New Website + Knowledge Base!

Website looks really good - nice and clean design and the information well laid out.
One thing I would recommend is some form of diagram on the architecture… I picture is worth a thousand words

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Shouldn’t the new website be scrolling sideways? :joy:

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Congratulations guys. It’s looking very cool.

Looks and feels nice.

Personally, I think the ‘dark’ theme shows Roon off better…

It might be there and I just didn’t see it, but I’m often frustrated if it’s hard to find a ‘specs’ type list somewhere of what you get with the software and what it can do - file formats, resolutions, hardware that can run on, licensing, updates, any other key features, all in one place.

Was really hoping to scroll down and see that this was released to tie in with the now available RoonBridge :wink:

Hi Danny
A very nice job for the most part

One quick suggestion that comes to mind…as it is something that is done on most Tech sites these days

i.e. if you click on a Picture to magnify it, then it allows you to SCROLL thru the rest of the Pictures by using arrow watermarks, or simply clicking the picture advances to the next one, and they stay in their magnified state

So if you go to the pictures under “See More Examples” on the Home Page…and click on one of the Photos, you would have the option to advance thru ALL of the Pictures in their “magnified” state…without having to click on each Photo in turn

Mirroring other posts above, it would also allow you to show the “Dark Theme” version of the same screen…which will make it obvious to the user that there are display options…and I feel that the Dark Theme gives Roon a more “Bespoke Product” look than perhaps the “Website” look of the Light theme [all IMHO of course]

Having said the above about the Photos, I think Roon is best viewed “in motion” so to speak

So, I think the idea of having the Flash Video front and centre is a VERY good one…I might perhaps add a “Full Screen” button to allow the viewer a magnified version of what’s going on in the video

Would a homepage link to a series of SHORT Youtube videos…showing “Look How Easy It is to Navigate thru Your Library” be useful…a Video plus Text on the screen [even better if someone is speaking, but text is sufficient’

I know the current video does elements of that…but it could show similar library navigation, but coming at it from different angles…e.g. hit / touch ‘M’ to take you to M-Artists…Quick Search…and some of the other things that people struggle with when using iTunes, Sonos Desktop, JRiver etc., etc.

And these Videos wouldn’t be geared at the knowledgebase for Users…but quick 30-second ‘marketing’ videos showing “look how easy it is” type

When it comes to Roon, a picture paints a Thousand words…but I feel a short video will paint a Million words!! :wink:

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A great job, so congratulations - it really highlights what an impressive concept Roon is. I’ve finally managed to get my head round how everything fits together. I actually thought the graphics very clear, so I’m not sure if any more diagrams are needed.

It should help to get more people to sign up as well as give a warm glow to those already committed :smile:

looks great. The website especially is much clearer. When I first looked into Roon, the main site was missing what is surely your greatest selling point, “screenshots”.

Now it really sells the product more effectively

The new pictures/diagrams on ‘how Roon works’ are really very clear.

Is it worth adding a ‘Company’ or ‘About Us’ heading to the home page? I always tend to check this out when evaluating new software, hardware, etc.

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@chrisbyrd – we’ve never been so vain, but we could do it… what information do you look for?

@danny I think a little vanity is justified for you guys. It doesn’t need to be much - a very brief overview of what the company does, when it was founded, where you are based, and names & expertise of key personnel (if you’re happy to share this information).

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I agree that there should be an “About us” section on your website. Besides, it looks a little odd that there’s not one when you have a “Partners” section. Rather begs the question of who all these folks are partnering with…

I think that your RAAT page needs a little more than just two short sentences. And SDK is a TLA that may not be immediately obvious to music-lovers…

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If you want nitpicky feedback, I think you’re missing a bold on the core (2nd para) on the how it works page:

"Roon consists of a single core and as many controls and outputs as you need. "

I’ve got a suggestion for you for the website - which would be to make it even clearer what ‘RoonReady’ devices are, and what ones are available, and what are undergoing certification (if possible). Also expand on tested devices available.

