I don’t like the Player 1.0 idea.
The Roon team has to focus on ONE product, to bring it to briliant future.
To divide the resources to too many sideprojects was never a good idea. You can’t please everyone, stay on your way.
So, put in one or two additional options in the settings, but please focus on the main product and concentrate your energy in improving it.
Agree here with that, too. Player 1.0 sounds like the antithesis to our current Roon’s core value; the richest interactive experience with our digital music library and fantastic sound quality for the whole house.
1.3 will have the metadata removal features that @PNCD and @Dan_Levy want.
We have no interest in releasing a metadata-less player-only software, but we understand a very small minority of our users have perfectly groomed collections and are willing to live in their world of metadata. This will be very easy for them in 1.3.
AE67, Jeremy.
I suggested Roon Player because I am told that Roon 1.3 will bring with it a reworking of how metadata is blended and managed. That initiative is a Roon initiative to help resolve some of the complexities in managing metadata that lead to client frustration and numerous client support issues. Probably also some technical inefficiencies as well, given that there is now a better definition of the practical requirements. Roon Player is nothing other than taking that initiative to the logical conclusion, where a client could disable all Roon-sourced data. What would remain would be a shell configuration that uses file tag data plus whatever manual edits the client would make, just as now.
So, No, I do not propose that Roon create another technical product but a configuration in which the client does have clear, consistent and accessible control over the application data. It does seem to me that Roon could package a configuration where external data is locked out at the license level, creating Roon Player as exactly the same software, no data, no data costs, less complexity, lower support and something to appeal to potential client who think they want a player and not an expensive integrated solution. Roon is an expensive solution, even more so for those who want a player. Why not offer Roon Player as a cross-platform, remote controllable alternative to J River, iTunes, HQ Player, Foobar etc? When was choice a bad thing so long as it does not fragment development?
Roon should offer a disconnect from 3rd party meta data option as they plan. This will require proper tagging by the user but will also cause the usual media player issues… Artist vs Album Artist. Compilation handling. etc. Of course this will open a new can of complaints comparing it to JRiver and Foobar etc
Meta data issues need to be fixed when reported. If Roon can’t get All Music to fix them, Roon needs an abstraction layer over top All Music so they can override/fix results. Governance would have to be put in place and maybe certain screened users could help with this portion of the Meta Data grooming.
2 is more important to me. I wouldn’t use 1.