Apple Remote app

[admin_exported]

Fresh off the other thread, here's the follow-up Q's:

1. Assuming I get the iPhone, can I use AE to stream the iPhone's music (onto the hi-fi)? I'd think yes, but I could be wrong.

2. Assuming I get the iPhone + Apple Remote app, can I stream the music stored on my laptop while it's not turned on?

Thanks.

 

[professorhat]

momo72:1. Assuming I get the iPhone, can I use AE to stream the iPhone's music (onto the hi-fi)? I'd think yes, but I could be wrong.

No, unfortunately not, which is a bit stupid really. Fingers are crossed that a new update will solve this at some point though!

momo72:2. Assuming I get the iPhone + Apple Remote app, can I stream the music stored on my laptop while it's not turned on?
Again, afraid not - you need iTunes (or Airfoil) to stream the music so something has to be running one of these apps i.e. usually your PC / laptop.

 

[Anonymous]

professorhat:

momo72:1. Assuming I get the iPhone, can I use AE to stream the iPhone's music (onto the hi-fi)? I'd think yes, but I could be wrong.

No, unfortunately not, which is a bit stupid really. Fingers are crossed that a new update will solve this at some point though!

momo72:2. Assuming I get the iPhone + Apple Remote app, can I stream the music stored on my laptop while it's not turned on?

Again, afraid not - you need iTunes (or Airfoil) to stream the music so something has to be running one of these apps i.e. usually your PC / laptop.

Thanks Prof (again)!

I'm nearly shocked re. your answer to Q1. This is wrong!! (I don't mean you but Apple).

Not surprised re. Q2 though as I was thinking at least the PC had to be running (but then it's running most of the time when I'm home anyway).

 

[professorhat]

Agreed, massive oversight from Apple on that one. However, version 3 of iPhone / iPod Touch software is due out soon - it's not listed as one of the things which will happen, but maybe the Remote app will get updated at the same time to allow it? Who knows, we can only wait and see!

 

[Anonymous]

It'd be via wi-fi if it could and the battery would last about 30mins in the iPhone if you used it like that. Not sure that would make you happy. Whether it's technically capable of being done is not the determinant factor here. Would be nice though.

 

[professorhat]

Why would the battery only last 30 mins? The battery on my iPod Touch lasts at least 3-4 hours with Wi-Fi enabled and playing music. Besides, if you're streaming at home, surely you'd just plug it in if it was low.

 

[Anonymous]

professorhat:
Why would the battery only last 30 mins? The battery on my iPod Touch lasts at least 3-4 hours with Wi-Fi enabled and playing music. Besides, if you're streaming at home, surely you'd just plug it in if it was low.

Quite simple really. When you use the iPhone or iTouch with wi-fi, the wi-fi connection itself is only functioning for a small fraction of the time you're surfing. If you tried setting it up for a constant stream you'd find it drained the battery in no time at all, as I said above.

Streaming is not the same as having the connection live and available.

 

[Anonymous]

There must have been an edit in one of the threads somewhere because I read a post but didn't get a chance to respond before shooting off to work this morning, from Professor Hat asking me something about Apple products.

Perhaps it was censored, i hope not. Seemed perfectly reasonable. I can answer it in the main (if I remember it correctly!). I have a 4th gen 20Gb iPod U2 edition and a 1st gen iPhone. I happen to think the iPhone is the single most exceptional bit of software/hardware yet made. When the 3G S is released in about 10 days time I'll be upgrading. I've waited and waited for the 3G successor with a bit more capacity and speed and now it's here the time has come. In terms of other Apple kit, the only item I've ever used that was a pig was the Airport Express. It's the PC functionality that sucks. It's just not as easy to set up as every other Apple bit of kit I've used. That aside, when my 2003 Dell Latitude laptop dies (which it may finally this year) it's an Apple I'll be buying to replace it with. The only question is whether to get an iMac or a PowerBook. The Apple TV will definitely be on my shopping list, but like the iPhone 3G S, I can hold out for a re-vamp. So no, I don't have a downer on Apple at all, but it was a fair question, wherever it's gone! ;-)

 

[professorhat]

Not censored, I wrote it late last night and reading it again this morning was worried it might come across a bit aggressive - not as it was intended and glad you didn't think it was!

