I'm considering buying a Mac mini to act as a media server and allow for using a iPhone/iTouch as a remote control using Remote Buddy.

A couple of questions:

1) Is the mac route the only way to go to get the ability of a "two way" remote for browsing through music files etc - pretty sure it is but just wanted to be sure as have never had a mac and would prefer to just use my PC if was possible.

2) As mac mini has inbuilt bluetooth is there any reason I need an Airport Express as well? I will be sending the music through beoport to link rooms so assume that the iPhone can just talk to the mac mini to control itunes and no need for the Airport?

3) Is Remote Buddy still everyone's favoured solution?

thanks in advance

McVirgin 

 

1) Is the mac route the only way to go to get the ability of a "two way" remote for browsing through music files etc - pretty sure it is but just wanted to be sure as have never had a mac and would prefer to just use my PC if was possible.

Yep, there are solutions for PC, enabling the iPod Touch to serve as a remote. One solution is Signal. It can control other applications than iTunes. E.g. Winamp 

2) As mac mini has inbuilt bluetooth is there any reason I need an Airport Express as well? I will be sending the music through beoport to link rooms so assume that the iPhone can just talk to the mac mini to control itunes and no need for the Airport?

Applications like Remote Buddy and Signal use your home WLAN to connect. As long as the MacMini is connected to your WLAN router, there is no need for Airport Express 

3) Is Remote Buddy still everyone's favoured solution?

Its my favourite 

 

Regards

Claes 

Thanks Claes very helpful - will look into Signal. Why do you prefer Remote Buddy to Signal?

Dylan 

I bought and used Remote Buddy for a few months, but have switched to Signal recently. It's more simplistic, enables you to send your music to more than one Airtunes speaker and more.

That's good to hear Moxxey.

Would be interested to hear of anyone's experience of using Signal in the PC environment - sounds like this might be the best way forward for me (at least cheapest to try initially)

dylan:

Thanks Claes very helpful - will look into Signal. Why do you prefer Remote Buddy to Signal?

Dylan 

Good it helped. 

I just think Remote Buddy simply have a slightly nicer interface. 

/Claes 

 

You could also consider Salling Clicker - that operates by Bluetooth or WLAN, and gives you good interaction with your sources and programs on a Mac mini.

I haven't used Signal - but Remote Buddy is now fully integrated with multiple room playback, in a very elegant way, and I am very happy with it. It gives you control of playback through AppleTV, all connected computers and all Airport Express units -- either as single units or with all or some playing back simultaneously.

 

Thanks, but looks like Salling Clicker not available (yet) for iPhone. Will probably start by (dare I say it now that this thread has been moved to the Mac forum ) not buying the Mac Mini and sticking with my windows-based system and trying Signal.

Thanks for everyone's input