[Greg Zepplin]

I almost posted this in the Network Streamers forum but decided it was more of an iPhone question...

My PC, AV & router is in the lounge & I've been looking at ways to stream my iTunes to the hifi in my bedroom, an airport express seems the cheapest way of doing this while still letting me control what's playing using Remote.

My question is - can the Remote app on the iPhone mute the sound from my PC and leave the airport/bedroom hifi playing, and vice versa?

Cos if it can that'd be bloody brilliant and I'll get me an airport!

[Autopilot]

Originally Posted by Greg Zepplin

I almost posted this in the Network Streamers forum but decided it was more of an iPhone question...

My PC, AV & router is in the lounge & I've been looking at ways to stream my iTunes to the hifi in my bedroom, an airport express seems the cheapest way of doing this while still letting me control what's playing using Remote.

My question is - can the Remote app on the iPhone mute the sound from my PC and leave the airport/bedroom hifi playing, and vice versa?

Cos if it can that'd be bloody brilliant and I'll get me an airport!

Not completely sure. The airport is no a proper full on multi-room audio solution, but yes i believe you do have control over the volume of different "zones".

This will be worth looking at too - Rogue Amoeba | Airfoil | Select Your Operating System

Enjoy the airfoil, but it wont be long before you graduate to a Squeezebox or Sonos

[jclaydon]

Not sure if this works from the pc as never tried it. But I can certainly use the Remote app to select speakers when playing stuff stored on the Apple TV, i.e. I can have the sound coming from the Apple TV in the lounge or the stereo in the dining room (connected with airport express) or both.

So in theory it should work from a pc/mac as well.

[Greg Zepplin]

Hmm, cheers guys, but unfortunately not the definite 'yes' that would be the deciding factor on me purchasing one. Think I might give the local apple store a call.

Cheers for the Airfoil link Autopilot, I've seen it before and it's a very smart system, but as all the music on my PC is already in iTunes & on my iPhone, it's not for me. I can already connect my iPhone with all my music to the hifi in the bedroom, but that's what I want to get away from!

I've been looking at the Squeezebox & Sonos gear but the only reason I'm considering it is for more slick looking boxes and flashng lights! If the apple combo does what I hope it does, I'll have my ideal setup for less than £80 - significantly less than the dedicated multiroom systems.

If I get a definite answer I'll post it here, in the meantime if anyone else can confirm it please post

[Kieron]

Ok then.

I have an Airport Express in the living room hooked up to our hi-fi, in the back room is the computer.

Turn on the Airport and at the bottom of iTunes on the PC is the speaker selection.

Fire up the remote app on your iPhone/iTouch - connect to WIFI - connect to my iTunes library.

Play a song. Obviously at this point the computer starts playing the song through the attached speakers.

Go to settings on the remote app.

Under speakers it will say:

Computer (on/off)
Airport Express (on/off) (or whatever you have named the AE in the firmware)

Set the computer to off and the airport to on and sound then comes out of the hi-fi connected to airport express. Computer goes silent.

Long winded answer (to cover all the bases) - but yes, you can do exactly what you want. I do it all the time

Now that's got to be worthy of clicking the thanks button below

EDIT: - the option to select speakers in the iPhone app only appears once the Airport Extreme is running and connected to the host pc. Theoretically you could hook up a whole host of Airport Extreme's (with different names on each one) to different hi-fi's around the house and select one or more to all be on at the same time - front room, bedroom etc. You can have more than one AE running at the same time, one doesn't turn the other off etc. You could have computer off, front room on, bedroom on if you had 2 AE's....

[Greg Zepplin]

Kieron mate you're a legend, cheers!!! Seriously, thank you *so* much for the info, you've made me a very happy Zepplin

The amount of things I can do with this phone is mental. Admittedly I have a lot of kit already (compared to most people not on this forum!), but for <£80 I can have a wireless multiroom audio system with a full colour touch screen remote... god damn

Unfortunately I can only click the 'thanks' button once

[sneeks]

I use my iPhone to control my streamed music throughout the house via my Apple TV, iMac and Airport Express, it's one of the best home gadgets I own

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by Greg Zepplin

Kieron mate you're a legend, cheers!!! Seriously, thank you *so* much for the info, you've made me a very happy Zepplin

The amount of things I can do with this phone is mental. Admittedly I have a lot of kit already (compared to most people not on this forum!), but for <£80 I can have a wireless multiroom audio system with a full colour touch screen remote... god damn

Unfortunately I can only click the 'thanks' button once

Hehe.

