Tablets do not have a modifier key. I have controlled Roon using a computer and a modern high resolution tablet. The tablet is a better experience. The two tap queue management system takes less than a second.
Leave the PawMasher alone please - it provides quick and flexible control, but does need time to master.
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Key term: power users. Generally implied, it pertains to desktop applications where controls are ample. Keyboard keys, mouse/trackpads with force touch & multi finger swipes. etc. Desktops are where the most control is available, why not offer additional controls to desktop users who are used to having everything, not confining them to the design limitations of phone/tablets.
[quote=“Chad_Evans, post:82, topic:2100”]
why not offer additional controls to desktop users who are used to having everything, not confining them to the design limitations of phone/tablets.
[/quote]Because one of Roon’s design goals is that the UI has the same look / feel be it on a PC, Mac, iPad or Android.
(right click = long press accepted.)
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If that is the case, then please, in the nature of equality, remove the following desktop control features:
1 - spacebar play/pause
2 - keyboard media keys (prev/play/pause/next)
3 - arrow key navigation
4 - windowed mode
5 - two-finger swipe page navigation
6 - TAB to open menu
7 - command-arrow back/forward navigation
8 - command-E “now playing” toggle
9 - command-F search
- many more
Making a multi-platform product better often means incorporating the strengths of each platform, not going with lowest common denominator. Imagine if Adobe castrated desktop Photoshop to only have the features of the tablet version. It would be replaced in the market, and swiftly.
No you are wrong, people buy Adobe Photshop for its capabilities not its controls, in the same way Roon is bought. Why should everyone else suffer because you can’t have what you want.
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How would “everyone else suffer” if the desktop version has additional power features made possible by its inherent platform-centric advantages? It already has plenty of keyboard shortcuts - why would it hurt to add more?
If as you suggested these are removed.
My intention is to point out that the desktop edition already has a plethora of desktop-only keyboard controls which prove to be quite handy.
@Carl 's assertion that “…one of Roon’s design goals is that the UI has the same look / feel be it on a PC, Mac, iPad or Android.”
If this is truly the philosophy, then the desktop version should not have any desktop-exclusive methods of control as it does now (I don’t want this). My point is that you can add keyboard shortcuts that do not change the look & feel. For example, a modifer key. Imagine how nice it would be to Command-click an album cover or Command-click a play button to immediately begin playing the music. You are “commanding” the album to play, bypassing the verbosity. No, my dear robot friend, I don’t care to have every option offered to me every time - I just want to hear the music right now. Bypassed!
A right-click option would be one click less than three, but would indeed inflict upon the user experience as contextual menus often become a dumping ground of additional functionality, hidden from the user unless opened. Ugly, too, and old fashioned. I enjoy the Roon UI very much, but there has to be a way to do one-click play. Even the painfully slow, clunky Amarra for Tidal has a way to “one click play.”
The issue I have with your statement as with quite a few on here is the attitude of “well I want it or don’t want it” so everyone else’s opinion is not important this is not helped by the Deal Breaker card which seems to be played a little to often.
I know what you are saying but am just pointing out that there is a very small minority of people for whom the one click seems to be a negative problem and at least as many who see it as a positive.
I am not sure why it is so important - is it a case of fear of RSI of over use of energy?
Having come from and still using a vinyl record playing system the fact that I have to get up and change sides/records every 20/25 minutes can be both interesting and a healthier option due to exercise.
Oi, this bugs me too. There are always compromises and annoyances in life that one must deal with gracefully. Do I care about one click play once the music is already playing? No. But does it bug me every single time I want to play music? Yes. I find it to be wasted effort. Not enjoyable, necessary effort as with turntables.
I, too, enjoy vinyl and the manual experience that comes with it. But when I decide to play an LP, the turntable does not force me to answer questions before playing. It does not ask me if I want to play music based on the record I am wanting to play. It does not ask me if I want to play it next.
I want to play the album now and the turntable is not going to hassle me. Except for the manual process of placing the disc, brushing, record clamp, placing stylus, etc etc.
Digital removes the need to set the physical media because the computer does all the work. Adding unnecessary barriers is counter-intuitive. One-click-play is the equivalent of playing a record without being interrogated by the playback device.
[quote=“Chad_Evans, post:88, topic:2100”]
Command-click a play button to immediately begin playing the music.
[/quote]I think that would inevitably provoke the following comments:
- Why can’t I do this on a tablet.
- Having to hold down a keyboard key and then click the mouse is still a 2 “click” operation.
Hence with reference to my earlier statement … if Roon does decide to do something about this then I believe the UI implementation would cater for all devices and not just be restricted to keyboard/mouse.
