The bMighty Blog -- Apple

If you're like me, you've hooked up iTunes-based music all over your office and your home. Maybe you're listening to iTunes (for either Mac or Windows) right now. What if you want to control iTunes when you're not near your computer? If you have an iPhone or an iPod touch, or a Windows Pocket PC with a browser, the answer is Signal.

Signal is a $24.95 utility from Alloysoft that can be used to control not only iTunes on a Mac/Windows PC, but also Windows Media Player or Winamp. I've used it to control my Mac-based iTunes using an iPod touch.

Assuming that your Mac or Windows PC is on a network, and that your mobile device is also on that network (via WiFi), here's all you do:

1. Download Signal and install it on your Mac or Windows PC. It installs a tiny Web server on your desktop/notebook that allows the music application to be remotely controlled.

2. When Signal starts, it'll tell you a special IP address necessary to control your music. Take a note of it. In my case, it's http://192.168.1.77:3569.

3. Open the Web browser on your iPhone, iPod touch or Windows Pocket PC. Browse to the IP address - be sure to type it correctly, including the number after the colon. Ta-da! You'll have an intuitive remote control for your iTunes or other music software.

In the case of iTunes, the Signal remote gives you access to all your playlists, genres, artists, albums and songs. Now, if you have WiFi in your home, you can control iTunes from anywhere.

If you use an Apple Airport Extreme WiFi base station, a great way to pipe iTunes music all over your house is to use an Apple Airport Express. This $99 mini WiFi base station includes an audio jack that you can connect to your living room stereo. Then, even if your Mac is in another room, you can listen to your music collection in your living room.

All the features of Signal work fine using the free Demo version, but from time to time you'll see a "nag" screen reminding you to register. If you like the software, I encourage you to register it, pay the $24.95 price and support the developer. It's a real bargain.

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