I say this based on offering advice about Roon (in general, but particularly on ‘endpoints’) on other forums, where there tends to be a lot of confusion. OK, it doesn’t help that you’re on the cusp of RoonBridge and Linux, but still……

I think for those of us that follow Roon’s development it’s a lot clearer, but coming to Roon ‘fresh’ its not quite as obvious. I tried to approach your website in the eyes of a new user today, and have to say it wasn’t clear to me what I should be looking for if I want a RoonReady device ‘endpoint’ or ‘server’. Of the brands you have listed, a lot have a very subtle asterisk for ‘undergoing certification’, but there’s no product details - only a brand, and it takes you to their main website (same for the Roon Tested). For the brands that have certified products, they click through to the product details, but this might not have been obvious if you clicked on uncertified brands first. I then found your product matrix hidden in the knowledge base, but I dare say it might be too hidden.

It might help to also explain the whole ‘squeezebox’ support situation, and how to get it working on various devices a bit more too. There appears to be lots of confusion about people ‘running Roon’ on Pi’s, squeezeboxes, etc.

And the situation with RoonServer devices could do with some more info. Yes, I know there aren’t any, but maybe this could do with some more info if possible, as people often don’t want a computer in their audio chain and I think if they knew a product was even on the distant horizon that could replace it, it would help.

The majority of the Roon ecosystem seems to be much better understood (and definitely helped by the new website), but the ‘endpoint’ / hardware ‘server’ aspect seems to cause a lot of confusion, and some of that is no doubt to the fact that things have evolved quite a bit and are on the cusp of change, but there’s a lot of historic info out there. A general comment I’ve heard a few times is that the forums are good, but there’s such a bewildering array of topics and information spanning from launch to date, that it makes it hard to get info and figure things out.

Again, this isn’t feedback from me per-se, it’s compiled after interacting with new (possible future) Roon users elsewhere….

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Great feedback from Steve.

And to support his point, I’d like to point your attention to this interesting dialogue. Continuing the discussion from Roon and the Auralic Aries:

Thank you Steve. It’s an easy answer, I understand, but I’m a new user of Roon…
I read that page (and some others) before installing the software and it says: “A Roon system starts with a core” and “The core can be your Mac or Windows PC, or a server from one of our hardware partners.”
Being Auralic one of the partners, I thought that the Aries could be a core so that I needed only Roon on the ipad (control apps) to send the music to the dac.
In another way, is the Aries a core and I’ve missed something in the Roon’s setting on the ipad or is the Aries an output and I need also a pc – the core – with Roon?

This was a case where a newbie reasonably concluded that his Aurelic Aries might just be the “server” that ran a core for him. After all, it is “RoonReady”.

I’d have never caught this myself. Too close to the subject matter. Might be beneficial to have some truly fresh eyes look at the knowledge base, and when they get confused or aren’t clear, find out why.

Thanks Steve - just trying to help….:blush:

I dare say for a lot of prospective new users, the KB would be a step too far anyway - personally I think it needs to be clear and as simple as possible on the main website. If someone does venture into the KB however (via ‘support’ dropdown) it doesn’t say you’re in a knowledge base, and there’s no obvious mention of things like RoonReady or hardware devices, ‘endpoints’ or ‘servers’ or even references to core, output and control introduced so nicely on the main website… Unless I’m missing something.

I’ve personally puzzled over that idea myself. And I’m not sure I agree. Though I’m not sure I disagree either. Fact is, I’m just not sure. Here’s why…

If my wife had to install Roon - much less figure out what components she needed - using the documentation that’s out there now, it would NEVER happen. That’s the bad news. The good news is that she’d never try. She does not have a digital library that she manages herself. It’s beyond her knowledge set. So she gets yours truly to worry about that for her. In other words, people without a core set of digital, PC/Mac skills are not the target audience. They can’t manage a digital library. How could they be expected to set up Roon?

That’s why I’m not sure. I suspect that having the knowledge to manage a digital library is the filter Roon needs. It keeps the people that can’t understand it from even being interested. I think.

Certainly happy to shown that I’m not thinking clearly on this. As I said, I’m not sure…

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The idea is that clicking on each partner would bring up a partner page, which has more information about the partner, including which products we have tested and which are Roon Ready.

We just haven’t deployed those pages yet :slight_smile: