[shortcuttomoncton]

Folks,

Currently my 2012 Mac mini entertainment is the heart of my entertainment system.  It is the server/client for a program called Plex which nicely organizes all my movies and TV shows; and all my music is organized with iTunes.  A small Apple remote controls Plex, while music is played with the Remote app on a dedicated iPad mini (or whatever Remote-enabled device is nearby).

I find the use of hi-res music in iTunes to be incredibly frustrating.  For one, I cannot find a way to search for iTunes songs that are hi-res.  (There's no Smart playlist for Sample Bit Rate, that I can see....you can sort of do it by searching for very high Sample Rates, but not very well.)  Short of re-naming hi-res albums as "24/192" or the like, there's no easy way to see which of my Coltrane albums are hi-res, short of checking them individually.  This is doubly so for Remote, where there is no File Info provided - zero method of being able to play hi-res files short of using memory.

I have looked into getting Audirvana but to my knowledge the remote-app control is simply Remote.  I have also seen JRiver for Mac recommended but it is beta software and I really am not interested in being a tester. 

One of the other options I have seen is to simply use a hi-res music streamer such as the Cambridge Audio Stream 6 or Naim 172 XS; they have their own dedicated remote play software.  Not a bad idea, but of course it is an expensive add-on, most of them that I have seen do not handle DSD, and it would also mean I have to upgrade my DAC - as I would need inputs from both the computer (for video) and streamer (for audio), and (I guess?) some sort of on-the-fly switching between both. 

Any thoughts?  What remote control apps are other people using?

Many thanks.

[srb]

For one, I cannot find a way to search for iTunes songs that are hi-res.  (There's no Smart playlist for Sample Bit Rate, that I can see....you can sort of do it by searching for very high Sample Rates, but not very well.)

It works well for me.  You can make Smart Playlists for exact sample rates ("is"), greater than sample rates ("is greater than") or a range of sample rates ("is in the range").  For example, I have Smart Playlists for

88.2KHz & 96KHz
"Sample Rate"  -  "is in the range"  -  "88200" to "96000"

176.4KHz & 192KHz
"Sample Rate"  -  "is in the range"  -  "176400" to "192000"

or

"Sample Rate"  -  "is greater than"  -  "96000"


The bit depth is unimportant, as who has 16-bit/96KHz or 16-bit/192KHz files?

Steve

[shortcuttomoncton]

The bit depth is unimportant, as who has 16-bit/96KHz or 16-bit/192KHz files?

Steve

You have just led me to discover that I am the only one.   

I dismissed that method because when I tried it still brought up files that I knew were not hi-res.  After your comments I re-examined and realized that these files are 16-bit audio files but all have high sample rates.  They are also all ALAC conversions that were done many many years ago - I suspect the files or perhaps the originals somehow got corrupted along the way, or perhaps whatever converter I used back then was not configured properly.

Anyways, many thanks for making me double-check!  Once I'd figure this out yesterday I started to delete and will work out the best way to re-import with proper settings.

Back to OP - for Remote, I understand that it's simply a front end - any editing in iTunes has to be done on the computer itself.  Is that correct?  It's another point of contention if I have people over etc. - I don't think I can make on-the-fly playlists from Remote, so I need to go through the annoying process of actually doing it on the computer.

[srb]

After your comments I re-examined and realized that these files are 16-bit audio files but all have high sample rates.  They are also all ALAC conversions that were done many many years ago - I suspect the files or perhaps the originals somehow got corrupted along the way, or perhaps whatever converter I used back then was not configured properly.

Although iTunes can import 24-bit files, any conversion within iTunes ("Create xxx Version") will unfortunately result in a conversion down to 16-bit.  To maintain 24-bit depth, the conversion will need to be done with a third-party program outside of iTunes.

Back to OP - for Remote, I understand that it's simply a front end - any editing in iTunes has to be done on the computer itself.  Is that correct?  It's another point of contention if I have people over etc. - I don't think I can make on-the-fly playlists from Remote, so I need to go through the annoying process of actually doing it on the computer.

All you can do through the Remote app is add songs or albums to Up Next.  If you want to create or manage Playlists you can use Screen Sharing with a Mac laptop or a VNC app such as Mocha VNC or Mocha VNC Lite (there are many others) with an iPad to control the Mac desktop as if you were at the computer.

Steve

[shortcuttomoncton]

Yeah, I have used XLD for years but it's probably likely that I first started using iTunes itself or some other program.  Glad I got that issue figured out, anyway.

I do access via iPad via a VNC program called iTeleport, but it does have a bit of lag and it is annoying to control a computer interface by hand.  That's why I was wondering if something like JRiver might offer a bit more in the way of customization from a mobile-remote standpoint.

Thanks!

[shortcuttomoncton]

You know, I downloaded JRiver for Mac last night and tried it out....ugh.

What really turned me off was that I was most intrigued with their "10-foot" interface (Theatre View) and ability to play all movies and music from a similar simplified interface - a similar idea to Plex (which does not have good hi-res audio output) and easily controlled with a single remote.  Played around with it for a while, before finding out from a random post of their forums that the Mac version does not support that feature.  Of course, nowhere is that mentioned on the website or their "Theatre Room" product page.  Incredibly annoying.   

Having said that, hi-res music sounded fantastic through JRiver.  I very much doubt I will be keeping it, though....feels very much like unfinished software, and the interface provides lots of information but is an ugly mess, and not easy to navigate.  And it crashed on me after about 1 hour of use.

On with the search!

[lokie]

Thanks for your findings. Although I have nothing to ad, I am very interested in your findings and hope you keep posting your journey.

