Trending Lyricist III

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BBC Radio not using Alexa preferred speakers

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
September 28, 2019
34 replies
8877 views

I have the BBC skill set up in Alexa and if I ask Alexa to 'play BBC Radio 2' it plays from my Echo Spot rather than the SONOS speakers that I set up as my preferred speakers in Alexa groups. If I disable the BBC app, then Alexa gives me a message saying something abut the previously enabled app is disabled do I want to enable it. To make it work I have to say 'Alexa play BBC Radio 2 in the Sitting Room'.

If I say 'Alexa play Virgin Radio' (or any other radio station/music request) it plays through the SONOS speakers.

I know this might be more of an Alexa question than a SONOS question but I'm asking just in case any of you SONOS experts have come across this and know a fix!

Edit: I did do a search and found nothing, but now I've posted I see that this question has come up before although the answer is to do what I'm doing ie add 'in the sitting room' or 'from TuneIn' to the command, which isn't a really great solution.

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Best answer by mvosloo

If you don't include 'from TuneIn', then Alexa will default to the BBC Skill when requesting a BBC radio station which doesn't support the Preferred Speaker setting. You are correct in saying that this isn't a Sonos issue.

Its a bit ridiculous really but I did find a sort of solution by creating a routine in Alexa for those who might be interested:

Routine goes like this:

When this happens | Voice: Alexa, play radio two
Action | Play: BBC Radio 2 | From: TuneIn
From: Living Room Spot

The key is obviously to say Radio 2 not BBC Radio 2. As the Preferred speakers are SONOS speakers on the Living Room Spot, Radio 2 is played through them.

UKMedia

Edit: I did do a search and found nothing, but now I've posted I see that this question has come up before although the answer is to do what I'm doing ie add 'in the sitting room' or 'from TuneIn' to the command, which isn't a really great solution.

If you don't include 'from TuneIn', then Alexa will default to the BBC Skill when requesting a BBC radio station which doesn't support the Preferred Speaker setting. You are correct in saying that this isn't a Sonos issue.

Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)

J

John B

I have set up an Alexa routine. If I say 'Alexa, play BBC Four' the routine is set to play BBC Radio 4 from provider Tune In.

M

mvoslooAuthorAnswer

Trending Lyricist III

If you don't include 'from TuneIn', then Alexa will default to the BBC Skill when requesting a BBC radio station which doesn't support the Preferred Speaker setting. You are correct in saying that this isn't a Sonos issue.

Its a bit ridiculous really but I did find a sort of solution by creating a routine in Alexa for those who might be interested:

Routine goes like this:

When this happens | Voice: Alexa, play radio two
Action | Play: BBC Radio 2 | From: TuneIn
From: Living Room Spot

The key is obviously to say Radio 2 not BBC Radio 2. As the Preferred speakers are SONOS speakers on the Living Room Spot, Radio 2 is played through them.

M

mvoslooAuthor

Trending Lyricist III

I have set up an Alexa routine. If I say 'Alexa, play BBC Four' the routine is set to play BBC Radio 4 from provider Tune In.

You posted this as I typed my answer (great minds think alike or Fools seldom differ....)!

J

John B

I have set up an Alexa routine. If I say 'Alexa, play BBC Four' the routine is set to play BBC Radio 4 from provider Tune In.You posted this as I typed my answer (great minds think alike or Fools seldom differ....)!

Definitely great minds. 🙂 You posted some useful additional detail, completely consistent with my set up.

B

brettparker

Lyricist I

Except this will all break on Monday when BBC pulls their channels off Tunein in the UK.... we’ll be back to square one...

C

chrismjspencer

Lyricist I

Except this will all break on Monday when BBC pulls their channels off Tunein in the UK.... we’ll be back to square one...

just stumbled across was this problem this weekend. Is there any workaround to play bbc radio stations through Sonos via a voice command to Alexa? I used to say “Alexa play bbc radio 1 in the kitchen”

.... and it would. Now I get some nonsense station. Yet bbc radio 1 is still on tune in 🤯🤯

J

jwsg

Enthusiast I

There is a longer thread about this here https://en.community.sonos.com/music-services-and-sources-228994/bbc-tunein-6828704 that suggests to use IFTTT as a work-around

Changes from an Alexa perspective are discussed here https://uk.amazonforum.com/forums/devices/echo-alexa/524508-changes-for-bbc-listeners-tunein-not-supported

You can join the conversation with the BBC people responsible here https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/entries/ba37d6b5-59fd-470d-9da2-dec1b45b8bd5

or sign a petition here https://www.change.org/p/bbc-restore-bbc-radio-streams-to-tunein

D

duncanjameshill

Lyricist I

BBC going from bad to worse.

D

Derrick123

Lyricist III

You can get bbc stations to play through sonos speakers. You need to download IFTTT to your phone. Then link your sonos and alexa to IFTTT . If you then go to the Sonos app and add radioplayer you can find the BBC radio stations from there and add them to my sonos. Then go to IFTTT tap get more and the + button. Tap THIS , Type in Amazon alexa. Tap "Say a specific phrase" type in your trigger phrase in the box that says what phrase. Then follow the boxes that come up.

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