Button Feedback, Room States, Source Selection & Volume Controls
Learning objectives
- Design button states (idle, active, pressed, disabled) consistently.
- Show room state clearly on every screen.
- Design source selection that interlocks and shows what is live.
- Design volume and mute controls that reflect real levels.
Vocabulary
- Button state
- idle / active / pressed / disabled — visually distinct.
- Status line
- A one-line room status on the home screen.
- Live indicator
- A visual cue showing which source is currently routed.
Lesson content
Each control should have a small set of clear visual states and always reflect the real room. A button that never changes leaves the user guessing.
Button states
- Idle — available, normal color.
- Active/selected — highlighted (the currently-routed source).
- Pressed — brief feedback flash.
- Disabled/unavailable — dimmed; not tappable.
Room status, always visible
A one-line status on Home ('Room ready — display on, laptop shared' or 'System off') removes ambiguity. Source selection highlights only the live source and dims the rest (interlock). Volume shows the real level and the real mute state.
If audio is muted, show mute. If the display is off, show off. Never let the panel claim a state the room is not in — that is the single fastest way to lose user trust.
Worked example
Source screen: 'Laptop' highlighted and 'Codec' dimmed because laptop is live. Volume: slider at 55, mute button showing muted (red), because the DSP reports mute on. The panel matches the room exactly.
Implementation checklist
- ✓Each control has idle/active/pressed/disabled states.
- ✓Home shows a one-line room status.
- ✓Only the live source is highlighted.
- ✓Volume and mute reflect real DSP feedback.
Downloadable study guide
01. Button states: idle, active, pressed, disabled — all visually distinct. 02. One-line room status on Home; always reflect reality. 03. Source selection = interlock; only live source highlighted. 04. Volume/mute reflect real DSP feedback, not the press.