XavierItzmann:
chrisped:
Goal: To have an iPad controlling our B&O system and our vast digital music and video collection?
I can turn on N.MUSIC or N.RADIO from any of my three linked rooms. My server is a Mac Mini running LinkPlayer and iTunes and attached to a BeoPort. The music sits on a 1TB Time Capsule a few meters away.
Whereas Beo4 is able to wake up the Mac Mini and start playing music, it can be problematic to try and navigate through 70GB of music with either no screen feedback or a tiny and dim 8-character display on my BS 3000. It is doable if you have just a few playlists.
Solution: my old, abandoned iPhone original from June 2007 now sits, without a GSM chip, on its dock on a side table. If ever I feel the need for finely-grained control after N.MUSIC has started to play, I can stretch out a hand and pull the old iPhone to do Remote.app duty. This iPhone has been set to never turn off, so that it is able to stay with display on for many hours, showing whatever is playing, and ready for any music searches.
How could the iPad improve on this situation? There are two levels:
1. An even more improved Remote.app on the larger iPad screen should enable navigation, ratings, etc., with less clicks, modes or gestures than it does today on Remote.app. A custom Remote.app with a Bang & Olufsen interface would be even better. I am still mesmerized by the outstanding Bang & Olufsen black presentation Full Screen that Phil created for Link Player. Alternatively, someone could also make an BS5-like interface for iPad Remote.app.
2. A second level would be the ability to use the iPad and iPad only as a complete substitute to the Beo4. This would evidently require at least some additional hardware. Mac Mini is capable of being awakened by network request and by Bluetooth request; and an IR blaster can convert from WiFi inputs to infrared. I am not very attracted to this solution because it involves too many wires.
An improved (and more interactive) remote app for the Ipad would be very welcome. However one problem remains if you want it to be your primary interface : You will need to have the Ipad running this app continuously. As the Ipad is not multitasking, it will be impossible to use it for anything else or you will be missing volume control etc till you close any other app you're using...
Basically what you want is the mac to control B&O which is very hard as the technology used is very incompatible. However it's easier for B&O to control the mac instead.
For now the Beoport is still the better option to connect your B&O with your mac. However, currently you still use the beo4 as main remote with the iphone (later ipad) more as extra controller (or master control panel) when needed. This imo is still the most efficient way in daily use.