Complete replacement for iTunes , also "file manager" for iOS devices

Hi there

@x509

seems like you would be better off with a cheap NAS server and use all your devices (iPhone, tablet, windows computers etc ) as clients.

The easiest way would be to source a really cheap old computer -- or in fact if you don't mind having a current computer left on 24/7 you could even create the server as a Virtual machine on your main computer. The simplest way would be to get though a really old cheap computer dedicated to this.

Run any Linux distro on it , install SAMBA ( to share data accross your devices) and applications to access your music / data. Your clients (e.g iPhone, tablets etc) will then be able to access all your music via your NAS server.

"Seemples" !!!! -- you don't even need to store much data actually on the NAS itself if your music etc is in the cloud as per iTunes etc but there's nothing wrong in storing data locally on the NAS as well. If you decide to store music locally on the NAS remember you'll need more HDD storage of course.

If you store music on the NAS - how you arrange it is up to you --maybe in folders, by artist etc etc . On your clent devices there's all sorts of music / video applications for accessing the music files and playing them so on those anything goes -- my favourite client is KODI because it plays just about anything - even stuff that VLC fails with but there are zillions out there so I'm afraid that's a whole different topic.

I really think the NAS route is by far the cheapest and most satisfactory solution -- especially as you can source some really cheap hardware bits and pieces if you go for a separate machine.

The server can be a relatively low powered machine - these types of things are just used for serving data so don't need for home use to be very fast== a decent network connection is of more importance for these types of boxes. Software RAID would allow you also to "Compound single HDD's" into bigger ones with an optional level of "resiliency" --failure detection and recovery.

Note also using Linux distros for this makes everything free and there's plenty of help around. Don't get into the idea of using propretary software or systems for this -- a Linux box is the meost flexible, cheapest and easiest way to get this stuff working. Note also another good use of the NAS would be to automatically back up Windows / other data at scheduled intervals too.

Even on this Forum (Windows) you can get help in setting this stuff up -- I'd start with experimenting various Linux distros as Virtual machines so you can decide what you really need before spending any dosh.

Once you are up and running your client devices e,g phones / tablets etc can use their own applications for playing multi-media, copying photos etc etc. The advantage also of a NAS is that you can access it when you are away from home too -- a bit more setting up but very "do-able".

Final remarks - the NAS can run "headless" -- so you don't even need a keyboard, mouse or attached Monitor. Access the NAS via RDP from a windows machine (or even from the phone) to install software etc etc-- really cheap machines will have an inbuilt graphics system which is more than enough for a server !!.

Cheers
jimbo

Hi there

@x509

So if I understand it properly the problem is rather with iTunes rather than accessing your media generally.

If it is an iTunes problem what you probably need to do is retrieve somehow your music and "De-DRM" it and close iTunes account down and replace with something better -- I don't subscribe to these things myself as I prefer in general high quality uncompressed flac music which can easily be stored on your own server and accessed from any device you care to name -- in fact just store it on a bog standard Windows shared drive and use any client on your devices to access and play the music.

I wouldn't go for any service that restricts you saving music locally and being able to move it at will.

For subscription music - some people say Spotify is OK and others go for Amazon -- can't say I've tried those but "i_choones" or "Looney Choones" as we still call it is hideous in the extreme -- can you imagine say buying a book with the restriction that you can only read it on a plane !!!! why people ever put up with music being restricted to one device I can never understand -- totally BONKERS.

The media monkey system is good and BTW if you want to re-tag / re-name / re-organise etc files mp3vtag is an excellent free product (also does flac etc etc).

Mp3tag - the universal Tag Editor (ID3v2, MP4, OGG, FLAC, ...)

Cheers
jimbo