Usability issue / suggestion to address hard-to-see Aeros hands-free menu selection

I feel that it is too difficult to see the gray highlighted selection box that is used to indicate the current selection in the hands-free scroll wheel menus. There is just not enough contrast provided by this gray highlight mechanism to make it standout easily. This poor visibility is even worse when standing (i.e., my normal live playing approach), as the steeper viewing angle when standing instead of sitting makes the gray highlight box become even less visible, and I find I have to step back two steps in order to clearly see the highlighted selection box, or bend over to see it.

In addition to the obvious usability issue, this “quirk” also limits the Aeros to installation on flat pedalboards, as an angled pedalboard further steepens the viewing angle and exacerbate the low contrast problem. I tested this at home, and yes- the Aeros menu selection visibility is even worse on an angled board, which I vastly prefer over flat boards for their cable and power management advantages.

I found a similar issue/ change request post from Quad from March 2023 in the forum (see below). Quad also wrote a post in 2021 about same basic problem with the poor contrast of the gray highlight box mechanism in the song selection menu. SS Support marked the post as “under consideration”, but I am writing to hopefully add urgency to the issue (as it presents a serious usability problem for hands-free menu operation), as well as to add additional suggestions for potential remedies to the good ideas that Quad offered…

In addition to Quad’s suggestions (which I agree with) to…

a) add a bright selection outline box to the current selection
b) keep the current selection anchored in the center of the menu “wheel” and rotate the menu options through the fixed-in-center selection box

… I’d like to add additional suggestions for consideration.
c) the Aeros’ use of bright green color to highlight the active track is very effective, and visibly jumps right out to the eye. How about using bright green to indicate the currently selected menu option? This could be executed in several different ways, any of which would be a significant usability impreovement:

  • use bright green for the outline box suggested by Quad
  • change the current gray background highlighting to a bright
    green highlight box
  • when a menu option is currently selected / highlighted, change
    the white font used for the menu option name to bright green
    font (with this latter approach, can keep the gray highlight box)

quoted post:
"Quad
[Mar 9](Impossible to see/hard to scroll to onscreen selection of settings and other?

Two related issues make this a problem:

  • The gray box that indicates “selected” is hard to see …
    especially when th Aeros is on the floor on an angled pedal
    board (viewing angle issue that may vary across batches of
    display panels). Recommendation: Add a high contrast element
    to indicate selected (bright (white?) border box, bright
    line/arrow/icon on the left side, etc.)
  • The position of the selected item is not always in the center.
    Combining scroll and selection hs some tradeoffs. I think
    solving #1 above may be enough, but consider this behavior as
    well."
3 Likes

I have the same problem !!
I use the aeros on outside gigs and it’s impossible to see the grey highlighted selection box. I can’t use the hand free menu at all !
I’m almost thinking about to send my aeros and use an other looper because it’s very important for me to be able to change song very fast for example…

@BrennanSingularSound
Bumping to bring to your attention, Brennan.
Would love to hear your thoughts.

@BrennanSingularSound

Hi Brennan-
Bumping again for your thoughts on addressing the screen contrast or selection highlighting approach for better visibility of actively selected item.

Thanks,
Bruce

Hey there,

we have some of this addressed in version 5.2.x which is coming soon, it is currently in closed testing, the visibility is much better now.

That being said, we will not be following this request specifically so I will be tagging this as considered,

Thanks for your feedback, and we look forward to your thoughts on the updates!

Great to hear, Brennan! Looking forward to seeing the updated highlighting!

1 Like

You can check it out now on the new 5.2.0 beta! Let us know on the thread :slight_smile:

After getting a heads up from Brennan that the 5.2.0 beta release had a tweak to address the menu selection visibility issue, I was excited to give it a try.
Loaded the beta update tonight, and gave it a look-see.

I am really pleased with the menu visibility enhancement in this beta release. Singular Sound implemented my suggestion to use bold, bright green font color for active menu selection highlighting. It seems to be implemented universally as well (e.g., in the main menu screen).

Works really well! It is very easy to see the currently selected menu choice now. No more bending over or trying to change my viewing angle in an effort to see what’s going on.

Well done! Thanks Singular Sound!

1 Like