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HERE IT IS - IT'S LONG!!!!

I wrote some notes a while back for a user interested in a headless cMP^2 setup. I think (hope) that with the slight editing I've just done they'll answer your point and by and large make sense. Screenshots at the end; whisper quietly if you have queries.

Dave

++++

* If you want to store data on a separate server, you obviously need to move the data over the network. However, a stripped-down XP system (especially the ‘minlogon’ change) inevitably means that some networking facilities are restricted. It is necessary e.g. to use the ‘Net Use’ command to map to a network volume; it seems it is not possible to access more than one network share from the target; a folder on the target can only be shared by re-enabling a bundle of stuff better left off. And so on. These restrictions are not unduly difficult to work round but it helps to be aware of them.

More serious, cMP's UI can be unreliable when pulling data from a network share and can crash, especially, for whatever obscure reason, if using flac-format files. I can get over this if I use wav format only or I leave Isass on but wavs have other issues and I feel that the loss of sound quality from enabling Isass is too high a price to pay. A workround for this snag was thereore needed.

* However a music library is organised, it works best in this context if it is all stored on one ‘shared’ volume on the server. The cMP^2 box logs onto this after booting up. I connect to it when booting the target in cMP mode by hitting the ‘RIP’ button to launch a BAT file. I then browse for music using a ‘tweaked’ Explorer setup and copying the selection(s) into a folder on the target that is ‘watched’ by cMP.

The result is that there is no network activity during playback. I hear no difference between playing off the network or off a local drive.

* As there is no security software on the cMP^2 box but the server will typically be connected to the 'net, I link the target to the server using a dedicated NIC and two fixed IPs not in the main network’s address range and use a strong router password.

How secure all this is I can't say but I've had no issues for the best part of a year and, for general networking, for the best part of the ten years I've used the router. Security aside, the main benefit for a CMP setup is that, esp with a 1,000 MBits/sec link, it's fast. The cost of a Gigabit NIC nowadays is trivial. I set the link to use ‘Jumbo Frames’ and think it makes a difference though it's been a while since I timed it.

Setting up Explorer as cMP's UI

Note that the ‘Explorer’ button in the cMP window works by design in ‘cMP Mode’ only. (I seem to recall it's a compatibility issue.) This routine therefore works only in that mode. It’s not an issue in practice as the SQ in ‘XP Mode’ is noticeably poorer.

The idea is to create a couple of batch files and a few shortcuts to folders on the music server and use them to automate simple routines. The configuration is done with the target running in ‘XP Mode’ and controlled from the server using VNC.

Step 1: Create batch files.

First, edit

C:\Program Files\cics Memory Player\cics Memory Player.pth as follows:

RIPPER #H ‘c:\Logon.bat’
CUE_PLAYER #N ‘c:\program files\cics Play\cicsPlay.exe’ %C
LIBRARY_MANAGER ‘C:\reset.bat’
OSK “ ”
PROCESS_EXPLORER ‘c:\program files\process explorer\procexp.exe’ /p:n
EXPLORER_KILL ‘c:\windows\system32\taskkill.exe’ /F /IM explorer.exe
TOUCH_SCREEN “ ”
PREP_PLAYER

Second, create C:\logon.bat file:

Net use M: \\MusicServer\Music /user:MusicServer\User password:

where M:\ is the assigned drive letter, \MusicServer is (go on, take a guess) the network name of the music server, Music is the network name of the shared volume on the server and ‘User’ is a user authorised to access it (i.e. on the server, not on the target). The password is blank. No doubt a password would work but I've not tried.

E:\ is a partition on the target set up as the default user's ‘My Documents’ folder. (Under minlogon, only the default user can access things as there is no logging on. It works fine in practice.)

Third, create C:\Reset.bat file.

@echo off
E:
RD E:\Music /s /q
MD E:\Music
c:\windows\explorer.exe

This empties the E:\Music folder by removing and re-creating it and then launches Explorer.

* Two batch files are used as logging on takes a moment or two and is unnecessary after boot up - the second batch file saves a short but unnecessary wait.

Step 2: Edit the ‘Send To’ menu:

The default user's ‘Send To’ menu is hidden: make hidden and system files visible, create a short cut to E:\Music, copy it into:

C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\SendTo

and rename it "Music". Other items in the folder should either be set to ‘Hidden’ or deleted. See screenshot.

Step 3: Tidy up Explorer:

Using TweakUI, hide superfluous drives such as C:\ or D:\. Using Registry edits, hide ‘My Network’ and any other whimsical crap that gets up your nose. (I usually hide ‘Control Panel’ as well but it's still there for now.) None of this matters, it just makes for a neater UI.

Step 4: Create shortcuts:

Using Explorer, create shortcuts (Favorites) to various folders on the music volume and copy them to E:\ by dragging them from Favorites > Organize Favorites. Create a folder in E:\ called Music.

Step 5: Configure cMP

Launch cMP and go into ‘Settings’. Add E:\Music to the library. You can safely remove everything else.

+++++

You're done. Set to ‘cMPMode’ and restart. Click on ‘RIP’ and then either play what cMP recognises or click on Explorer to launch the second batch file.

Browse to the album you want to play, right-click on the folder and use ‘Send to’ to copy it to E:\Music.

Quit Explorer. cMP now displays the album you copied over. Double-click or hit Return to play it.

When play finishes, quit cPlay as normal and hit Explorer. This runs Reset.bat and, well, resets things. Back in the navigation window, proceed as before.

++++



Pic 1: Setup the "Send to" facility.



Pic 2: Use shortcuts to navigate the server quickly. Note that I called the target in this screenshot "Current" not "Music". Best kept short so "Music" it now is.



Pic 3: Copy selected data to the "Music" folder.



Edits: 01/28/11
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  Kimber Kable  

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