Accessibility for blind people

I agre with this. Just installed Roon in trial period mode about 30minutes ago. I have of course a great deal to learn, but al I get on computer starting of the app is the icon, and I cannot get anything to function via the keyboard. I have one of the new Naim network streamers, which is controlled by Naim’s app. So: it looks at this stage as if I won’t be purchasing Roon unless somethinig miraculously happens within the next 14 days.

It qualifies as negligence.

Spend some time with the knowledge base. It should be pretty straightforward.

https://kb.roonlabs.com

I was surprised to learn of the lack of accessibility of Roon remotes.

@danny Is this on the cards from development at all? If it’s not and that’s due to costs I’d be interested in exploring a community fundraising effort to assist with that side of things.

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I’ve commented about this before.

Support for proper accessibility features would be a monumental task because we do not use the OS built-in primitives for display.

One approach:

This is what prompted me to ask about accessibility. Look like the dev for that extension has already added labels to assist in this area.

This should be standard for anything and everything, in fact, it should also be written into law the same way that an EU product being sold in the EU must have its manual written in multiple languages.

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The Accessibly Roon Controller is verry appreciate. I’m blind music and aaudio lover iandi can’t use native Roon client becouse it is inaccessible!!! Please make Roon Controller accessible! Best Regards Robert

I understand that Roon Labs cannot or do not want to create a Roon Controller application available to people using screenreaders, assistive technology. It may instead provide more functions and options through the Roon API so that developers of such extensions as “Web Controller” can share them with the blind or others having trouble using the native Roon application. It’s already possible right?
Regards Robert Tota

Unfortunately, every item sold, leased, or rented, has to make decisions that weigh profitability vs. features. Sometimes that forces them to make hard decisions that leave segments of the population out in the cold. IMHO, I would like them to include blind people in their fold. I’m 68, and as of two years ago had 20/25 vision. But, I have noticed a slight degradation in the last 1-2 years. Will it lead to blindness?? THAT depends how much longer I live (I’m hoping at least 100!!). Maybe software development should be covered under ADA. Maybe that is overreach. BUT. it definitely warrants discussion. Anyone with a disability should be included into any discussion, no matter what field. They are as human as I am, and deserve any right that I have. PERIOD! End of editorial!

Maybe ALL software developers need to form a consortium to develop open source, disability directed code that is easy to integrate with any program. And if it requires all of us to pay a small upcharge, so be it. ADA should apply to everything, IMHO!

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Hi,

any news about this issue?

I am blind and I’d like to use Roon, but I still see no possebility.

If it is not possible to make the Roon core itself accessible maybe at least a accessible controller app or something similar could be developed. I do not need to install Roon myself, this could be done with sighted help, but if everything is up and running and I like to listen to music, browse my library or music services like Tidal or Qobuz, this at least should be possible e.g. with an smartphone app, a web interface, e.g.

If there are already crontroller for smartphones e.g. available in my understanding it should be also possible to build a accessible app. The communication between the app and the Roon core is done in the background, so only the interface of the app has to made accessible, all other infos are already available, because the current app does need those informations too.

Please think about making Roon more accessible and useable also for screen reader users.

If someone knows about other ways to use Roon with a screen reading software, I’d be also happy to know about it.

Cheers,

Schoepp

The only way a blind person using screen reader can use Roon is the Roon Web Controller. You need to install the Roon extension Manager and install the Roon Web Controller extension from the Roon Controler, settings and extensions. I use Roon like that and I am blind. Unfortunately, the sight personn must install Roon Web Controller becouse Roon Controller is inaccesible.
Best regards and good luck Robert Tota

Hi Robert and all,

what about the features of the web access plugin? I use 'Qobuz and / or Tidal most of the time and have no big local library. Can I

  • search the streaming services for specific artists, records or titles with the plugin?
  • manage favourite artists and records with the plugin?
  • discover new music through the streaming services with this plugin?
  • use the great new features of Roon to discover new music with this plugin (artist based radio, e.g.)?

If this all would be possible I’d give it a try.

As said, it would be OK to setup and configure Roon with sighted help. If I can use the software after everything is installed. I checked the Github page of the web plugin to get a more detailed overview of the features of the plugin, but it is not clear to me if the things mensioned above are possible.

How to you use the plugin, what is possible and what key features of Roon are not implemented?

Cheers and thanks,

Schoepp

That’s how you can search Tidal and Qobuz to search for songs, CDs, artists we are interested in. Unfortunately, it is not possible to check the quality of the song, whether it is 16 bit or 24, resolution or is in the MQA version. Unfortunately, you can’t create your own playlists or mark artists in some way, or add them to your favorites. It is possible to search music types. And probably not much more. I have a large local library and mainly use it. Roon Radio can be started. As far as I know it is based on songs from my library but maybe I’m wrong.
Regards Robert

Want to add my voice here. I found this when I posted another thread about it:

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It is very unfortunate that people have to deal with various disabilities. I think companies should do what they can to make their products accessible and usable to people with disabilities. However, I also think it is unreasonable to think any and every product brought to market must be usable by anyone, anywhere, with any disability. Roon does not work very well for the deaf either.

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There is a lot to unpack here.

Are you saying that because users with a hearing impairment cannot fully experience the result of using Roon that visually impaired users (who very much can) should also not be able to?

With regards to software, it is absolutely reasonable to expect it to be accessible as every software development tool used to develop UI that is worth its salt these days have built in support for accessibility. The knowledge bases and guidelines on how to achieve it are out there and most are free.

In fact this is expected to such a degree that many countries are now taking digital accessibility up into their legislation for example the ADA in America and the European accessibility act.

If Roon was accessible to visually impaired people you would not notice any negative impact in your experience of the program, so why not grant as many people as possible the same enjoyment? In fact interfaces employing the entire gamut of accessibility features have proven themselves to also be more user friendly even to users without disabilities as well, so you may even benefit from it yourself.

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Please do not try to speak for me. I can do that myself.

I already said I think companies should do what they can to make their products accessible and usable to people with disabilities.

On the other hand, Roon is a small company, which means there are limits on what they can do. They are not Microsoft or Apple. If they could implement features that make Roon usable for the blind that would be great, but not if the price of Roon becomes unaffordable for everyone. That would serve no useful purpose.