Using Airport Express and AirPlay with MP3's?

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eracode

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#79603 19-Mar-2011 15:14

I have a non-Apple computer which has my collection of MP3 music on it and we have a home Wi-Fi set-up.

I am planning to buy an iPad 2 sometime when the hubbub dies down. I am not familiar with Apple gear and iOS or iTunes and have been reading up on all the Apple peripherals. I am thinking of also buying an Airport Express and plugging its audio-out into our stereo. My understanding is that the Airport Express will work with our existing Wi-Fi and enable me to stream music from the iPad using AirPlay.

However the Airport Express is said to "work with iTunes". My questions are:

- can I put my MP3 collection on the iPad?
- can I use my existing MP3's with iTunes?
- will the AirPlay and/or the Airport Express only work with music that has originated from iTunes (i.e.the iTunes store)?
- or will I somehow be able to stream the MP3's from the iPad using AirPlay and Airport Express?

I hope this makes sense - you can tell from the questions that I don't quite follow how the Apple world operates. Would welcome help/comments.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

scottjpalmer

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#449887 19-Mar-2011 15:29

Yes yes no yes :-)

trig42

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#449890 19-Mar-2011 15:54

I have an iPod touch with the Apple Remote App and an Airport Express sitting on my WiFi network (with Audio out going into the Amp). The ipod sees the entire music library in iTunes on my PC and I can play anything off that to either the PCs speakers or the Airport Express Speakers (you can select one or both). It is a very cool way of playing music in the lounge when the PC is in the study.

So yes, will work as you want. No need to put the music onto your iPad, use the iPad as a remote for your PCs iTunes.

wellygary

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#449892 19-Mar-2011 16:13

eracode:
- will the AirPlay and/or the Airport Express only work with music that has originated from iTunes (i.e.the iTunes store)?

Itunes ( The library software on your PC) is needed to do stuff with a regular Ipad, however Itunes ( The software library, can be loaded with Mp3, Avi's etc sourced from anywhere,)

Itunes ( The online store) is a handy place to get music/TV/movies, but Itunes ( the Software) can be loaded up from anywhere.

cyril7

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#449898 19-Mar-2011 16:31

We use itunes as our home duke box, its loaded with a mix of AAC and mp3 material stored on an seperate NAS down in the basement, most of the AAC material we have instructed itunes to also convert to mp3 as some of us in the family have non apple portable music players.

The airport express audio feature is treated as another audio outlet within itunes, I dont know if you can stream audio to that port from anything other than itunes, but from the sounds of it your intention is only to use itunes to stream to it, so all good.

So yes you should be able to do what you want.

Cyril

eracode

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#449980 20-Mar-2011 07:18

trig42: No need to put the music onto your iPad, use the iPad as a remote for your PCs iTunes.

Thanks to all who posted - now getting the hang of this.

@trig42: From what I have read, if I have the music on the iPad, that means with AirPlay I can stream the music from the iPad to the Airport Express > stereo without the computer needing to be on (?). If that's correct, it's quite an advantage (to have the music on the iPad) because the computer and stereo are in different rooms/levels of our house. Also having the music on the iPad means I've always got it with me (when away etc).

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

scottjpalmer

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#449998 20-Mar-2011 10:13

Yes correct eracode