Time Capsule as iTunes Library

I find it hard to believe how quickly and easily it was solved after thrashing around searching for a solution and pestering my reseller with questions. I cannot thank you enough.

I suppose it is asking too much of TC since I won't be using it as a backup a la Time Capsule to merge duplicate albums since some of my backup data dvd's and hard disks contain albums that are also on other backups. Perhaps I should invest in Dupin?

Will I have to restore to Air's iTunes library from each backup before adding it to the TC Library? I have used various methods such as Apple's umbrella icon backup, La Cie's utility, Superduper, and also many of the DVD's were burned using playlists.

Again, thank you. First I need to understand the difference between iTunes Library and iTunes Media and think carefully how to rephrase my question(s), as there are other things that need to be resolved. Once I have the library assembled in one piece on TC, then I suppose it will be possible to copy or back up the entire assemblage to one of my La Cies to use only if data is lost due to failure of the primary library disk. Since my music system can be conveniently connected by wire to my computer, and my pods are used as sources for the kitchen and car stereos, I am not particularly in need of the streaming use of the Airport features in TC except that I will not have to physically connect Air to TC and thence the two La Cie's that I have.

I'll work on stating concisely what I want to do and probably post it tomorrow.

Many thank you's one more time

Happy solstice and eclipse!

You are speaking my language. Categorizing, cataloging and the ability to organize information is by no means outmoded. Quite the contrare.

In that vein, my impression of the iTunes format is that the interface was designed by a committee consisting of a non-musicologist who doesn't really understand the information available on recordings, a failed entrepreneur who could never find his files, and a genius who never got through school because he couldn't figure out how to look up things in the library. At their meetings, each was listening to different pods that had automatically downloaded whatever was at the top of the most herdlike list at the store. But it's like NPR or Chevrolet, it all we've got natively.

I need to compose, edit and think about what I need to know to keep this space from being too wordy and to the subject at hand.

Back later in the day.

To expand on the question I previously asked, it is clearer to restate the question.

My objective is to consolidate the various backups of my iTunes music into a single iTunes Library ('Vaults') and use my Time Capsule as the 'home' of the library.

To make a complete copy of the TC iT Library on a hard disk, a La Cie, in the same iTunes format (Calldesk). Use the La Cie copy for accessing my music and the TC as a long term storage and 'backup' player when necessary.

When music is added to the TC iT Library (Vault), have it copied to the La Cie (Call Desk), automatically, if possible.

Use the computer's iTunes library (Airtime) as a 'rotation' library of music that I am currently listening to and to download podcasts which can be added manually to the TC library.

I am a minimalist and would like to keep the e-devices to a minimum. To that end I will be using my computer, the Time Capsule solely as a hard disk (not be used for backups), and a La Cie hard disk.

Music can be downloaded into two different iPods and played through a sound system, vehicle stereo, or earphones through plugging in with a connecting wire.I have no need for streaming audio.

I cannot leave the Time Capsule plugged into the a.c. and live 24/7. This is not an option.

While I am ripping cd's using the SuperDrive USB plugged into the sole port in my Air, I also have to use Airport to access my Verizon Wireless card so that Gracenotes can fill in the information and I can add the album cover art. The only way that I can figure to do this is to disconnect TC, rip into Air's iTunes Library (Airtime), and when complete, connect to TC (Vaults) and transfer that way.

Since the rips and podcasts can be batched, after editing, every few weeks, this is not too work intensive, unless there is a better way. A powered USB hub is just one more device that will junk up my space and another electronic gadget to develop problems. I can use the USB port on the TC to connect the La Cie. Everything I have is geared towards boat living in salt water and intermittent power source. I cannot wait until there is an affordable 1+ Tb SSD Time Capsule that is affordable.

Thank you. I will try a setup and see how it works. I am sure that it will prompt more questions. I appreciate your attention in this matter.

BTW, re: backing up the other contents of Air. The text documents that I would like to save will use only a few GB's, which I could send to iDisk since it has little used space.

According to a technician at my reseller, he has had mixed results with restoring from backup third party applications, those downloaded from the internet, because there will be a missing file put 'somewhere else'. Do you know of a backup application (Prosoft?) that can effectively backup downloaded applications without having to backup the whole 124 GB's in my Air? A few documents and Safari bookmarks are what I would like to least lose should my Air drown or go beserk. Everything else is non essential.

What I meant by incomplete backup. If I backup my 'downloaded applications' file and then restore it, which is a folder within the Finder> Applications file, apparently some folders associated with a particular utility are filed in various places within the OSX, such as in Library>, etc.

The technician said that if I should restore the DNLD'D apps file, an application in that file might not have complete information because of its associated data being in various places in the OSX that were not backed up nor restored.

My uses of the Air is simple enough that I can enjoy the luxury of doing a complete erase and install when it begins to behave 'fuzzy' and I cannot find those 20 GB's or so of 'dark data' to erase to make it work better. Downloading the 6 or so of the utilities that I use regularly from the internet requires a bit of up time, more so when I include the other 20 or so that need to be there when I need to use them.

Saving selected prefs and files when reinstalling never gives me as much free space as when I start over again. I have used my Air for two years without needing to clean house, but some of the symptoms of bloated OSX are starting to appear, the whirly disk happening more often.

I now have 30 GB of SSD space free, but it is hard to find what to throw out. My iBook G3 worked much better if I re-did everything over every 6 months or so. Recently, I ran a 2 hour virus scan, just in case, and it came up with only 3 tracking cookies, so I am fortunate that way.

This should be in a separate Discussion Thread, but since we are here, I'll just leave it here

About backup utilities, Time Machine is cumbersome and overbearing and the umbrella icon backup provided with OSX is arcane. The one that came with La Cie worked, but it was another automate or else utility and pop up's to backkup would appear in the middle of a writing session or while watching a movie, so after much effort tracking down all of its files, I managed to trash it.

What's Keeping Me and AppDelete don't find everything every time. Especially if it is a Microsoft application that foisted itself on my Air when I visited a site unwittingly. It took me a month to get all of CNET out of the system. Too bad, I really liked TechTracker.

For a thorough article of designating disks for iTunes libraries and other relevant information, go to iLounge.com.