Running MinimServer on your QNAP NAS

[simoncn]

MinimServer 0.31 is now available as an installable QPKG for all models of QNAP NAS (x86 and ARM). This includes the 109/209/409, which use an ancient level of Linux and have been an "interesting" challenge.

You can find full instructions for how to install this QPKG on the MinimServer website.

[simoncn]

I've released a 0.32 version of the QPKG with a few bug fixes. See the History page for details of the changes.

[rb73]

(17-03-2012 01:54)simoncn Wrote:  I've released a 0.32 version of the QPKG with a few bug fixes. See the History page for details of the changes.

Installed it on a mate's Qnap 119P-II last weekend. Installation instructions were clear; worked right off the bat, and he's very pleased with it

JW

[psme]

Thanks for the great work!

Helped a friend install minimServer on his qnap 210 last weekend. Installation was smooth. The install guide says install "minimWatch" on a PC to maintenance the minimServer in qnap, but, there is no minimWatch on the download page. I also use minimServer but on Windows PC, so I've no experience about minimWatch. But I figured maybe the minimWatch is in the minimServer Windows package and sure it is.

Just that if there is a separate minimWatch download (or included in the qnap package) then it maybe even more easy for qnap users!

[simoncn]

(05-06-2012 03:30)psme Wrote:  Thanks for the great work!

Helped a friend install minimServer on his qnap 210 last weekend. Installation was smooth. The install guide says install "minimWatch" on a PC to maintenance the minimServer in qnap, but, there is no minimWatch on the download page. I also use minimServer but on Windows PC, so I've no experience about minimWatch. But I figured maybe the minimWatch is in the minimServer Windows package and sure it is.

Just that if there is a separate minimWatch download (or included in the qnap package) then it maybe even more easy for qnap users!

Thanks for the feedback! I'll improve the documentation to make this clearer.

It isn't practical to include MinimWatch with the QPKG because there are different versions of MinimWatch for Windows x86, Windows x64, Mac OS X, Mac OS X 32-bit, Linux x86, and Linux ARM. The best solution is probably to produce separate downloads for MinimWatch on all these platforms.

In the long term, I'd like to implement a MinimServer web interface for basic configuration so that people can do the initial setup without needing to use MinimWatch.

[psme]

well... it gets even confusing!

I just got my qnap 212. after setup the buildin twonkymedia server, then of course install minimServer too. The pasted weekend I helped a friend install minimServer on his 210, actually my friend already installed the java component/package so I just install the minimServer, and minimWatch on his PC.

Now I need to install java on my own 212, so I follow the guide on minimServer web. It's very confusing! There are many java versions. The link on minimServer web point to a forum thread, and those posts point to another thread with more posts, and more links! After reading a while my head hurt so I simply follow the first link in the first post, and my java installation seems ok.

Then the installation of minimServer package on the qnap is very easy and straight forward.

On my Windows PC, I already has a minimServer running. I only run the minimServer. So after installed everything on the qnap, I figure I need to run minimWatch on the PC. Before running minimWatch, I has 1 minimServer icon in the tray area, which is correct. After I run minimWatch for the first time, I had 4 minimServer icons in tray! All 4 minimServer icons are the same and show as "minimServer". I don't know which is minimServer or minimWatch! Or are they the same? So I open those 4 minimServer icons one by one and 1 shows my qnap server name so I set the contentDir in it and do a "restart" on that icon. Afterward I can browse and play through qnap minimServer so the setup works.

Finally I close all minimServer icons. And run only 1 minimServer (the minimServer on the PC), and 1 minimWatch. The result is 3 minimServer icons in tray. 1 shows the contentDir on my PC, 1 shows the contentDir on the qnap, and the third shows "/Users/tech/Music/flac" in contentDir! In the meanwhile I will just leave it that way...

[psme]

also, with a default qnap minimServer installation, the browse tree is:
xxx items
xxx albums
All Artists
Artist
Composer
Date
Genre
[folder view]

But, the "Artist" is actually "Album Artist", right? If so, should the name be rename to "Album Artist"?

[simoncn]

(05-06-2012 08:35)psme Wrote:  well... it gets even confusing!

I just got my qnap 212. after setup the buildin twonkymedia server, then of course install minimServer too. The pasted weekend I helped a friend install minimServer on his 210, actually my friend already installed the java component/package so I just install the minimServer, and minimWatch on his PC.

Now I need to install java on my own 212, so I follow the guide on minimServer web. It's very confusing! There are many java versions. The link on minimServer web point to a forum thread, and those posts point to another thread with more posts, and more links! After reading a while my head hurt so I simply follow the first link in the first post, and my java installation seems ok.

I'm going to clean up this part of the MinimServer documentation to make it easier to find the right links for installing Java on the QNAP.

Quote:Then the installation of minimServer package on the qnap is very easy and straight forward.

On my Windows PC, I already has a minimServer running. I only run the minimServer. So after installed everything on the qnap, I figure I need to run minimWatch on the PC. Before running minimWatch, I has 1 minimServer icon in the tray area, which is correct. After I run minimWatch for the first time, I had 4 minimServer icons in tray! All 4 minimServer icons are the same and show as "minimServer". I don't know which is minimServer or minimWatch! Or are they the same?

This is fixed in the next release of MinimServer. Each icon shows the displayName of the MinimServer instance that it's controlling.

Quote:So I open those 4 minimServer icons one by one and 1 shows my qnap server name so I set the contentDir in it and do a "restart" on that icon. Afterward I can browse and play through qnap minimServer so the setup works.

Finally I close all minimServer icons. And run only 1 minimServer (the minimServer on the PC), and 1 minimWatch. The result is 3 minimServer icons in tray. 1 shows the contentDir on my PC, 1 shows the contentDir on the qnap, and the third shows "/Users/tech/Music/flac" in contentDir! In the meanwhile I will just leave it that way...

I don't know where the third icon came from. This path for contentDir sounds like something from Mac OS X. Can you select "About" from this icon to see what host and port it's running on? Is this the same host and/or port as the second icon for the QNAP?

[psme]

sorry, you are correct! I've a MacBook running a old version of minimServer so minimWatch sees it too. All is fine now!

[simoncn]

(05-06-2012 07:31)simoncn Wrote:  It isn't practical to include MinimWatch with the QPKG because there are different versions of MinimWatch for Windows x86, Windows x64, Mac OS X, Mac OS X 32-bit, Linux x86, and Linux ARM. The best solution is probably to produce separate downloads for MinimWatch on all these platforms.

I've decided to do this for the next release. There will be MinimServer downloads for all platforms, and MinimWatch downloads for all platforms except QNAP QPKG. There will no longer be any combined downloads containing both MinimServer and MinimWatch. I think this approach is simpler and fits better with the way most people will use MinimServer and MinimWatch.