Contributor I

Answered

Looks like we may lose our networked libraries with next big update? NAS drive?

88 replies
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I could be wrong on this but maybe someone on this list can answer it. You will need to know some basic info on my SONOS system so I posted below..

I mostly use my personal music library that is located on a solid state drive via my ethernet wifi connected network. I have a Apple Ethernet-wi-fi router that has an USB input on it. My SS drive with over 39,000 tracks on it (also my Apple itunes AKA Music drive) is connected to that same router. My SONOS components grab my music from that SS drive.

With this upcoming software update it sounds like I (anyone with a similar hook up) will lose access to their connected drives??? I will lose of all my own paid for music on that drive. So one questions since I’m not quite a computer nut is… Is the way I have my SS drive connected to the router via USB considered a NAS drive?? Will I lose access to that drive if I do the update?

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Ken_GriffithsAnswer

From the various announcements/accounts/posts/articles that I’ve read online, it seems to me that in general terms, as long as the local library is being shared over the LAN using the SMB v2 (or higher) protocol, the local library tracks will still be accessible/playable in the new Sonos App, post May 7th.

My own NAS box shares supports those versions of the protocol, so I’m not expecting too much to change, but it seems the local library is not going to be searchable within the new App, (I’m presuming it’s going to be like the ‘new’ search in the current S2 App, but with no option to switch to the ‘classic’ search).

I’m slightly disappointed by not having the option to search my local NAS library, but presume I will still be able to playback from the library using my own .m3u playlists and be able to browse the library by Artist, Album etc. in which case, the changes will not affect me too much.

I do currently have the Plex/iBroadcast services too and my local library has been uploaded to Apple iCloud - so I think I should have plenty of options to playback ALL, one way, or another.

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Ken_Griffiths

Unfortunately, I do not have the computer tech skills expressed in many of these posts BUT I chose SONOS (15 years ago) because it was (relatively) simple to set-up with MY music (many ‘ripped CDs’) on a WD NAS-drive. The fact that I now appear to have ‘lost’ all of this functionality is beyond any expression of ‘disappointment’ that I can express here without ‘unacceptable language’!

HOWEVER …

Having realised that the ‘all new app’ no longer allows me to access/use MY LIBRARY, I tried an online search for alternatives as well as looking for what is (still showing) on ‘Sonos Support’.

It is truly outrageous that (with their ‘new app’) not only have Sonos removed this (from my perspective) ‘vital feature’, their own ‘support page’ STILL states that “Sonos allows you to stream your music library from any computer, or network attached storage drive, to your Sonos system”; see below!!

YOU COULDN’T MAKE THIS UP ……. where is the updated support from SONOS????

Add your music library to Sonos

Sonos allows you to stream your music library from any computer, or network attached storage drive, to your Sonos system. This article will show you how to add your music library using the Sonos app for macOS or Windows.

If you have already added your music library but have downloaded or removed music, created new playlists, or adjusted metadata, see our article on updating your Sonos music library.

Open the Sonos app for macOS or Windows.
From the Manage menu, select Music Library Settings.
Click + (plus) on macOS, or Add if you are using Windows.
If you use iTunes or are not sure where your music is stored, select My Music folder. If your music is not located in the My Music folder, select the appropriate option.
Type in your computer’s password if prompted and follow the on-screen instructions to complete adding your music library. Depending on the size of your music library, it may take several minutes to index.

https://support.sonos.com/en/article/add-your-music-library-to-sonos

The above still applies to the Desktop controller Apps - so the page is correct in its instructions - that’s if wanting to setup an SMBv2 shared library (or an SMBv1/http shared library for that matter), but both SMBv1 and http shares are not viewable through the new mobile App, but I assume is still viewable via the desktop App as that’s not been updated/changed. According to the messages sent out prior to these updates, it looks like the desktop controller will not disappear for some months yet, but I guess that will happen not too long after the new App gets the updated library install/indexing features that are due in a few weeks time, based on the Sonos timeline support document.

J

Jim600

Enthusiast I

On my laptop, I’ve (still) got the S1 app as part of my ‘dual system’ but my music library (from my NAS) was still accessible on both S1 & S2 apps on my (Android) phone so its the ENFORCED update of the S2 app to the ‘new app’ that has caused the loss of my music library.

Currently my music library IS still accessible via S1 (laptop & phone) but I’m wary of updating fearing that step will (also) enforce loss of everything. Only the ‘Sonos roam’ from MY Sonos system would not be accessible to S1 app and I now wish that I’d not upgraded anything to the S2 app because it is those components (that I own) and had set-up within my ‘dual system’ that are causing the issues with the new app.

Being able to simply play MY music is all I ask for and was what I originally had, explaining why I’d invested in Sonos. But life is too short for all this ‘palava’, so a (very) tongue in cheek “thankyou” to Sonos!😢

Bad-audio-hardware

Lyricist III

I received the update this week and it rendered my Sonos useless. It is a shame. I cannot listen to my Synology-library or the Live-streams.

I changed SMB-settings as described above, but the app keeps failing to start playing. I used to listen to some Livestations, they also fail to play. And whats that with connecting to Sonos-contentservices? I have to authorise “user” (gebruiker in Dutch) again? To what? and Why? It also fails, though.

No reaction of Sonos anywhere, it is impossible to reach Sonos via email, telephone of chat.

With this arrogance Sonos wont last very long.

All for shareholders value: more adds (in the app too) and for upselling more inferiour hardware.

After switching SMB to v2 or v3 try running the index update from the desktop controller App and see if that resolves the issue for you.

Thank you for your advise, I only use Linux. For as I know there is no desktop app for Linux available.

