not get an old imac or powermac, bound to be cheaper))

    then you can see your library through your imac.



    how much are you wanting to spend on this system??



    Stu
  • Reply 5 of 20
    o4blackwrxo4blackwrx Posts: 383member
    I have an iBook G3 800mhz/combo drive/384MB RAM/Tiger/30GB that I am thinking of getting rid of. The only thing is the battery is dead, as in it can't be charged (has to be plugged in all the time) and has since been sat in my floor for the past 3 months. It's in good shape and I'm not even using it considering what all I have (see below). So if interested make an offer. stustanley has offered the most simplistic and best solution in my opinion as well.
  • Reply 6 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    stustanley, i had thought of something similar to what you suggested, but doing it with 2 ext. HDs would mean that i would actually have two music libraries wouldn't it? If i were to download music on this computer, i would have to manually drag it onto the other external HD, wouldn't i? Is there a way to use the second computer simply as an extension of my user account that is on this computer?



    O4BlackWRX, if i had some more money id make you an offer. As it is im verging on broke, so all of this is just something im looking into.



    Also im living in Australia.... shipping would be a pain. But thanks for the offer anyway !
  • Reply 7 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    looking on eBay (just to get an idea of prices) there are some 2nd hand G3 iMacs in Australia. If i were to get some money toegether, id be want one with 400+MHz, 256mb+ and 40GB HD+, right?

    And if i found all of the above PLUS an airport card, that would be perfect, but unlikely. How well would OS 10.4.1 run on an old G3? It would be fine so long as there was atleast 256mb of RAM, right?
  • Reply 8 of 20
    i would strongly advise at least 512 mb RAM for any computer running tiger (i don't actually have it, but going on what people i know have said)



    You wouldnt need to have two copies of your music library, you would initially copy it to your new computer/laptop/external hd plugged into your new computer, then enable ot to be shared over a network. You would then be able to see, play and i think edit this library from your family imac.



    I think it would be possible to set up a server client relationship as you described, but i dont know off-hand how to do it.



    Is this computer just a music server, as if it is, it may be much cheaper to by an ipod, 4gb mini A$ 299, 6gb mini A$ 359, 20gb ipod A$ 439 the prices would be even cheaper if you are a student, as you could probably get educational discount.



    I personally have my ipod mini 6gb set up with my stereo, and then just connect to my computer to update/cahrge it, but i plan to get a mains adapter for it so i dont even have to charge it from my ibook. This would also allow you to take your music library with you wherever.



    stu
  • Reply 9 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    that's how i currently have mine setup too. i use my 6Gb Mini and my stereo, but ive got over 20GB of music now. And id like to be able to edit my music files from my room. Id really like to set up a computer in there.



    Here's my latest idea (lol, i can hear you all sighing....):



    -Get a G3 iMac

    -Get a cheap Cat5 hub, so that i can run my broadband cable into it, then from there run that into both computer (going under the house to get to my room)

    -Get an incredibly long Firewire cable and run it from the external HD, under the house also, to my room.



    That way both computers would be connected to the ext. HD

    and they'd be networked.



    does this sound alright? Or are my ideas just getting stupider?



    would running the Firewire cable to the 2nd computer be pointless, as iTunes appears to store the Music Library file on the computer's HD anyway? And this is the file i would want to be accessable on the 2nd computer, so that they both used the same library.
  • Reply 10 of 20
    Quote:

    Originally posted by spiers69

    that's how i currently have mine setup too. i use my 6Gb Mini and my stereo, but ive got over 20GB of music now. And id like to be able to edit my music files from my room. Id really like to set up a computer in there.



    Here's my latest idea (lol, i can hear you all sighing....):



    -Get a G3 iMac

    -Get a cheap Cat5 hub, so that i can run my broadband cable into it, then from there run that into both computer (going under the house to get to my room)

    -Get an incredibly long Firewire cable and run it from the external HD, under the house also, to my room.



    That way both computers would be connected to the ext. HD

    and they'd be networked.



    does this sound alright? Or are my ideas just getting stupider?



    would running the Firewire cable to the 2nd computer be pointless, as iTunes appears to store the Music Library file on the computer's HD anyway? And this is the file i would want to be accessable on the 2nd computer, so that they both used the same library.




    You cannot connect one HD to two computers simply. It is extremely hazardous to try to modify a file from two locations. It can be done, but it is not nearly as simple as you imagine.

