Affordable Music Server I Can Control with my iPad??? Please help!

[9OOYO]

I have Airport Express but I don't like the idea of running a computer to play music (as a music server). Mac Mini is a bit pricey to do this -

Have anybody found any cheaper alternative?

I have the funds to be able to utilize Apple TV (and already have the Airport Express). I also have my Macbook Pro (I don't want to run all of the time to play music) and my iPad.

Please advise!!!

 

[AdrianK]

Would a first gen ATV suffice? A lot cheaper than a Mac Mini. If 160GB is too small for you, you can always crack it open and install a massive HDD.

 

[Consultant]

You can also AirPlay from iPad.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/airplay/

 

[9OOYO]

Would a first gen ATV suffice? A lot cheaper than a Mac Mini. If 160GB is too small for you, you can always crack it open and install a massive HDD.

Hmmmm.....can you still get them? I honestly need less than 100 GB at this point. Also - at what point does the hardware not support what I'm trying to do?

Nervous about older gear.

 

[9OOYO]

Would a first gen ATV suffice? A lot cheaper than a Mac Mini. If 160GB is too small for you, you can always crack it open and install a massive HDD.

Would it help to get the Airport Extreme Base Station (can I access music from this to play on the Apple TV and via my iPad?

Currently using this router -
http://www.google.com/products/cata...1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=16330696765759563451#

Is the airport extreme a step uP?

 

[9OOYO]

Iphone

I guess I could just keep all of my music on an iPod touch and it would work.

 

[AdrianK]

Hmmmm.....can you still get them? I honestly need less than 100 GB at this point. Also - at what point does the hardware not support what I'm trying to do?

Nervous about older gear.

They're around on ebay and the like. They're only available in 40GB and 160GB, unless they've been modified.

As fas as storying music, playing it, and letting you control it with an iOS device the ATV will match your needs.

I guess I could just keep all of my music on an iPod touch and it would work.

Not a bad idea. Bear in mind that streaming audio to the ATV from the iPod will drain the battery pretty fast. Also you'd need the music sycned to your touch, simply syncing to ATV and/or streaming from mac to ATV is far more elegant imo.

 

[txhockey9404]

Other than running a computer (a nettop would suffice, if you are ok with using Windows), your only real option for a music server would be using your iPad or iPod to stream music, but as a previous poster said, your battery will be gone fast. If you have an old computer that can still run the latest version of iTunes, hook it up to an external hard drive and put your iTunes library on there to stream music, using the iOS Remote application to control it.