Question

Alexa and playing BBC Radio via Tunein

  • 13 October 2019
  • 13 replies
  • 1785 views

Hi all - apologies if this has been covered, First Post.

Previously I could play BBC Radio via Alexa and Tunein on my Sonos Play 1 and Play 5. Just read that BBC no longer works with Tunein due to not being able to find an agreement about data sharing or similar.

Is there a workaround where I can use Alexa to play BBC Radio on my Sonos? Thanks

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13 replies

Perhaps see this thread and the links off it in some of the posts, which provide alternatives.

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/bbc-radio-not-using-alexa-preferred-speakers-6830482
Userlevel 6
Badge +5
Also, this is the main Sonos anouncement:

https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/information-bbc-on-tunein-6830711

Whilst it doesn't help your immediate situation, my last post in that thread has links to a petition you can sign as well as all 3 BBC blogs with their associated (negative!) comments.

Just in case you haven't been there already.
I managed to work around this using IFTTT. I connected the Alexa and Sonos services and then created an applet that starts bbc radio 4 on my Sonos device when I say ‘Alexa, trigger bbc Radio 4’. Works well.
I too have managed a workaround using IFTTT . This seems the only way to achieve this on a system using an echo dot. All other options will get radio 2 to play, but only through the speaker in the echo dot. As smcburne above I downloaded the IFTTT app to my phone and found alexa then basically adapted an applet that was on there. You just have to remember the trigger phrase with IFTTT starts "Alexa trigger radio one" or what ever you've named it. All I had to do then was add the BBC radio stations I wanted from radioplayer on my sonos in the Sonos app. Then using the applet in the IFTTT app on my phone, once I'd linked it to my Sonos it listed what station I wanted playing when you say the phrase.
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I managed to work around this using IFTTT. I connected the Alexa and Sonos services and then created an applet that starts bbc radio 4 on my Sonos device when I say ‘Alexa, trigger bbc Radio 4’. Works well.

 

How do you manage to create more than one IFTTT applet to do this?

I managed to work around this using IFTTT. I connected the Alexa and Sonos services and then created an applet that starts bbc radio 4 on my Sonos device when I say ‘Alexa, trigger bbc Radio 4’. Works well.

 

How do you manage to create more than one IFTTT applet to do this?

Hit the '+' sign in the top right hand corner of the screen to create a new applet.

Userlevel 1
Badge +3

I managed to work around this using IFTTT. I connected the Alexa and Sonos services and then created an applet that starts bbc radio 4 on my Sonos device when I say ‘Alexa, trigger bbc Radio 4’. Works well.

 

How do you manage to create more than one IFTTT applet to do this?

Hit the '+' sign in the top right hand corner of the screen to create a new applet.


Hello JohnB.  Thanks for the reply.  Unfortunately there’s no “+” sign on my IFTTT account.  I tried it looking with different web browsers and also using my Android app but with no luck. 

Here is a screenshot of the “My Applets” page you said to go to in your reply in another thread.

https://imgur.com/wHmdszQ

Any ideas?

This screenshot is what I was referring to.

 

Userlevel 1
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Thanks for posting the screenshot.  My Andoid app looks nothing like that and has no My Applets option.  Nor does IFTTT on the desktop.  I’ll ask IFTT about it.

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If like me you don’t like having to say Trigger to get BBC radio to play through your SONOS speakers from Alexa I worked out that I can use the IFTTT set up to create a routine within the Alexa app. I have created an Alexa routine that activates with’Alexa play Radio 2’ which runs the IFTTT applet to run BBC Radio 2 from Realplayer. The IFTTT applet shows as an option under Action when setting up the Alexa Routine and then from within that you can select any applet that you have created within IFTTT.

As this is an Alexa Routine it plays through your preferred speakers (in my case my SONOS speakers).

 

PS I also don’t have the + sign in my IFTTT app. I did manage to create an applet but can’t remember how I did it.

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You may want to check this post: https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/step-by-step-guide-to-play-bbc-radio-station-via-voice-control-6834993

Install the BBC Skill then say ‘Alexa, ask BBC to play Radio 4’. This will play on your default speaker rather than the Dot.

I managed to work around this using IFTTT. I connected the Alexa and Sonos services and then created an applet that starts bbc radio 4 on my Sonos device when I say ‘Alexa, trigger bbc Radio 4’. Works well.

 

How do you manage to create more than one IFTTT applet to do this?

Hit the '+' sign in the top right hand corner of the screen to create a new applet.


Hello JohnB.  Thanks for the reply.  Unfortunately there’s no “+” sign on my IFTTT account.  I tried it looking with different web browsers and also using my Android app but with no luck. 

Here is a screenshot of the “My Applets” page you said to go to in your reply in another thread.

https://imgur.com/wHmdszQ

Any ideas?

There is a button “create” and it allow you to build your new applet.