Apple AirTunes

[Tripps]

Considering this as for relatively little outlay I can have access to 80GB of music collection from the Hi-Fi in the lounge and since I've yet to find any music jukeboxes I like to actually store the music on.

Has anyone used them? If so how do you rate them?

[Andy M]

I have two, but they're primarily used to expand my wireless network.

For what you want it should be great - sound quality is unaffected iirc

[murph7355]

I use them and they work very nicely (and are very simple to set up).

If you want to control music selection etc once piped to your selected unit, you'll need an RF remote control for the Mac/iPod. I believe Griffin do one of these (or are about to release it):

www.griffintechnology.com/products/airclick/index.php

PS You can also hook a printer up to it and share that wirelessly too.

[wildeep]

For the cost of the aiport express and griffin remote you can just about get a squeezbox which also has a remote and grahic display making it much easier to use than the airport express. Its a much better option if you are going to use it just for streaming music.

[Tripps]

wildeep said:

For the cost of the aiport express and griffin remote you can just about get a squeezbox which also has a remote and grahic display making it much easier to use than the airport express. Its a much better option if you are going to use it just for streaming music.

Hmm, tell me more - do you have a URL?

[wildeep]

All the info you need here

www.slimdevices.com/

Price is about £199 in the UK

[Tripps]

wildeep said:

All the info you need here www.slimdevices.com/ Price is about £199 in the UK

Probably a bit to OTT considering my requirements, I do like the compactness of the Apple kit, and my hi-fi cabinet is already to full of all the must-have devices I've persuaded myself I need over the last decade!

[shadytree]

Simpleton question here.

Do these wireless devices from PC to Stereo only work with a Network setup ?
Please explain in simple terms ?

[wildeep]

See your point about the size, i just feel that the airtunes is seriously flawed by not having a remote, seems silly having to walk back to the computer to pause/change tracks, however the keyspan remote thingumy sorts that. http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore?productLearnMore=TB638

Shadytree, if you have a wireless capability in your PC, either through a wireless card or through a wireless hub then you can use one of these streaming devices. They will either connect to your network or directly to your PC.

>> Edited by wildeep on Tuesday 1st February 09:34

[neil.b]

wildeep said:

See your point about the size, i just feel that the airtunes is seriously flawed by not having a remote, seems silly having to walk back to the computer to pause/change tracks, however the keyspan remote thingumy sorts that. http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore?productLearnMore=TB638 Shadytree, if you have a wireless capability in your PC, either through a wireless card or through a wireless hub then you can use one of these streaming devices. They will either connect to your network or directly to your PC. >> Edited by wildeep on Tuesday 1st February 09:34

Right about the lack of remote for Airport Express. The Keyspan device goes some way to relieving the problem but you still cannot scroll through your library as you can with Squeezebox as there is not graphical/text display.

Sqeezebox is the way forward.

[Andy M]

For those of you with Mac's:

http://homepage.mac.com/jonassalling/Shareware/Clicker/

[neil.b]

Andy M said:

For those of you with Mac's: http://homepage.mac.com/jonassalling/Shareware/Clicker/

Got that! Its very cute being able to do searches on your phone. Ultimately frustrating though

[anonymous-user]

I had a thought about this when I first saw the AirTunes thing. Was wondering about ability to script iTunes. Then, with a simple web server running on the MiniMac or whatever machine you use to run iTunes streaming to AirTunes, you could build a neat little web interface to use on a iPaq or Palm to browse the library, choose tracks, playlists, etc.

Of course this all depends on whether iTunes is at all scriptable and my knowledge of scripting Macs is minimal...

Would probably be a bit of overkill too really.

[Tripps]

LexSport said:

Would probably be a bit of overkill too really.

Makes me wonder though, whether the perfect solution might be a Mac mini or small PC attached to. Cost for a basic Mac mini would be just £340, only £140 more than the SqueezeBox...

It could either hold all your music, or if you've a larger collection access it over the network from a server or network filestore.

Would also also allow video streaming/editing etc. and web browsing from the comfort of your lounge...

[murph7355]

wildeep said:

For the cost of the aiport express and griffin remote you can just about get a squeezbox which also has a remote and grahic display making it much easier to use than the airport express. Its a much better option if you are going to use it just for streaming music.

I'm unsure of prices in the UK, so am approximating. As such, I stand to be shot down in flames, but...

75-80 quid for Airport Exp. plus 40 quid for the keyfob remote (say) does not equal 199 for squeezebox. If the components are more than this individually, take a holiday to the US or Far East.

Further, to my knowledge, Squeezebox does not act as a wireless network extender, nor can it act as a print server, nor even can it act as a wirless access point for a broadband modem (etc).

I appreciate that it's a nice little music gadgeto, but as for being the way forward (as someone else mentions), I'm afraid I doubt that very much. It's a halfway house bolt on until someone can be arsed designing something that you might actually want.

Now, a remote with LCD display and a *few* more buttons for searching a library is surely all that's really needed?

The Clicker stuff is a neat experiment, but remind me again what the range of Bluetooth is?

An embryonic field at best that, in the next 12-24mths will come out with some seriously serious kit. Until then, what do you really want your system to do?

[murph7355]

Tripps said:

Makes me wonder though, whether the perfect solution might be a Mac mini or small PC attached to. Cost for a basic Mac mini would be just £340, only £140 more than the SqueezeBox...

Geek heaven, scope creep!

You know you can buy a 1Tb RAID5 WiFi storage box that works with Mac and PC? hmmmmmm...



I'd have bought a Mac Mini if it could drive their 30" display. Give it a month and they'll have a 36" cinema display, and a Mac Mini that can drive it.

[Tripps]

murph7355 said:

Geek heaven, scope creep! You know you can buy a 1Tb RAID5 WiFi storage box that works with Mac and PC? hmmmmmm... I'd have bought a Mac Mini if it could drive their 30" display. Give it a month and they'll have a 36" cinema display, and a Mac Mini that can drive it.

That's a plan, with 1TB I could have all my music as well as a good number of DVDs sitting ready on the network

Why won't it drive the 30" displays, interface or resolution issue?

To be honest didn't look at their displays, as although they look fantastic I couldn't justify the cost when the monitor is the weak point and easiest target for the kids!

[murph7355]

Resolution.

Now if I could find somewhere to demo the thing on a 42" plasma screen, preferably of the HDTV variety, I might change my stance - this might actually look OK. And I think I could get a decent plasma for that money...

Good luck with the Mac and Airport. I'm sure you'll have a good experience with it, and if you have any hassles drop a message on here. Feel free to PM me too if you need to.

[wildeep]

murph7355 said:

I'm unsure of prices in the UK, so am approximating. As such, I stand to be shot down in flames, but... 75-80 quid for Airport Exp. plus 40 quid for the keyfob remote (say) does not equal 199 for squeezebox. If the components are more than this individually, take a holiday to the US or Far East. Further, to my knowledge, Squeezebox does not act as a wireless network extender, nor can it act as a print server, nor even can it act as a wirless access point for a broadband modem (etc).

Sure the squeezebox is about £60 more than the airport express and remote, but if you just want to use it to stream music then it is well worth the extra just for the display, if you want to use the bridging capability and wireless printing then the apple gadget is a better bet, but i suspect most people will use it just for air tunes as there are loads of cheaper wireless bridges available. Be aware that aiport express will only work as a bridge if you are using the apple airport base station and not another make.

[d3ano]

Isn't the Netgear MP101 Wireless Digital Music Player the same as the slimdevice, yet £100 cheaper?

Or would i be wrong in saying that...