Using the Palm TX as an iTunes Remote

Although I've posted here numerous times about the lack of a display-capable remote for iTunes, Apple has not answered my wishes. It would be so easy for Apple to create a display-based flash-RAM remote for directing your desktop Mac to play iTunes songs of your choice through the Airport Express connection to your stereo. For some reason, this isn't yet in their interest. They'd rather sell you a new iMac with FrontRow and a display-less remote.

In fact, by releasing the new video iPod without the remote connector (new video iPods only support third party add-ons through dock-connectors), Apple derailed Griffin's plans to begin shipping the BlueTrip - a device that essentially makes the iPod a Bluetooth-based wireless music delivery system - a remote equivalent. (Griffin may soon release a dock-connector version of the Blue Trip).

With the release of the Palm TX, I felt comfortable that PDA-based WiFi had evolved enough as a VNC-capable device. So, I installed RedStone's VNC server and tried it out with my PowerBook as a stand-in remote. The VNC server had improved since I last tried it...so I went out and bought the Palm TX. (You can set the VNC server to run at startup, so it's always-on.)

On the TX, I installed PalmVNC, a $10 Euro shareware Palm-based VNC client. The TX is very quick about connecting to a wireless network. For the most part, it works quite well. Here are a couple of pictures of the TX controlling iTunes as a remote.

1:1 Scaling

1:2 Scaling
(Redstone VNC Supports Server-side Scaling)

For quickly finding and changing songs playing from my upstairs Mac on my downstairs stereo, it's pretty efficient...about 5-7 seconds. The size of the display in 1:1 mode is workable for most anyone; in 1:2 it's very small but functional for those with strong motor skills. The five way button on the TX actually scrolls the VNC window which helps a lot.

I ran into one problem in that the PalmVNC client didn't seem to let me switch back to other applications without a Palm-reset, even after I'd selected the music I wanted and disconnected from the VNC server. I later found that you had to click Disconnect, then go to the Connect page in order to switch applications. A little silly, but a minor inconvenience. If you download PalmVNC, pay attention to that or you'll get quite frustrated.

In the process of looking for other solutions, I found Dead End Software's Web Remote. It also seems to work well. It's basically an always-on application that hosts a Web-site you can browse to via wifi on your Palm. The web-application controls iTunes via AppleScript. It's $10 U.S. shareware. It also has various skins.

Here are some screenshots:

Conclusions

WebRemote works pretty well but requires a page refresh for every navigation movement in iTunes. For now, I'm sticking with the VNC solution as it's turned out pretty well. It's faster and allows me to view more of iTunes on the screen at once.

I wouldn't have gone with the TX if I didn't have other reasons for buying it. I'll be writing more soon here about why I decided to switch from my Treo 600 to the divergent solution of a Palm TX and a soon to arrive Motorola Bluetooth phone. In large part, it's due to the various corporate partnerships that are more and more limiting innovation and hurting consumers ala the 100 songs in the iTunes-ROKR. More on this later.

If you want an iTunes remote where money is no object, try Sonos or just buy the new iMac. In the meantime, let's hope someone at Apple decides to ship a real iTunes remote for the Airport Express.

Oh yeah - my Mute Remote EyeTV
It's not really that useful. Frame rate is too slow over WiFi and no audio...

Related Links

CommonTimes iPod News Channel

Sailing Clicker
(very cool WiFi solution a reader sent...costs $23.95)

Remotely Streaming iTunes

Build an iTunes Remote Control

iTunes Remote for two Macs

Romeo and Veta

Comments

[Adam Rice]

Salling Clicker would be another good option for this--works with wifi now, too.

[Batong]

Thanks for this extremely useful tip! I got the Palm T|X thanks to this!

It is by far the most useful use I've found for my Palm!

[Batong]

Just a comment - the company making the Clicker is called "Salling", i.e. the link should read "Salling Clicker"...

[aagha]

Very very cool! I'm very interested in what you do with your Palm TX and your Bluetooth phone.

I'm not a huge fan of the Palm 600 and 700x, as I don't like the keyboard functionality and want o stick with the hand-writing. I'd like to keep my phone in my bag, have my Palm in my pocket, and a Bluetooth headset, and be ready to go.

[Julio]

I am using a Palm T|X as the remote for the itunes in my mini.
Has any one tried to use the T|X as second display?
With the itunes video capabilities I would like to modify my playlists while my main display is in Fullscreen.

[Slelnecker]

The free PalmVNC app works great with the TX as long as you:
-Run it from an SD card.
-Don't try to scale the display (it locks up the TX)
-To exit, pop up the graphiti area and hit the home button (VNC takes over all the hardware buttons so you have to use the graphiti home to exit).

PalmVNC connects so quickly and painlessly I find myself using it instead of my PC. The only small frustration is I can't seem to do is a right mouse button click.

[rdlfo]

This is so nice... i´ve tried and even worked for half an hour using the palm, got mail, reply it, open a word attachement, copied an image to photoshop... I used it in combination with minikeyboard (minikb), very useful utilities. Thanks for sharing this knowledge.