Using a "Media Library Server"

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RedPanda
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Re: Using a "Media Library Server"

Post by RedPanda »

Does this media server start with windows automatically after a restart of the PC? And are there options in the tray icon available?
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radio42
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Re: Using a "Media Library Server"

Post by radio42 »

No, you have to put the MLS into the windows AutoStart group yourself.

Sure there are options to configure all the libs and setting. Just make a right click on the tray icon to show the MLS user interface.
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Using a "Media Library Server"

Post by radio42 »

As currently a few users were asking...I'd like to again explain the use of the "Media Library Server" (MLS).

The MLS can sit/run on the same machine or on a different machine within your LAN and hosts any regular media library (playlist-, folder or database-based) by its own (you define the media libraries on the server and the server loads these media libraries and makes them available for ProppFrexx ONAIR clients).
The MLS runs as a tray application in the background and can run on any machine within your network and can provide so called Remote Media Libraries to any ProppFrexx ONAIR instance. The MLS manages playlist, folder or database based media libraries defined on a central server repository - exactly like ProppFrexx ONAIR is doing this internally. Any ProppFrexx ONAIR instance can now attach to any MLS and use these central libraries, query media entries from those servers just as if they had been defined locally. This allows you to e.g. store all your audio content on a central, secured, shared network drive which is accessible by all ProppFrexx ONAIR instances and let central MLS manage those content/libraries. Or (if you only have one ProppFrexx ONAIR instance running), a MLS can simply relieve the PF instance from all its library management tasks. Long running TAG reading, synchronization, refresh and availability tasks can now be moved to the central MLS instead of running within ProppFrexx ONAIR. This tool might be essential in larger or multi studio setups where a central audio content server is required which can also be used in a HA environment.
Note:
ProppFrexx ONAIR maintains all media libraries inside main memory! When a media library is (re)loaded all related entries are read in from the related source (of course only the reference location, TAG and meta data and NOT the physical audio file itself). Once loaded, the source isn’t touched during normal operation (access).

Once you started the MLS (needs to be called and started manually from within the standard ProppFrexx ONAIR installation folder) you can define media libraries in the 'Media Library' tab - just as you can define them within ProppFrexx ONAIR. Note, that categories are not needed here as well as there is no difference between cartwall- and media libraries - as this is only needed inside ProppFrexx ONAIR.
In the 'Settings' tab you define a PORT number and a PASSWORD - these are later needed within ProppFrexx ONAIR to access the MLS libs!
Leave all other settings as is and only change them when really needed.

Within ProppFrexx ONAIR you can now (instead of using direct media libs) replace your existing ones with the so called 'Remote Media Libraries':
Remote Media Libraries:
A remote media library is a media library defined and existing on a ProppFrexx Media Library Server. The MLS is a small application shipped with ProppFrexx ONAIR. It’s available only in certain editions.
As such ProppFrexx ONAIR would access such media libraries remotely. In large environments this allows you to detach the library management to a dedicated remote server.
Advantages:
- perfect for large setups
- decouples play out and media library management
- allows remote audio access stored on a central server only
Disadvantages:
- the MLS needs to be always running when using ProppFrexx

Also make sure to stop the MLS when you perform any updates to your system!

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