I like to use it because it has a larger album cover and complements the artist images that dominate the chromecast/web browser display (albeit there is a different bug in Roon that doesn’t display a lot of the artist images on the chromecast/browser display).
I’m sure there are multiple issues piling on. My use of the web controller extension is relatively recent and I had many of these problems before that, but it’s definitely exacerbated the situation.
If Roon would just offer up a static display with album cover art that doesn’t require use of the main Roon interface (i.e. only the main Roon software displays album cover art at any reasonable scale and that updates with track progress etc.) then I’d use that and it would have far less network impact. I know - feature request - but it won’t get built or if it did it would be years in the making. I don’t really understand how Roon makes a big deal out of the look and feel of the product but really is very light on the visual appeal of the album covers. You have to use your main Roon interface for that but of course then you cannot access playlist etc. Hence my desire to use a bunch of Roon remotes for that purpose even though they are much heavier and tax the core more than necessary.
Only 2 mobile devices that are not even always on. EVERY other device is hard wired.
I have lost my faith that feature requests are fulfilled with any regularity. Or even really considered by Roon. Look at Roon 2.0, which functions identically to 1.8 as far as I can tell other than ARC. And Roon is clearly looking more at streamers and mobile users these days. Plus I do understand that Roon isn’t building this software just for my music room, albeit I Danny saw this room I think he might consider it.
Once again, thank you all for your input. Especially the options regarding linux builds, since that seems like the logical next step to try.
Heck I’d even license 2 cores if they could somehow work together. I know that isn’t in the cards.