Feedback on Beta Testing

RyanWithWiiM

WiiM Admin
Staff member
Joined
Sep 23, 2024
Messages
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We're looking to make improvements to how we run betas. We have a few things in the works, but we want to get your input too! As we continue to develop and refine our features, we're going to be seeking feedback on everything, and that includes on how we run our beta programs, engagement, and processes.

Questions to Consider​

  • What do you like about our current beta process?
  • What areas would you like to see improved?
  • What information would you like to see included in our beta status'?
  • Would you prefer a single place to get information on all of our beta programs, such as a regular testing newsletter, or individual updates at a program level in the thread for the program?
  • Any other feedback about beta's you'd like to share?

Share Your Thoughts​

Drop your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas here. Your feedback will help shape our beta process and ensure we're meeting your needs.
Thanks for being an integral part of the WiiM community!
 
Some initial thoughts
  • What areas would you like to see improved?
>> lack of consolidated information
- what Beta tests are still open with status ?
- a significant number of users are interested in being part of several test programs simultaneouslybut how do you achieve that when we each only have a limited number of Wiim devices available to us ? Each beta test firmware is kept separate for each feature (understandably) so we need something thats helps users better manage the firmware installed.
- when a feature goes live it should be rolled into the remaining beta test firmware being tested. e.g Plex features into the DLNA cast beta
  • What information would you like to see included in our beta status'?
>>The number of outstanding issues with a status against each. e.g. I have no idea what issues have already been raised for DLNA cast and what the status is
  • Would you prefer a single place to get information on all of our beta programs, such as a regular testing newsletter, or individual updates at a program level in the thread for the program?
>> a subforum fo each beta test. Locked to all or just open to the beta test participant for that particular beta
 
We're looking to make improvements to how we run betas. We have a few things in the works, but we want to get your input too! As we continue to develop and refine our features, we're going to be seeking feedback on everything, and that includes on how we run our beta programs, engagement, and processes.

Questions to Consider​

  • What do you like about our current beta process?
That it exists :) It gives interested users a chance to participate in the development of a new feature, to identify any issues and to make suggestions for improvement.

  • What areas would you like to see improved?

Feedback. At times, tickets reported in the flurry at the start of beta testing seem to lie unacknowledged for a while. It’s maybe a bit of a sweeping generalisation, but I feel we often get the initial beta but not any follow up nor updates for weeks. I would have thought one of the features of a public/private beta was to accelerate the development and release of new features, but that has to be supported by focus, activity and resources on WiiM’s side too which isn’t always visible.

  • What information would you like to see included in our beta status'?

Summary of issues reported, accepted, fix eta

  • Would you prefer a single place to get information on all of our beta programs, such as a regular testing newsletter, or individual updates at a program level in the thread for the program?

Probably both - the high level newsletter for public consumption and the individual private updates for the beta testers. I don’t think there needs to be public disclosure of every bug found and fix applied, just an overview of activity.
  • Any other feedback about beta's you'd like to share?

Maybe too many are being run concurrently, or end up overlapping because of the protracted periods of apparent inactivity across beta programmes. Users may only have a limited number of WiiM devices and may not want to tie too many up on beta firmware,- for example, my Pro Plus was stuck on the moribund DLNA cast firmware for weeks on end, so I eventually abandoned the beta.

Share Your Thoughts​

Drop your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas here. Your feedback will help shape our beta process and ensure we're meeting your needs.
Thanks for being an integral part of the WiiM community!

As I said previously, I hope WiiM take on this hopefully constructive criticism so we can all help further improve the products we enjoy using.

Cheers
 
Apart from the suggestions already mentioned above, I have only two wishes.

I would like to be notified that the beta testing is complete. (Even if the next beta update is scheduled, so that the initial test can be closed once and then tested again when the update comes.)

Allow users to participate in any beta test at any time on the WiiM app and exit at any time. (This will probably require a user account to make this happen.)

