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[Boomzilla]

I'd like to get the laptop out of my living room.  To do so, I'd move JRiver for Mac to my desktop at the opposite end of the house and connect it to an Airport Express in the living room by ethernet.  The desktop will now be the music server.  In the living room, the Airport (connected to the music server via ethernet) will create a wireless network for my iPad to join.  JRemote is installed on the iPad. 

Will I be able to "see" the desktop from the iPad?  To do so, the JRemote software will need to connect to the Airport's wireless network and THEN look over the ethernet to see the music server with JRiver software on it.

Yes, no, maybe?

[JohnT]

If your iPad can find your desktop server over the wireless network, then JRemote should work fine.

[Boomzilla]

Unfortunately, I'm off in the weeds trying to get the system to work at all.

I loaded JRiver Media Player for Mac on my iMac.  I brought my RAID array to the iMac and imported the library.  I connected my iMac to the house wireless network.  I connected my iPad to the house wireless network.  I connected my AirPort Express to the house wireless network.  I enabled "AirTunes" for the AirPort Express.  I used the iMac's settings to direct music to the AirPort Express.

Now, I'm trying to get the iPad JRemote app to see the JRiver Media Player server on the iMac.  No luck!

The JRiver Media Player has generated an access key, and I've loaded that access key onto the JRemote software of the iPad.  To the best of my knowledge, I've not enabled any user name or password in JRiver Media Player, so I leave those fields blank in JRemote.  When I tell JRemote to connect, however, I get an error message:  "Access key was verified, but computer connection failed.  Make sure your computer is running and connected to a network."

If the remote program couldn't connect to the media player, how did it verify the access key?  Obviously, the computer is running and connected to the same network as the remote program.  Any ideas?

[JimH]

Please try to separate issues.

Don't use JRemote until you have things working without it.

JRemote problems should be posted in the JRemote thread on the Third Party board here.

MC doesn't support Airport.  Airfoil might work.

[JohnT]

If the remote program couldn't connect to the media player, how did it verify the access key?

Your access key is stored on a JRiver server and that's where it does the verification of the key.

[Boomzilla]

OK - Ignoring JRemote for the moment.  JRiver is installed on my iMac.  JRiver has imported my library.  JRiver will play my music over the iMac's internal speakers.  How do I direct the JRiver output to my AirPort Express?

[JimH]

MC doesn't support Airport.  Airfoil might work.

[Boomzilla]

MC doesn't support Airport.  Airfoil might work.

OK - I've disabled AirPlay.  Are you also saying that JRiver doesn't support AirPort?

[JimH]

Try a search for airfoil.

[JimH]

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Airport_Express

[JohnT]

OK - I've disabled AirPlay.  Are you also saying that JRiver doesn't support AirPort?

If your iPad is connected via WiFi to Airport and the desktop server is on the same network as the Airport, and Media Networking is enabled in Media Center on the desktop, JRemote *should* work.  I'm not familiar with iPad, but there must be a way to verify that it can see the server, like if you had the FileBrowser app installed you could see if you can browse file folders on the server.  Like Jim said, you could post in the JRemote thread on the Third Party board.

[Boomzilla]

I've downloaded the trial version of Airfoil and Airfoil Speakers, but I see nowhere to tell it to use my AirPort Express as a receiver.  I've looked through their "manual" that repeatedly states that they support the AirPort Express, but have yet to see instructions on how to enable it.

Yes, I know I'm "off topic" here again, but if a solution is suggested, it seams reasonable to pursue the solution until it's implemented, yes?

I'm going to go RE-read the "instructions" and hunt for a solution.  In the mean time, if anyone knows how to enable the AirPort Express as a receiver for JRiver Media Player for Mac, please feel free to jump in!

Thanks - Boomzilla

[Fred1]

There is no problem here with MC 18.0.179 (and before) and Airfoil.
I can connect and play music with my MacMini, AppleTV and AirportExpress.

You have to select Media Center 18 as source and enable (click on the note icon) AirportExpress in Airfoil.

[Boomzilla]

Thanks - I'll try it immediately.  On another forum, I've had one poster who swore that his AirPort worked fine with JRiver even without Airfoil, but I tried this evening and for whatever reason, mine won't.  Probably hardware variations...

If I'm unsuccessful with Airfoil by noon, I'll just put the laptop back in the listening room for the time being & try again later.  In either case, THANKS for the help - it's appreciated.

Boomzilla

[Fred1]

Streaming from a Mac via Airplay requires Mountain Lion as far as i know.
I'm stuck with Lion myself, so i can't test it.

