IPad as remote

**Chipbyrd** · 04-24-2012, 10:32 PM

Here is my setup. I have a Mac Mini that will play into a Dacmagic plus. The dac will connect to my CA 840e. Here's my question: I don't want a monitor in my listening area. I want to use my iPad to control my Mac Mini, acting as a remote. Can I do that? How? I don't mind having to spend a few dollars for good and convenient software. Thanks.

**The Computer Audiophile** · 04-24-2012, 10:41 PM

Hi Chipbyrd - Do you want to control playback of the music and remote control of the entire Mac desktop or just music?

**wgscott** · 04-25-2012, 04:38 AM

Originally Posted by Chipbyrd

Here is my setup. I have a Mac Mini that will play into a Dacmagic plus. The dac will connect to my CA 840e. Here's my question: I don't want a monitor in my listening area. I want to use my iPad to control my Mac Mini, acting as a remote. Can I do that? How? I don't mind having to spend a few dollars for good and convenient software. Thanks.

I use three things:

1. Apple's iPad Remote.app (free). If you use iTunes or iTunes-controlling playback software (e.g. Audirvana+), this will work well.

2. Splashtop Remote, which is one of dozens (and my current favorite) VNC-type displays for the iPad. I think I got it for under $10.

3. Apple's Remote Desktop, built into OS X, on another mac computer (e.g. my macbook air laptop).

The first two are on an iPad and allow you to do everything. The third one can be more convenient if you are faster with a conventional keypad than an touch screen.

**Chipbyrd** · 04-25-2012, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by The Computer Audiophile

Hi Chipbyrd - Do you want to control playback of the music and remote control of the entire Mac desktop or just music?

I bought the Mac Mini to be used only for music. I am technologically challenged, so let me just state what I want to do. I want to power up my gear, including the Mac Mini, and set back in my listening chair and play the music on my Mac Mini from my iPad. so the iPad has to be connected to the Mac. How do I do that? BTW, I will use my preamp remote for volume.

**The Computer Audiophile** · 04-25-2012, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Chipbyrd

I bought the Mac Mini to be used only for music. I am technologically challenged, so let me just state what I want to do. I want to power up my gear, including the Mac Mini, and set back in my listening chair and play the music on my Mac Mini from my iPad. so the iPad has to be connected to the Mac. How do I do that? BTW, I will use my preamp remote for volume.

As Bill said above, use Apple's free Remote application that runs on the iPad.

Here is some info about the app. It is very easy to setup and use. -> http://www.apple.com/itunes/remote/

**ted_b** · 04-25-2012, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Chipbyrd

I bought the Mac Mini to be used only for music. I am technologically challenged, so let me just state what I want to do. I want to power up my gear, including the Mac Mini, and set back in my listening chair and play the music on my Mac Mini from my iPad. so the iPad has to be connected to the Mac. How do I do that? BTW, I will use my preamp remote for volume.

Chip,
You describe my exact Mac server setup. The Apple Remote app will be great for music, but you'll also need a VNC app (like Bill's Splashtop recommendation) to be the Mac Mini's desktop screen for things like maintenance, restarting the Mac, checking to see if music player (Pure Music, Audirvana Plus, etc) is set up right, etc. I use LogMeIn Ignition on the iPad (talking to Logmein free app on Mac Mini), but it's the only VNC I've used, so no real comparisons. If Bill says Splashtop Remote Desktop is good, I'd believe him. Net/net, you need a VNC remote desktop of some sort.

**Chipbyrd** · 04-25-2012, 08:25 PM

Bought splashtop for $4.99. Supposedly that's a great sale price. Everything is working great.

**Chipbyrd** · 04-30-2012, 02:31 AM

I am having massive problems. I took my mini Mac into my basement and splashtop doesn't want to work. Interestingly enough, I have some control over music, but the only sound is coming from a Mac mini. The sound isn't making its way through the ub cable to th dac. What bonehead thing might I be doing.

**Akapod** · 04-30-2012, 08:08 AM

If the sound is coming out of the Mini, that means that the selected output is the internal speakers. Go to Audio Midi Setup (it lives in Applications > Utilities, but I'd recommend making an alias of it and putting it in your dock), select Audio Devices and choose your DAC as the output. It should look something like this.

