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mikey2bags
Contributor I
June 14, 2018
Answered

Alexa now using BBC skill rather than TuneIn

  • June 14, 2018
  • 38 replies
  • 12993 views
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?
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    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.

    38 replies

    Show previous replies
    TWPaul
    Lyricist III
    June 18, 2018
    I've been speaking with Sonos about this one this morning. I have a Dot plus Zoneplayer in Kitchen (to which I've always had to say 'Alexa, Play Radio 1 in Kitchen') plus Play 1's in Bedroom/Bathroom grouped (to which I've always been able to say simply 'Alexa play Radio 1' and it's gone t TuneIn and done what's expected.

    Afetr update few days ago all of a sudden;

    Kitchen (Dot/ZP): Initially wouldn't do anything via Alexa. Then started to obey commands to Play Radio 5, but wouldn't play anything else (for example, 'Alexa Play Adele in Kitchen' got the correct response but no sound.

    Bedroom (Play 1): Wouldn't do anything. Started giving the same different response others had to Radio 5 requests. And wouldn't play anything else using Alexa commands,. Gave right response (for example 'Playing songs by Adele from Spotify') but no music.

    Sonos advised the below;

    Hi Paul, there's been a recent change to Alexa in which she now prioritises the BBC skill over the TuneIn skill for playing BBC radio. The BBC skill actually is not compatible with Sonos right now. That means, to get BBC playback on your Sonos players you must explicitly state, "Alexa, play BBC Radio 5 from Tune In on the Kitchen" or whichever room name and station you prefer.

    They also went on to say that they have no idea if or when the situation would change.

    After further exchanges, I ended up removing the Alex control from Sonos, removing devices from Alexa app and effectively re-installing everything. I am now back to where I was before except for the inability to tell the Play 1's to simply 'Play Radio 5'.

    To play Radio 5 on Play 1's I can now say either;

    'Alexa, play Radio 5 on Bedroom', or
    'Alexa, play Radio 5 from TuneIn'

    I can still tell the Play 1's 'Alexa Play Absolute 80's' or 'Alexa play Heart FM' (please don't judge my music tastes :-)) and that will work fine.

    I had just about got my lovely wife used to talking to Alexa and having to append 'In Kitchen' when talking to kitchen Sonos but not in Bedroom. Just imagine my issues now..... 😞
    Ken_Griffiths
    Ken_Griffiths
    June 18, 2018
    I had just about got my lovely wife used to talking to Alexa and having to append 'In Kitchen' when talking to kitchen Sonos but not in Bedroom. Just imagine my issues now..... :-(
    Sounds like the wife needs updating with a newer model. ha ha 😃 (Slap!!!? ...ooooeeerr! ??)
    dasym
    Prominent Collaborator II
    June 20, 2018
    Yesterday "Play Radio 4 on BBC" worked. Today it doesn't, but "Ask BBC to play Radio 4" works. It's very confusing when they change what works and what doesn't.
    Formidible
    Formidible
    Trending Lyricist I
    June 20, 2018
    It begs the question. If it ain't broken why fix it? I am having the same issues. No radio at all via voice on my Sonos One's. And I do mean No radio via any of the Alexa skill: "sorry we are having problems connecting with your Alexa skill right now. Please try again later".

    😠
    TWPaul
    Lyricist III
    June 20, 2018
    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.
    Formidible
    Formidible
    Trending Lyricist I
    June 20, 2018
    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
    TWPaul
    Lyricist III
    June 20, 2018
    [quote=Formidible]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'.
    Formidible
    Formidible
    Trending Lyricist I
    June 20, 2018
    Did that. Reconnected. No difference.
    TWPaul
    Lyricist III
    June 20, 2018
    Have you tried 'Alexa, Play Radio 2 from TuneIn on xxxx'?
    Formidible
    Formidible
    Trending Lyricist I
    June 20, 2018
    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".
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