PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

General discussion about the media server. Feature requests. Hints, tips and tricks.
Locked
Thomas S.
Posts:6
Joined:Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:56 pm
AV Hardware:WD My Book World II (White light)
PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Thomas S. » Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:55 pm

Hello all.

I have to explain first of all that I am usually quite tech savy. I can pick things up quickly and am usually able to figure things out on my own. This however, has be completely stumped.

I have a WD Mybook World edition II (white light) NAS and have transfered all my media files over to it. They are accessable when navigating through the computer on the network (computer \ Public (\\MyBookWorldII) (W:)). I have Twonky Media Server on the WD as well. I cannot however, access my media from anywhere but computers on the network. I dont believe I have set up Twonky properly.

I found this link which explains how to access the Twonky Media Server from WD's support page:

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/det ... Rzaw%3D%3D

It mentions a feather called PC media browser, as well as mobile media browser. When I get into Twonky through my MyBook all I see is Web browse, Upload, and Config. I have gone through the process to 'upload' a song to the media server. But it hardly makes sense that I have to 'upload' all my files individually to have access to them from the media server.

If I understand correctly the PC media browser should find where the files are stored and that is that. Can anyone please provide me with any assistance on this? It would be greatly appreciated.

Twonky_Rick
Posts:3816
Joined:Wed Nov 19, 2008 1:59 am
AV Hardware:Samsung 650 Series TV (2010), 4.5TB HP MediaSmart server with 100,000 songs, 5) AT&T U-Verse STB, CE form-factor Media Center PC and 6 other networked PCs running TwonkyManager, 2 Sonos ZP80, Sonos S5 speaker, Apple TV (running XBMC), Roku Soundbridge, X-Box 360, Sony PS3, Kodak 10" Wireless Photo Frame, iPhone with PlugPlayer software, Sonos CR-100.
Location:San Diego
Contact:

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Twonky_Rick » Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:38 pm

What happens when you click on Web browse?

You should never have to ever use Upload or Download to get your media on or off your NAS.

- Rick
Follow me on Twitter! mostlytech1
Checkout my blog: http://mostly-tech.com/

User avatar
parnott
Posts:326
Joined:Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:55 pm
AV Hardware:Twonky, WDTV Live, XBMC (Linux & Windows)

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by parnott » Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:53 pm

Please explain what you want to do, what operating system, what media player client, etc.

For Twonky to be able to index and stream the files it must know where the files are located. And, in general, the files must be located on the same server where Twonky is running.

Thomas S.
Posts:6
Joined:Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:56 pm
AV Hardware:WD My Book World II (White light)

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Thomas S. » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:25 am

Thanks for the quick replies.

My apologies, I should have clarified a little more.

my WD MyBook World Edition II came with Twonky Media Server. I havent really used it yet, just played around testing it out. The WD NAS has all the media on it as well as Twonky. The WD MyBook is Linux (I dont know jack about Linux). It is connected to my linksys router and a windows 7 pc. I mainly use a Vista laptop wirelessly around the house.

What I wanted when I bought the NAS (besides storage) was to be able to stream music from the NAS to an ipod without having to keep a computer running.

I know its pretty basic, but right now I cant figure any of it out.

Edit:

If I click on web browse I can only see the songs I have 'uploaded' individually.

Twonky_Rick
Posts:3816
Joined:Wed Nov 19, 2008 1:59 am
AV Hardware:Samsung 650 Series TV (2010), 4.5TB HP MediaSmart server with 100,000 songs, 5) AT&T U-Verse STB, CE form-factor Media Center PC and 6 other networked PCs running TwonkyManager, 2 Sonos ZP80, Sonos S5 speaker, Apple TV (running XBMC), Roku Soundbridge, X-Box 360, Sony PS3, Kodak 10" Wireless Photo Frame, iPhone with PlugPlayer software, Sonos CR-100.
Location:San Diego
Contact:

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Twonky_Rick » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:53 am

That makes it seem like you are not copying your media to the folders on the NAS which are being scanned by the server. You can either add new paths or move the media to the path the server is currently set to.

