Internet Streaming My Library

[ehrawn]

I am looking for a way to listen to my music library at work. I have it stored on an external drive, attached to an always-on Mac Mini in my living room. I use iTunes to manage the library, and have a combination of AAC, MP3, and ALAC encoded files. At work, I have a windows machine running XP. I am not allowed to install anything on it, and only have the basic complement of bundled software: Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer, etc.

 

I found pulpTunes, which publishes your iTunes library, including playlists, on the internet. All you have to do is open the port in your router, type your IP into your browser, and there it is, ready for streaming on any computer. It worked great... for my AACs and MP3s. Unfortunately, it doesn't support ALAC. Sockso works similarly and has support for FLAC, but, again, no support for ALAC.

 

Another solution would be to set up a VPN with something like Hamachi. I am not too familiar with this, but it looks like I need to install software for the client- which I would not be allowed to do for my work computer.

 

Does anyone know of a solution?

 

 

[vortecjr]

How about somthing along the line of a vpn with access to your home pc?

 

 

 

[Tortoise Monk]

Check out www.orb.com. This is what I use for streaming. Works very well.

 

[ehrawn]

Thanks for your suggestion, but it looks like Orb is windows only.

 

I did, however, come up with a partial solution after reading another post about Logitech’s native ALAC support for their Squeeze Boxes. After a quick Google search, I found instructions on using their SqueezeCenter streaming audio software to publish my music library on the web. It works basically the same as pulpTunes: open the port, browse to it in the client computer’s browser, and there it is. The only issue I’m having with it is that I can’t play my music from the browser. Instead, I have to use Windows Media Player to play the media stream from my url. Essentially, I’m creating an internet radio station with SqueezeCenter, and then listening to it with WMP. It works, but I have to use two GUIs to control my music. Press play in IE, then play in WMP. Listen for a while. Decide I don’t like the song. Fast forward in IE, pause and then play in WMP… very annoying.

 

Is there anyone out there that knows more about SqueezeCenter that can help me improve the user interface? Of course, I’m willing to scrap this method if someone has a better way of doing this.

 

 

[Tortoise Monk]

Sorry, I'm a PC.

 

I have an off-lease PC that I use as a server. It cost about $100.00. Obviously it's nothing fancy but it gets the job done.

 

Just a thought...