computer science

ITunes Remote

ITunes Remote is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand ITunes Remote rather than just read about it. In short: iTunes Remote (also known simply as Remote) is a software application developed by Apple Inc. for iOS devices that allows for remote control of Apple TV or iTunes library in an area with Wi-Fi connectivity using the proprietary Digital Audio Control Protocol (DACP). It is currently available as a free download from the App Store for iOS devices such as iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Apple Watch.

Key takeaways

ITunes Remote belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect ITunes Remote to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of ITunes Remote from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

iTunes Remote (also known simply as Remote) is a software application developed by Apple Inc. for iOS devices that allows for remote control of Apple TV or iTunes library in an area with Wi-Fi connectivity using the proprietary Digital Audio Control Protocol (DACP). It is currently available as a free download from the App Store for iOS devices such as iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Apple Watch.

History On July 10, 2008, Apple released iTunes Remote app on the App Store. That same day, Apple released the Apple TV 2.1 software update that added recognition for the iPhone and iPod Touch as remote control devices. Later revisions added support for the iPad, and introduced support for new features as they were added to iTunes. The remote application was intended as a software alternative to the Apple Remote, allowing users to control their media collection via their iOS device.

Patent filing Unofficial software modifications for including this functionality in both iOS and the Apple TV OS had existed previously, but rumors of Apple giving remote control capabilities between iOS and Apple TV had existed since early 2007, when the U.S. Patent Office published a patent filed by Apple on September 11, 2006 that depicted a "media-player with remote control capabilities" alongside a "multi-media center for computing systems".

Features

History The initial release, version 1.0, allowed users to control the basic functions of their media library, limited to much the same functions of the physical Apple Remote Later revisions of version 1 added the ability to create and edit playlists in iTunes, search the user's media library, and generate Genius playlists. These features were further improved with the release of version 2.0, which added support for the iPad and the then new retina display. Features added in version 2.0 included support for Shared Libraries, and control of AirPlay hardware. Gestures were also supported, allowing users to control their Apple TVs with swipes similar to the navigation through Cover Flow. Subsequent updates to version 2 improved stability of the application, and added AirPlay video support to Apple TVs. Version 2.1 also allowed users to control the internet radio feature of iTunes, and play rented movies or TV shows. Other additions to later releases of version 2 included support for the new iTunes Match feature, and support for iOS 5 and 6. Version 2 also allowed guests connected to a wireless network to request songs to be played using iTunes DJ. The interface was designed to emulate the iOS Music app when used on an iPhone or iPod Touch, whilst iPad users controlled their library using an interface based on the desktop iTunes application.

Current version With the release of iTunes 11, Apple updated the iTunes Remote application. The new version, which is compatible with most newer iPhone hardware, included a new user interface; emulating the iOS 6 Music application on iPhone and iPod Touch, and iTunes 11's new grid view on iPad. In accordance with the removal of iTunes DJ from the desktop software, the application no longer provides the function for guest to request songs. New features include the ability to see and edit the Up Next list, and an improved dynamic search function that searches content as the user types. This version removes support for users running iOS 4, instead requiring a minimum of iOS 5.0. Users can play, pause, or skip back and forth through their collection. They can also create or edit playlists, generate Genius results, and control the output volume of iTunes or the selected AirPlay device. When multiple iTunes libraries or Apple TVs are found one network, users can select which one they wish to control, and swap between them. Currently, no more than one library at a time can be manually added; this effectively forces any user with two or more devices to enable Home Sharing if they wish to use a single remote for all those devices. tvOS 9.1 (released on December 9, 2015), in addition to the 4.2.3 Remote app update for iOS and WatchOS, returned basic app functionality to the 4th generation Apple TV; text input, navigation, and control.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with ITunes Remote

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what ITunes Remote claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to ITunes Remote before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about ITunes Remote ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of ITunes Remote

In research: ITunes Remote appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses ITunes Remote in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: ITunes Remote is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics IOS software, ITunes, Remote control, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for ITunes Remote outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study ITunes Remote in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what ITunes Remote means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain ITunes Remote out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is ITunes Remote in simple terms?

Why does ITunes Remote matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study ITunes Remote?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on ITunes Remote.