At any rate, I was positive streaming music would last longer than 30 mins so I've just set up an experiment to test it. Using Simplify Media, I'm streaming music from iTunes to my iPod Touch which is hooked into my Pure Evoke radio (okay it's streaming into the iPod rather than out, but the principle is the same). To be more fair, I also whacked the output volume of the iPod to max as well to ensure it's using maximum battery. When I started, my Touch just received its 20% battery warning level. Over 30 mins later, battery looks to be about 10% now so according to my calculations, you'll get about 5 hours of streaming out of a full battery.

So definitely a worthwhile feature in my opinion.

 

[Anonymous]

professorhat:
Not censored, I wrote it late last night and reading it again this morning was worried it might come across a bit aggressive - not as it was intended and glad you didn't think it was!

At any rate, I was positive streaming music would last longer than 30 mins so I've just set up an experiment to test it. Using Simplify Media, I'm streaming music from iTunes to my iPod Touch which is hooked into my Pure Evoke radio (okay it's streaming into the iPod rather than out, but the principle is the same). To be more fair, I also whacked the output volume of the iPod to max as well to ensure it's using maximum battery. When I started, my Touch just received it's 20% battery warning level. Over 30 mins later, battery looks to be about 10% now so according to my calculations, you'll get about 5 hours of streaming out of a full battery.

So definitely a worthwhile feature in my opinion.

Certainly be good for grabbing a few songs when you've got a minute. So enable away Apple. If it's technically possible, which it should be, then great, let's see it introduced.

No worries Prof. I got over being sensitive to posts, about 500 posts ago LOL. Always enjoy debating stuff with you and the others on here

 

[Anonymous]

I have a related question.

I'm using my PowerBook G4 and digital optical out into my DAC, then I use the iPhone Remote app to control what is playing.

What I can't understand is how the iPhone app can tell the PowerBook to alter the volume level of the outgoing optical signal.

My understanding of what is happening is that the Apple Lossless files are being converted to a PCM audio file and that is being sent as a s/pdif signal over the digital optical connection.

So is the level being changed at the file to PCM conversation stage or am I misunderstanding what is going on?

 

[John Duncan]

It throws away bits in order to do it, so don't...

 

[Anonymous]

JohnDuncan:It throws away bits in order to do it, so don't...

Yikes! Disable volume control via Apple Remote!

 

[Anonymous]

JohnDuncan:It throws away bits in order to do it, so don't...

interesting, it does seem as if the iPhone app is doing magic.

Do you have a reference for that? Curious as to how you know

 

[John Duncan]

zzgavin:
JohnDuncan:It throws away bits in order to do it, so don't...

interesting, it does seem as if the iPhone app is doing magic.

Do you have a reference for that? Curious as to how you know

The Benchmark wiki is helpful. All the iphone/ipod touch is doing is turning iTunes volume down (though it can be disabled for remote speakers), so it's at the iTunes/OS level that there are issues, rather than Remote specifically.

 

[professorhat]

professorhat:Over 30 mins later, battery looks to be about 10% now so according to my calculations, you'll get about 5 hours of streaming out of a full battery.

Well, let it run to its natural end, 20% of battery gets you just under 1.5 hours of streaming.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks, very helpful (as ever)

reading further it seems that this issue primarily affects iTunes 6.x from http://extra.benchmarkmedia.com/wiki/index.php/ITunes-QuickTime_for_Mac_-_Setup_Guide#Set_iTunes_volume_to_.22Full.22

Volume dithering is the right term, so I'll leave it at 100% and use the iTunes (iPhone Remote app) volume sparingly

"Set iTunes volume to "Full"

• Volume settings below "full" may cause severe distortion, especially on version 6 and earlier.
  • The volume controls in iTunes versions 7.X and 8.X will not cause significant distortion. The user should not hesitate to use the volume control in iTunes v7.x and 8.X"

 

[John Duncan]

Yeah I think on a scale of 1 to 10 of angst it's about on a 2 for me, I often use Remote's volume (though actually only works intermittently for me, dunno why)

 

[professorhat]

I always use it - controlling the volume on the speakers in the kitchen would be a pia otherwise since they're perked atop a cupboard near the ceiling...