What is the best way to store the data? (1 Viewer)

[ejtje]

Hello all,

Even I have really started on my first HTPC project I have a question.
- Is it possible to link more then 1 directory to a "Video Folder" (That will be displayed in the Mediaportal on the TV)

That question, set me to think about the way I should store my media (picture, movies, series and music) Maybe you'all can give me some info about how you are doing it right now and off caurse why you are doing the storing in that way.

Thanks for the tips

Greetings E

 

[ejtje]

I found a great tread on this forum about sorting and using the music player of mediaportal. https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/574296-post1.html So this i will be using to sort my music. (It will take a while before I have this done, it's a lot of work)

Edit: also integrade hirest fan art (https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...-high-resolution-cover-art-now-playing-76665/)

 

[technick]

You can't add more of 1 read folder to a MP folder (like XBMC) but you can use NTFS symbolic links. I made this on linux but you can made the same on NTFS with links : 1 folder "movies" in MP that point to a empty folder and inside this folder you create a link "A-C" to your disk 1, "C-D" to your disk 2, ect...

 

[Peter2]

I found a great tread on this forum about sorting and using the music player of mediaportal. https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/574296-post1.html

That is indeed a great thread and very helpful to give an idea where to start. I made 1 comment/suggestion to the author about the way to store music but he believes his way is the best way so I'm giving it to you as well so you decide for yourself.

I have gone through the extensive ripping process as well and wondered how to store my music.
On my network, I have a linux file server - old pc's can serve very well for this - and on 1 of the disks there is a 'multimedia share' that contains a few folders for pictures, music and video.
For music, I have created subfolders by genre first, then by artist (if more then 1 cd, otherwise artist/group_-_name of cd), then by name of cd.
The filenames are done this way: trackn°_-_(artist if collection_-_)title
There is 1 playlist folder (named '0_playlist' as well so it's on top and approachable by various means.
Parallel to this cd collection, I have a podcast folder where I put certain automatic downloaded or recorded radioshows.

I know that in MP you have various ways to view your media but my goal was to also have an easy/structured way to approach my music through other ways then MP (900+ albums & +-3500 songs)

For pictures, that is really up to personal preference but sorting by subject/event/.... and then by date, possibly by reversed date (YYYYMMDD) to be able to sort based on file name or folder and also think carefully about the filenames

My moviecollection is not that big but you can apply the same way.

Oh yeah, I have replaced all the spaces (in files as well folders) by underscores, I don't know if currently this makes that much difference but maybe can comment on that.

Hope this gives you some ideas,
P²

 

[ejtje]

Tnx guys for your reply!

Oke great so I can have more drive on one "button" nice.

Both ways are lookin good to me right now, I can't tell what is the best way for me until I try them, so more on that later! 1 thing I'm missing in you post and the other tread is how do you store, Disk with more then 1 Artist on them? I have a lot of those..

O damn... I have infact more questions
What program did you use to rip your cd's? And what where you settings?

How did you store the single's of a artist?

Tnx and greetings E

 

[Peter2]

You mean compilations?

Well, in my case it's like this
- for compilations: \Music\'genre'\'Title'\'trackN°'_-_'Artist'_-_'Title'
- for cd's of 1 artist: \Music\'genre'\'Artist'\'trackN°'_-_'Title'

I used Foobar to rip and can also tag from freedb.org. I also use 'Tag & Rename' for more detailed tagging, coverart handling, ....
At first, I started with mp3 @ 192kbps but also have used flac.

If just a few singles, I have under each genre folder a various folder, named 1_various or if more, under the artist 1_various. Of course the '1' to always have those on top in the listing - also used that trick for the visual names of my shares by adding a blank/space in front of the names so my shares are on top and physical drives at the bottom.

For music, also have a look at the audioscrobbler plugin combined with last.fm

 

[ejtje]

Uh sorry...Yes (used a translater to come to that word OOPS)

Oke I will try these applications, to get a good feeling before a start on the "big" folder.

Tnx for the info!

 

[ejtje]

Whoo, Foobar rocks!

I have had a fun evening with foobar . (I have been back to 1999 till 2001 dance/trance music)


I have ripped a lot of CD(used two pc's), but could yet find any album art. What do you do when you can find it on the net?

 

[Peter2]

Yeah, foobar is an allround, no nonsense, able to play everything program. Not using wmp anymore for quite a long time.

I guess you meant: '...could NOT yet find.... you CANNOT find....'
Man, what translation tool are you using?! try translate.google.com

It's very rarely that I don't find the cover art and if not, I scan it myself.
I'm quite sure that there are tools to do this; check MusicBrainz, MP3Tag, Mediamonkey, and have a look at albumart.org - just googled a few secs and already found this.

 

[ejtje]

Tnx (again) for the info

Uhm oops, maybe I should use the translater more often (that part was without translator...)


Greeting E