I don’t work for Roon and I don’t speak for them … so I could be wrong on this … but I have been associated with the Roon guys for many years now.
Personally I think it is time that Roon made a statement on this and not just sit on fence whilst users continue to debated the pros and cons most of which now is just repitition.
If I had my way I’d avoid keyboard-keys and look to implement a right-click / long press context menu for “non-standard” work flows.
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I’am ok with any optional addition here. As long as it is optional and I can use the current functionality.
I love it, as it is, because it is the first music player I NEVER have accidently killed my current queue. And for me, what is worth a lot of clicks 
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- Tablets don’t have modifier keys so you don’t get that power feature that desktop users enjoy. Desktop users don’t get to use a touch screen that tablet users get to enjoy. Different platforms, different methods of interaction.
- Modifier+click is not two clicks. It’s one click in one spot as compared to three clicks in three different spots. Three different interface pages to navigate and click before you can get music to play. Unnecessary like having to open three doors to get into your fridge.
I agree to disagree, but really, I think the reason this is a UX issue is because the button says “Play Album.” A big blue button. An action button. When an action button says “Play Album” and the app is a music playing app, the user doesn’t expect to be questioned when making this choice. Maybe if the user was choosing to delete something, sure, “Are you sure you want to delete?” is fairly common. But to be questioned on your intention when you hit a big button that says “Play Album” is a bit rude, to be honest. What does “Play Radio” have to do with choosing to Play Album?
I think the nature of the words and appearance of this button are the issue. With something more genuine as the action text, it would not be such a shock to get an overlay. More accurately, it would say something like one of the following:
- Album Playback Options
- Play Options
- Roon Album Launcher
- Ways to Play
Granted, these are all terrible. I think that is because a “Play Album” button should just play the album. Radio can be separate button, as can “Add to Queue.” Right clicking is not something users do on an action button. Long press is not something people do on a play button. None of these ideas are good because the overlay options should be handled differently.
Which is why desktop power users who use keyboard shortcuts all day would be happy with a modifier key. It would be so easy for Roon to keep this design choice while also satisfying those of us who would like to bypass the fluff and get to the goods, immediately.
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And this kind of ideas I don’t like. These are sources for user errors and we are back to an interface, where it is possible to kill your queue by accident.
And to have such an interface is MY dealbreaker!
I’ve been using a beta version of the Sonos Android app that now has one touch play. There are a few things that perhaps Roon can learn from the Sonos app:
The play icon is right on each album so there is no wasted “travel” the user has to do. Press and the album plays. At the moment the only action Sonos allows is 1 touch play. I think it would be great if a single touch would play the album but a long touch on the play icon brings up additional options right next to the album like add to queue, play next, etc
You can also one touch play individual tracks in Sonos. There is still the 3 dot menu item next to each track for more play option. It seems when you press a single track, the default behavior is that all the songs from that point onward is played immediately. Again, it would be cool if a long press would bring up additional options.
Personally I really like what Sonos has done here.
Anyway, I know Roon is working on this so perhaps checking out how others have implemented this feature will help the creative juices.
Okay everyone’s opinion is as valid as the next… yes there is a BUT coming…
I just don’t get this wasted “travel” - like what do you have 100 inch screens?
Just to reiterate over the chatter, I LOVE THE WAY ROON HANDLES THIS AT THE MOMENT, I have never “killed” a carefully curated queue as I have done with LMS oh so frequently.
I don’t at all mind the extra “travel” - it broadens the mind after all!
SJB
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I dont think the travel distance is the issue here. Of course what we are talking about is minor in the grand scheme of things but it is these sorts of subtle user experience issues that can make or break a product, especially one that is charging a premium like Roon. Think about it…first and foremost Roon is a music playback software package. If playing back music is difficult, or not efficient or requires too many clicks, etc doesnt that make Roon an inferior product compared to other (much less expensive) options? Why should users be expected to put up with a bad user experience? Perhaps us early adopters are willing to put up with a clunky interface but not the general public which has a much lower attention span and tolerance of an inferior user experience. The reality is, there are a lot of other options for playback software with way better features and intuitive controls. Of course its up to Roon if they believe the issues discussed in this thread are important enough to address. The ultimate judge will be the paying consumer. My opinion is if Roon wants to ever become more than a little niche product that only diehard music lovers like us will use, the user interface must improve to be at least on par with the many products out there (many of which are free). Perhaps Roon just wants to be a small little company with a small but very loyal user base that is willing to to accept the issues.
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Respectfully, I disagree.
SJB
I respectfully agree with your choice to disagree.
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A one click should if implemented, be an additional option or button. Or a option to edit in your settings. I only use iPad.
You may do something fancy with holding your finger longer on the screen.