    Firewire has a cable length limitation of about 50 feet (14.5 meters).



    If you must host your music from your room, your setup should end up something like:



    cable modem connected to a router.

    router connected to each computer in the house.

    music on HD attached to the computer in your room.

    iTunes set up to 'share/look for shared' music on all computers in the house.
  • Reply 11 of 20
    stustanleystustanley Posts: 236member
    how many other computers do you have in your house, as you could just do a direct link between the two, and is your computer likely to almost always be on, because if it is, you could pinch the external hard-drive and share its contents to the other computer over the network.

    By the time you buy everything you need for this g3 mac, it could be just as well to buy a mac mini.



    stu
  • Reply 12 of 20
    I did see not so long ago a piece of network equipment (from Linksys I believe) that allows you to use a USB External HDD as a network drive without any computers being on. I'm not sure if it's actually released or just in development.



    But realistically, just buy an XServe RAID and hook it up to an 8.1 Surround Sound system...
  • Reply 13 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    Stustanley, i am contemplating pinching the external HD. Im sure my siter will whinge, but i do use the computer more than anyone else by a long shot, and just so long as my computer is on and sharing the external HD's contents everything should be fine.



    As for a Mac Mini, that would be easier, but i dont have the funds.



    I could get a 600Mhz iMac for $400. Upgrading the ram to 768mb would be another $50.



    there are two Mac Minis (on eBay). One is at $700 with 9Hrs left and no bidders. There's another on $405 with 20 bidders and 5 days left to go. (All prices in Australian dollars). Divide them by 1.3 to get an approximate US$.



    I just dont have the money for a Mac Mini, keeping in mind that i would also have to buy a monitor (ive already got a USB mouse+keyboard available)
  • Reply 14 of 20
    pyrixpyrix Posts: 264member
    I am in a similar situation - Eventually, I want to purchase an iBook, at the moment am using a recently brough second hand PIII desktop.



    THe thing is, I dont see why you need it to be a Mac. The aforementioned desktop runs fine Windows XP, which au contrare to popular opinion (here anyways), is a perfectly fine OS, as long as you take due precuations with viruses. Lacks the elegance of an Apple, but a music server is heard, not seen.



    Airport works fine with Windows and OS X. An older laptop is liable not to have an Airport Express card, as (i believe, correct me if i'm wrong), apple changed formats a few years back. A decent windows desktop can be had for less than $300.



    Consider it.
  • Reply 15 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    no im sorry. Im not getting a Windows computer. Ever.

    Ive used them before, and in all honesty, i cant work out why anyone would put up with that crap.



    It's definelty got to be a Mac. And it wont be a laptop (too pricey).



    What ive found so far is someone who has several 600MHz G3 iMacs, with 40GB HDs. Ive also found a G4 eMac, series 1 which might be an extra $100. It's 800MHz.



    And im thinking i'll have to use Cat5 cables instead of going wireless.
  • Reply 16 of 20
    that g4 emac sounds ok, might have yourself a bargain there (its much more likely to run future programs)



    stu
  • Reply 17 of 20
    pyrixpyrix Posts: 264member
    Personal choice, i find that a windows desktop does everything i ask of it, an Apple is just so much easier to use - G4 imac sounds ok, and given the choice, use wired - faster.



    With wired connection, do you have the kind of house such as mine, a queenslander, with wooden floors/walls so you can just drill the hole? Or have u got one of those concrete ones, 'cause if its the latter, u r going to have a tough time wiring anything.
  • Reply 18 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    someone asked before how many computers there are. Assuming i bought a second one there would only be two worth networking.



    This would work, right?



    two computers directly networked: using wires. The external HD is connected to the one in my room, which would be turned on most of the time. This iMac's iTunes library would still be on the ext. HD and this external HD would be visible on this iMac so long as my computer was turned on, correct?

    When i have the two networked, and exteral HD will appear on this iMac's desktop as well as my computer's HD?



    As for my house, it has wooden floors. No concrete slab (thankfully!)
  • Reply 19 of 20
    stustanleystustanley Posts: 236member
    yup that sounds right, tjo you might have to do a little configuring to get the external hd to show up on the imac, but that shouldnt be too much of a problem.



    stu
  • Reply 20 of 20
    spiers69spiers69 Posts: 418member
    FOLLOW UP: incase anyone is at all interested: i've almost made this a reality.



    I've agreed to buying a 1.25Ghz eMac, and have almost completely sorted out how to network it all.
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