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Resume TV playback on Playbar via Alexa

  • 4 October 2017
  • 15 replies
  • 2789 views

Can Alexa be used to switch the input on a playbar from music to TV input? If so, what is the command?

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Best answer by Skelton 4 October 2017, 23:43

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15 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +11
Not at this time.
I would assume that was basic functionality. I had the tv on earlier through the playbar and tested the alexa voice control by playing music. Thought it was odd that the tv didn't resume after the music stopped. Had to use the sonos app to switch back to tv. A little disappointing.
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I agree with YajYak. Whilst there seems to have been a rush to integrate with Alexa, there seems to have been no real thought into how the integration with the playbar will affect what it originally designed for - playing sound from TV and other devices (which works wonderfully I might add).
Not being able to change the output back to TV by a Alexa voice command seems to me a fundamental issue.
Of course, you can switch back to TV on the Sonos app on the phone, but everything in the room is controlled by my Harmony remote. I don't want to have to use the phone as well.
Turn Autoplay on. Mute, then umute the TV on the Harmony.
Has this issue been resolved yet?! I agree with the other users here. Doesn't help much to be able to move to music, then not be able to come back to TV.
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Has this issue been resolved yet?! I agree with the other users here. Doesn't help much to be able to move to music, then not be able to come back to TV.
Sorry I don't understand the problem. In my set-up I can listen to music through my Playbar and if I switch my TV on, it automatically switches from Music to TV. The only time I need to go to the app is to included the playbar back into the group but I can also do this by pressing the Play button for 2-3 secs on the Playbar, this adds it to the current group playing.

If this is the behaviour that you are looking for then open the Sonos app and select Manage>Room Settings, then select your Playbar and select the TV Setup tab. Ensure that you have 'TV Autoplay' and 'Ungroup on Autoplay' selected.
If your tv is playing sound, and you then ask alexa to play music on it. You can’t switch back to TV sound via a voice command. It can be very annoying.
Yes, this is big annoyance.
I agree that the answer to the question is no, but UKMedia’s reply is quite relevant. Most people turn off the TV when playing music. And turning the TV on switches the source back to TV automatically. So in this very common scenario, there is no need for an Alexa command to switch to TV.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
You can get Alexa to play music to the playbar. But there is not command to switch back to TV input (you would have to use controller or switch off and on the tv to toggle it back).
Yes, please fix this alex skills / sonos programer team... agree annoying 😞
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Turning your tv off and back on would be easiest
I got my Beam this Monday and I have to confess that resuming TV playback with voice control after playing music seems pretty basic.

Turning the TV on and off, reaching for the remote, fiddling with the buttons on the device are not acceptable solutions and defeat the purpose of having a voice controlled device.

Is this a "fixable" thing or is it an Alexa/Sonos integration limitation?
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
If you a re listening to music it makes sense for you an the planet to turn or the TV surely?
I got my Beam this Monday and I have to confess that resuming TV playback with voice control after playing music seems pretty basic.

Turning the TV on and off, reaching for the remote, fiddling with the buttons on the device are not acceptable solutions and defeat the purpose of having a voice controlled device.

Is this a "fixable" thing or is it an Alexa/Sonos integration limitation?


This thread is 5 months old and referring to a the playbar product not the beam. Regardless, here's what Ryan S (Sonos staff) stated in another thread:

Good news everyone, there's a command that's available which should have your Beam switch to using the TV audio input. Just ask: "Alexa, switch to TV." If that's not working right, you might need to target the room name: "Alexa, switch to TV on [room name]." But that targeting shouldn't be necessary.