I installed my first Sonos system for a customer back in 2007. I just completed a service call for a customer whose system i installed 8 years ago and had a devil of a job updating the players as they hadn't been connected to the internet for a few years.
Part of their system includes a CR100 controller (remember those?). The jump from old to new firmware in the players created an issue that the CR100 would no longer connect. Sonos Tech Support said they could help, but only if the controller was sent back to them for a forced update. The support Tech said I might not want to do that though as it's an obsolete item and won't be supported much beyond the next 6 months of so. It would be a temporary fix.
Okay, things go end-of-life, particularly if they have a colour screen and some sort of two-way comms. Tablets and phones have taken over anyway, but that's not the issue.
I'm asking myself now how long ZP80s and ZP100s will be supported for? I know it's a different type of product from the controller, but the thing is I've got quite a few customers out there with systems and I'm wondering if/when they might no longer be supported as well.
Has anyone seen the product support road map or have any info about the planned obsolescence of the 1st gen players?
I've searched the forums here but come up with nothing under obsolete or end-of-life.
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I have a lot of CR100s that are still in regular use and I would not be too pleased if this investment suddenly stopped working. I am fine if Sonos stops providing updates and support to these devices but I certainly hope there was no implication that they would no longer function in at least their current limited fashion.
I'm asking myself now how long ZP80s and ZP100s will be supported for?
As of now, every software upgrade works with these to the same extent it does with their latest hardware builds - the Connect/Connect Amp.
I doubt that Sonos will say if this state of affairs will continue, but past record points to it doing so. And unless that changes, why worry? But if someone with a 80/100 suffers a hardware failure, there is almost certainly nothing to do except replace it.
I have a few comments.
I don't know if a product support roadmap exists but we can be pretty certain Sonos would treat that as commercially sensitive data. But we do know that Sonos have an excellent track record of supporting "old" hardware and ensuring new enhancements are available to existing customers. We also know that they do also offer generous replacement options for units out of warranty and I suspect that they would treat installers who buy a lot of their equipment quite well.
The also comment I would like to make is that it would seem to be a good idea to schedule regular visits (6 monthly) to custom installs that aren't connected to the internet (or even those that are!) to update the equipment to ensure you avoid the problem of updating hardware that is months or years behind on updates (and to give customers access to significant enhancements and bug fixes). I see this as an opportunity for a regular paid visit with the added opportunity of expanding the systems.
I don't know if a product support roadmap exists but we can be pretty certain Sonos would treat that as commercially sensitive data. But we do know that Sonos have an excellent track record of supporting "old" hardware and ensuring new enhancements are available to existing customers. We also know that they do also offer generous replacement options for units out of warranty and I suspect that they would treat installers who buy a lot of their equipment quite well.
The also comment I would like to make is that it would seem to be a good idea to schedule regular visits (6 monthly) to custom installs that aren't connected to the internet (or even those that are!) to update the equipment to ensure you avoid the problem of updating hardware that is months or years behind on updates (and to give customers access to significant enhancements and bug fixes). I see this as an opportunity for a regular paid visit with the added opportunity of expanding the systems.
The also comment I would like to make is that it would seem to be a good idea to schedule regular visits (6 monthly) to custom installs that aren't connected to the internet (or even those that are!) to update the equipment to ensure you avoid the problem of updating hardware that is months or years behind on updates (and to give customers access to significant enhancements and bug fixes). I see this as an opportunity for a regular paid visit with the added opportunity of expanding the systems.
As a customer I would not want that -- a paid visit every 6 months?! No thank you.
The also comment I would like to make is that it would seem to be a good idea to schedule regular visits (6 monthly) to custom installs that aren't connected to the internet (or even those that are!) to update the equipment to ensure you avoid the problem of updating hardware that is months or years behind on updates (and to give customers access to significant enhancements and bug fixes). I see this as an opportunity for a regular paid visit with the added opportunity of expanding the systems.
As a customer I would not want that -- a paid visit every 6 months?! No thank you.
I suspect the type of customer who spends upwards of $10,000 to a custom installer to buy and fit a Sonos system would be quite likely to be happy to have a regular visit. But obviously there are other comments like make the system internet attached and have auto-update enabled and you're pretty much good to go
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