I currently use my 27” 2015 iMac to download files and transfer them to my Core and use the Metadatics app for data editing. I think that I’ll need to replace the iMac, as the graphics card seems to be on the way out.
I’m mulling between a new 24” iMac, a Mac Mini - both with a dual monitor set up, or using my new M2 iPad Air with my current second 4K monitor. The iPad will do most of what I need now with the new iPad OS and chip capability, but I’m not sure about file management. I would need a dock as my monitor is HDMI, but can you use a dock with an Ethernet connection etc then access and manage all your local files and the Core through the iPad file manager?
Having had a quick look last night with my M5 iPad Pro, I couldn’t see the UnitiCore with the Apple files app, but I could with the free FileBrowser app.
And there is an iPad version of MP3TAG which is called Evertag, although I find it a bit unintuitive to use. I don’t know about how you could rip a CD using an iPad, but I bet you could all the same. The iPad does speak the current SMB protocols so you should be able to save, edit and delete Core files, but don’t forget Apple is getting tricky about guest logins to remote computers.
You can connect an iPad with Ethernet if you want to, but I would just use WiFi. The Core would still use Ethernet of course.
And I’m not sure about displays as this isn’t something I have done. The later iPad Pros have Thunderbolt connectors but I don’t know about the M2 iPad Air. Using USB C rather than Thunderbolt may significantly reduce what scope you have for running external displays.
I’m in a similar situation with an aging iMac which is now very slow . I use it now exclusively for downloading from Qobuz where the slowness, whilst frustrating is manageable. I find that once the files are downloaded as FLAK and the folders created I don’t need the iMac for anything else. I add the artwork as a JPEG and all seems to work fine. Any basic editing is achievable in the Naim app on the iPad or iPhone generally, so I don’t bother with anything else. Using the Mac for anything else is painful so it just sits in the study doing nothing for the remainder of the time. I boot it up when I’m going to download some music, give myself a pep talk re patience and make a coffee whilst it takes forever to do the job. I probably wouldn’t use it for anything else so replacing it, whilst tempting, would probably be a waste of money .
Yep, that should work, although when I used RNVC Viewer, ages ago, stability wasn’t the connection’s strongest point, but I was only playing with the software.
Thanks for those details David, very helpful as usual. I believe the iPad Pro and Air models with the M chips have the same performance with a single monitor. I think I probably need to just grab a USB C HDMI hub and give it a go with my current iPad, wireless Apple keyboard, mouse and the Dell monitor. The only cost would be the hub, and if it doesn’t work out then a new 24” iMac with the hub and Dell as a second monitor would be the next best option, though at the not in considerable cost of the new iMac.
I didn’t quite follow this bit though:
Do you mean there could be issues with file management between the iPad and the Core when using the same network, even if the iPad is wireless only?
Yes, there could be in the future even if not now. If you look back over recent threads about the Core, you will see that the current version of MacOS doesn’t allow you to copy a folder full of files (eg music) from a Mac to a remote store (eg UnitiCore) where the remote store employs guest access. There is a workaround that involves creating the folder in the Core as a first step and then copying files into it as a second step. Whether this is an Apple bug or an Apple conscious decision I don’t know. I didn’t read the relevant threads that carefully as mostly I use Windows 11 on a Lenovo to put downloads onto my Core, but even there I have to use Ethernet access and not WiFi because if a Windows security policy change.
Anyway, try it and see is the first step, but understanding what may happen with a future MacOS or iPadOS update is probably wise!
After a bit of research and a reluctance to part with a perfectly good 2015 27inch 5K iMac I’m going to try a different route now. I’m going to play with using the M2 iPad Air with my 27inch 4K Dell monitor with the iMac next to it, and use the Mac continuity feature to enable keyboard and mouse use across all 3 displays. I’d use the iPad set up for productivity apps as these are generally much better than the older versions on the iMac and the iMac for reading plans, Safari (enables use of the excellent speakers in the iMac) etc. I can use either for file management as I have everything syncing across iCloud, which will also keep my Time Machine backups via the iMac, AI assures me it’s a good option, though will need to adjust to the different window management across the iPad and iMac.
The 2015 27inch retina iMac does have a very good display. It needs a $5K + investment in a Mac mini and Studio Display to better it. The above option only requires a $100 iPad charging stand.
