Running Multiple Instances of iTunes?

[DaveGee]

Okay now that the (rumored) iPhone/Touch iTunes remote is almost here the last item we need to complete the ultimate 'multi-zone whole house audio experience' is to be able to run multiple instances of iTunes that in turn can be pointed to a different Airport Express / Speaker setup (zone).

I've search and found that to date nobody has been able to successfully run multiple instances of iTunes directly within the OS X environment but people with higher end Intel based systems have another option open to them...

Run multiple VIRTUAL Windows XP sessions with either Parallels or VMware that in turn would run its own iTunes. Yea kinda overkill but I think this is our only other option short of having X different Macs (running a single iTunes) for each unique zone you want to have.

So VMware (or Parallels) experts... is this doable?

How many concurrently running XP sessions can you get up and running on your Mac? Just 1? 2?? 3???

It would make for an interesting solution...

Dave

 

[beafer]

I know this is an old thread but did anyone accomplish this?

i wanted to know if multi windows environment would accomplish this (vmware basically).

thanks.

 

[GbV76]

I've done this by having multiple users logged in, each with their own instance of iTunes open. I have 2 Airport Expresses and 2 Apple TVs and an iPhone. Using the Remote app, I can stream a song from one library to one set of AE speakers, then switch libraries and stream another song to another set of speakers Kind of a poor mans multi-zone / whole home audio setup. I'm building in-ceiling speakers into my new house, and will get the wife an iPod Touch so we each have control. The iTunes instances will be running on a server in the basement, so the last piece of the puzzle is to be able to start multiple instances of iTunes automatically OR automatically log in two user accounts (if the server reboots after a power failure or whatever). As it stands right now I'll have to log in remotely to the server and log in the second account.....kinda clunky.
So, anyone have any luck getting 2 instances of iTunes going?
ORRRRR.....anyone know how to automatically login 2 user accounts after a reboot?