| The Problem | | | | and say its your Microwave by the way....you |
| It is probable that in your home, more than one | | | | could try running the term "Network Attached |
| person owns an iPod / MP3 player of some | | | | Storage" by them but...) |
| description. It is also probable, that one person | | | | Anyway - when you power up your PC, the NAS |
| seems to have been delegated the task of | | | | should be pretty much plug and play - the NAS |
| updating everyone's iPod and managing iTunes. | | | | will show up as another hard drive (viewable from |
| If you are reading this article...it is probable that | | | | My Computer) or possibly a network location, |
| you are at least fairly computer literate, and | | | | depending on how it was designed. |
| therefore probable that you are that lucky, lucky | | | | Either way, now all you have to do is move your |
| person in your household. | | | | music to the new hard drive. First, go to iTunes, |
| Sure, being the sole manager of your household's | | | | click the Advanced tab and then click "Consolidate |
| music has its advantages - you have complete | | | | Library" - this will simply make sure all your files |
| control of your music, you can update your own | | | | are in one place (My Music for Windows by |
| iPod whenever you want, and I suppose with | | | | default), so if you have downloaded files to |
| some clever deviations from the truth you could | | | | random places over the years, it will move them |
| loosely call yourself a DJ, a sure way to pick up | | | | to My Music. |
| girls in your local club. | | | | Now close iTunes and simply move or copy your |
| However, once your mates start asking why the | | | | music folder into it from your local drive. Once this |
| hell you have the latest McFly album (which you | | | | is done, you may want to delete your local copy |
| innocently downloaded for your girlfriend / sister / | | | | to save space, and so you can be sure iTunes is |
| roommate) on your iPod...a better solution is | | | | no longer using the 'old' library. |
| needed. | | | | Now to add the new library to your home |
| The Proposal | | | | computers simply go to File (in iTunes of course) |
| If you have even a basic wireless network in | | | | -> Add folder to library -> select the folder you |
| your home then there is a simple solution. By | | | | just copied everything to. |
| using what is known as a 'Network Attached | | | | You can now install iTunes on all PCs in your |
| Storage" (NAS), you can attach a hard drive to | | | | house, and link them to the NAS! |
| your home network, on which you can store all | | | | Extra: Choosing a NAS |
| of your music. | | | | NAS devices can be a simple "hard drive in a box |
| When you used any of the computers in your | | | | with an Ethernet port bunged on the back" affair |
| house, they would detect the NAS as another | | | | - in which case the only real factor in making a |
| hard drive on your computer, meaning that from | | | | decision is getting a balance between cost and |
| any PC in the house you could: | | | | space. |
| Play music | | | | I would recommend you be generous with the |
| Download music from the iTunes store or other | | | | storage capacity - a 320gb model is little more |
| (totally legal, of course) places | | | | expensive than a 160gb in most cases, and it will |
| Create a new playlist for your iPod | | | | obviously allow for future expansion of your |
| Synchronise your iPod | | | | (totally legal) music library. In addition, you can also |
| Sound appealing? If so read on! | | | | use it to store documents, backups etc in the |
| The Possibilities... | | | | future. |
| There are many ways to add a NAS device to | | | | These basic models will typically cost between |
| your home network - the main one I will discuss | | | | £80 and £120. If you stretch the |
| here is the simplest - you buy a NAS device, | | | | budget a little further, you can get the excellent |
| problem solved. These are relatively new, | | | | "Asus WL-700gE NAS Appliance" ( This is not only |
| especially to the home market. If you take a look | | | | a NAS device, but also a router with firewall, and |
| at you will see a number of them ranging from | | | | acts as a "media and print" server - so you can |
| £86 to £650. None of them there are | | | | connect all your PCs wirelessly to one printer, and |
| particularly bad, but personally I use the Western | | | | stream TV etc. It can even be used to download |
| Digital's MyBook series and have had no problems | | | | files without a computer running through the night! |
| with them. The instructions you need to follow | | | | I have not used it myself, but it has excellent |
| however will be almost identical regardless of | | | | write ups. |
| which product you buy in the end. For more info | | | | As stated earlier in the review, if you are looking |
| on choosing a NAS please look at the "Choosing a | | | | for a simple NAS box, I'd recommend the |
| NAS" section at the end of this article. | | | | Western Digital MyBook series, but LaCie and |
| The Solution | | | | other companies also produce good devices. |
| Once you have purchased a NAS (I like that | | | | If you have an old hard drive lying about, you |
| acronym...) you simply plug the Ethernet (usually | | | | should be able to find an adapter to give it an |
| yellow or blue) cable into your router or modem. | | | | Ethernet port, but by the time you have bought |
| If you have a PC connected to the router via | | | | that and an enclosure for it, it would probably be |
| Ethernet, as opposed to wirelessly, don't worry - | | | | more cost effective to just get a separate NAS |
| you don't need to plug the NAS into the | | | | device. |
| computer directly. | | | | If you have any questions , feel free to contact |
| It is beyond the scope of this article to cover | | | | me at james AT pimp-my-ipod DOT com - this is |
| plugging the NAS to a plug - if you need help, give | | | | my first article here but I intend to post more |
| your household Microwave company a call...they | | | | and maintain my existing ones to keep them |
| seem to specialise in telling people how to plug | | | | up-to-date. |
| things in (for legal reasons you may have to lie | | | | |