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https://github.com/nugget/roon-community-dj

Synchronize playback across multiple Roon music servers
https://github.com/nugget/roon-community-dj

community music-player roon roon-extension roonlabs

Last synced: 12 days ago
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Synchronize playback across multiple Roon music servers

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README 

        
# Roon Community DJ



[![Version npm](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/roon-community-dj.svg?logo=npm)](https://www.npmjs.com/nugget/roon-community-dj) [![Dependency Status](https://david-dm.org/nugget/roon-community-dj/status.svg)](https://david-dm.org/nugget/roon-community-dj) [![devDependency Status](https://david-dm.org/nugget/roon-community-dj/dev-status.svg)](https://david-dm.org/nugget/roon-community-dj?type=dev)



## What is this?



RCDJ is an extension for the popular [Roon] music player.  It allows Roon users

to synchronize their music playback with other Roon users over the Internet.

One user is designated as the DJ.  Whatever tracks the DJ user plays on their

system will be syncronized to all the subscriber users on their local Roon

servers.



**This extension does not sync any actual music files or data.  All songs played

must be independently available to all the participating users**



This only works if the users have common local libraries or -- more likely --

subscribe to the same streaming services like Tidal or Qobuz.  In practice,

this works really well as long as everyone playing along has the same

subscriptions.



## Why is this?



This extension is an outgrowth of the unofficial [Roon Discord] chat server.

Several users there were using a Discord music bot to host group listening

sessions, but grew unhappy at the unavoidable loss in quality that compressed

streaming via voice chat requires.



This extension was created to allow the chat users to share new music with each

other and enjoy communal listening while at the same time maintaining the

high-quality, lossless experience that Roon users expect.



## Sounds great!  How to I install it?



While this will eventually be available in the [Roon Extension Manager], for

now the only way to use the extension is to run it "by hand" on a system with

a suitable node.js/npm setup.



You can also visit the [related thread] on the Roon community discussion forums



Assuming you have a working `node` and `npm` installed on your host, it's

simply a matter of:



```sh

git clone https://github.com/nugget/roon-community-dj.git

cd roon-community-dj

npm install

node roon-community-dj.js

```



Once the extension is running, go to Settings / Extensions in your Roon app.

Select your playback Zone, choose a channel name to join, and set your

nickname.



![Example Configuration Screen][configscreen]



## Architecture and Configuration



Each Roon Core running this extension will connect to a central DJserver which

coordinates the playback for all the participating users.  There is a public

DJserver available for all to use, but the server code is included in this

repository and it's possible to run a private DJserver if you desire.



In the extension settings, each roon core subscribes to a "channel" as either

a DJ or Listener.  WHen the DJ for a channel plays a song, all the listener

users in that channel will begin playback of that same song if they have it

available.  In the event that the song is not available, a listener will either

be met with silence or with a random selection depending on if they have Roon

Radio enabled for that zone.  When the DJ's next song begins, playback will

resume for the listener.



Currently any user in a channel can elect to become DJ and there is no

protection to prevent this from happening.  If a user changes themselves to the

channel DJ, the current DJ will be demoted to a Listener.  This is ripe for

griefing and will be extended in the future.  But for now that's how it works.



Each Roon core is assigned a random User ID that is used on the server to track

individual roon cores. You can view your ID in the "Developer Settings" of the

extension settings page.  This number is unique to the Community DJ extension,

it's not part of your Roon Core or your account with Roon Labs.  If you clear

this value in the settings page a new ID will be generated.



## Privacy and Data Retention



No permanent logs are kept for any users, playback data, or configuration

details.  All coordination in the DJserver is transient and persists only for

as long as a channel or connection is active.  Data is only tracked or retained

to the degree necessary to provide the features of the extension.



The source code to the DJserver is in this repo and you have my promise that

the public server runs this code unmodified with no shenanigans.



The DJserver will necessarily have access to the following information:



* The public IP address of your Roon Core

* Playback activity taking place in the Roon Zone configured in the extension

* Which streaming services you have configured within Roon (Qobuz or Tidal)

* Your Roon configuration settings *for this extension*.

* A unique User ID that is generated by the extension for your Roon Core.



The DJserver will absolutely **not** have access to:



* Your Roon Labs account, credentials, or server licenses

* Your streaming account credentials

* Any playback taking place on any zones other than the one you've configured

  for the extension.

* Your blood type, mother's maiden name, or the name of your first pet.



[Roon]: https://roonlabs.com/

[Roon Discord]: https://discord.gg/4yKPf26

[Roon Extension Manager]: https://github.com/TheAppgineer/roon-extension-manager/

[related thread]: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/roon-extension-community-dj/103079?u=nugget



[configscreen]: images/config.png