network What is the best way to share music libraries?

[bgjerlow]

Hello

I currently have 2 computers set up in my room - a Desktop which I use for pretty much everything (graphic design, browsing etc.) and a media center PC that I use for watching movies on. However, I'd also like to listen to music through my media center as I have better speakers hooked up to that. The question is, what is the best way to share a music library from my Desktop PC to my media center?

I've already tried Windows Media Player, but that was so incredibly slow that it wasn't worth using. Also, I'd like to avoid using Homegroup as somehow there cannot be created one between my PC's. That has something to do with the way my routers are set up I think. Also, I'd rather not move my whole music collection, being over 12.000 tracks, to my media center.

Thanks in advance :)

[+BudMan MVC]

Is this library like in itunes, or just files on your disk?

I have all my music and video on one box, and anything that can access smb/cif shares (windows file shares) can access it.. My main PC, mine and wifes and sons laptops, my kindle fire, all the phones in the house. And normally I play the music and video using my popcorn A-110, which is connected to my TV and my sound system.

Now if you have these files in some library like itunes and you have let itunes change on the names, etc. you might have some issues with just finding the files you want even if you did share them.

edit: BTW you don't need homegroups to share files in windows.

[bgjerlow]

The files are on my disk. I do however have iTunes installed on my main PC, but don't use it for anything else than updating my iPhone.

Anyway, you're suggesting me to share the music through iTunes, right? Or is there something I've missed?

Thanks for your post either way, I appreciate it :)

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Sounds like your are using Windows. I just built an HTPC and use XBMC for my media center. I already have several Blu Ray movies imported and you can just add a source to your music library folder as long as it is shared on the network. Or, copy the entire library to the HTPC and share that folder so that you can listen to tune on your regular PC if you want.

[Astra.Xtreme]

Since you have iTunes installed, that's honestly going to be the easiest way to share your music. It will take some time to get your library imported into iTunes and formatted correctly, but it's worth it once you get it organized.

[+BudMan MVC]

No I was not suggesting you use itunes for anything.. If your files are in folders on your machine - just share out that folder(s) with standard windows file sharing. Then ANYTHING that can access windows file shares can access those files (depending on how you set permissions, etc - you can clearly block anything that does not auth)

So you have say folder on your machine called media

media

-music

--song1.mp3

--song2.flac

-video

--movie1.avi

--movie2.mkv

Just share out the media folder - and then just access that from any device you want to play your files. Be it a media player device like a popcorn or western digital tv, other computers, your phones, your tablets, linux boxes, etc. etc..

Anything that can access your windows share - which is pretty much anything that can work on a network these days can access your media and play it. As long as your bandwidth is good enough for the media type. Ie you might have some issues with 1080P movies over a crappy wireless connection. And the device/pc your using can play the the media type.

[remixedcat]

J.River media Center (30-50USD) serves any kind of media to any device. There is even an android version as well to access remote media libraries.

[bgjerlow]

Thanks to you all for the suggestions :)

I'm going to try sharing it via iTunes later today, and if that doesn't satisfy me speed-wise, I'll try Budman's suggestion.

[TEX4S]

megauplo ------ oh wait ...... hmmmm