I’ve been using and managing *nix systems since PDP-11 V7 days (that dates me). Even so, maintaining my Ubuntu NUC with Roon Core is not totally straightforward, sometimes I have to do some nontrivial troubleshooting. In contrast, the commercially packaged Linux-based system on Sonore or SOtM boxes is totally straightforward to manage through their Web interfaces, no *nix mumbo-jumbo is needed or even accessible. AFAIK, that’s ROCKs purpose too. Packaging such a totally self-configured system *nix system is tricky, so it’s not surprising that it has taken longer than expected. But there’s no half-way between something like ROCK and a standard Linux distribution that requires specific skills to install and manage. If it’s not totally shrinkwrap, it’s a nightmare for user and developers.
Accirding to the KB article ROCK caters for two audiences:
- DIY
- partner manufacturers
If you’re savvy enough, you can convert a NUC to ROCK yourself.
If you are very very savvy, you can try with other hardware (and fudge with driver support, with the risk you need to redo after each upgrade)
Or, if you are less savvy/don’t want to spend the time, you can just buy a ‘plug and play’ Roon device from one of the partners.
Your choice.
In the KB article Roon suggest to wait for a ‘surprise’, before you buy new hardware.
My guess, they have a nice deal in the works with a partner. Could range from:
- adding another hardware base next to nuc
- to simoly a nice(ly priced) ‘plug and play’ offering
Your guess.
At this moment i would just hold on buying hardware (if only as it usually becomes cheaper and better over time). If you already have a couple nuc bricks laying around (like me)… Nothing is stopping you to put them to good use now. On windows or linux, depending on your comfort levels. Just search the forum, enough tutorials on how to install.
It won’t be ROCK, but it will be a very acceptable Roon server and not far off.
It would be useful to have alternatives to the NUC. I personally find NUC hardware expensive for the task and there needs to be choice so those that can’t easily extend to a NUC can use alternatives. I run a Macmini and have a spare Linux based box. Loading the OS onto a flash drive to attach to the PI would also be great. Have to wait and see. Perhaps they are developing their own hardware?
Isn’t that where the Windows/Mac/Linux installs of Roon come in, supporting a wide variety of hardware choice for users to select from?
Pi’s are ok for endpoints running Roon Bridge but have no where near enough resources to run the Roon Core.
From what I know, ROCK is focused around running the Roon Core (that requires i3, i5 or i7 CPUs and a good helping of RAM) but maybe one day there might be a Roon Bridge version as well on lower specification devices.
Not to pile on, but I think we can safely discount any hardware-development efforts. The whole idea of Roon (IMO) is to focus on developing best-in-class software and leave the hardware to the hardware manufacturers. This, to me, is tremendously significant, since compared with something like, say, Sooloos, it opens things up to a huge range of hardware on which the software can run, thereby potentially tapping into a vastly larger pool of customers.
I’m done with the ROCK, bought a Aries Mini for $380 Aus, sounds incredible. They just took too much time.
A computer running ROCK and the Aries are two different things. ROCK installations are CoreServers only. The Aries is an endpoint. Or am I missing something?
Status update…
ROCK is running its course towards the end of beta. The reports are unanimously “it hasn’t caused me any issues. I’ve just forgotten it exists”. Exactly what we wanted to hear about an operating system meant to run as an appliance.
I also picked up a NUC7i3 yesterday, and had to update some minor drivers and stuff. There is a Linux kernel patch / Intel firmware I’m waiting for, that controls power saving modes on all Intel Kaby Lake CPUs’ built-in graphics GPUs. Hopeing that will be mainlined into a long-term-stable release of Linux before we release, otherwise I’ll patch it in.
Other that than, we are looking good. Unfortunately, there is a business reason to delay the release, so I’m sorry for those who are waiting. It’ll be out when its out. I want to share as much as I can, but as our members grow in numbers, I have to learn to not speak about things that are not released yet.
For those who bought gear specifically for ROCK, I hope we never said anything to trigger such an impulsive buy. It’s always a bad decision. For example, now, the NUC7 line is an improvement over the NUC5/6 in a number of ways, and even less expensive. Additionally, the RAM/SSD options have become cheaper as well, and the SSD options have become faster.
