I just bought myself a NUC with Win10 just for running Roon, as I couldn’t wait for a Linux release. I am now running Roon headless on the NUC and control it via my Nexus 9 tablet. As I also hate heavy duty OS such as OSX and Windows I only own a lightweight chromebook running ChromeOS only.
Today I did some configuration via the remote on my tablet and encountered a huge drawback:
My Nexus 9 Tablet battery died and I had no possibility to control Roon.
So here is my question:
Are there any plans for a browser based Roon Remote, or even better yet, a Chrome Browser Extension?
Meanwhile a Android based mobile App would also help, if this planned for an earlier release.
Completely agree. If it’s possible to replicate the remote experience purely via a browser, then this would open up quite a few more devices as potential remotes.
Keeping our client software unified on top of one technology stack crucial to making forward progress. As soon as we fork and have to maintain two or more independent fully-functional client packages, everything we do slows down noticeably and permanently.
We evaluated HTML5/JS as a potential “unified” platform target many times over the years while developing Roon, and each time we do a serious evaluation, we find that the performance isn’t adequate to execute the types of UI designs that we like to build.
I think if this were to happen it would be based around something like NaCL since that could avoid starting from scratch.
but then roon needs to come up with a few more alternatives for controlling roon software.
Controlling room via a PC/Laptop is totally inconvenient for a non-tech-savvy household. And using the tablet for that, which cannot be put into kiosk mode does not really simplify things.
don’t get me wrong: i am surviving well with the current roon setup but is is certainly not ready for the masses given the remote endpoint currently available.
roon hardware would be a right step, by offering dedicated hardware for roon such as a tablet only running roon with a charging dock.
You know what I do at the moment for controlling roon during times where my tablet battery died:
I take my chromebook
establish a remote connection with my windows pc located in another room
i run the roon remote software and controll it from there
But the rest of your post I just don’t understand. A tablet can simplify things greatly. I run an iPad Mini 3 as my portable remote. If I wanted I could put it in a charging dock and dedicate it to Roon. How would “roon hardware” improve things ? I can do those things now.
If your tablet runs out of battery, you can still operate it while it’s recharging. If you can’t do that for some reason you have a Chromebook and can access a remote connection to a PC remote.
I think you and I have very different ideas of what “total pain” is.
I fully unterstand what you are saying and maybe i exaggerated when saying total pain.
I am more thinking from a usability point of view. The stuff I am doing to cope with roon is totally OK with me which is why I will go with roon anyway.
I am more thinking from a not-tech-savvy person’s perspective. My wife for instance will give up using roon once the remote control is not doing what it needs to do, such use cases refer to depleted battery, accidental return to home screen or similar.
I will check roon on win10 as a remote endpoint and see whether I can configure my Logitech harmony remote to take over control of the roon. Maybe this will solve most problems,
Yes, I agree with you that Roon has to be usable by the whole family regardless of their technical know how. I think it’s something the devs are striving for. Suggestions about where Roon could do better in that regard are very helpful.
There is an iPhone app being worked on, which may go some way to expanding endpoints.
Getting to the point where a non-technical person can confidently setup a playlist for the kitchen while someone else is listening in the lounge is the trick.