In my case, the output is set to Channel D Pad, which is a virtual device used by Pure Music to play certain kinds of audio. (In reality, the sounds goes through the Ayre QB-9.) The input is set to the Mini, and system alerts are also set to the Mini.

As for Splashtop -- are both the Mini and the iPad on the same network? Did one of them lose the connection?

**Chipbyrd** · 04-30-2012, 09:52 AM

When I am in my office, I can use splashtop and connect between my iPad and Mac mini (which is where my wireless is). In my basement I can't. Do you think a router booster would make a difference?

**Akapod** · 04-30-2012, 10:07 AM

If so, then when you go into the basement, you may be losing your wireless network connection, but still have enough strength with your telephone data connection for you to still access the internet and the like.

When you are in the basement, does the wifi indicator (top left of menu bar) show that you are connected? To double-check, you can also go to Settings and see which network (if any) is listed under Wi-Fi.

If you have no wifi connection (or a very poor one), you should be able to solve your problem by extending your network. An Airport Express can do this -- check the instructions for extending a network -- easily. And it's also thoroughly possible to do this with a non-Apple router, but it will probably be a bit more cumbersome (though cheaper).

**wgscott** · 04-30-2012, 10:11 AM

I don't know if it would have a neg impact on your sound quality, but you can use your mac mini as a wireless share-point if you have it connected via some other means (like ethernet cable).

**Chipbyrd** · 05-01-2012, 11:18 AM

I think I previously mentioned that I am a novice. After some anxiety and pulling out a few hairs, I got everything working. This is awesome and I really appreciate all the help I received on this site.

**Mickyboy** · 09-06-2012, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by Akapod

If the sound is coming out of the Mini, that means that the selected output is the internal speakers. Go to Audio Midi Setup (it lives in Applications > Utilities, but I'd recommend making an alias of it and putting it in your dock), select Audio Devices and choose your DAC as the output. It should look something like this.

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In my case, the output is set to Channel D Pad, which is a virtual device used by Pure Music to play certain kinds of audio. (In reality, the sounds goes through the Ayre QB-9.) The input is set to the Mini, and system alerts are also set to the Mini.

As for Splashtop -- are both the Mini and the iPad on the same network? Did one of them lose the connection?

New to the setup ( 1 day actually ) - but am having weird issues with the above. When running Splashtop I can set the output to USB and all works well - but as soon as I close Splashtop the sounds reverts straight back to the internal speakers - so when running the remote app I can't seem to get sound to go through the USB. Anyone have an idea what might be causing this ?

**eternaloptimist** · 09-15-2012, 09:42 PM

I have a headless MacMini 2011...
I have tried numerous screen sharing options - aiming for a solution which allows screen sharing on iOS devices, Windows 7 etc.
Tried Splashop, OK but not perfect.
After much frustration: RealVNC. Absolutely fantastic. 100X better than the VNC included with MacOSX (which is buggy ++).
I suggest: Install RealVNC server on the MacMini, configure for no encryption (it is your LAN...) then use "Remoter VNC" on iPad / iPhone - fantastic iOS VNC client (and I have tried numerous...). Can also download (in app) RDC client if required.
Yes, you have to pay a little for both apps - but is definitely worth it.
If you need another desktop to control the MacMini, there is a RealVNC client for Win7 and Mac (I use the Win 7 client often).
The best thing is the lightning reconnection when waking up a client. Bombproof!
I also use Apple Remote to control iTunes / Audirvana Plus. But do need screen sharing to control MOG, which is now in Australia!!

**ted_b** · 09-15-2012, 10:11 PM

E-optimist,
Have you ever tried LogMeIn? I use that but have no comparisons to RealVNC or others. Was wondering if you tried it, how it stacks. It seems to time out fairly quickly, but other than that not bad. I'm still confused on their product offerings. They had an iPad product called LogMeIn Igntiion and it was like $20 (I bought it). Now they have LogMeIn for IOS and it's free!? But they still have Ignition and it's $129 on the iPad!!?? Huh?

**eternaloptimist** · 09-16-2012, 04:17 AM

Hi ted_b,
I did try Logmein earlier in the year. Worked OK but the screen refresh was quite "laggy" from what I recall. Also, multiple mouse clicks to connect. With RealVNC it is a minimum of clicks: using Remoter 2 clicks (open app, select session.. Done). On Win 7 machine 1 click (click on RealVNC client with saved credentials and... Done). Both recover from sudden disconnects really well.

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