Additionally, there will be a surprise release along with ROCK, that might make you reconsider that hardware purchase, so don’t go buying stuff now!
Your level of engagement on the forum here is really great and appreciated but I’m unsure what member numbers have to do with talking about things that aren’t released. One is quantitative and the other qualitative.
I think you deserve a failing grade for this statement. Going back to November when you told the community:
While this is a completely reasonable position to take, there’s no question that it’s an extremely abrupt change from the last few months of 2016.
Messaging consistency is not always easy, even when it’s a core competency, but I don’t think the community deserves blame for incorrect assumptions this time.
It might be cheaper in the good old US of A but certainly not in the UK. Mine (i3 NUC 5) are running under W10 at the moment and are fine like that, if ROCK ends up being worse then I will leave them running that way.
- Those of you who are waiting for ROCK, you will continue to wait until it is ready.
- Those who bought NUCs and/or other gear, looking forward to ROCK, but are making use of that gear with Linux or Windows, I have no problem.
- Those few of you who have boxed up gear waiting for ROCK. I sympathize with your predicament.
For the record, no matter what I, Roon Labs, or anyone else says, it is never a good idea to make purchasing decisions based on unreleased product. If you can’t use your gear on the day it arrives to your home, you are just risking massive disappointment.
I meant that as numbers grow, I am less engaged with each member on a personal level, and they are less knowledgeable with how our company operates internally. The names of the people who seem to have bought in advance are all people who I have not engaged with directly.
Agreed. If my statement was taken as shifting blame to the community, I apologize for that giving that impression. I wasn’t trying to blame anyone for anything. Just trying to clarify my position on pre-buying hardware for future-yet-to-be-released product.
Sure, I can see how hopes were raised for the release of ROCK based on that statement. That statement was true at the time. As you can probably extrapolate from the 1.3 release notes, a key aspect of 1.3 was to do storage browsing and management in-app/in-core, and that is an absolutely requirement to make ROCK work with remotely connected storage.
That said, although I do sympathize with pre-buyers of gear sitting in boxes, I can not take responsibility for that action.
I take responsibility for getting peoples’ hopes up, but that’s where the buck stops.
Additional business goals, partner requirements, and hardware support have caused this project to not get to you all as fast as we all would like, but that’s how it always goes.
I sympathize with any folks who have NUCs and appurtenances thereto sitting around in boxes while they await the release of ROCK, but if the Roon customer base is going to insist on “messaging consistency,” it’s going to end up with corporate-style messaging, which is largely the opposite of what I’d prefer. Overall, I’m happy with the quality and content of communication from the Roon brass, so even though I’m as anxious as anyone to get my hands on ROCK, I’m willing to overlook a little overoptimism about the release date. Software release dates always slide.
Are you saying that ROCK will not work correctly on a NUC 5/6 as it seemed that was the core machine it was designed for?
I think what he is saying is that, Don’t be surprise that things could change and it “might” not work.
according to the KB article :
“We have only tested with 5th generation and 6th generation NUCs, Intel Core i3 and Intel Core i5. It may work with other machines, but the drivers needed may not exist there”
@danny can you confirm?
This whole thread is just beating an unborn horse and putting words in Danny’s mouth. It should have been closed long ago.
This, Plus some self inflicted pain 
Thanks for clarifying those points @danny.
For a final observation ( I promise !) I suspect things might have proceeded a bit more smoothly if you’d maintained your engagement with a timely update on the design changes and likely delay.
IIRC, it was Andrew Gillis who shared the news about design changes after things had inexplicably gone quiet for some time after the release of 1.3.
Speed of band aid removal etc.
It will work with the NUC5, NUC6, and the NUC7 (as of yesterday).
I have tested i3 and i5 variations of the NUC5 and NUC6, and the i3 of the NUC7 (as of yesterday).
The only thing that has changed is that I got a NUC7i3BNH and updated stuff to work with it.
I’m not sure what sharing you are speaking of here… can you clarify or point to the post? I ask because I’m not sure Andrew has knowledge on the ROCK release schedule or what’s happening internal to Roon Labs any more than you do.