Macbook manipulating Mac Mini

ZLS · « **on:** 25 Nov 2010, 01:32 pm »

I read any reread the threads, and if there was any sort of consensus it escaped me.
This is what I am seeking to do:

I just want to use my macbook as a remote screen, a mouse, and a keyboard to control the Mac Mini (which is going to be used only as a music server.

I have my big screen Plasma that i can use as a monitor if necessary, as i can also purchase a small monitor to to see my itunes playlists and music library.
I sense that the I Touch is what is geared to provide this function, but i don't want to buy one because of the expense.

I Thank You

JohnR · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 01:34 pm »

FWIW I'd either get an ipod touch, or add a screen/keyboard/mouse to the mini.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 03:45 pm »

I use my macboook in the way you want to. Just enable screen sharing and voila. Works like a charm.

low.pfile · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 04:05 pm »

Screen Sharing (SS) application allow you to control your Mac Mini with a macbook. SS is included in the standard install of Mac OS X (10.6.x and 10.5.x).

To turn on SS go to the Menu bar /Apple icon > System Preferences… > Screen Sharing

I occasionally use Screen Sharing with a macbook pro and iMac under 10.6.4. The operation is the same for a Mac Mini. It works very well, better than the NetTunes I used to use on earlier OS X versions. Since you already have the macbook it's no cost remote!

I am still trying to figure our if there is a way to have the macbook running SS turn ON the music server computer that has gone to sleep. Sure, manually waking it is not a problem for me. I think many would want to do this since their mac mini doesn't have a keyboard or mouse.

genjamon · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 04:17 pm »

I prefer using my netbook with screen sharing as a remote instead of my Android phone with itunes remote function. With screen sharing and a full keyboard/trackpad, I have full function access to not just Itunes, but also all the other functions of the Mac Mini. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about the Itouch if you don't already have one. Just my 2 cents...

Ben

skunark · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 Nov 2010, 09:08 pm »

Quote from: low.pfile on 25 Nov 2010, 04:05 pm

I am still trying to figure our if there is a way to have the macbook running SS turn ON the music server computer that has gone to sleep. Sure, manually waking it is not a problem for me. I think many would want to do this since their mac mini doesn't have a keyboard or mouse.

You can try going to the 'energy saver' and select the 'Wake for network access' option.. Most of the new Macs have this option. Keep in mind that a mac mini uses very little power ~10 watts idle, which is much less than a light bulb, i've always kept mine on, but I will yell at anyone that leaves the lights on

.....

ZLS · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Nov 2010, 11:44 am »

Thanks for your answers Gentlemen.
A follow question; in previous threads it was stated that it was not a good idea to manage your iTunes library through another computer.
What exactly does that mean? Can I create and edit playlists through my remote viewing Macbook for my Mac Mini?
Or do I have to do these processes on the Mac Mini directly?
Thank You

Crimson · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Nov 2010, 12:04 pm »

Library management via a VNC client, or screen sharing, is just fine. Folks need to be very careful when accessing a library through a share or NAS from multiple machines.

ZLS · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Nov 2010, 12:52 pm »

Thanks Joe.

nickd · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Dec 2010, 11:28 pm »

Wish I would have read this thread two weeks ago.

i bought the $500. Ipad to control a Mach2Mini server and it does not work well for that. You can screen share but the apps I have found to do it are full of bugs. and you still need a remote mouse and keyboard (about $175.00 for both). Thge small Air laptop is $999. at Best Buy and I'm sure works better for remote control with monitoring.

I'm gonna have to kiss up to Santa now

mr_bill · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 12:41 am »

Don't you just need to use itap vnc for the iPad instead of screen sharing?

kyyuan · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 04:00 pm »

low.pfile,

How do you turn on SS on a new Mac Mini without a keyboard and monitor? Thanks.

Quote from: low.pfile on 25 Nov 2010, 04:05 pm

Screen Sharing (SS) application allow you to control your Mac Mini with a macbook. SS is included in the standard install of Mac OS X (10.6.x and 10.5.x).

To turn on SS go to the Menu bar /Apple icon > System Preferences… > Screen Sharing

I occasionally use Screen Sharing with a macbook pro and iMac under 10.6.4. The operation is the same for a Mac Mini. It works very well, better than the NetTunes I used to use on earlier OS X versions. Since you already have the macbook it's no cost remote!

I am still trying to figure our if there is a way to have the macbook running SS turn ON the music server computer that has gone to sleep. Sure, manually waking it is not a problem for me. I think many would want to do this since their mac mini doesn't have a keyboard or mouse.

genjamon · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 04:37 pm »

I think the question was also about how to get to the menu to turn on the SS settings in the first place without mouse/keyboard. My answer is that I simply had to connect the Mac Mini to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse when it first arrived to set some basic settings. After that setup and SS was working, I unplugged the monitor, keyboard, and mouse and moved the Mac Mini to my audio rack where it now runs headless using SS.

Ben

dburna · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 05:01 pm »

Quote from: genjamon on 2 Dec 2010, 04:37 pm

I think the question was also about how to get to the menu to turn on the SS settings in the first place without mouse/keyboard. My answer is that I simply had to connect the Mac Mini to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse when it first arrived to set some basic settings. After that setup and SS was working, I unplugged the monitor, keyboard, and mouse and moved the Mac Mini to my audio rack where it now runs headless using SS.

