Digital Music Server advice

[Paul Mather]

On Jul 5, 2013, at 7:34 PM, Keith Henderson <khenders64 at YAHOO.COM> wrote:

> Paul said...
> 
> 
>> I'm not sure you're using iTunes correctly, here (because you can restrict song displays according to various metadata---or at least you could the last time I used it)
> 
> I'm probably not using iTunes "correctly" *at all* but it doesn't matter to me.  Restricting (and then unrestricting, when whatever I need turns out to be hidden) song displays is not something I want to be doing during simple playback for entertainment purposes.  That isn't any more fun than adding and deleting items from the active library, which is what I do now.  I only leave the files that I'm actively using, checking, manipulating, whatever in the library at any one time....I use iTunes as a working space primarily...it's lousy as a "radio" esp. for someone with so many songs.  Maybe I can import every single song in my archive all at once into the "working library" (I dunno...I never tried), and then manipulate the display to hide most of it in my window, but I don't see how that's any different than just cleaning out the whole thing every once in a while to keep my library display a little less cluttered.  I'm never going to want to just
> have a single library window full of 100,000 song listings, whether they could be "filtered"  or not.  What's the point of even having it "loaded" into the library unless it's for "working" on it?  To just *play* it, it shouldn't be necessary to constantly load/unload stuff, right?  (For any/all software, not just iTunes.)  Is there something I'm missing?  (It's possible.)


Just to clarify, I'm not suggesting you use iTunes.  I'm not actually a big fan of iTunes myself  (and it didn't help that they changed the UI recently, making it unfamiliar once more), and wearing my Digital Libraries hat makes me like it even less (poor metadata schema support, etc.).  Between playlists, smart playlists, and the browsing/search interface, I'm able to make it mostly work for me, though.  But I can see why people wouldn't like it.


> I want my player (the one my Mom will also use) to just access and show only what I want to listen to at that particular moment, and keep the library in the background.  iTunes has a couple ways of sorta doing that (miniplayer, CoverFlow view), but then I'm constantly switching back and fourth between these various modes also.
> 
> Anyway...
> 
> All those other things you discuss are not things I'm interested in, and my Mom certainly could even fathom.  She has a difficult time changing the channel on the TV, and I can't get her to even TRY to change the A/B/C switcher on the soundbar (which pisses me off, because it's like one goddamn button on the remote - but she can't handle the first-click-only-engages-the-toggle-but-second-click-moves-the-toggle-once-forward*-aspect - this is what we're dealing with!).
> 
> *however-if-you-take-more-than-five-seconds-of-blinking-you-have-to-reengage-the-toggle!
> 
> Therefore, I reiterate:  NO TV!  My Mom will NOT play music via computer/WiFi-through our TV.  She couldn't even comprehend such a thing.  :)

After I sent my suggestions, I saw your message saying your mom, who will also be using it, is 80 years old.  Right away, I thought, "well, my idea won't fly," and, as someone who is "tech support" to some folks that have a lot of trouble handling the concept of the "Source" button on the TV remote, I fully understand where you are coming from now.

However, I suspect you'll have a lot of trouble finding a system that is simple enough for your mom to be happy with but also powerful enough for you to be happy with, too.  That Brennan gizmo sounds more your mom's speed, but probably too limiting for you.  And, to be honest, it's not clear to me exactly what you are seeking in a system; if it's hard for you to articulate clearly and simply, it's probably too complicated for your mom to operate. :-)

I don't envy you your search.  A "media centre" solution is probably the most flexible solution for your needs (and, whether you realise it or not, an iTunes [iPad/iPod/iTouch] based solution connected to the stereo via 3.5 mm-RCA adapter like you identified as being the "best bet" right now in another message is in fact just another "media centre" solution, albeit one using Apple's less than flexible software).  However, a "media centre" solution is also probably much more complicated than your mom is willing to mess with.

Of course, if your mom enjoys just listening to her music library on shuffle play all the time then you're golden.[*] :-)

Good luck!

Cheers,

Paul.

[*] Don't scoff.  Remember, Apple launched a successful product called "iPod Shuffle..." :-)