In another month or so and after I invest in "the system" I will be right along with you in trying to developing whole house playback strategies for both audio and video. I just bought a 4TB HD and another Mac Mini and plan to separate video and audio.

When using Itunes like we do (big in house libraries with a multitude of sample rates) it requires work arounds as it is obvious that Apple is optimizing Itunes to be cloud based. So, a thread like this is invaluable. Please continue to share "secrets and tricks"...  I really appreciate the brain pool here.

I use my Iphone to redisover music I already have. the problem is that you can't tag songs or put in playlist "on the fly".  You have to do it front of the computer. In another post I was looking for tricks on how to use the rating system (which uses the stars) to "mark" the songs so I could put them in the playlist when in front of Itunes/computer. Still working on it.

BTW... I have found the best deal in Audio (and Video) right now are used, late 2009 Mac Mini's (2.5ghz). I just bought one for $200. Plunk  8 gigs of ram and a SSD in them and you really have a nice computer. As I find them on Craigslist, I  will be parking one next to every TV in the house. I have already discontinued cable TV at $125/ month so the savings are going towards HULU, Aereo, Netflix and retooling the hardware.

[shortcuttomoncton]

Yes, that is exactly the sort of problem I am having: as a general rule, we are all moving away from a "sit-down computer" in the house: unless one has to do actual work, general consumption can be handled on phone/tablet devices.  But iTunes still requires you to sit down in front a computer anyway. 

Used Mac minis are a good idea, but I guess it depends on what you want to do with them - the problem will, again, be making it simple to access them.  Are you going to have some sort of keyboard and mouse by each TV as well?  That's very inconvenient to use - computer operating systems are not designed to be operated from a distance. 

For streaming movies and musics (non-hi-res), I would suggest that a Roku 3 with Plex attached to each TV would get you a cheaper solution that is also much simpler and easier to control with a point-and-click interface, which is what you normally want in the TV format.

[lokie]

the problem will, again, be making it simple to access them.  Are you going to have some sort of keyboard and mouse by each TV as well?  That's very inconvenient to use - computer operating systems are not designed to be operated from a distance. 

Well... I know that but I was hoping to find some sort of remotes that would suffice for some very basic toggling. I have children and they seem to use computers for a lot of uses that go beyond me and you.

For streaming movies and musics (non-hi-res), I would suggest that a Roku 3 with Plex attached to each TV would get you a cheaper solution that is also much simpler and easier to control with a point-and-click interface, which is what you normally want in the TV format.

I have never tried one of these but you may be right. Cutting the dish/cable TV cord is also new to me and I'm in the process of figuring it all out. I should probably find a used cheapo and and compare.

[planet10]

I used to use Remote, but it is very limiting. I now control my MacMini using Screen Share to my 17" PowerBook. Much better

dave

[raysracing]

I used to use Remote, but it is very limiting. I now control my MacMini using Screen Share to my 17" PowerBook. Much better

dave

When I buy a used Mac mini I will try this, good idea.

Thanks,
Ray

[lokie]

I now control my MacMini using Screen Share to my 17" PowerBook. Much better

I've tried using screen sharing with ipads and it was less than optimal. Are PowerBooks better or maybe the faster Ipads air? 

What about the I5 window tablets that are dropping in price? Anybody try operating screen sharing a mac with one of these? I would prefer one of these anyway due to the 3.0usb ports.

[shortcuttomoncton]

Screen sharing from a touch interface to a computer OS just is not great.  They use different approaches to graphical user interface; a mouse is a much different input interface.  If you're not in a sitting position with a keyboard/trackpad/mouse combo, then they are tough to use.  I've done so for about 1 year now and there are ways to do it - I've got Airkeyboard, iTeleport VNC, a Rii remote, Logitech K400 and Apple Remote - but they are all awkward to some degree.

It all depends on what you want to do.  If music/movies are it, I would highly recommend the Roku, with the caveat that I believe it only does 16/44.

[lokie]

I would highly recommend the Roku

With your experience, I assume you like the Roku over all others?

I've been looking at Rapberry Pi mods like this on ebay:

Raspberry PI XBMC

[shortcuttomoncton]

Depends on your ecosystem; if you use lots of DRM movie content purchased from the Apple Store for example, then the Apple TV would be a better choice.  If you have lots of your own ripped movies (as I do), then the Roku is better.

I have heard there are lots of DIY options like the Raspberry Pi, and I imagine they can work very well at probably a cheaper cost, but you will very likely have to build, maintain and troubleshoot yourself, with a good bit of time invested.  I do not have time to tinker with hardware - I just want it to work like it should.  Others enjoy the process, but my free time is in short supply. 

[lokie]

If you have lots of your own ripped movies (as I do), then the Roku is better.

Sorry for being such neophyte but where are you ripped movies parked? Not on the Roku I presume.

[shortcuttomoncton]

Roku or AppleTV or other "box" devices do not have internal storage (you can use an SD card with Roku I believe but I have not done so). 

These devices are primarily used for remote access to files stored on a separate server (usually a computer).  The Mac Mini is very popular in this regard because it can be left on all the time, as it is very tiny and consumes very little energy, so you always have instant access to your media.

You would typically use some sort of sorting program/interface on the computer for your media, and then the device connects to that program and "streams" from it (either wirelessly or, preferably, with a wired ethernet connection, which is faster).  Apple uses iTunes, to which the AppleTV connects; with a Roku you might use a third-party program called Plex, which in my opinion is pretty awesome and should be installed on your Mini if you have your own non-DRM media.

If you will not be using an ATV/Roku and want to use the Mac Mini instead, you should definitely get Plex (or XBMC, which is another similar option).  It organizes your media using a visual point-and-click "10-foot interface" which is ideal from, well, 10 feet away - i.e. your couch.