This document will outline the iTunes feature and how it can be used to stream Music to iTunes on your Windows PC's, and also how it can be used as the Media library location for iTunes clients on the network.

To enable the iTunes service, go to System - Settings - Services.

Click the iTunes button.

A pop up window appears. The following settings can be configured.

Select Enable iTunes Server - to enable the service.

Server Name:   This is how the Server will be presented in iTunes.

Password:         If Password is entered, it will need to be entered on the iTunes client when establishing the connection.

Click Apply to save the settings.

Next, go to the Shares page. Click on the share while will be used to store the music and video files and press Settings:

Go to Network Access, then iTunes and enable iTunes for the share by setting the toggle button to On. Then press Apply.

Now the iTunes service is enabled, we can proceed to configure iTunes on the Windows PC. iTunes can be configured in two ways to access the media on the ReadyNAS

1. ReadyNAS iTunes streaming server

   In this method iTunes on Windows is streaming the media from the NAS. However iTunes client** will almost certainly have its own individual music and video library. Once streaming is configured, iTunes client will access content stored on the NAS in the folder specified as Directory, when configuring the iTunes Service (see above).

   For this example here is a screenshot of the music currently residing in Directory: /data/Music

   

    

   To begin streaming first Launch iTunes on the Windows PC.

   Click on Music. In the pop-up window under Shared Libraries, select your NAS.

   

   If Password has been configured on iTunes service, you will need to enter the Password at this time

   

    

   Now you will see the content that is stored on the NAS. It can be played through iTunes.

   

    

    

2. Using the ReadyNAS as the iTunes Library

   In this method the iTunes library is residing on the ReadyNAS. This allows for multiple devices to to all make use of the same library. The ReadyNAS must be connected to the network and powered on, in order for iTunes clients to use it as a location for iTunes library.

   To begin, map a network drive to the Folder on the NAS where the iTunes library will reside. To do this:

   Go to  My Computer.

   Click on  Map network drive.

   

   In the pop-up windows, specify the path to the NAS where the Library will be stored.

   Click Finish.

   

    

   Launch iTunes client and go to Edit - Preferences.

   

   In the Preferences window, click on Advanced.

   Under iTunes Media Folder Location, click Change and browse to the mapped drive created earlier.

   Click OK.

   

   Next step is to import content into the Library.

   Go to File - Add Folder to Library.

   

   Media can now be Added from any location. But once it is imported into the Library via iTunes, the content will be copied to the location specified for the Library, on the NAS.

   Once content is added to the Library it will show in iTunes under the 'Music' Library.

   

    

   * iTunes service refers iTunes streaming server on a ReadyNAS system, and is not designed to be a replacement for the iTunes application on an OS X computer. This means the ReadyNAS system cannot be used to synchronize with, or, make backups of an iOS device (iPhone or iPad).

   ** iTunes clients refers to the iTunes application on a Mac.

1. Additional info

2. There was an issue with iTunes video playback on older versions of ReadyNAS OS which has been addressed in ReadyNAS OS version 6.1.7. Please update to the latest version of ReadyNAS OS for the best experience.