Thank you 🤗
 
On beta give us timeline when it will be release by giving approximation that include issue that may arise. Also, the roadmap hasn’t been updated and I believe we can all agree once a month roadmap update would be helpful keeping us up to date. Finally, I want to see under promise but over delivered.
 
On beta give us timeline when it will be release by giving approximation that include issue that may arise. Also, the roadmap hasn’t been updated and I believe we can all agree once a month roadmap update would be helpful keeping us up to date. Finally, I want to see under promise but over delivered.
I suggest a short status and latest version info for each beta on the roadmap.
Something like no resources, working on, blocked by issue, abandoned, ...
 
I suggest a short status and latest version info for each beta on the roadmap.
Something like no resources, working on, blocked by issue, abandoned, ...
I like the status idea. I was thinking about adding statuses as prefixes instead of as part of the title. Which will make it easy to change and find the right ones.
 
The couple of beta tests I participated it wasn't clear how to submit feedback and wether it was accounted for as I never got any reply (or requests for more details). It felt a bit like a black box and I couldn't be sure how much (if at all) my participation helped.
 
Same here. Spend some days on testing and responding, and then silence from WiiM Team.
 
Ensure that whoever participate in beta has an access to drop the beta if they want to go back to official firmware without submitting a request via app. To them this is deal breaker why some hesitant to participate.
 
We're looking to make improvements to how we run betas. We have a few things in the works, but we want to get your input too! As we continue to develop and refine our features, we're going to be seeking feedback on everything, and that includes on how we run our beta programs, engagement, and processes.

Questions to Consider​

  • What do you like about our current beta process?
  • What areas would you like to see improved?
  • What information would you like to see included in our beta status'?
  • Would you prefer a single place to get information on all of our beta programs, such as a regular testing newsletter, or individual updates at a program level in the thread for the program?
  • Any other feedback about beta's you'd like to share?

Share Your Thoughts​

Drop your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas here. Your feedback will help shape our beta process and ensure we're meeting your needs.
Thanks for being an integral part of the WiiM community!
How does one become a beta tester for WiiM Ultra USB & Subwoofer firmware?
 
I’ve done a few beta tests for some Megacorps (I’d tell you who, but the NDAs preclude it), involving thousands of testers, over on uTest. Along with the uTest platform, they always require Slack to communicate with the team. It works very well. Perhaps try using their system.

 
Just had a look at the new "Join Beta Testing" feature in the WiiM Home app and saw this. The second one is obviously DLNA Cast but as for the other two I have no idea 🤔
Screenshot_20250124-091515.png
 
I too saw the new function in WHA to participate in beta heads, but I am unclear about some things :
1) Can I participate in more than one beta test?
2) As @slartibartfast said the beta tests should have names that easily identify them. Not numeric strings. Just as DLNA Cast
3) If I decide to participate, can I exit as easily as I entered? For example, by clicking a button "Leave the Beta Test" or, as now, do I have to ask to be taken off the white list?
Unfortunately, new features are often nebulous
 
What is seamless input switching with spotify?
At the very least I'd expect to be able to search for any beta name shown in the app and find a thread on it.
 
I too saw the new function in WHA to participate in beta heads, but I am unclear about some things :
1) Can I participate in more than one beta test?
Don't think so. Different versions for each.
2) As @slartibartfast said the beta tests should have names that easily identify them. Not numeric strings. Just as DLNA Cast
That is the case for the latest. A description is included when selecting the version and before download.
3) If I decide to participate, can I exit as easily as I entered? For example, by clicking a button "Leave the Beta Test" or, as now, do I have to ask to be taken off the white list?
Yes. After installing the Beta version you can opt out again from same entry. Not sure if you can go back to original version if beta version is the newest?
Unfortunately, new features are often nebulous
Looks like working fine.
 
While the beta programme names appear for my Ultra, for the Pro and Pro plus they don’t show the name. I’ve submitted a ticket
 
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