please help, need wireless music and video solution.
Discussion
I currently have a half decent hifi which is not being used as most of my music collection is stored on my computer and not on disk, what i would like to do is be able to send this music to the amplifier in order to listen to it through the hifi. I would also like to be able to combine this with streaming video (some hd some sd content) to my television which is next to the hifi.
i have found solutions for the above which do either/or but not both as my issue is that i do not wish to have to turn on my tv in order to select the music which i want to listen too.
i am thinking that the best way of doing this would be some kind of nas drive solution either a rack or something along the lines of the western digital live hub, (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=570), but this seems to make me need to turn on the television in order to select music i want to play.
would their be a way of getting something along the lines of the above and combining it with tech i already have, (phillips pronto remote, htc desire phone) in order view a menu which can then be selected and played from the drive to the hifi/tv? i have seen that i can stream photos to the htc desire from the western digital drive and i have seen apps which allow you to control the wd drive from the htc desire but cannot find clarifiaction as to whether this is a simple play, pause, stop remote or something which would enable me to search and select a specific file. i have also seen mumblings that an ipad could be used for this kind of thing if this is the case, as i am trying to limit outlay at the moment, would a first generation ipad work?
hope i've been clear enough about what i am after, and any thoughts suggestions greatly appreciated and thankyou for taking the time to read.
i have found solutions for the above which do either/or but not both as my issue is that i do not wish to have to turn on my tv in order to select the music which i want to listen too.
i am thinking that the best way of doing this would be some kind of nas drive solution either a rack or something along the lines of the western digital live hub, (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=570), but this seems to make me need to turn on the television in order to select music i want to play.
would their be a way of getting something along the lines of the above and combining it with tech i already have, (phillips pronto remote, htc desire phone) in order view a menu which can then be selected and played from the drive to the hifi/tv? i have seen that i can stream photos to the htc desire from the western digital drive and i have seen apps which allow you to control the wd drive from the htc desire but cannot find clarifiaction as to whether this is a simple play, pause, stop remote or something which would enable me to search and select a specific file. i have also seen mumblings that an ipad could be used for this kind of thing if this is the case, as i am trying to limit outlay at the moment, would a first generation ipad work?
hope i've been clear enough about what i am after, and any thoughts suggestions greatly appreciated and thankyou for taking the time to read.
ChiChoAndy said:
iTunes, and use apple TV and airport express for audio around the home? Can be controlled from computer, idevices, and from the TV. Would not need TV to be on at all.
Did wonder about this as a solution but figured I'd definitely need an iPad or some Apple product to control it, or will the HTC work. The other issue I have is it doesn't seem to have its own storage so would I need the computer on?You can get NAS boxes that can run an instance of iTunes, so shouldn't need your computer on. You could use the airport express and stream straight to it from your idevices, if you had one. No particular need for a NAS depending on your needs. Basically, I have a tv hooked up to an apple TV (£99), and a computer upstairs acting as a server. Does me. You can add airport expresses, as many as needed, to have in different rooms.
There is also SONOS, but I've never used that.
There is also SONOS, but I've never used that.
I have been told that sonos only does music, but if it does video then I would be interested. As for the airplay would 1080p content stream well over wifi. I figured this might be right on its limit.
I'm currently using a wd screenplay which I like but has the big disadvantage of needing the tv on to control it.
I'm currently using a wd screenplay which I like but has the big disadvantage of needing the tv on to control it.
The apple TV only does 720p, although the next, or latest version, can't remember, will do 1080p.
My setup is, for me, very simple. Server, basically my old 2008 unibody MacBook, with iTunes on it. From thisni share music to my iPad, iPod, and MacBook air. It also does torrentish stuff. It is hardwired to the router. From that I can stream movies to my iPad, apple TV and TV, and music to any computer, (even remotely, when Icloud comes out), or idevices, etc. If I had an airport express, (mine is at work), I could use that as a remote printing thingy, additional wifi router, and AirPlay audio output, for a stero, etc, that does not need the tv being on, and can be controlled by various things. I think it is simple, but other folks will use XMBC, squeezebox, etc. I've only experience of XMBC, when I put it on my old apple TV, and never used it. Never used squeezebox, so can't comment on that.
The good thing about that is the AirPlay, to be honest. It'll start creeping into domestic goodies, like TV's and speakers, meaning you can stream directly to them, without the need for additional bits and bobs. I'd look into it, if I were you. It would be easier if you already use iTunes, and have your library there. If you DO need a NAS, and the computer off, I'd look elsewhere, unless the things youmhave are on your idevices, in which case the computer needn't come into the equation.
My setup is, for me, very simple. Server, basically my old 2008 unibody MacBook, with iTunes on it. From thisni share music to my iPad, iPod, and MacBook air. It also does torrentish stuff. It is hardwired to the router. From that I can stream movies to my iPad, apple TV and TV, and music to any computer, (even remotely, when Icloud comes out), or idevices, etc. If I had an airport express, (mine is at work), I could use that as a remote printing thingy, additional wifi router, and AirPlay audio output, for a stero, etc, that does not need the tv being on, and can be controlled by various things. I think it is simple, but other folks will use XMBC, squeezebox, etc. I've only experience of XMBC, when I put it on my old apple TV, and never used it. Never used squeezebox, so can't comment on that.
The good thing about that is the AirPlay, to be honest. It'll start creeping into domestic goodies, like TV's and speakers, meaning you can stream directly to them, without the need for additional bits and bobs. I'd look into it, if I were you. It would be easier if you already use iTunes, and have your library there. If you DO need a NAS, and the computer off, I'd look elsewhere, unless the things youmhave are on your idevices, in which case the computer needn't come into the equation.
current hard drive is not wireless and am struggling to get my itunes music onto it, which is where the thought for some new wireless tech has come from, its a iomega screenplay hd (not western digital as i orgionally thought), the option i was looking at for wireless was the western digital live media hub which i guess is just a fancy nas drive which would not have the itunes issue as i would import all of my music and video to that then stream back to the computer if/when i needed too.
as an aside is there any means of putting something onto my iomega screenplay so that it can use itunes files, as this would allow me to use this as storage until i get everything else ordered.
as an aside is there any means of putting something onto my iomega screenplay so that it can use itunes files, as this would allow me to use this as storage until i get everything else ordered.
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