It's got to be simple, but.... I'M an IDIOT

What receiver?

How does your iPod currently connect to the receiver?

Minimum goal = $99 Airport Express (assuming your receiver isn't AirPlay-equipped) hooked to the receiver, play anything from the iPod in your hand...

2nd option will be a wall-mounted iPod dock - there are several available. How exposed is that location? The question will be the wiring to it, but between the RCA audio and Cat5, you'll probably be covered. Here's one that uses cat5 for power and signal:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc..._term=50-10405


Your best case goal is not a simple nor inexpensive answer. The cheapest (by a longshot) way to control an iPod is with an iPod...

Jeff

How about bluetooth??? How far is the receiver???

You could go bluetooth with an item like this: http://www.amazon.com/Cicada-Sewell-...7880199&sr=8-1 Range of blue tooth might be a problem depending on how far your receiver is... Bluetooth gets you like ~30ft

Minimum Goal: EZ as already described.

Best Case: Here is where your method breaks down because the iPod is designed as a portable device and not really intended to sit in one spot (a music server) and have a remote controller telling it what to do.

When you have to remote control an iTune-based system, the controller can be an iPad, iPhone, Touch and your server is where iTunes resides, either a PC or Mac.

He wants a permanent, mounted control solution.

I was thinking something like a programmed keypad, e.g. Xantech, controlling a networked AVR.

I couldn't find a weatherproof iDock.

I guess the point is moot, OP MIA.

And the AVR running some sort of DNLA?

OP, is that what you want?

When one is used to the simplicity of an iPod interface, I bet $5 nobody wants to go back to a cranky DNLA-like interface. There are some stand-alone audio server boxes that sound decent, interface-wise, but OP seems to specify, I WANT TO PLAY WHAT IS IN MY IPOD, hence my reference to play the iTune's library instead which is, supposely a mirror-image or what's in the iPod, UNLESS OP is doing one of those manual sync thing, with no server back up of his stuff in which case, oiy, am out.

p.s.: I have heard of certain AVR boxes will give you full control of an iPod, but am highly skeptical, having dealt for years with auto head units really NEVER provided a trouble-free iPod interface to the user, then every time Apple updates the iPod firmware, the dang head unit goes into convulsion.