Dear Simon, I would guess that you can use the forward and reverse buttons on your Apple Remote to through your song list, similar to the way the F9 and F7 keys on the keyboard can be used to either forward/rewind in tracks or advance/move backwards in the song table.
If you use the Apple Remote as a control for Front Row, you can certainly control playing of your entire iTunes library. You can try pressing the Menu button on the remote to launch Front Row. This is a circular key below the raised ring and close to the center of the unit. It sits flush with its surroundings. I'd guess you could start and stop Front Row by pressing the Menu key. Then try using the Volume up and down keys at the top and bottom of the controls in place of up and down arrow keys on your laptop to navigate the menus. Press the center (Play/Pause) button to select when you are in menu mode. I'd try this myself if I had a remote to experiment with. The difference between using Front Row and just using keypad or Apple Remote buttons is that Front Row then becomes the active application on your MacBook. However, I'd guess that you could start it up to control iTunes and navigate to the file you want, then exit Front Row and just use the Fn+F8 key to start playing again. This is really more than you need to do, though. >thanks very much ,Esther, for this ifnormation. I have tentatively >started using my remote and realised that I can contorl play/pausee, >forward/rewind functions while listening to an audio file in Itunes or >to an audiobook but I was wondering whether one could roam through the >various audio files using the remote control. I guess not. The ability >to control certain play functions when outside Itunes is a great help. > Cheers, Esther >On 3 Sep 2008, at 16:31, Esther wrote: > >> Hi Søren, >> >> If you have the Apple Remote, you can also try to control VLC with >> it. I wonder whether the volume control problems are due to the >> range or quality of the infrared response. There's a Wikipedia >> article on the Apple Remote that keeps updated information on >> what works with this, and where you can find the third party >> software for the extra functions, like controlling VLC. See: >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Remote >> >> In case it wasn't clear from my post, the keyboard sequence for >> using the F7, F8, and F9 keys on the various new keyboards for >> the MacBooks, MacBook Pros, iMacs, and Mac Minis or for the >> separately purchased slim Aluminum keyboards, work for controlling >> iTunes independent of Front Row. If you have iTunes as one of >> your active applications (e.g., if you could switch to it using the >> Command-Tab sequence), and you had left it with a selection in >> the Songs Table then pressing Fn+F8 will start playing your >> music, and the the adjacent F7 and F9 keys can control rewind >> or forward positioning in the track (when held down) or through >> your song table (when tapped). >> >> The main point is that with these function keys, the whole top right >> set of function keys from F7 to F12, can control general multi-media >> play, and they work whether the application currently has focus >> or not. And this doesn't just apply to iTunes, although that's the >> application you are most likely to have running in the background. >> So if you started playing in iTunes, and now are working with >> your Mail or web browsing, you can pause or play, with the >> Fn+F8 sequence. You can rewind with the Fn+F7 key and >> fast forward with the Fn+F9 key (holding these down continuously), >> and you can advance or go back through the entries in your >> song list with Fn+F9 and Fn+F7 (tapped). The keyboard volume >> controls (Fn+F10 to mute, Fn+F11 to lower, and Fn+F12 to >> raise) are the ones for the computer, though and not the separate >> iTunes volume controls. That means you can only lower or mute >> volume on iTunes listening by changing for your whole computer >> (including VoiceOver) if you are controlling it from the function >> keys because iTunes does not have focus. (The maximum >> volume for iTunes is set by the maximum volume of your computer >> speakers, but the iTunes slider controls and the Command+Up >> arrow and Command=Down arrow shortcuts that work when >> iTunes has focus separately adjust the iTunes play volume.) >> >> In Simon's case, I was thinking that he might want to listen to >> language files in his iTunes library, and have TextEdit or some >> other app in focus to make notes. However, if he wanted to >> rewind a section of a file to