But Airfoil should work.
I stream from a white MacBook to my MacMini, Airport Express and AppleTV.

If you can live with the latencies introduced by Airfoil it is a good solution.

[Boomzilla]

Well, I don't want to test it and wake up the wife, but Airfoil now recognizes JRiver as the source and has successfully connected with my AirPort Express as the "speaker."  WHOOOO-WHOOOO!!  

If this works, then my living room just got a LOT cleaner and most of the gear needed for audio reproduction (Battery-backup power supply, RAID hard-drive array, and old, ugly white MacBook) just migrated to a better location.  The only gear still in the living room will be the AirPort Express, Oppo disc player, AVR, and speakers - a MUCH cleaner look.

The next question (assuming that wireless streaming to the AirPort Express via Airfoil works as advertised) is whether JRemote on my iPad will still be able to "see" the JRiver Media Player on the iMac.  I'd assume that since there is good wireless signal strength, since all devices are connected to the same wireless network, and since it worked fine before, that the chances are good.  Of course, nothing is a sure thing...

It's taken more than a full day and LOTS of help from youse guys to make this happen.  Ever in Baton Rouge?  I owe you an "adult beverage" of choice!  Thanks yet again - Boomzilla

[Boomzilla]

Well - So close and yet so far...   

JRiver will stream audio via Airfoil to my AirPort Express.  Unfortunately, the signal strength there is insufficient for the iPad to work with JRemote.  I asked the AirPort to "extend the network" instead of joining the network, but that didn't work.

For the time being, I'm just going to put things back like they were.  I'll try this again sometime in the future, but it isn't worth the time I'm spending on it for now.

THANKS again to all who have chimed in with suggestions.  Your help is greatly appreciated.

Cordially - Boomzilla

[<°)))))><]

Unfortunately, the signal strength there is insufficient for the iPad to work with JRemote. 

In the same room? That sounds dubious. If the WLAN from the AirPort Express is good enough
for stuff like internet surfing, why should it be too weak for JRemote???

Apart from that, if you already have JRemote and an Airplay receiver (AirPort Express...),
there is no need for using Airfoil. In JRemote you can select "This device" to stream the
music from JRiver MC to JRemote on the iPad. Then send the stream via Airplay from the
iPad to the AirPort Express (you can do that from inside JRemote). In my experience, this
works more fluent than using Airfoil (and saves money...). The only downside is a slightly
higher power consumption of the iPad.

[Boomzilla]

My iPad is generation one - poor 802.11 performance was an unfortunate design feature.

[Scetes]

This can work.  I'm doing it.  I'll repeat what Jim mentioned - separate your issues.  the first thing to know is that JRemote has nothing to do with Airplay.  Airplay is just an Apple proprietary way of shipping media info across a network.  Airport supports Airplay, and that's what allows you to stream music from the Airport into your stereo.  But that is irrelevant to the use of JRemote.  Your network configuration is what is relevant for JRemote.  Let's keep it simple.  Your iPad and MC need to connect to the same network.  There are various options for how you can use Airport in your network configuration.  This can get complicated.  I'll take a stab at explaining two typical options.  If you setup your Airport to join your existing wifi network, then JRemote uses your existing wifi to make a connection to MC.  This is how I setup my Airport.   You can prove this for yourself by turning off your Airport and see that you can still connect your JRemote to your MC.  Another configuration, is to config Airport to put up it's own wireless network.  In this config, Airport (not Airplay) is required for JRemote to connect to MC. 

try this approach:

first: confirm airplay is working on your desktop.  use iTunes to test it.

second: configure MC to play over airplay.  there is already a post here that explains how to setup a zone for airplay.  while a second zone is not necessary, you'll probably find it useful.  that way you can switch between playing music through your desktop's output/speaker or airplay or both.  (just like you can do with iTunes and Remote). http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=78434.0

third: configure MC to run the Media Network and connect JRemote.  I think there are numerous posts on how to do that.

hope that helps.

btw, my setup is :  MacBook Pro running MC. I connect the MB Pro to my wifi.  iPad running JRemote.  Airport Express configured to join my pre-existing wifi network.  Airport Express connected via digital optical output to my stereo (which is a Wyred4Sound DAC and Focal pro active monitors).   iPad connects to same wifi as the MB Pro is connected to.  I created a second zone in MC to output to Airplay. works like a charm.  I also have an iMac in another room connected to that same network - but over ethernet.  I do not have MC on the iMac, but have no doubt that would work just fine.

hope that helps.