A colleague of mine has asked my advice on setting up his music at home.
Basically he wants to connect a computer running iTunes to his hi-fi in the living room, so he can then control it using the Remote app on his and his wife's iPhones.
He has a Windows laptop, but he doesn't want a computer sitting there with the screen open all the time.
All I could think to suggest was a Mac Mini running iTunes, but headless (i.e. no monitor/keyboard/mouse), and just connect to it using VNC software on his laptop if need be. However he doesn't want to spend £500+. I suggested a second hand, older Mac Mini, but then I'm not sure if pre-Lion Mac's will run the latest iTunes. I'm also not sure you can get VNC software for Windows that will allow you to remote control a Mac.
Are there any options I'm missing? I considered a NAS with iTunes server functionality but as I understand it the music then can't be controlled by his iPhone.
I guess it doesn't HAVE to be the official Apple Remote app - any iPhone app/setup capable of doing what he wants will be considered.
Thanks
Basically he wants to connect a computer running iTunes to his hi-fi in the living room, so he can then control it using the Remote app on his and his wife's iPhones.
He has a Windows laptop, but he doesn't want a computer sitting there with the screen open all the time.
All I could think to suggest was a Mac Mini running iTunes, but headless (i.e. no monitor/keyboard/mouse), and just connect to it using VNC software on his laptop if need be. However he doesn't want to spend £500+. I suggested a second hand, older Mac Mini, but then I'm not sure if pre-Lion Mac's will run the latest iTunes. I'm also not sure you can get VNC software for Windows that will allow you to remote control a Mac.
Are there any options I'm missing? I considered a NAS with iTunes server functionality but as I understand it the music then can't be controlled by his iPhone.
I guess it doesn't HAVE to be the official Apple Remote app - any iPhone app/setup capable of doing what he wants will be considered.
Thanks