Ben

Yes, and I found that my local library was a terrific source of these "spare parts" to assist in the initial configuration.

I don't know your location or situation, but my local library has lots of Internet-accessible computers for public use. I was able to use the keyboard, mouse, and monitor from one of these to set up the Mac Mini, then I took it home to use as a headless computer via Screen Sharing. It has worked flawlessly since.

Here's the bare minimum you need to configure in order to do this:

1. Add your home network configuration to the Mac Mini. This includes any passwords and such for the network.
2. Make sure that the home network is prioritized to be the first one the Mini tries to access. This may not be fully necessary, but I didn't want to take any chances and have to schlep the box back/forth from the library multiple times. In practice, since the Mini is not likely to wander from location-to-location, this is probably a good idea anyway.
3. Enable screen sharing for the Mini in the System Preferences.
4. Set up a recognizable user account/password for the Mini. This should enable you to login to the machine remotely should anything else go wrong with screen sharing.

Just about anything else you need to do can be performed remotely (via screen sharing) once this happens. BTW, learn from my mistakes: the first time I configured the network, I didn't list my home network as the "top priority" one. On power up, it first hooked up to my neighbor's network, so I couldn't access the machine. That meant -- you guessed it -- a second trip back to the library to correct this oversight.

Hope this helps. Once you get it configured properly, the thing will run like a top....

Best, -dB

kyyuan · « **Reply #14 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 05:18 pm »

Thanks. That was it.

Quote from: genjamon on 2 Dec 2010, 04:37 pm

I think the question was also about how to get to the menu to turn on the SS settings in the first place without mouse/keyboard. My answer is that I simply had to connect the Mac Mini to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse when it first arrived to set some basic settings. After that setup and SS was working, I unplugged the monitor, keyboard, and mouse and moved the Mac Mini to my audio rack where it now runs headless using SS.

Ben

kyyuan · « **Reply #15 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 05:18 pm »

dburna... good information. Thank you.

kenreau · « **Reply #16 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 06:42 pm »

Timely thread. I was headed in this same direction and have an iPad on my Christmas wish list. I have a dedicated macmini music server that I wish to run headless. I have used my iTouch a few times to control it, but find the touch screen display and keyboard too small and frustrating to use. As discussed here, it appears a macbook may be the best practical solution as my gui to control the mac mini & iTunes.

Can someone make a couple of recommendations for potential good macbook make/models that would be suitable for this intended use? I do not need a new model, but was thinking a previous generation 2~3 years old I can just pick up off Craigslist, or similar. It will just be used for iTunes control and general web surfing (exactly what I had envisioned the iPad for).

Thanks
Kenreau

Quote from: nickd on 1 Dec 2010, 11:28 pm

Wish I would have read this thread two weeks ago. i bought the $500. Ipad to control a Mach2Mini server and it does not work well for that. You can screen share but the apps I have found to do it are full of bugs. and you still need a remote mouse and keyboard (about $175.00 for both). Thge small Air laptop is $999. at Best Buy and I'm sure works better for remote control with monitoring.

I'm gonna have to kiss up to Santa now

dburna · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 07:15 pm »

Virtually any old MacBook will do the trick for this use. It's not a memory- or processor-intensive application to screen share. It would be good to have OS 10.5 or better. 10.6 (Snow Leopard) is pretty nice.

My take on the iPad (I had the chance to play around with it the other night for an extended period): it really IS pretty slick. It can be great for light use and to run a gamut of versatile applications as long as they are not memory- or processor-intensive. And, of course, it's super portable (its main calling card). But it is NOT a full substitute for a MacBook, even the basic ones. That said, I bet the iPad Gen 2 will really kick some ass and get people to rethink their portable computing options.

Sooooo, if all you really need is a remote for your stereo and web surfing, then the iPad is a good option, though an iPod Touch would be even cheaper and may work just as well....if you can live with the smaller screen size. But if you'd like the remote functionality + Web surfing + the ability to take the computer on-the-road and get a bit of work done, then a MacBook would be the better alternative...especially if you can find a killer deal on an older model, preferably one with more than the base level of memory to make up for any processor speed issues between it and one of the newest models. Ignoring the slickness of the iPad for a minute (hard to do, admittedly), these seem like the most relevant decision points for folks. Where you fit on the continuum is up to you.

Best, -dB

vintagebob · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 07:28 pm »

I'm using this VNC on my iPad to control my 2010 Mac Mini and it does what I need which is usually giving the Pure Music application a kick. Someone else on AC recommended it.

http://antecea.com/products/desktop-connect.html

kenreau · « **Reply #19 on:** 2 Dec 2010, 07:45 pm »

Thanks guys, both great posts.

So, with using an iPad to control iTunes, is it a p.i.t.a. to type and search for music?

I've got ~2,000 CDs in my iTune library and frequently end up typing in the find/search window. I could, no doubt, get better at making playlists and sorting as that is a to-do list, work in progress task.

Thanks
Kenreau