repeat a word or phrase, he could >> control this with the Fn+F7 keys held down. >> >> And for those of you who have the iPod shuffle, the Apple remote >> controls are based on that, and feel very similar. There's a >> menu button added below the raised circular ring of controls >> for Volume Up and Down (top and bottom) and Forward and >> Reverse (right and left) that surround the center (play/pause) >> button. >> >> Cheers, >> >> Esther >> >> On September 03, 2008, Søren Jensen wrote: >>> Wow Esther. Thanks for the info. It's too bad that Apple doesn't sell >>> the remote with the newer Mac books. I have a remote, but I haven't >>> used it very much, because I don't know how to adjust the volume. Up >>> and down arrow doesn't work all the time. I'll give it another try >>> and >>> see if I can fix my volume issue. >>> Again, thanks for the great info. >>> Best regards >>> Søren Jensen >>> Mail & MSN: >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> Website: >>> http://www.coolfortheblind.dk/ >>> >>> On 03/09/2008, at 02.34, Esther wrote: >>> >>>> Hi All, >>>> >>>> If you have one of the newer Mac keyboards without the numlock F6 >>>> key function, you can play and navigate through your movies and >>>> music >>>> using the F7, F8, and F9 keys. >>>> >>>> I thought I would add another response to Simon's question about how >>>> to >>>> rewind audiobooks in iTunes with a tip for people who have the new >>>> Apple keyboards. These are the separate slim Aluminum keyboards >>>> without the Numlock key that were released late last summer (2007), >>>> and which are on the recent MacBooks and MacBook Pros (manufactured >>>> after November 2007) and iMacs. The volume up and down controls >>>> on these keyboards are on the F11 and F12 keys, instead of on the >>>> F4 and F5 keys of older keyboards. >>>> >>>> An additional feature of these keyboards, previously discussed on >>>> this >>>> list, is the ability to rewind, play/pause, and fast forward with >>>> the F7, F8, >>>> and F9 keys. These keys work with general audio and video media, >>>> including movies that you play as well as iTunes. The neat feature >>>> about >>>> these keys is that you don't have to have iTunes in your focus to >>>> turn >>>> on or off the music. If you are working in your Mail program or >>>> browsing >>>> with Safari, you can still play or pause the currently selected song >>>> in >>>> iTunes using Fn+F8. If you want to rewind to the beginning (Simon's >>>> question), hold down the F7 key while pressing the Fn key. Your >>>> music >>>> will rewind to the beginning, and once it reaches the start of the >>>> track it >>>> will start to play normally. You can fast forward by pressing the >>>> Fn key >>>> and holding down the F9 key. Holding down the Fn key and tapping the >>>> F9 key will advance to the next track in the Songs list, while >>>> holding >>>> down Fn and tapping the F7 key will play the previous track. >>>> >>>> These keys work with other multimedia, such as DVDs, as well. >>>> They're >>>> meant to work with "Front Row", Apple's application to switch >>>> between >>>> multimedia players. Earlier MacBooks and other Intel Macs came >>>> with a small Apple Remote control, that would control your selection >>>> for photos, movies, music, etc. They stopped including these >>>> remotes >>>> with new MacBooks and MacBook Pro computers around February >>>> 2008, but I recall stumbling across the keyboard shortcuts to >>>> activate >>>> Front Row when I was setting up a MacBook for someone last summer. >>>> The shortcut key to start Front Row on an Intel Mac is Command- >>>> Escape. >>>> VO-down the menus to select Movies, TV Shows, Music, >>>> Podcasts,Photos, >>>> etc. and use VO-space to select. Move up (and eventually out of >>>> Front >>>> Row by pressing the Escape key). Even when you leave Front Row you >>>> can resume playing your last selection with Fn+F8, and you can >>>> control >>>> the volume with Fn+F10 (mute), Fn+F11 (softer), and Fn+F12 (louder). >>>> I remember that all of the remote functions had keyboard shortcut >>>> equivalents and, of course, if you have one of these infrared >>>> remotes you >>>> can control your Mac's playing at a distance. >>>> >>>> Again, from much older discussions on this list, the Apple remote >>>> has >>>> been programmed with third party software to control third party >>>> software >>>> players, even including some on the Windows side of Intel Macs. >>>> >>>> I haven't tried any of this, myself. Hope this is of interest. >>>> >>>> Cheers, >>>> >>>> Esther >>>> >>>> On