- Rick
Follow me on Twitter! mostlytech1
Checkout my blog: http://mostly-tech.com/

Thomas S.
Posts:6
Joined:Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:56 pm
AV Hardware:WD My Book World II (White light)

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Thomas S. » Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:01 am

That would make sense.

Is there a way fo find out which folders are being scanned? There are only 4 folders on the drive; shared video, shared audio, shared pictures, and shared documents.

User avatar
parnott
Posts:326
Joined:Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:55 pm
AV Hardware:Twonky, WDTV Live, XBMC (Linux & Windows)

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by parnott » Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:37 pm

What I wanted when I bought the NAS (besides storage) was to be able to stream music from the NAS to an ipod without having to keep a computer running.
What UPNP/DLNA media player software do you have installed on your ipod?

If none then you need to install one or use the iTunes feature on the NAS.
There are only 4 folders on the drive; shared video, shared audio, shared pictures, and shared documents.
Did you copy your music to the Share Music folder?

Twonky_Rick
Posts:3816
Joined:Wed Nov 19, 2008 1:59 am
AV Hardware:Samsung 650 Series TV (2010), 4.5TB HP MediaSmart server with 100,000 songs, 5) AT&T U-Verse STB, CE form-factor Media Center PC and 6 other networked PCs running TwonkyManager, 2 Sonos ZP80, Sonos S5 speaker, Apple TV (running XBMC), Roku Soundbridge, X-Box 360, Sony PS3, Kodak 10" Wireless Photo Frame, iPhone with PlugPlayer software, Sonos CR-100.
Location:San Diego
Contact:

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Twonky_Rick » Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:08 pm

Thomas S. wrote:That would make sense.

Is there a way fo find out which folders are being scanned? There are only 4 folders on the drive; shared video, shared audio, shared pictures, and shared documents.
Go to the server browser settings page and click on the Sharing link.

It should look like the screenshot below.

- Rick
SP32-20110429-150624.jpg
SP32-20110429-150624.jpg (116.57KiB)Viewed 8371 times
Follow me on Twitter! mostlytech1
Checkout my blog: http://mostly-tech.com/

Thomas S.
Posts:6
Joined:Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:56 pm
AV Hardware:WD My Book World II (White light)

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Thomas S. » Tue May 03, 2011 7:04 pm

Yes, I have copied all my media over to the NAS.

RIck, the file paths you have typed in the Content Location would be pointing back to a hard drive on a computer correct? What about files that are stored on the NAS itself?

I cant remember the app I had on the iphone, it could see the MyBook World but couldnt see the content on it. Would the files on the NAS automatically be available with Twonky?

What is the best way to access the music on my NAS with my iphone? Itunes server or a thiry party app (twonky mobile?) and how would these be set up?

Many thanks... very confused

Twonky_Rick
Posts:3816
Joined:Wed Nov 19, 2008 1:59 am
AV Hardware:Samsung 650 Series TV (2010), 4.5TB HP MediaSmart server with 100,000 songs, 5) AT&T U-Verse STB, CE form-factor Media Center PC and 6 other networked PCs running TwonkyManager, 2 Sonos ZP80, Sonos S5 speaker, Apple TV (running XBMC), Roku Soundbridge, X-Box 360, Sony PS3, Kodak 10" Wireless Photo Frame, iPhone with PlugPlayer software, Sonos CR-100.
Location:San Diego
Contact:

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Twonky_Rick » Tue May 03, 2011 7:44 pm

Rick, the file paths you have typed in the Content Location would be pointing back to a hard drive on a computer correct? What about files that are stored on the NAS itself?
You are correct that the screenshot I included was for PC and not a NAS. Different NAS have different paths. I'm not 100% sure what WD uses.
I cant remember the app I had on the iphone, it could see the MyBook World but couldnt see the content on it. Would the files on the NAS automatically be available with Twonky?
The files will be available if you have your mobile app set to the TwonkyServer on your NAS. In Twonky Mobile, this is done by selecting your NAS as a 'Library'.
What is the best way to access the music on my NAS with my iphone? Itunes server or a thiry party app (twonky mobile?) and how would these be set up?
Twonky Mobile is the best app I've used. Others are good as well like PlugPlayer. You can learn more about using Twonky Mobile here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJwwd7LHUHE

- Rick
Follow me on Twitter! mostlytech1
Checkout my blog: http://mostly-tech.com/

Thomas S.
Posts:6
Joined:Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:56 pm
AV Hardware:WD My Book World II (White light)

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Thomas S. » Tue May 03, 2011 8:02 pm

If I get Twonky mobile, will I be able to see all the media files on the NAS?

