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Contributor III
September 17, 2018
Answered

Will Alexa work in a 5.1 Setup with playbar and Ones?

  • September 17, 2018
  • 34 replies
  • 6776 views
I have a 5.1 setup with a playbar, 2xPlay1 and subwoofer. Further more some Play Ones in other rooms. Im thinking about replacing the 2xPlay1 with Ones. But will Alexa work in the 5.1 Setup? Or will they have to be "main/primary" for it to work?
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    Best answer by Belly M
    On the Sonos Amp announcement thread I asked...

    Belly M wrote:
    What about voice control?
    Any plans to enable the mics in Sonos One’s when used as rears?


    Ryan replied:
    The mics on a pair of Sonos Ones are only disabled when bonded as surrounds with a Beam. They are fully up and running when voice is enabled and they’re being used with a Playbar, Playbase, or Sonos Amp. The Amp also has CEC over HDMI-ARC, the same as the Beam. So you’d be able to use voice control with your TV too, assuming it’s compatible.

    34 replies

    Virtuoso
    April 23, 2019
    I use l long press on play all over the house, works very well!.
    Ken_Griffiths
    April 24, 2019
    Thanks Ken...will look @alexa groups closely....also the ungrouping auto function...but just tapping play button to hear playbar ON kitchen ONE is alot easier than using sonos app on phone....but now its become a personal challenge....
    Regards
    The Logitech Harmony Hub is capable of doing what you are looking for trymph .. you can set an 'Activity’ to group/ungroup your speakers and also control your TV channels and volume on each of the speakers etc. Otherwise the easiest and cheapest method is 'the button press'.
    Trending Lyricist I
    April 24, 2019
    @Ken.....As always thanks for your advise. I added both my Kitchen ONE and Playbar to my Alexa preferred setting in the Kitchen Group. I had also previously turned OFF the ungroup auto play for the playbar in its group or room on sonos app prior (still a bit confused between rooms/groups on alexa vs sonos). When I turned on the TV the Playbar AND my Kitchen ONE both were playing and in sync. When I told Alexa to "stop" she paused the ONE but then resumed playing same audio still as the TV Playbar. When I pressed the play button on the top of ONE audio stopped on the ONE and the led light when green; Playbar unaffected. Later in the evening I asked Alexa the weather with voice and the ONE responded as expected; dont think the TV/Playbar was on at the time however. This is good!
    Between my X-1 Xfinity and LG remotes I'd rather not get started with another remote like Harmony. I still have yet to try my Play1/Echo combo in the Den room/group/sonos name. I have a feeling echo works where sonos doesnt based on my experience with the ringdoorbell2 (mentioned b4 that ring says echo skills work but on the drawing board to work similarly with sonos). BTW I also installed the LG "smarthinQ" app in my android samsung phone and registered with amazon & LG where TV does show as a device in alexa app; cant recall if the alexa app sees it as an alexa enabled however FYI.

    Regards
    Trending Lyricist I
    April 25, 2019
    @Ken.....As always thanks for your advise. I added both my Kitchen ONE and Playbar to my Alexa preferred setting in the Kitchen Group. I had also previously turned OFF the ungroup auto play for the playbar in its group or room on sonos app prior (still a bit confused between rooms/groups on alexa vs sonos). When I turned on the TV the Playbar AND my Kitchen ONE both were playing and in sync. When I told Alexa to "stop" she paused the ONE but then resumed playing same audio still as the TV Playbar. When I pressed the play button on the top of ONE audio stopped on the ONE and the led light when green; Playbar unaffected. Later in the evening I asked Alexa the weather with voice and the ONE responded as expected; dont think the TV/Playbar was on at the time however. This is good!
    Between my X-1 Xfinity and LG remotes I'd rather not get started with another remote like Harmony. I still have yet to try my Play1/Echo combo in the Den room/group/sonos name. I have a feeling echo works where sonos doesnt based on my experience with the ringdoorbell2 (mentioned b4 that ring says echo skills work but on the drawing board to work similarly with sonos). BTW I also installed the LG "smarthinQ" app in my android samsung phone and registered with amazon & LG where TV does show as a device in alexa app; cant recall if the alexa app sees it as an alexa enabled however FYI.

    Regards


    Update... While TV output plays on both the Playbar & Kitchen ONE asking Alexa to stop has no affect; telling Alexa to change to some music source successfully outputs the music to both Playbar & Kitchen with the TV still on. Manually hitting the play button atop the ONE turns it green and stops both Playbar & ONE; TV output to Playbar will resume when i use the TV remote to up the volume while Alexa stays silent with the green light on. Alexa will resume appropriate verbal commands without turning off the TV and playbar stays on TV output while Alexa follows my new audio verbal command. ....Works for me though........just a FYI