Newbie - Network shares am I missing something?

[jrgibb]

Hi all,

Just got a WDTV Live box and generally please with the ease of use, interface etc. 

My setup is with a Synology NAS box on a LAN, the WDTV boxed is wired into a switch along with the wireless router / modem and a few PC’s and other devices (the usual suspects, iPhones, iPad etc). All working fine.

The WDTV is on the net fine however I just a a few questions regarding the best method of setting up the sharing for my three categories of media, Photo, Music and Video (may want to segregate Movies and TV).

I have three shares on the NAS BOX;

/photos

/music

/video

under /video I have there’s a structure, the following will give you an idea;

/video/movies/

/video/TV/

/video/music video

/video/new

This drills down into, for instance;

/video/movies/action/kill bill vol1.mp4

video/tv/comedy usa/big bang theory/season1/big bang theory s01e01.avi

This structure works well for me in terms of managing stuff and when running XBMC on other PC’s in the house.

Ok so I initially setup under Video on the WDTV box a new data source as a Media Server (the Media server is running on the Synology box). It all connects fine however I see the three shared folders;

Photos

Music

Video

I’ve setup again as a Network Share (I’ve setup the WDTV as a user on the Sinology) and it signs in and I see the same structure (obviously) however, and here are my questions;

1. What’s the best setup Media Server or Network Share, I’ve read in places here that the Media Server option has it’s limitations in terms of scanning media content, cover art and metadata???

2. What’s the best way of making sure that on the WDTV box I only see the photo directory on my server in the photo section, music in music etc etc. I’d prefer not to mess around with the structure on my server. I may be missing something obvious here however I can see where I can add specific directories to the various media sections on the WDTV box. 

Apologies if it’s staring me in the face, I do have a tendency to miss the obvious DOH!!

Thanks for any or all help!!!

Jason

[jrgibb]

I’m a big lad, my shoulders are broad :smiley: 30+ reads. I can only guess I’m being  a complete fool and missing something obvious! 

Help, someone put me out of my misery! If only to tell me I’m being a complete t£$%, I can take it . . . I think lol

Thanks!!

J

[TonyPh12345]

1. that’s like asking “What’s the best icecream?” Everyone has a different opinion.

2. No, there’s no way to specify that a particular path has particular media.  

When using a media server, the server must display only the media requested.

when using a network share with the Media Library, you need to make sure that the video folder doesn’t have music files in it, etc.

[jrgibb]

TonyPh12345 wrote:

1. that’s like asking “What’s the best icecream?” Everyone has a different opinion.

 

Thanks Tony, I’ve read that there’s issues with sharing via a NAS box such as the Synology, something to do with the Linux operating system, those issues being to do with scanning, metadata and media covers, this may be resolved now?? 

Would welcome what the different opinions are re these “flavours”, what are the pros and cons of the two as I’ve to option to setup either way.

Thanks,

J