My two Sonos Ones have previously been playing BBC radio stations via TuneIn without any problems: 'Alexa, play BBC Radio 4' would return 'Playing BBC Radio 4 from TuneIn' and the appropriate audio stream.
Something strange has started happening today. Alexa is now trying to use a BBC skill and, depending on exactly how I ask, may or may not play audio. If I say 'Alexa, play BBC Radio 4', it returns 'Here's Radio 4 FM (tone) the BBC' and no audio stream. If I say 'Alexa, play BBC Radio 4 from the BBC', it again returns 'Here's Radio 4 FM (tone) the BBC' but now with the correct audio stream. Weird, I know: I have tested it again and again.
When I look at my Alexa settings, it has added a new BBC skill. If I remove the skill, it just adds it back whenever I request a BBC radio channel. I don't mind using TuneIn or the BBC, but I don't want to have to specify the source every time.
I don't know whether this relates to yesterday's 8.6 upgrade or perhaps Amazon have made a change to Alexa.
Anybody experiencing similar issues?
Answered
Alexa now using BBC skill rather than TuneIn
Best answer by mikey2bags
Good news! My BBC radio stations are working again. Even though I still have the BBC skill enabled, requests such as 'Alexa, play Radio 4', 'Alexa, play BBC Radio 4' , 'Alexa, play 6 Music', etc. all play via TuneIn.
I see that neither BBC nor Sonos skills have been updated, so I think that this was caused by skills prioritisation and auto-enablement in the core Alexa code. They have perhaps altered their logic in response to a request from Sonos.
I would like to thank all those that have been involved in identifying and escalating this issue.
View originalI see that neither BBC nor Sonos skills have been updated, so I think that this was caused by skills prioritisation and auto-enablement in the core Alexa code. They have perhaps altered their logic in response to a request from Sonos.
I would like to thank all those that have been involved in identifying and escalating this issue.
Show first post
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.
+2TWPaul wrote:
I had that, but deleted all 'voice control' settings in Sonos app and deleted devices in Alexa app, reinstalled all and got back to everything playing OK, albeit needing to ad the 'In Location' command suffix.
How do you delete voice control settings? It redirects you to Amazon. It is telling me if I deregister Sonos I can register to another account. Not going to do that
[quote=Formidible]
If you go to Settings/Room Settings then select the room, select Alexa and option to 'Remove Alexa from this room'.
TWPaul wrote:
How do you delete voice control settings? It redirects you to Amazon. It is telling me if I deregister Sonos I can register to another account. Not going to do that
If you go to Settings/Room Settings then select the room, select Alexa and option to 'Remove Alexa from this room'.
+2Did that. Reconnected. No difference.
+2TWPaul wrote:
Have you tried 'Alexa, Play Radio 2 from TuneIn on xxxx'?
Yes, tried that and also from Radio player and another radio skill. Nothing. I've also tried asking "open radioplayer". It says "opening radioplayer " then "which station do you want to listen to"? Then the same message "we are having problems connecting to your Alexa skill right now".
+2Actually it now plays if I ask it to play via Tunein. If I ask it to play via Radioplayer it still plays via TuneIn. This is still different to before when I could just ask it to play any station I wanted.
Ok same as me and I think most others. It is only BBC stations, and is to do with changes to the BBC Skill, and how it takes priority. Unfortunately however the BBC Skill is apparently incompatible with Sonos right now. Hopefully that will change.
I've read that the BBC Skill stream - when it works - is much better quality than the TuneIn stream, so hopefully Sonos will get the compatibility issue resolved.
Having said that, I think I may find the 'The BBC' intro before streaming each time a little annoying....
I've read that the BBC Skill stream - when it works - is much better quality than the TuneIn stream, so hopefully Sonos will get the compatibility issue resolved.
Having said that, I think I may find the 'The BBC' intro before streaming each time a little annoying....
Good news! My BBC radio stations are working again. Even though I still have the BBC skill enabled, requests such as 'Alexa, play Radio 4', 'Alexa, play BBC Radio 4' , 'Alexa, play 6 Music', etc. all play via TuneIn.
I see that neither BBC nor Sonos skills have been updated, so I think that this was caused by skills prioritisation and auto-enablement in the core Alexa code. They have perhaps altered their logic in response to a request from Sonos.
I would like to thank all those that have been involved in identifying and escalating this issue.
I see that neither BBC nor Sonos skills have been updated, so I think that this was caused by skills prioritisation and auto-enablement in the core Alexa code. They have perhaps altered their logic in response to a request from Sonos.
I would like to thank all those that have been involved in identifying and escalating this issue.
1 person likes this
+2Good. Yes working for me also. I actually sent a feedback message about this yesterday and they sent me an email back. Hope that jolted them into action. No BBC intro message either now for me.
+20Delboy_S wrote:
All comments above are listed as being 6 months old. This problem has still NOT solved!
It's not a Sonos issue, though, it's an Alexa/BBC issue. There needs to be a way of making the BBC Alexa skill opt-in, rather than automatic.
Using the form Play "BBC Radio Station" from TuneIn works for me.
pwt wrote:
Delboy_S wrote:
All comments above are listed as being 6 months old. This problem has still NOT solved!
It's not a Sonos issue, though, it's an Alexa/BBC issue. There needs to be a way of making the BBC Alexa skill opt-in, rather than automatic.
Using the form Play "BBC Radio Station" from TuneIn works for me.
You're correct, this is an Amazon Alexa / BBC skill problem. I have arrived on this thread because although I own a Sonos system I was searching for an answer to this Alexa / BBC problem as I was given two Amazon Echo units for Christmas but then I discovered that they don't work reliably. I haven't bothered to download the Sonos skill because the Echo units won't play BBC stations so I can't use them to control my Sonos system. I'm really lucky that I didn't purchase the Sonos One, now that would have been a real waste of money! I have put my two Echo units back in the packaging and they are in a cupboard waiting for a solution to this problem. Haven't yet told the person who gave them to me that they are useless, I just hoping there will be a solution soon. However, after six months and no fix I am not hopeful of any answer soon.
Enter your E-mail address. We'll send you an e-mail with instructions to reset your password.