I'm in total agreement mate. I'm constantly amazed by the iPhone - couldn't imagine owning anything else.

Glad this will work out for you. Quite fancy buying another AE now for music in the bedroom!

[Autopilot]

Originally Posted by Greg Zepplin

Hmm, cheers guys, but unfortunately not the definite 'yes' that would be the deciding factor on me purchasing one. Think I might give the local apple store a call.

Cheers for the Airfoil link Autopilot, I've seen it before and it's a very smart system, but as all the music on my PC is already in iTunes & on my iPhone, it's not for me. I can already connect my iPhone with all my music to the hifi in the bedroom, but that's what I want to get away from!

I've been looking at the Squeezebox & Sonos gear but the only reason I'm considering it is for more slick looking boxes and flashng lights! If the apple combo does what I hope it does, I'll have my ideal setup for less than £80 - significantly less than the dedicated multiroom systems.

If I get a definite answer I'll post it here, in the meantime if anyone else can confirm it please post

Squeezebox is a lot more than that for not much more money (in fact the basic Receiver is the same price).

You get a proper multi-room solution (different music in each room, or sync rooms with the same music).

As well as being able to play your iTunes music, you can stream iPlayer listen again stuff, Napster (subscription service), Last.fm and much much more. You also get far better internet radio. And you dont even need to have your PC on for most stuff.

There are a few iPhone remotes. The best is iPeng, which wipes the floor with the Apple's effort and it even support a feature called WOL - which turns on/wakes my PC when i want music (which goes back to sleep when its no longer needed).


Better sound quality too. The Airport is 'neat', but the Squeezebox is in a whole other league.

Just an option some might be interested in

[RobM]

I have to agree, the Squeezebox devices are awesome. I've got a Boom in the kitchen and will be adding a Classic or Touch to the living room and possibly bedroom soon.

iPeng is a great App and is very simple to use, but very powerful still, giving full control over the SB devices... including powering them on and off.

If you're looking to get music into different rooms I'd highly recommend an SB

[sneeks]

I'm considering buying either a Squeezebox Radio or Boom to replace me Bug bedside radio alarm clock. I think the Radio will probably be adequate for my needs.

[Kieron]

Just to confirm though - iPeng just works if you own a Squeezebox yes?

[Greg Zepplin]

I've looked at the squeezeboxes but they really don't seem to offer the functionality I want.

With an AE, If I'm listening to music on itunes in the lounge and want to go to the bedroom, I just tap my iphone a couple of times and the music continues uninterrupted in the next room, and I can turn off the lounge speakers.

If I used a squeezebox, I don't think it uses iTunes so I'd have to find & start the track/album again - this is essentially what I'm doing at the moment by plugging my iPhone in to the bedroom hifi.
If I bought two squeezeboxes I could do it, but I'd be more than doubling the cost, and I'd have to find my AV receiver remote to switch to PC if I wanted to watch a quick clip on youtube for example - that'd annoy me since the AE route is so much slicker.

So although they're great at what they do, I don't think the Squeezeboxes are for me?

[Autopilot]

Originally Posted by Greg Zepplin

I've looked at the squeezeboxes but they really don't seem to offer the functionality I want.

With an AE, If I'm listening to music on itunes in the lounge and want to go to the bedroom, I just tap my iphone a couple of times and the music continues uninterrupted in the next room, and I can turn off the lounge speakers.

If I used a squeezebox, I don't think it uses iTunes so I'd have to find & start the track/album again - this is essentially what I'm doing at the moment by plugging my iPhone in to the bedroom hifi.
If I bought two squeezeboxes I could do it, but I'd be more than doubling the cost, and I'd have to find my AV receiver remote to switch to PC if I wanted to watch a quick clip on youtube for example - that'd annoy me since the AE route is so much slicker.

So although they're great at what they do, I don't think the Squeezeboxes are for me?

Yes a Squeezebox will do exactly that, only better, its a much slicker device. I think you have misunderstood what they are and how they work, but its up to you, i will shut up now