I’ve contacted Dutch-media today, perhaps it leads to a TV-item in a consumerprogram.

You should try Noson it may get you back playing music (not 100% sure if new firmware broke anything)

https://github.com/janbar/noson-app?tab=readme-ov-file

I’m aware of Noson, regarding datestamps I recon it will not work.

I’ve no time nor the enthousiasm to experiment with the Sonos S2 app or Noson. After paying lots of money for my sonos equipment I just want it to work.

Perhaps it is more succesfull to switch to another platform and sell the Sonos shit to somebody else who likes to listen to commercials via livesteams. This is where Sonos really makes their money nowaday!

Bad-audio-hardware

Lyricist III

I received the update this week and it rendered my Sonos useless. It is a shame. I cannot listen to my Synology-library or the Live-streams.

I changed SMB-settings as described above, but the app keeps failing to start playing. I used to listen to some Livestations, they also fail to play. And whats that with connecting to Sonos-contentservices? I have to authorise “user” (gebruiker in Dutch) again? To what? and Why? It also fails, though.

No reaction of Sonos anywhere, it is impossible to reach Sonos via email, telephone of chat.

With this arrogance Sonos wont last very long.

All for shareholders value: more adds (in the app too) and for upselling more inferiour hardware.

After switching SMB to v2 or v3 try running the index update from the desktop controller App and see if that resolves the issue for you.

Thank you for your advise, I only use Linux. For as I know there is no desktop app for Linux available.

I’ve contacted Dutch-media today, perhaps it leads to a TV-item in a consumerprogram.

You should try Noson it may get you back playing music (not 100% sure if new firmware broke anything)

https://github.com/janbar/noson-app?tab=readme-ov-file

I replayed you several times but sonos is starting to ‘moderate’ my critisism… ;-)

Time to move to another platform!

D

Dandyhorse

Trending Lyricist I

People are still very busy on this platform to restore or find complex and/or costly workarounds for lost functionality in the Sonos app. It almost seems as if people regard this as a natural phenomenon. But it's not, it's due to a decision made in the Sonos boardroom.

In my last post here, I wish everybody a great deal of luck and wisdom to get back what they initially paid for. I sold my Amp and two Play:1's, the rest of the Sonos gear will follow in the months to come. Yesterday I installed my new Bluesound system; more functionality (I can play files from my NAS again!), better sound quality, same ease of use and a company that understands audio and music aficionado's. My advice, if you have the resources to change system, do so. If everybody stays loyal to this brand, then this management will get away with anything in the future. Signing off.

press250

Prodigy III

@iainholmes81,

I use Plex and the iBroadcast service in Sonos aswell… both are good alternatives to the Sonos local library service and they’re both searchable services in the new Sonos App too.

Hi @Ken_Griffiths, quick question on iBroadcast. I see that they transcode music to 128kbps MP3 upon upload; that’s the limit for their ‘free’ tier. Does that transcoding process work smoothly? And are the results okay-ish at that bitrate? Thanks!

Ken_Griffiths

@iainholmes81,

I use Plex and the iBroadcast service in Sonos aswell… both are good alternatives to the Sonos local library service and they’re both searchable services in the new Sonos App too.

Hi @Ken_Griffiths, quick question on iBroadcast. I see that they transcode music to 128kbps MP3 upon upload; that’s the limit for their ‘free’ tier. Does that transcoding process work smoothly? And are the results okay-ish at that bitrate? Thanks!

Yes, it works fine @press250 - the only issue I had with the iBroadcast service was it took almost 5 days to upload 25,500 tracks. The uploader was a little slow, my ISP upload speed though is limited to 100mbps. Once completed though, the service works well.👍

press250

Prodigy III

Yes, it works fine @press250 - the only issue I had with the iBroadcast service was it took almost 5 days to upload 25,500 tracks. The uploader was a little slow, my ISP upload speed though is limited to 100mbps. Once completed though, the service works well.👍

Hahaha, that is exactly why I asked you the question! Uploading my library in FLAC will take days.

M

mediaplaysAuthor

Contributor I

Any Apple Mac people here. I lost my music library I had . See the first post in this thread. Since I went out and purchased the latest Eero wifi 7 network instead of my very out of date Apple AirPorts. Now I would like to take my 2 TB SSD USB 3.0 drive to something on the network so I can grab the 38,000 tracks I have on it. I don’t want it directly connected to my main computer though because I dont want to leave my computer on 24/7 just so Sonos can find the connected drive. The replaced Apple router had a USB jack on it and worked great until SONOS destroyed the app. Any Apple tech help appreciated. I am not a Windows guy and want nothing to do with anything windows based.

Bad-audio-hardware

Lyricist III

People are still very busy on this platform to restore or find complex and/or costly workarounds for lost functionality in the Sonos app. It almost seems as if people regard this as a natural phenomenon. But it's not, it's due to a decision made in the Sonos boardroom.

In my last post here, I wish everybody a great deal of luck and wisdom to get back what they initially paid for. I sold my Amp and two Play:1's, the rest of the Sonos gear will follow in the months to come. Yesterday I installed my new Bluesound system; more functionality (I can play files from my NAS again!), better sound quality, same ease of use and a company that understands audio and music aficionado's. My advice, if you have the resources to change system, do so. If everybody stays loyal to this brand, then this management will get away with anything in the future. Signing off.

Thank you for the advise, I never heard of Bluesound. I will look into that!

I also noticed in a message above that Sonos advised customers switching to SMB2. Well I NEVER EVER saw a message like this, not online, not in the app or anywhere else.

This is my last post, I move on.

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