Questions about My Cloud Home- specifically about playing music files

Hi Folks,

I have a simple question for you. I recently purchased a WD My Could Home for my cottage. I want to pair it up with my new network stereo Receiver from Yamaha (R-N303).
I have loaded a number of music files in several folder to the My Cloud Home.
I have planned to link the WD My cloud via ethernet to my modem/router, and then to the receiver again via Ethernet cable.
I made an assumption that, like my many other WD hard drives that the folders on the My Cloud could be easily accessed by any device without downloading any others apps or files to aid such access. Based on my experience so far, I think I was wrong.
The first time I tried to access the files, the receiver couldn’t see anything. So I linked the Cloud HD to my laptop and played around with it -finally deciding to load the PLEX “app” to the cloud. I was not able to load any files to plex. But the Receiver was at least able to pick up the Plex app via the server input.
1.So, is Plex the only way my receiver will be able to “access” music files and folders on the My Cloud HD?
2. anticipating a yes to question one- I went ahead and loaded some files to the plex folders. Do I have to use the “shared music” folders or can I create my own?
3. testing at home - when I load music files to the shared music plex folder- for some reason my wdtv live nor my bluray can play the files when I access them thru my home network via plex of the mycloud home. What am I doing wrong?

the my cloud home is not a traditional NAS. It does not use SMB shares like older my cloud products do. The receiver most likely cannot see the private user space. if your music is stored there you would need to use PLEX and it will show up for the receiver as a media server.

in the version for my cloud home you will need to use the default PLEX “Shared Music” folder

with PLEX to use outside the local network where the my cloud is located you would need a PLEX pass. this is a subscription to the PLEX service.

There is also a default public share that you may be able to use so the receiver can see the music. see the knowledge base article below.

thanks- i’ll review this tonight and see how things work.

well i’m home now and the plex music folder still seems to be updating- this will be about 6 hours or so. Seems rather redundant to me. i wish i had know that the files had to be accessed thru a 3rd party app and
loaded twice. i most likely would have purchased something else. my bad for not doing research upfront.

QUESTION- how long will it take to upload 60gb of music from my cloud home folders to the plex folders ?

actually i just noticed when i look at the folders when logged into mycould.com -that the folders all line up and all the files are there.
however when i’m logged into Plex -the music folder is swirling meaning i assume its still updating since 7 hours ago.

Question- when i head back to the cottage in a few days and attach the mycloudhome to my router which of the 2 will my receiver access- will it be plex via my cloud or plex itself ? can i assume since its directly connected via ethernet and not over internet -that it will see the mycloud plex folder rather then the plex folder itself ?