The Naim app must connect (over wireless) to the ND5
Then it links ND5 to Synology & you can browse the Synology ‘Music’ share
Without some photos I don’t understand …
With the twonky server it was not as complicated as here in the synology … I am created a synology folder and two subfolders in the others already created by me and the system …
Sorry Andrea, This is very basic & it’s fully covered in the manual. I advise you get some local (same language) help with this.
I’m away from home until next week so can’t get screen shots from my Synology, but I don’t think that will help getting your setup problem solved.
Don’t worry Mike, you are very kind, I appreciate what you have done so far … In the future we will try to succeed, maybe I’m afraid of making mistakes …
From the manual I read I think that after installing Java 8 and Minimserver you only need to write the volume where the music is selected on the string and then push rescan? Is it normal that the Minimserver folder is created in addition to photos, movies and music?
I wanted to ask one thing: but do you create sub-folders like (jazz, rock, classical, country, etc., etc.) to catalog your music records inside the nas? Or do you copy all records and all genres of music under the unique ‘music’ folder?
I just installed Asset on my Synology. It went easier than I thought it would. Not really impressed so far. It is slower to bring up albums than Media Server. Maybe because it’s still indexing? I like that it doesn’t include ‘The’ in the ordering process. I like that it picks an album for the artist folder. I’m going to try their transcoding to see if it works and doesn’t break gapless.
How do you get it to display track length with each track?
No no no, this is all handled by metadata; install the albums as they are ripped into the ‘Music’ share, an artist with more than one album will get installed automatically with all albums in the one folder. Both ripped & bought albums have metadata that will include genre & all the other tags, the media server software will sort by metadata & allow you to select by gender, composer, artist name, album name … etc.
1 Like
As Mike already said, the metadata determines how your app displays your music library, including information like jazz, rock, classical. How your organize your music within the music folder is up to you. I make subfolders for each artist. If you want to make folders for genres (jazz, rock, etc) you can. It doesnt make any difference to MinimServer.
Hi Bart, as you say as your rip or download to Synology or other NAS ‘Music’ share, it will automatically sort each artist into named folders according to the metadata.
I find that sometimes this might need some manual adjustment depending on personal preferences, e.g. when Eric Clapton & Friends makes itself a new folder instead of going into the Eric Clapton folder.
So Andrea, although its OK to move it manually, or make new folders, the actual problem is in the ‘album artist’ metadata, & that’s what the media server browsing software works with, not an actual folder.
But for tidiness, & especially if you browse by ‘Folder View’, then whatever sensible folder management you personally want is important.
2 Likes
Hopefully you are up and running now Andrea? Once minim is installed it’s just a case of pointing it in the direction of your music and scanning it.
Mike B: I didn’t know you could get Asset for Synology, I will have to investigate that. I’m a DBpoweramp user so I like illustrate software. Will give the free trial a go.
Dave
1 Like
Hi Dave, go for it, you won’t regret it.
I first used Synology’s dumbo ‘Media Server’, then moved to Minimserver.
I was sold on Asset after setting up a mates new QNAP & at that time it was not available for Synology. I asked if they had plans & was told it was a licence issue (???) It seems they have it working with Linux & the CPU (OS) rather than Synology, whatever when they announced it would now work with Synology I was a happy bunny. Even happier that its a one item download (.spk) nothing else required, it has a very easy configuration GUI with so many options to fine tune (in my case to simplify) browsing.
Since the intro I’ve been beta testing with it, not that the Illustrate folks need that much help, they are well on top of it, they even released a new beta yesterday (saturday)
I have to say that Minimserver is good, its a bit of a faff to set up with need for Java & MinimWatch etc, and many consider it the best software for Classical Music with the complexities of composer, orchestra, soloist etc. But as I’m mostly all rock, blues, jazz & folk, Asset is perfect for me.
Interestingly the newer arm based synologys don’t need Java installed for Minim. I think it would run on my 218play without it, Java 8 just got carried over in the migration. I don’t think I have ever installed minim watch, I didn’t even know it was a thing til quite recently!
About 10 years ago I had a Thecus NAS and the upnp software so so poor I sold it and bought a Netgear! I then realised the software on that wasn’t much better so bought Twonky, which was fine on my netgear (I actually liked it), but I have to say I have not been a fan of other versions of it. Synology Media server got used very briefly before moving to Minim. Software not on Synology’s app store thingy didn’t even cross my mind! As you say, illustrate know what they are doing so I’m sure I will be impressed.
Thanks
Dave
It depends if you browse your music collection by folders or by artist names. If by folders it makes sense to create genre folders. But as always there will be problems with music that fits in several categories.
I am browsing by folders only, because I have too much music that is not cleanly tagged with correct meta data. Also you have problems if you e.g. have an artist in combination with differenet bands like
Prince
Symbol
Prince & The Revolution
Prince & The Power Generation
etc
I like to have all his albums in one folder called “Prince”. So I prefer to browse by folders. Also it is more simple to give the artist its own folder art by simply put a folder.jpg inside of his folder.
Gert, yes no matter how you get there, sometimes there are inconsistencies or just too many variations. I edit all my metadata manually, and so I try to take care of these myself. Jerry Garcia; Jerry Garcia Band; Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders; etc etc. I tend to just use Jerry Garcia as the artist and album artist. It all shows up in my iOS app under Jerry Garcia…and I’m comfortable with that.
It’s a balance between “correct” and “usable” and for me what I described seems more usable.
In Asset, when I press Artist, I get this ugly screen
Is there any way to get rid of this? I want to go directly in the All Artists folder. Also, I have the Smart Artist & Album setting, but this does not work under All Artists. I works if I go under the A folder. A bug.
Yes that’s easy to change, open ‘Configure’ go to the bottom of the screen & under ‘Browse Tree’ open ‘Edit Browse Tree’. Un-check the box for ‘A to Z’ & then rescan - now you will see the album art with the Alpha indicators at a change point - see photo
This table is my Asset Browse Tree (screen shot), I don’t use the Asset standard & reset to make it simpler & to have Album Artist/Album rather than just Artist, but thats up to you after you find whatever suits you. Its all editable & if you mess up you can revert to default & start again
Thanks Mike! So that’s what that Browse Tree does.
Any idea why the Smart thing doesn’t work? I changed mine to Album Artist / Album like you have. It didn’t work with just Artist either.
Hey guys … Meanwhile today I have eliminated all the duplicate disks I had on the new synology. This is because having two other nos (WD my cloud and Naim Unitiserve) I copied both of them. Now the new Synology ds718 + (the nos of my safety because the WD is 5 years old) is without duplication with all the disks and I have cataloged them under CLASSIC, POP AND ROCK, LIRICA, JAZZ, ITALY, RIPP, ETC folders . tomorrow morning I hope to also install the Minimserver and Java 8 software in addition to the Media Server. I am waiting if someone has advice and photos screens. Night…