iTunes automatically play

[mpress03]

I wasn't sure where to post this so I apologize if it in the wrong area.

What I would like to do is have iTunes start playing music about 5 minutes before I get home from work, this way when I walk through the door the music is already on. My iMac sleeps while I am work but I would like it to wake up and start playing music.

My iMac sits by my front door and the ideal situation would be that when it sees me walk in it starts playing. I don't know if this possible, for iTunes to start playing when it sees movement.

Any help with this type of setup would be appreciated, even it means looking into more hardware/software to do this. Thanks everyone.

 

[w0lf]

What I would like to do is have iTunes start playing music about 5 minutes before I get home from work, this way when I walk through the door the music is already on. My iMac sleeps while I am work but I would like it to wake up and start playing music.

Assuming you come home at a regular time you could do this really easily using Calendar and Automator.

1) Make a new Application in automator
2) Add these two actions
- Launch Application : iTunes
-- Start iTunes Playing
3) Save it somewhere
4) Open Calendar
5) Create a new event
6) Set the time to when you usually get home from work
7) Set the alert to
- custom
-- open file
--- select the app you just made in automator
---- 5 minutes before
----- hit okay
8) Set custom repeat for every week day repeated for all weeks

Now calendar will open itunes and start playing music at a specific time every day that you want it to.

My iMac sits by my front door and the ideal situation would be that when it sees me walk in it starts playing. I don't know if this possible, for iTunes to start playing when it sees movement.

Not really sure how to do this or what the point of it is. Surely you could buy some sort of motion sensor but the payoff and difficulty of setup probably isn't worth it.

Edit: Attached an image of what the event should look like in Calendar and also a zip of the app + workflow from automator...

 

[mpress03]

Thanks, that helps. I had a automator workflow setup but didn't think to put it in calendar. The point is that when I get home I don't want to have to mess with my computer to listen to music, I was kinda hoping the build in motion sensor could be used.

I will start looking online for a motion sensor that could work for this.

 

[w0lf]

The point is that when I get home I don't want to have to mess with my computer to listen to music.

Yeah I think the iCal method should do this, you could also make a script run using cron or launchd. There's also a really nice program Lingon for automating scripts.

I was kinda hoping the build in motion sensor could be used.

I didn't exactly say the built in sensor wouldn't work, it's just that I have no idea how you'd get it to work how you want it to. I know there are commercial apps for like using the iSight camera to record stuff remotely but I'm not sure how they work or if there is a way to tap into this to accomplish what you want.

 

[mpress03]

I tried the iCal method and it works as long as the computer is awake. iCal won't wake up the computer the start the music. Is there a way to have the Mac wake to start playing?

 

[Bruno09]

See System Preferences / Energy saver / Schedule.

 

[mpress03]

Oh geez. I really didn't ask that question.

 

[Bruno09]

You want the computer to wake up before iCal launchs iTunes, don't you ?

 

[mpress03]

I do but I can't believe I actually asked that. I already knew the answer.