Should I use DLNA?

[salguod]

OK, I feel a bit ignorant in asking this, but I'm trying to determine if I should use DLNA with media monkey or not.

I have a home network (2 laptops, 1 desktop) and just purchased a WD MyBook Live for data storage. It's a DLNA server and MM (I have Gold, if that matters) sees it and my music stored there. My plan originally was simply to point MM to the music folders and have MM scan them and build a library that way (like I did with my shared HD before), but now that I see it as a media server, it seems that perhaps I should use it that way. (I guess I'm looking at using MM to access a server not to be the server.)

I guess I'm wondering what I gain (or loose) by using DLNA versus simply pointing MM to the folder on the drive over the network. Can I still sync my music to my portable devices? Can I still build smart playlists in MM?

I looked at the 'Getting started' links, but they didn't really seem to help. If there's a DLNA for Dummies' link that I missed, please point me to it and I'll read up.

Thanks.

[Steegy]

Hello,

As far as I know, DLNA is a standard (it 'should' work with all different devices/brands) that has been created to let you watch/listen to video/music from a media library through a recent tv/hifi/media center that supports this. If it can be connected to lan or wifi, it normally should.

It's not created for managing the library (it's 'read-only' - you can't use it for managing), and a lot of implementations are not very stable (you shouldn't even use it for managing). Supprisingly, when I tested several DLNA software to stream video to my new Sony tv, MM worked very well, while all others (inclusing some software that can only do that, and WMP and JRMC etc.) failed at some point.

Best is to manage your WD like you do now, so using it as an external hard drive or network share for your computer(s). If you have a recent tv that supports DLNA, you can let your WD (or MediaMonkey if the WD doesn 't work correctly) be the DLNA server.

Cheers,
Steegy

[salguod]

I guess that's what I was assuming. The WD drive is managing the library and sharing it through DLNA. MM can access it and play the files in it, but the WD is still in control.

Browsing to the folder as a shared drive in MM and letting MM manage the library sounds better. I can let the WD drive manage it as well and share it to my DVR, smart phones, etc., but MM gives me better control over playlists and the ability to sync to MP3 players, etc.

Thanks.

[Lowlander]

Using MediaMonkey as DLNA server may have several advantages over using the WD drives DLNA server:
1) Ability to use AutoPlaylists
2) Ability to Auto-Convert (WD may or may not be able to do this)
3) Ability to keep track of play counts in MM library
4) Ability to track play counts on last.fm