Help rigging I-Pad as home media controller?

errlloyd

Hey guys

The family is getting my dad an I-Pad for Christmas, he's not the most tech savy, so we decided that the user interface / large screen / general usability of an I-Pad would be best. What we would ideally like to do is have the I-Pad controlling his music, so he can sit back and browse on the pad, play it and have it coming over the stereo. It would be preferable if there were no periferals hanging off it.

So relatively simply, what is the best way to get the I-Pad to communicate with home media?

As extras, it would be cool if it could also control the TV? And maybe be usable in different rooms with different stereos.

Thanks

Jakmeehan

Apple's "Remote" app is best for the music part. It is basically a remote control for iTunes

errlloyd

It would require having a computer of some sort plugged into the stereo right? (Something which isn't impossible...)

Jakmeehan

errlloyd wrote: »

It would require having a computer of some sort plugged into the stereo right? (Something which isn't impossible...)

That's right. And as it's made by Apple, it works straight off the bat! Just connect the PC to your stereo system, follow instructions in Remote app, and away you go

Victor_M

Correct, it's a very good remote control of a pc running iTunes, there are other solutions like sonos and crestron but these all depend on large financial outlays into the very good/ very expensive hardware.

A pc/ laptop with his music loaded onto it and wireless network and an amp and speakers are the ideal scenario for you dad.

Apple tv also might be worth considering, you can push music from the iPad to a sound system via apple tv and use it to rent movies too!

jumbone

Can you play music/video off an ipad via airplay?

I dont mean use the ipad as a remote for a laptop like Victor said, but rather an iPad streaming media from its own storage

Victor_M

With apple Tv and an iPad on the latest rev of software you can play content from the iPad/iPhone wirelessly.

aidan_walsh

If you have the Airport Express, it should be able to stream to those too. Airplay is based on a technology that started in the Airport Express/iTunes called AirTunes.