I am a total iOS newbie. I have my iTunes library on a network server. How can I point the iPad at the server so I can stream the music without having iTunes running on a PC? Am I missing a setting on iTunes or the iPad? Is there a separate app for this? It's easy to do this sort of thing in the PC & Android world, but Apple has me stumped. Thanks in advance for any help.
iPad (3rd gen) Wi-Fi, iOS 5.1.1
Hi Locke99,
For streaming content 'the Apple way' to your iOS device:
- you cannot do w.o. a mac/pc running iTunes application unless your server can also run same iTunes app as streaming server. This depends on the options within OS of server and if iTunes application is available for this OS.
- server is recognized by iOS device this way
- content is compliant with very limited 'Apple only' fileformats via iTunes.
Since iPhone/iPad devices itself are 'only' powerful enough to operate as a streaming server for non HD movie content or less, other options would be:
- install Plex or AirVideo on your server/nas if these 'server' apps are available for this device (e.g. synology and qnap support Plex server plugin). Then install their clients via the App store on your iOS device, connect them... and stream!
- install XBMC streaming server app on a 'free' ATV1/2, connect it to server/nas... and stream
- use App store apps like 8player, AVPlayerHD, MediaConnect, etc on your iOS device to stream anything less then HD content from your DLNA enabled server/nas
- install Airflick(beta) plus AirVideo server app if supported on your Windows server (sadly AirFlick development stopped) and use Airplay functionality as carrier to stream almost all content to(also non-Apple compliant fileformats!)
(possible successor: http://www.razorianfly.com/2011/01/22/airplay-arrives-on-linux/ )
- wait until Apple finally realises that they will eventually loose the 'all media cross all platform ratrace' from other biggies like Google if they don't open up iOS (officially w.o. j&#lbr%$k that is ;)). It's sadly a software policy, hardly hardware limitation.
- I must have forgot many more 'workarounds' the clever community is inventing to make up for Apples 'losing' policy...
Go(o)d luck!
Hi Locke99,
For streaming content 'the Apple way' to your iOS device:
- you cannot do w.o. a mac/pc running iTunes application unless your server can also run same iTunes app as streaming server. This depends on the options within OS of server and if iTunes application is available for this OS.
- server is recognized by iOS device this way
- content is compliant with very limited 'Apple only' fileformats via iTunes.
Since iPhone/iPad devices itself are 'only' powerful enough to operate as a streaming server for non HD movie content or less, other options would be:
- install Plex or AirVideo on your server/nas if these 'server' apps are available for this device (e.g. synology and qnap support Plex server plugin). Then install their clients via the App store on your iOS device, connect them... and stream!
- install XBMC streaming server app on a 'free' ATV1/2, connect it to server/nas... and stream
- use App store apps like 8player, AVPlayerHD, MediaConnect, etc on your iOS device to stream anything less then HD content from your DLNA enabled server/nas
- install Airflick(beta) plus AirVideo server app if supported on your Windows server (sadly AirFlick development stopped) and use Airplay functionality as carrier to stream almost all content to(also non-Apple compliant fileformats!)
(possible successor: http://www.razorianfly.com/2011/01/22/airplay-arrives-on-linux/ )
- wait until Apple finally realises that they will eventually loose the 'all media cross all platform ratrace' from other biggies like Google if they don't open up iOS (officially w.o. j&#lbr%$k that is ;)). It's sadly a software policy, hardly hardware limitation.
- I must have forgot many more 'workarounds' the clever community is inventing to make up for Apples 'losing' policy...
Go(o)d luck!
Thanks visje, This has given me some interesting avenues to explore.
I'm finding that "It just works" means "We know what's best, so it just works the way we think it should."
I'll report back on progress/success.
I also discovered yesterday after setting up IPad / NAS (iTunes Server) that it requires a running PC / MAC in parallel!!! with the iTunes Library to stream via Airport Express. Poor concept for a basically great Hardware Setup considering IPad / AirPortExpress in combination with a NAS supporting Media Streaming anyway. No clue why Apple does not provide a solution for this common setup. Finally I successfully tested MediaConnect from the App Store, nevertheless ITunes would be the better solution considering one Library Setup for everything connected. I still hope that Apple suppors such a Setup integrating ITunes Server into the "mini" Version of IPad ITunes without considering synch concepts keeping all the data duplicated on multiple devices / paying 100 $ for Cloud storage.
Apple = Go(o)d? ;(
Since 'it just doesn't work' outside Apples limiting field of vision, I also haven't found the ideal allround solution for 'all media cross all platforms' yet. Therefore interested in any other options this community finds.
Especially for directly connecting/streaming from linux NAS to my official 'locked up' ATV3.
How can I stream iTunes from my NAS to my iPad without having iTunes running on my PC?
