Sonos Now "Shadow-forcing" units out of service to force upgrade?

  • 31 May 2021
  • 9 replies
  • 185 views
R

I’ve watched Sonos do shady things with their apps over the last decade.  It went from assuring users that there was no need to update the app -“We would never force anyone to update their app to allow their system to work” I was once told - to collecting user data, etc.  

Then came the infamous recycle program.  

Well, now it seems the nefarious nature of the first and second issues have merged to become one and Sonos looks to be forcing units off-line in order to force users to replace older units, even if the old unit was working just fine.

My ZP-120 (which is the most-seldom used unit of my system) worked perfectly fine until I updated my app.  Then, suddenly “poof” it no longer would even power up.  I was on at least 5 phone calls with Sonos, and no one could figure it out.  

While I was on hold for 20+ minutes, I started poking around to see how many others had this problem. IT WAS A LOT.  Not all of them seem tied to app upgrades, but the timing of my failure was beyond coincidental.  

Going on eBay and the number of Zp100’s and ZP120’s for sale there as “parts or not working” is astounding.  

I’m getting out of this ecosystem before they shut down any of my other older units and I’m left spending thousands of dollars every couple of years just because I’m in the ecosystem.  

I’d recommend everyone else do the same.

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9 replies

Bumper
Userlevel 6
Badge +12

Zp120 is ancient, how old was your unit 13 -15 years old?

R

Zp120 is ancient, how old was your unit 13 -15 years old?

Not anywhere near that old, and it was hardly ever used, kept in air conditioned smoke free, pet free, child-free environment.  If it was on 100 hours total in its life, I’d be surprised.  

Besides, the age of the unit should have ZERO bearing on whether Sonos can just “reach through” and deactivate it.

Bumper
Userlevel 6
Badge +12

Can you post a picture of the bottom of your unit?

Edit zp120 came out in 2008 so true couldn’t be 15 years old my mistake. 

The number of hours played doesn’t matter, these things are always on. 

 

controlav
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

Going on eBay and the number of Zp100’s and ZP120’s for sale there as “parts or not working” is astounding.  

I’m getting out of this ecosystem before they shut down any of my other older units and I’m left

These are old pieces of hardware, and some were deliberately bricked as a part of the short-lived recycle program. Several threads on here describe the steps taken by some to attempt to recover dead hardware, with varying levels of success.

Sonos have at least five more new pieces of hardware coming later this year, none of it compatible with S1. That is more than enough incentive for folks to upgrade, no need to force anything.

Please, take your paranoia elsewhere.

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
jgatie

Here's your hat:

 

K

 

My ZP-120 (which is the most-seldom used unit of my system) worked perfectly fine until I updated my app.  Then, suddenly “poof” it no longer would even power up.  I was on at least 5 phone calls with Sonos, and no one could figure it out.  

 

I’d recommend everyone else do the same.

If your update still left you in S1, as it ought to unless you went out of the way, this is either an IP address/network issue or a hardware failure. Nothing is wrong with my two 120 units and apart from mild irritation at the occasional S2 prod, all is fine in S1 with my 12 Sonos units.

As to the last part, I am of the same mind as you, but everyone will be better off making their own call based on their situation and understanding.

I expect many more years of music from the S1 environment so I see no need at all to interfere with Sonos hardware that is in perfect working condition.

J

‘Sonos Now "Shadow-forcing" units out of service to force upgrade?’

Definitely a candidate for ‘daftest suggestion ever made on this forum’.

melvimbe

You were on the phone with Sonos support 5 times and they didn’t give you any hint as to why your ZP120 wasn’t working anymore?  Nothing at all?  Your under the impression that they were lying to you and the update intentionally disabled your unit?

Danny
A
Userlevel 5
Badge +9

Sonos devices are all designed to be powered on all of the time, so there is no reason for them to be able to turn off their own power supply, even if the person responsible for coding them wanted to.

If your unit won’t power on, that suggests a problem with a non-functioning power supply and, as already said, that can’t be invoked by Sonos remotely.

So… a more likely cause is that one or more of the components in the power supply have failed due to age. I know for sure that this happens, because I’ve had to rebuild the power supplies on several Sonos devices myself - each one worked fine after the repair.

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