iPad and shared music libraries (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

I have a question for all you iPad fanatics. I have a shared music library and whole house streaming using various airports. Will the iPad (I'm thinking a refurb 1st gen) let me access my shared library and play what I want where I want, just like I can with iTunes on the computer?

 

[Ted Todorov]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnRice

I have a question for all you iPad fanatics. I have a shared music library and whole house streaming using various airports. Will the iPad (I'm thinking a refurb 1st gen) let me access my shared library and play what I want where I want, just like I can with iTunes on the computer?

Yes, starting with iOS 4.3.1 -- over the same WiFi as your music library computer -- presumably you need the latest iTunes as well. If your iTunes machine is a PC rather than a Mac you might want to confirm via Google as I can't speak from experience.


On the iPad you have to set up Home Sharing (with Apple ID) in Settings:iPod:Home Sharing. The Library should then appear in your iPod app.

 

[JohnRice]

I'm entirely Mac based. When you say the library should show up in the iPad app, do you mean iTunes? Does it end up functioning basically the same as sharing the library to other computers on the network?

 

[JohnRice]

OK, I looked further into that method and I am hoping it can be as simple as it is sharing iTunes between computers on a network. As it is now, I can just tell the source computer's iTunes to share all playlists and they show up in iTunes on any other computer on the network. I was hoping the iPad could work the same way. Launch iTunes, select the shared library, tell it which systems to play to and go. Can it do that?

 

[Ted Todorov]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnRice

I'm entirely Mac based. When you say the library should show up in the iPad app, do you mean iTunes? Does it end up functioning basically the same as sharing the library to other computers on the network?

iPod app, on the iPad. (No such thing as an iPad app). Yes it will just show up once you've done the above noted config on your iPad.

 

[JohnRice]

I'm getting it. I thought the iPad had actual iTunes, but I take it uses an iPod app instead.What I also want to be certain is that it lets me select which airports the music plays to. I don't want it to actually play through the iPad.

 

[JohnRice]

The Apple "Remote" app seems to get me where I want to go.

 

[JohnRice]

Thanks for the help Ted. I think an iPod Touch with the remote app is more what I'm looking for.

 

[Kornrumpf]

Originally Posted by JohnRice

I'm getting it. I thought the iPad had actual iTunes, but I take it uses an iPod app instead.What I also want to be certain is that it lets me select which airports the music plays to. I don't want it to actually play through the iPad.

I can just tell the source computer's iTunes to share all playlists and they show up in iTunes on any other computer on the network. I was hoping the iPad could work the same way. Launch iTunes, select the shared library, tell it which systems to play to and go. Can it do that?

 

[DaveF]

It gets confusing, since they can do so much, playing music and movies so many ways. Here's what I think is the essential breakdown:

• The iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone are iPods. They store music and play music just like you expect an iPod to.
• They are also mobile computers that can run an iTunes remote-control app that controls your desktop iTunes, telling it what music to play from that computer's library. I don't know much about Airport system, but a quick installation of the "Remote" app should answer the question.
• They can also work as playback devices, sending music to a playback device on your home network. Using the AirPlay feature and a compatible device, like the AppleTV, you can send music or video from the iOS-device wirelessly to playback on the device.
• You can also dock an iDevice to e.g. an Onkyo receiver with iPod integration to play directly through it, controlled by the receiver.
• They are also LAN-streaming devices: the iPod app can be set to play content (to your headphones) from your computer's iTunes library (instead of the iDevice's own library).
• And it's rumored that an update this summer will provide some sort of "cloud" streaming service for music, and the iDevices will play your music from an Apple-online repository.
• And there are some third-party apps to fill in some gaps to help provide most any other variation of what's-playing-what-through-what configuration

(whew)

 

[JohnRice]

I can just tell the source computer's iTunes to share all playlists and they show up in iTunes on any other computer on the network.  I was hoping the iPad could work the same way.  Launch iTunes, select the shared library, tell it which systems to play to and go.  Can it do that?

The free Apple "Remote" app let's you do exactly that. It is easy to set up, the only difference s it actually operates the "master" iTunes by remote. It basically turns the iPad ito an elaborate remote control.

 

[JohnRice]

BTW, I was thinking about WHY it works this way. The iPad has iTunes, but it is just the store. You use the iPod app to play music, but it can't link to shared libraries like a computer on the network. The downside to that is the music is actually streamed through the remote computer, which might clog the network. The Remote app just runs the master iTunes by remote, so it doesn't take up much of the iPad's bandwidth, which is nice if you want to do other things on the iPad at the same time. "Remote" is also available for iPod Touch and iPhone. EDIT: After reading Dave's post again, I realize the iPod app CAN play shared libraries using home share, which I haven't set up. I suppose I will try it, but I like how Remote works, though it does have a downside or taking over the master iTunes.