Would really appreciate some basic advice about networked music

[admin_exported]

I am sure this is a very obvious question but I would be grateful if someone could find the time to answer. I currently stream music from my Macbook Pro to my stereo via an apple airport express, this is connected to a dacmagic and then to an Exposure amplifier.

When I am not in front of the laptop I control my music via remote app from my iPhone.

I am looking to expand my digital music collection so am looking at getting a NAS drive. I have a few questions though.

1. Would a normal hard drive with an airport exteme have any benefits over a NAS drive?

2. After setting up a NAS drive would this mean I wouldn't always have to have my Macbook Pro on to be able to access my itunes music via remote app on my iPhone?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

[professorhat]

1. Would a normal hard drive with an airport exteme have any benefits over a NAS drive?

Depends on the NAS - the Airport Extreme offers a few features like print sharing which some NASes will also offer. Do you need a new wireless router?

2. After setting up a NAS drive would this mean I wouldn't always have to have my Macbook Pro on to be able to access my itunes music via remote app on my iPhone?

Unfortunately not - the Remote app + Aiport Express needs to talk to an iTunes instance so you would still need your Macbook switched on. To play music without the Macbook you'd need a different streaming system like the Sonos.

However, do you know you can stream music direct from your iPhone to the Airport Express - this wouldn't need the NAS of course, you can do this now.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the answer. Much appreciated. It's a shame I have to have the laptop on but not a dealbreaker. I don't want to go down the squeezebox/sonos route as funds will not allow at present. I'll settle for a NAS drive.

I do stream directly from iPhone but obviously there are limitations with space.

Thanks again for answering.

 

[professorhat]

No problem.

A NAS is probably the best option - you should also be able to get a NAS with a RAID system which protects it from a single hard drive failure - useful if you're putting a lot of music on it. Even with this though, you should still keep a backup as this doesn't protect from corruption, accidental deletion, theft etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Any advice as to which NAS drives work weill with Macbooks?

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

You could consider an Apple TV (version 1 - with harddrive) to replace the AEX. You could then store 40gb/160gb/1tb of music on that, eliminating the need for a NAS and also for your MBP to be on. Remote will then control the Apple TV.

Not sure why you need a NAS, as opposed to an external hard drive (which may be cheaper). From personal experience (and why I have a NAS, and not an external hard drive) is that a) I don't need to have it dangling off the MBP as I move around the flat and b) my NAS acts as a TimeMachine for back up.

Just a little thinking outside the box.

 

[rjb70stoke]

You could consider an Apple TV (version 1 - with harddrive) to replace the AEX. You could then store 40gb/160gb/1tb of music on that, eliminating the need for a NAS and also for your MBP to be on. Remote will then control the Apple TV.

Not sure why you need a NAS, as opposed to an external hard drive (which may be cheaper). From personal experience (and why I have a NAS, and not an external hard drive) is that a) I don't need to have it dangling off the MBP as I move around the flat and b) my NAS acts as a TimeMachine for back up.

Just a little thinking outside the box.

Have you been to my house? Thats exactly what Ive got set up and was about to post here.

I now have my AEX in the conservatory streaming from the Apple TV, for true multi room sound. Happy Days

 

[professorhat]

Yup, the 1st Gen Apple TV (silver not black) is another way to go. Jailbroken, you can have an external drive attached to this and all music stored on here, thus negating the need for the Macbook to be on. They can only be picked up secondhand now though (there's a few on ebay).

As for which NAS (if you do decide that route) - there's not really a kind that support the Macbook as such as they live on the network and are accessed over the network by PCs and Macs alike so any will work. However, look for one that supports the AFP protocol or Bonjour as this that makes things much easier. I haven't got any personal recommendations I'm afraid.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the answers. I think I'll go down the NAS route - I don't want to have to plug a hard drive in to the laptop every time I want to listen to music.

My hesitation was in reading difficulties people have had setting up NAS drives with iTunes.