August 27, 2008, at 01:41PM, I replied: >>>>> Dear Simon, >>>>> >>>>> Audible audiobooks (and books purchased from the iTunes Store) have >>>>> chapter markers that allow you to position your playback at any >>>>> marker, so if you have started playing the audiobook and want to >>>>> move >>>>> to the previous chapter marker (here, the start of the book), >>>>> simply >>>>> use Command-Shift-Left Arrow. Similarly, to move to the next >>>>> Chapter >>>>> marker from your present position, use Command-Shift-Right Arrow. >>>>> These commands work whether your track is playing or paused, and >>>>> are >>>>> in addition to the normal forward and rewind commands you can >>>>> access >>>>> by holding down Option-Command with the Left and Right Arrow keys . >>>>> You can also use the Chapters menu on the iTunes menu bar to select >>>>> the chapter you wish to move to. Simply go to the iTunes menu bar >>>>> (Command-Option-M), type "C" to go to the Chapters menu, arrow down >>>>> and select the desired Chapter (by pressing either VO-space or >>>>> return). The Chapters are listed with both number and time. Note >>>>> that "Chapters" do not necessarily correspond to actual chapters >>>>> in a >>>>> book. For example, a long audiobook that has two parts will always >>>>> have Chapters numbered starting with "1" even if you are >>>>> listening to >>>>> the second part. Also, there may be more than one Chapter per >>>>> marker >>>>> -- these are simply a convenient way to navigate. >>>>> >>>>> For audiobooks and podcasts that do not have chapter markers, the >>>>> easiest way to rewind your position, or change the playback >>>>> position >>>>> to any specified time in your audiobook, is to use an AppleScript >>>>> named "RestartAt" that you can download from Tim Kilburn's web >>>>> page: >>>>> >>>>> http://homepage.mac.com/kilburns/voiceover/downloads.html >>>>> >>>>> Copy or move this to the /Library/iTunes/Scripts folder. You will >>>>> need to create the Scripts folder if this is the first time you are >>>>> using AppleScripts with iTunes. AppleScripts placed in the Scripts >>>>> folder show up as a separate menu on the menu bar for the >>>>> application >>>>> (in this case, iTunes), after the existing menus and just to the >>>>> left >>>>> of the Help menu. >>>>> >>>>> I find it easiest to use by assigning "RestartAt" to a keyboard >>>>> shortcut (Command-Option-R). You will need to quit iTunes before >>>>> you >>>>> assign the shortcut. >>>>> >>>>> The latest full description of how to use the "RestartAt" >>>>> AppleScript >>>>> and assign it a shortcut key may be found in the archives: >>>>> >>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss%40macvisionaries.com/ >>>>> msg33347.html >>>>> >>>>> Note that when you assign the shortcut, you may need to type the >>>>> name >>>>> of the AppleScript exactly (with capital letter "R" and capital >>>>> letter "A", but no space between the two words). I'm not sure >>>>> about >>>>> this, but I usually maintain case just to be safe. Also, in the >>>>> archive description, I mention copying the AppleScript to the >>>>> Library/ >>>>> iTunes/Scripts folder under your user account. If you copy an >>>>> AppleScript to the system level /Library/iTunes/Scripts folder it >>>>> will work for all iTunes accounts on your computer. If you copy it >>>>> to the Library /iTunes/Scripts folder for your user account, it >>>>> will >>>>> only show up for iTunes under your account. >>>>> >>>>> To navigate to the system /Library/iTunes folder in Finder use the >>>>> Command-Shift-G (Go to Folder) shortcut, and type in the folder you >>>>> want (e.g. "/Library/iTunes", without the quotation marks and >>>>> beginning with the "slash" key in front of "Library"). >>>>> >>>>> Hope this helps. >>>>> >>>>> Cheers, >>>>> >>>>> Esther >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 27, 2008, at 10:24 AM, Simon Cavendish wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Dear Listers, >>>>>> >>>>>> Is there a way of rewinding to the beginning a song or audiobook >>>>>> you listen in Itunes? I have purchased some books from Audible.com >>>>>> and as soon as they download they start to play. I couldn't pause >>>>>> it in time and now it starts playing from where I stopped it. I >>>>>> can't work out whether there's a way of rewinding it to the >>>>>> beginning or better still stopping a book playing as soon as it >>>>>> downloads. I >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks in advance, Simon >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> > > > >
