Using Sonos Wireless Speakers as Computer Speakers

  • 1 November 2016
  • 13 replies
  • 54825 views

Userlevel 1
Hello! I am hoping you can help!

My husband and I have just purchased a new smart tv with sonos speakers. We have the play bar in the living room and a second speaker in the kitchen (we live in Manhattan - small space, open concept). The sound is great. However, I'm having a problem.

I need to be able to hook up the wireless speakers to my computer. The one big function I need is for the speakers to be able to hook up to my laptop and play whatever I need played from my browser. There has GOT to be a way to do this very basic thing - using the wireless speakers as better/louder speakers for my laptop. I take a lot of classes online and need to be able to listen to my lectures while cooking dinner, etc. This is non-negotiable, and it's a very basic request so I don't know why I can't do it. The tech said it wasn't possible, but it MUST be. I looked for a browser to add to the app so that I could go through that way, but no dice. While I know that I can technically go online through my TV, that isn't the easiest fix and I would just like to sync up my computer to these speakers.

Does anyone have a hack for this??

If I don't find a solution, I'll have to return the speakers and find others that can do this (any recommendations?).
Thanks
Lauren

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13 replies

Sonos do not make computer speakers, if you wanted computer speakers, you should have bought computer speakers.

Google "stream what you hear". That might work for you. Don't expect the audio and video to in sync though. Alternatively buy a Sonos Connect and wire the laptop to the input on the Connect. The av sync won't be as bad but it will still be present. That's the official answer.
Userlevel 7
Badge +17
A google chromecast plugged into the tv HDMI port would enable you to "cast" from your laptop to the tv and the sound to pass to playbar. Your tv would probably have to be on. This would also give you youtube music through sonos as well.
Sonos does not play computer sounds unfortunately.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
I really like how I have it setup with my desktop computer.

I already had decent speakers for my desktop.

So what I did was buy a Sonos Connect.

I hook the output from my computer to the Connect and the output from the Connect to my desktop speakers.

I set the connect to autoplay what it receives to its output.

So the result ..... if I'm in my office and want to play Sonos music I just go into sonos app a play whatever I want. Music comes through my desktop speakers.

If I want to hear computer audio back again through my computer speakers I just unmute the computer audio and it will automatically switch to the desktop speakers playing computer audio instead.

Now since computer audio is being fed into the connect - that also means any other Sonos unit in the house can pull the desktop computer audio as well.

So I have turned my desktop speakers into Sonos speakers and at the same time allowed myself to play any computer audio to any sonos speaker in my house.
Userlevel 1
Badge +1
Thanks, Chris. A question, though - when listening to computer audio, if the audio happens to be coming from a video you are watching, is there a lag on the audio that puts it out of sync with the video? Thanks.
Userlevel 1
Why does it have to be so complicated? Sonos, can't you please just fix this seemingly simple problem? I just want to watch a movie from my computer and have sound.
It is only a seemingly simple problem given how Sonos is designed, for it to do all the other things it does so well. For it to also do what you want it to do isn't "easy". But if you must have this, there are workarounds suggested earlier in this thread.
Just cast your computer, iPad or mobile to your smart tv miracast (built in in windows 10 and android) or Apple TV. The computer sound would be cast to the tv and your playbar. I use this a lot when I need to listening in to a skype call or a online training.
Peter
Hi, if you have the Spotify streaming service you can now play direct to your Sonos speakers from Spotify from a PC . I think they may need to be available from Spotify on a mobile device connected to Sonos. Amazon Echo and Dot Alexa app also supports Sonos speakers as playback devices now, so you can play an Amazon playlist through Sonos using Alexa.
Sonos, please, make it easy for the user! I want via wifi to connect PC output to Sonos speakers...
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
Sonos, please, make it easy for the user! I want via wifi to connect PC output to Sonos speakers...
AirConnect works perfectly to address this use case, if you have the technical competence to set it up:
https://github.com/philippe44/AirConnect
Sonos do not make computer speakers, if you wanted computer speakers, you should have bought computer speakers.

Google "stream what you hear". That might work for you. Don't expect the audio and video to in sync though. Alternatively buy a Sonos Connect and wire the laptop to the input on the Connect. The av sync won't be as bad but it will still be present. That's the official answer.


Stream What you hear works half the time she can use a Sonos Amp
Why respond at all if you are going to be d*CK! Just be cool and say that feature is not there yet.
That said, I am probing the Sonos Developer Library to see what can be done.
There should be a direct link from your PC/ Mac to your Sonos. I like the concept.
So much so that I researched it and found this page.
BTW... The Apple Speakers do that, so if Sonos won't Apple or Google will!
Why respond at all if you are going to be d*CK! Just be cool and say that feature is not there yet.
That said, I am probing the Sonos Developer Library to see what can be done.
There should be a direct link from your PC/ Mac to your Sonos. I like the concept.
So much so that I researched it and found this page.
BTW... The Apple Speakers do that, so if Sonos won't Apple or Google will!


What page did you find? this one with the complicated answers? If we can go to the moon and have conversations back and forth with earth... Please Sonos, can you give an answer. Either it will not work, do this, or you are working on it. Thx