In the first three part of my ongoing venture to make a Mac miniskirt a powerful component of my Ab imperium we ’ve covered upgrading the Mac , connecting it to a typical AV system , and configure it to access local and streaming media . We now turn to one of the most important component of any Ab system — moderate it all from the couch .
Remote control
A Mac miniskirt does a far good impression of an integrated AV gimmick when it ’s not tether to a keyboard and shiner . Therefore , remote ascendency is required .
In the past I might have used Apple ’s outside dominance or configured my $ 250Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remoteto mimic the Apple remote control ’s functions , but some of today ’s medium app require keyboard input and a measure of mousing . While a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse would sure enough get the job done , such input devices are on the bulky side . And Apple ’s distant — cute as a button though it may be — can’t hold keyboard and mouse - same chores . as luck would have it a variety of inexpensive iPhone and iPod spot applications ( and the keep company Mac - based server apps required by some of them ) do .
Apple ’s gratuitous Remote ( ) app is a great way to roleplay medium stack away in the miniskirt ’s iTunes library . Just pair the iPhone or iPod touch with the miniskirt ’s copy of iTunes , and you could control playback of audiobooks , music , music videos , TV shows , picture , and podcasts . And , if you have other Macs in the house , you may control their iTunes libraries as well . ( You ca n’t , however , play the contents of these libraries through the mini ’s talker connectedness using the Remote coating . This app does n’t support networked iTunes libraries . )
Mighty Mouse: Air Mouse lets you control every bit of the Mac’s interface from your iPhone or iPod touch.
To make the video experience more unseamed , launch iTunes on your Mac , open up its predilection ( iTunes - > Preferences ) , click the Playback tabloid , and from the Play Movies and TV Shows pop - up menu , select Full Screen . ( Do the same for the Play Music Videos come out - up menu . ) When you do this and then use the Remote app to play a movie , television show , or music television , that video will mechanically play in full screenland rather than within the iTunes windowpane .
The Remote app is fine for controlling iTunes , but it does nothing for the eternal rest of the Mac . For general - purpose comment and mousing I purchased R.P.A Tech ’s $ 6 Air Mouse Pro ( ) . Install Air Mouse Pro on your iPhone or iPod touch , and instal the freeAir Mouse Serveron your Mac and you ’ve got a remote control that ’s up to of mousing , click , typewrite , and scroll , as well as offer broad controls for Safari and iTunes .
Mighty Mouse : Air Mouse lets you control every bit of the Mac ’s user interface from your iPhone or iPod touch .
Beyond Apple’s Remote: RowMote provides functionality similar to Apple’s hardware Remote Control, but works with far more applications.
Air Mouse Pro is a great remote control , but for applications such as Boxee , Front Row , and Plex that bank almost entirely on a Mac keyboard ’s pointer and Return samara , it ’s imperfect as its keyboard is a footling small for big fingers . There are other alternative .
For Boxee , there ’s the freeBoxee Remote applicationfor iPhone and iPod touch modality . It offers two ways to check Boxee . The first is a four - fashion pointer pad with a central fine clit and a Back button . The arrow pad corresponds to the Mac keyboard ’s four pointer key , the OK clit match the Mac ’s Return key , and the Back button is the Mac ’s Escape key . you may also control Boxee with a Gesture control — a big Boxee icon that you haul around the iPhone ’s screen to play up and aerate objects in the Boxee interface . Regrettably , the Boxee Remote app wo n’t set up the Boxee app .
Evan Schoenberg ’s $ 1Rowmote : Remote Control for Maccan both found and command Boxee and a server of other Mac applications include Front Row , DVD Player , iTunes , iPhoto , Keynote , PowerPoint , QuickTime , Plex , and VLC . It mimics Apple ’s remote with its four lineal buttons , key Play / Pause button , and Menu button . Unlike with Apple ’s remote , however , you may pick applications to check . like to Air Mouse Pro , you need to instal a free server program ( calledRowmote Helper ) on your Mac .
Two-Fisted Control: With an iPhone or iPod touch and universal remote control, you’ve got all your Mac and AV bases covered.
Beyond Apple ’s Remote : RowMote furnish functionality standardised to Apple ’s hardware Remote Control , but ferment with far more applications .
Full of applications though the App Store may be , and capable as the iPhone and iPod tinge are , there ’s no good cosmopolitan remote lotion for the iPhone . ( Not surprising , given that the iPhone and iPod mite deficiency IR , the invisible visible light that most AV components are controlled by . ) Much as I desire a perfect Apple solution for contain everything — Mac miniskirt , TV , and AV receiver — it ’s just not in the wag . For that , I give to the Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote . It ’s comparatively easy to program and update , manage every bit of power train I own , does n’t expect shelling ( it has a rechargeable battery and charge place ) , and seduce sense to my family . If your TV tabular array is littered with remote control , you owe it to yourself to get a Logitech Harmony remote .
Two - Fisted Control : With an iPhone or iPod touch and universal remote ascendance , you ’ve drive all your Mac and AV bases covered .
Wrapping up
All the opus are in piazza . My Mac miniskirt now act as and split DVDs , plays and records TV program , plays all the media on my internet of Macs , flow videos and audio from across the globe , and flaunt my motion-picture show across my high-definition television . All without me having to move my keister an inch off the couch .
In our terminal installment , I wrap up with a tone at the big picture . As the proprietor of an Apple TV , videodisc participant , VCR , and Ab receiver with AM and FM radio receiver , was this all necessary ? Did turning the Mac miniskirt into a media nitty-gritty enhance my multimedia sprightliness in substantial manner ? line it to find out .
[ Senior editor program Christopher Breen blogs regularly about iPods , Apple goggle box , and other accouterment of the digital lifestyle at Macworld ’s Playlist blog . ]
