Logitech Media Server

	Note:
	April 2016: Update on the previous Squeezebox Server and SqueezeCenter How-to's (see the Links section) after an install of Logitech Media Server on SME9.1 x86_64. Major changes brought about by the repositories vanishing but there is a place to download almost any release made of the variously named packages over a range of platforms.

Description

Logitech Media Server is the new name for Squeezebox Server which was the new name for SqueezeCenter.

Logitech Media Server is the media server component of Slim Devices's (now a Logitech company) media playing devices such as Squeezebox™. Not only will it power any Squeezebox™ or Transporter®, but also any software MP3 player on your network. Please refer to Logitech Media Server's product and help pages for operation.

This How-to describes the installation and updating of Logitech Media Server on SME9.1 x86_64 Server. If you already have Squeezebox Server or SqueezeCenter installed it would be advisable to follow the original How-to instructions on how to remove it first.

Links

Logitech's Squeezebox home page:
http://www.logitechsqueezebox.com/

Originating discussion leading to this wiki entry:
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,45083.0.html
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=69507

Michael Herger how-to page:
http://www.herger.net/slim/detail.php?nr=1278

This How-to is based on the previous Squeezebox Server and Squeeze Center How-to's:
SqueezeCenter: http://wiki.contribs.org/SqueezeCenter
Squeezebox Server: http://wiki.contribs.org/SqeezeBoxaSever

Credits

The original credits still apply:
Originator: bricknell - documented his struggles and successes for others
Procedure: william_syd - initially documenting a succinct procedure
Documenter: Christian - verified procedure and initiated wiki entry

This How-to: Dave Liquorice

Download

The repositories in the previous How-to's have vanished but there is a download site where it appears you can obtain almost any version ever released under the various names, over a range of platforms, right up to nightly builds. To see what is available visit http://downloads.slimdevices.com in your browser.

To download login to your servers command line, change to a suitable directory and issue the command:

wget http://downloads.slimdevices.com/LogitechMediaServer_v7.7.5/logitechmediaserver-7.7.5-1.noarch.rpm

This is the April 2016 current version.

Installation

Install the download:

yum install logitechmediaserver-7.7.5-1.noarch.rpm

The built in scripts know about SME and it'll create the squeezeboxserver user and group.

How ever it will fail to update the SME configuration data base and complain that it can't find "db", so manually add the required SME configuration database entry:

db configuration set squeezeboxserver service status enabled

To work locally this is all that is required, refer to the previous How-to's for information regarding opening the media server up to the internet and the security implications of doing so.

The RPM installs its Perl modules into /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/Slim, on SME9.1 x86_64 this is not in Perls @INC search path. A work around is to create a symbolic link:

ln -s /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/Slim /usr/lib64/perl5/vendor_perl/Slim

Note: "Slim" starts with an uppercase "S".

This step won't be required if your SME server is the 32 bit variant.

Create a media file storage area

No fixed rules but using an iBay means that your media files will be automatically backed up by SME's backup service. Login to Server Manager and navigate to the Information Bays menu. Create a new ibay, say "squeezebox" described as "Media Storage for Squeezebox", leave the Group as "Admin" but change User access via file sharing or user ftp to "Write = group, Read = everyone". For local use leave the remain settings as "No Access" and "Disabled". Click "Save" to create the iBay.

Go back to the command line and navigate to the files directory of the new squeezebox iBay and create two directories "Music" and "Playlists".

Alternatively the previous How-to's did:

The following is a suggestion on how to create a file structure. You can alternatively create an ibay or user for these. In christian's config for example, he has an ibay with all of his media which points SqueezeCenter and Jinzora to. However he maintains Squeezebox servers's playlists per william_syd's suggestion below.

Lets make somewhere for music and playlists.

mkdir -p /opt/squeezeboxserver/playlists
mkdir -p /opt/squeezeboxserver/music

And give squeezey ownership of the above.

chown squeezeboxserver:squeezeboxserver /opt/squeezeboxserver/playlists
chown squeezeboxserver:squeezeboxserver /opt/squeezeboxserver/music

	Note:
	If you use an alternate directory entry, you will need to ensure squeezebox server has permissions for that directory. For example by including it in the appropriate group assigned to an ibay.

Initial Launch

To test, start Squeezebox server manually (beware the very long command):

sudo -u squeezeboxserver /usr/libexec/squeezeboxserver \
--prefsdir=/var/lib/squeezeboxserver/prefs \
--logdir=/var/log/squeezeboxserver \
--cachedir=/var/lib/squeezeboxserver/cache \
--charset=utf8 --d_startup --s_stdout

The debug messages should help hi-light any problems. It'll probably complain that it can't read server.prefs and didn't find the requested directories for [Videos] and [Pictures], these complaints can be ignored.

If that looks OK, stop that instance with ctl-c and start Squeezebox server as a service:

service squeezeboxserver start

Go back to your browser and visit:

http://your_SMEserver:9000/

You'll be prompted to provide the Music and Playlist storage areas, pick the relevant iBay directories or the ones otherwise created.

Updating

With the repositories no longer in existence automatic notification of the updates isn't likely to happen. Occasional checks on the http://downloads.slimdevices.com pages will be required. Updating should be just a case of downloading the rpm, stopping the service:

service squeezeboxserver stop

Running yum then starting the service:

service squeezeboxserver start

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