Howto Setup iTunes-compatible Media server in Ubuntu

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mt-daapd is a DAAP server that works with most POSIX compatible operating systems. It allows you to share your music collection over the local network using the same protocol iTunes uses, so real iTunes users may peruse your music.

Moreover, if your music is in more esoteric formats like FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, or Musepack, these can be converted on the fly to different formats (usually WAV), so that your entire music collection can be listened to by normal iTunes clients.

It also features a web interface that can be used to control components of the server, trigger database updates, and create playlists.

Preparing your system

First of all install ID3 tag support (so mt-daapd can read mp3 files)

sudo apt-get install libid3tag0

Now install mt-daapd using the following command

sudo apt-get install mt-daapd

Configuring mt-daapd

Configuration file is located at /etc/mt-daapd.conf, so make your changes there and test this file using
the following command

sudo mt-daapd -f

Also you have to remember to add the Avahi Daemon to your startup scripts with the following command

sudo update-rc.d avahi-daemon defaults

that provides mt-daapd the Apple ZeroConf services (also known as "Rendezvous" or "Bonjour"). Otherwise your iTunes machines won't be able to discover the mt-daapd server even thou the server itself is running properly.

To enable smart playlists you have to use the administration WebUI with http://localhost:3689.
Now it will prompt for the username and password as admin and your password setup in mt-daapd.conf file
Once it opens you should see the following screen

You can edit smart playlists under the smart playlists tab either directly as logic script or using the wizard (provided) to fill the rules for playlist generation point-n-click way.

Configuration setup screen

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7 Responses

  1. paul says:

    HOW DO YOU EDIT FILES?
    AM NEW AND DONT NO HOW TO OPEN THEN EDIT FILES.
    PLEASE HELP

  2. travnewmatic says:

    The username and password are mt-daapd.

    i edit the files by entering
    sudo gedit /etc/mt-daapd.conf

  3. gary says:

    to edit files i found it easyer to use the built in nano editor especially when sshing into your server with terminal on a mac.

    just use
    sudo nano /etc/mt-dappd.conf
    it will open nano editor and there you go

  4. the royroy says:

    Is there a way to authenticate this as an audible account. So the other computers in the home network can easily copy music threw iTunes?

  5. c001er says:

    ubuntu-server 8.04 (2.6.24-28-server) about one year has established Firefly under the instruction back and all worked perfectly.
    One of these days it was required again – does not work.
    Any variations it was not made, only updatings. Has reinstalled netatalk, avahi and firefly – result zero.
    At the firings the web-interface a browser gives out ‘ unable to connect ‘ netatalk, avahi and firefly demons on a server will start, mistakes are not present.
    Computers are within the limits of one local network.

    There are ideas?

  6. Angus says:

    Tangerine looks an easy way to set up a local media-server for Rhythmbox: https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/tangerine/

  7. Andrew Zimmerman says:

    I don’t know what the hell I’m doing wrong but regardless of my username or password settings it ignores it both on host and other computers. It says incorrect password. Looked like it would have solved my problem but it only pissed me off. Thanks anyway.

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