Accessing music files


Ok I have borrowed a DAC for the next few months from a friend who will be away for a few months so I have some time to familiarize myself to the world of Digital music. I have music files on a laptop ATM and more on an external drive, some compressed others flac or even Wav I believe and some high bit files (ie 24/192) that I have acquired from friends. I can play these files of course via direct hook up via USB but I have to be at the computer. Is there any way to control what you want to play by using an external device such as an IPOD or IPAD through say A WIFI connection? I know you can sync an IPOD to Itunes but that does not seem to play the music from my Laptop. I just want the convenience to access whatever I want and hear it through my main stereo without having to physically use a computer of any sort. I just want remote ACCESS. MY computer is set up wirelessly in my home also. My Laptop is a PC not a MACBOOK.
vinylmad814
REMOTE - lets you control iTunes from iPhones or iPod Touch

Here some info from the developer of Retune identifying Windows software that is iTunes-like...

>>> MediaMonkey with the MonkeyTunes
http://www.mediamonkey.com/
http://melloware.com/monkeytunes/

>>> AlbumPlayer with TouchRemote
http://www.albumplayer.com/index.htm

>>> Foobar2000 with Foobar TouchRemote
http://www.foobar2000.org/


Unfortunately I have no experience with any of these three pieces of software.

But it keeps you away from Apple :-)

Hoper this helps
RETUNE can only be utilized with an Android device I assume? Is there something similar that can be utilized with an IPOD touch/PC Itunes setup? I have seen a few apps for APPLE such as one I saw from another thread called REMOTE BUDDY from IOSpirit and a few others I cannot name ATM. I really do not want to be forced into an Apple if at all possible.
A couple of options are...

If you can connect your computer to the DAC, then you can get iTunes for windows an control it with your iPhone

If you cannot connect the computer to the DAC, then you could get an apple TV and use that to stream from your computer with itunes via a wireless link.

I have used both these methods and I prefer the optical output from my Imac to the dac, because I can stream at 24/96 kHz.

There is a FREE android app called Retune, which allows you to control iTunes (both apple and windows version) via a very intuitive user interface.

Consolidating libraries in iTunes can be a challenge - especially using wave files - since metadata is not held in the wave file, so iTunes dumps everything into a single folder.
.
There are many other options, but for me ,iTunes has the best interface I have used to date.
I've found the best way to access music files is to have them on an NAS. This way, you don't need a PC to access your music.

How you get the files to your pre amp is the subject of much discussion.

An inexpensive way to get into it is to add an AppleTV. The AppleTV will sync with your iTunes library and you can control the whole thing with an app or the IR remote that the AppleTV comes with.
There are android and apple phone aps to use your phone as a remote mouse...
There are many ways to do this but for me Sonos is the best for multiple room wireless distribution of music. I've been using Sonos since the company started. The interface can be your laptop, phone, ipad, etc.
The simple answer is "yes". I too have a PC and use an Apple Time Capsule as a HD/router to hold my cd library (using iTunes) and transmit music wirelessly downstairs to a modified Airport Express which is connected to my pre. I use an iPod Touch as a remote and it all works beautifully. There's a remote app for the Touch that's easy to install. However, truth be told, I had to make multiple calls to Apple Support to get everything synched and working. And it's my understanding that Apple is now charging for this support. Would rather have bamboo shoots under my fingernails than go thru that again. Luckily, there's smart people on this forum who can help you.