New House Dream Set-up?

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Hi

I've just bought my first house and want to finally get my dream set-up so that I can play music from my iTunes library in bedroom/lounge/kitchen, plus stream movies to tv in living room/bedroom and print to the spare room.

Thoughts so far are:

Lounge -Get a Mac mini and attach it to tv.
I'd then download OS X Lion Server so it can act as a central hub for the house (also access files when I'm away possibly?)
Possibly also have it connected to HiFi that'll be hooked up to the TV.

Kitchen - get 1st Airport express hooked up to a portable DAB radio with aux in.

Bedroom - Apple TV hooked up to the Tv
Will also have a micro HiFi up there so not sure whether I can connect that to the ATV2 as well as presumably I'd have to have the TV and ATV2 on to listen to music whilst I'd rather stream in straight to HiFi from mac mini downstairs. Maye I should get a 2nd Airport express?

Spare room - 2nd/3rd Airport express connected to printer.

Hoping I could use my iPhone4 as a remote for music in the different rooms by linking to Mac Mini iTunes library. Is this possible if I have OS X Lion Server?

Main thought for getting the server is that it's on all the time and I don't have to go and boot it up.

Don't know if all this is overkill or anyone else has a suggestion for hooking it all up? Am sure there are better ways I've just not thought of!!

Ideas and hints and tips welcome!

(also have an old MacBook I'd link into all of it)

 

[FrankHahn]

Using a Mac Mini as a server may be overkilling for what you do. You can also use the iCloud concept. You may use a Time Capsule (which can act as the main router) to hold your iTunes library, connect an AppleTV2 to each TV set, and use AirPort Express Stations (which can extend your wireless network) for music and printing.

 

[i0Nic]

Using a Mac Mini as a server may be overkilling for what you do. You can also use the iCloud concept. You may use a Time Capsule (which can act as the main router) to hold your iTunes library, connect an AppleTV2 to each TV set, and use AirPort Express Stations (which can extend your wireless network) for music and printing.

I didn't realise you could do this.
So you can store your iTunes library on the time capsule, and then the music can easily be streamed to different airplay enabled devices? I'd like to see some tutorials on setting this up.

Also, could you do this with an Airport extreme with an external hard drive connected to it?

 

[jljue]

I thought that you had to have a computer with iTunes running to make this happen? I'm sure that iOS5, Lion, and iCloud change this a bit, but if a person were to do this today, I think that he or she would need a computer running iTunes to be an iTunes "server" to feed all of the devices. I don't think that Lion Server is required for file sharing, but Server might be necessary for external access (outside the home). Besides, it probably won't be a bad idea to have a computer like the Mac Mini to be a file and backup server for your other computers, to increase utilization for when the Mini is just sitting there idle. As money allows, I've been expanding on his theory some, since I'm using an old MacBook Pro as my server, a newer MacBook pro which backs up to it, an ATV2 to play media on my main TV and back patio, an Airport Extreme Base Station to connect it all, and an iPad 2 and iPhone 4 to run it all.

 

[Moccasin]

On a similar vein, can a NAS backup system be linked directly to an Airport Express and then to an AV receiver?

Is there a likelihood that the ATV will be upgraded to serve greater Airplay functionality from an iTunes server set up on a ReadyNAS? If so, does this mean that ATV becomes a more capable streaming device?

 

[bpaluzzi]

Using a Mac Mini as a server may be overkilling for what you do. You can also use the iCloud concept. You may use a Time Capsule (which can act as the main router) to hold your iTunes library, connect an AppleTV2 to each TV set, and use AirPort Express Stations (which can extend your wireless network) for music and printing.

You can't do this. You need to have a computer running iTunes that the Apple TV / Airport Express can stream the media from.

 

[sumone]

This is not entirely related to the subject at hand but just a question I have.

Is there anything particular special that a time capsule and Airport Extreme have that I couldn't get from another NAS/Wireless Router manufacturer? I have seen other similar products for less and I'm wondering why one should pay more for these.

 

[Moccasin]

Is there anything particular special that a time capsule and Airport Extreme have that I couldn't get from another NAS/Wireless Router manufacturer? I have seen other similar products for less and I'm wondering why one should pay more for these.

I have a ReadyNAS which, while cheaper than a Time Caspsule, takes a fair bit of setting up for running iTunes. Even then it won't run Airplay without a lot of knowledge of UNIX and Perl (as far as I can tell). The NAS (currently) won't work with Time Machine on Lion so I'm waiting for new firmware before upgrading from SL.

I guess again, Apple are providing the low maintenance and easy setup option but at higher cost. If I could afford to replace my current setup, I would as I just don't want the hassle of this setup, especially when it doesn't do everything I want.