Right now if I type in the IP address of the NAS into the browser on my iphone and navigate to twonky media server I can see the 3 songs which I 'uploaded' from my NAS to twonky and play them on my iphone. This is ok, but it means uploading the music files all individually.

My goal is to be able to access the music on the NAS from both the local network and from outside the network without needing to have a computer running 24/7. Is this possible with Twonky Mobile?

jimpf
Posts:10
Joined:Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:28 pm
AV Hardware:PS3, Xbox360, Zyxel DMA1000, Freecom Musicpal

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by jimpf » Tue May 03, 2011 11:14 pm

Hi ,

From your description of the problem it sounds as if you may have copied all of your songs onto the My Book World II into a folder that the TwonkyServer is not scanning for content. You shouldn't need to upload them one-by-one from the web interface. Here is what I would suggest as a way to fix this.

1) Make sure that you have copied your songs into the folder called "public\Shared Music" on the My Book. If I'm not mistaken, the TwonkyServer is configured to "look" for your music content there by default. If it's copied someplace else on the My Book it probably won't know it's there, and not serve it up. This is why you are not seeing it from your UPnP client on the iPhone. This would also explain why the server is only showing the songs that you have "uploaded" from the web interface, since the server knows where to store your uploaded files and it is able to scan them when you upload them. The TwonkyServer is probably only showing your files that you uploaded one-by-one.

You can also place your photos into the folder called "public\Shared Pictures", and your videos into "public\Shared Videos"
The TwonkyServer should automatically detect your files once they are placed into these folders.

2) I would also suggest that you check the server status page on the My Book World. This will tell you how many files the server has detected (it lists the files detected by type Photos, Music, Videos).
You can navigate to the server status page on the My Book World by setting your browser as follows:
http://ip-address-of-the-My-Book:9000/config
If you click on the link called "Sharing" on the left, it will show you the folders that the Server is monitoring for content. You can add more folders here if you need to. If you change any of these settings just hit the button called "Save Changes". In some cases you might also need to re-start the TwonkyServer for your changes to take effect. You can restart the TwonkyServer from the link called "Maintenance", just hit the button called "Restart server"

I hope this helps, --Jim

Thomas S.
Posts:6
Joined:Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:56 pm
AV Hardware:WD My Book World II (White light)

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by Thomas S. » Wed May 04, 2011 2:58 pm

All the files are stored in the respective shared folders in the public folder on the MyBook. I tried manually adding the filepath to the shared music folder (W:\shared music; and W:\public\shared music) and reseting and it still only shows the 3 files I uploaded (and no pictures or videos)

In the sharing tab on Twonky it does not show any content locations unless I type them in (as above W:\...) which did not work.

How is it supposed to work exactly? If I copy a file from my computer to the MyBook in the shared music file, should it automatically show up in Twonky?

john.glasson
Posts:71
Joined:Sun Aug 03, 2008 9:29 am
AV Hardware:Server: Western Digital My Book World Edition White Light
Clients: Zyxel DMA1000, Philips Streamium 1100, Netgear MP101, Pocket Player on WM5 PDA
Location:near London, UK

Re: PC MediaBrowser on WD MyBook World II

Post by john.glasson » Sat May 21, 2011 12:20 pm

I'm a WD MyBook World II user.

Your 'sharing' screen (see TwonkyServer configuration) should look like this:

Image

/Shared Music maps to the share 'public/Shared Music/'

hope this helps.

John Glasson

Locked