News from BBC regarding BBC Sounds and Shoutcast streams

  • 3 November 2022
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64 replies

N

Thank you again.

I have BBC Sounds on my mobile. Not sure how I can get that over my Sonos SL speakers…… (...I know….nothing)

J

Thank you for your reply John

No, I don’t understand. Sonos uses TuneIn, but could use the HLS Format - which if I understand that much would be ok for BBC Radio. So why are they still using TuneIn?

Sonos has to use SOME service and I think the BBC is withdrawing from other services too.  If there is a service streaming in HLS after mid-2023 perhaps Sonos will use it, but they may not have that option.

I already have a Roam - so I’ll use that when I’m in the UK.

Why not use it in Europe too?  BBC Sounds app is available outside the UK.  You can Bluetooth to the Roam and thence to other speakers on your network.

BBC Sounds via Sonos is only available in the UK (Info from Sonos).

 

It is available on your phone / tablet outside the UK.  Anything that you can play on your mobile device can be played to a Roam.

 

N

Thank you for your reply John

No, I don’t understand. Sonos uses TuneIn, but could use the HLS Format - which if I understand that much would be ok for BBC Radio. So why are they still using TuneIn?

I already have a Roam - so I’ll use that when I’m in the UK.

BBC Sounds via Sonos is only available in the UK (Info from Sonos).

 

J

 

I understand this to mean that Sonos uses similar to Shoutcast. Can Sonos change that?

In that case, you have misunderstood.  The format of the stream is determined by the consolidator, e.g. TuneIn.  Sonos will play the stream provided it is in a format that Sonos supports.  Sonos already supports the HLS format that the BBC will continue to use after mid-2023.  The real problem is that the BBC is withdrawing its streams from TuneIn and at least some other services (possibly all such services, I am not totally sure on that point).  So there is nothing Sonos can do about this.

This isn’t an issue for UK residents as we can use the BBC Sounds service integrated into Sonos.  It is potentially an issue for those living outside the UK.

Must I do something?

If the BBC withdraws from all consolidator services then I think your only option will be to use Airplay or Bluetooth to play the BBC Sounds app to your Sonos system.  So the worst case scenario is that you will need to buy a Roam, if you don’t already have one.  Another option is a Bluetooth receiver in the line-in port of any Sonos device equipped with a line in.

 

N

Not in the Uk John,

in mainland Europe.

J

@Notanothername . Are you in the UK?

N

Reply from the BBC on 16.12 regarding the message that interrupts programmes shortly before the hour on BBC Radio on Tunein:

 

‘’Thanks for getting back to us.

When we say that BBC Sounds is only available on Sonos inside the UK, we mean the BBC Sounds service which you enable on Sonos similar to the BBC Skill on Alexa). You are listening to an entirely different service (possibly TuneIn or similar) but this message is specifically for Shoutcast and this is very likely the format used to the service you are listening to and this is why you are getting the message.’’

At some stage in 2023, the streams will no longer be available on Shoutcast. You can see more information on this here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/questions/recent-changes-to-bbc-sounds/shoutcast-closure

‘’

I understand this to mean that Sonos uses similar to Shoutcast. Can Sonos change that?

Must I do something?

R
Userlevel 2
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Merry Christmas everyone
https://github.com/public-broadcasting/bbc-sounds-community-edition-for-sonos

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. 

Airgetlam

Conversely, perhaps their strategy is to pay for certain rights, and not pay for all worldwide and streaming rights for every bit of content. 

The legal landscape has certainly changed from the times of WWII, when they were the source of international news broadcasting. 

Bruce
el rubio

Hi All

I have an update:

The BBC are making changes to the way they distribute BBC radio services.  We recommend that if you are listening in the UK you add the BBC Sounds content service to your Sonos app for continued uninterrupted listening. If you are not in the UK we recommend you install the BBC Sounds app on your mobile and cast to your Sonos device. For further information please see here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/questions/recent-changes-to-bbc-sounds/shoutcast-closure

The BBC are removing all of their content from TuneIn (and therefore Sonos Radio) in mid-2023 - although they are switching to different technologies, they are not doing so on TuneIn, which contradicts the assumption I now realise I made. My apologies for any confusion. 

To be clear, if you are outside the UK, then the only ways to play BBC content will be through the BBC Sounds app for your smartphone or tablet - this can then be sent to Sonos via AirPlay, Bluetooth or Line-In, if you have compatible players - or with the Alexa BBC Sounds skill which will also work, and play on Sonos, but multiroom playback will not be supported.

UK listeners should add BBC Sounds to their Sonos system.

I realise this will not be what many of you wanted to hear, but I can only recommend feeding back to the BBC - this is not under our control.

 

the BBC seems consistent to kick out all non-UK residents, in line with the BREXIT strategy :-)

mix.bioss.net
controlav
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

Merry Christmas everyone
https://github.com/public-broadcasting/bbc-sounds-community-edition-for-sonos

An interesting hack! Nice.

Still seems simpler to switch one’s Sonos country to the UK, setup BBC Sounds, then switch back to the original country.

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
Santa Clauz
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Merry Christmas everyone
https://github.com/public-broadcasting/bbc-sounds-community-edition-for-sonos

J

But see earlier post on this thread from @ian02054 referencing my even earlier post

 

J

May I suggest pinning this information?

;)

Yes, please pin it to the backside of the BBC executive responsible for all this

Airgetlam

May I suggest pinning this information?

;)

Bruce
Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi All

I have an update:

The BBC are making changes to the way they distribute BBC radio services.  We recommend that if you are listening in the UK you add the BBC Sounds content service to your Sonos app for continued uninterrupted listening. If you are not in the UK we recommend you install the BBC Sounds app on your mobile and cast to your Sonos device. For further information please see here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/questions/recent-changes-to-bbc-sounds/shoutcast-closure

The BBC are removing all of their content from TuneIn (and therefore Sonos Radio) in mid-2023 - although they are switching to different technologies, they are not doing so on TuneIn, which contradicts the assumption I now realise I made. My apologies for any confusion. 

To be clear, if you are outside the UK, then the only ways to play BBC content will be through the BBC Sounds app for your smartphone or tablet - this can then be sent to Sonos via AirPlay, Bluetooth or Line-In, if you have compatible players - or with the Alexa BBC Sounds skill which will also work, and play on Sonos, but multiroom playback will not be supported.

UK listeners should add BBC Sounds to their Sonos system.

I realise this will not be what many of you wanted to hear, but I can only recommend feeding back to the BBC - this is not under our control.

 

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
J

Hi,

Just found this on the BBC site, I haven’t heard the pre-recorded message… yet. Unfortunately this doesn’t restore voice assistant control. 
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/questions/listening-on-a-smart-speaker/sonos

 

Regards,

JayWorm

J

I tried the Links from John B’s Post above, and realised the links were for teh UK streams, so didn’t work for me (you can see “UK” is mentioned in the url.

 

This page contains the links to the Worldwide streams (“nonuk” is in the URLs)
https://en.everybodywiki.com/List_of_BBC_radio_stream_URLs

So BBC Radio 1 is: http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/nonuk/sbr_low/ak/bbc_radio_one.m3u8
 

Rather than John’s link of http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_med/ak/bbc_radio_one.m3u8

sbr_Low (96 Kbps) is the highest they go for non-uk streams

 

Thx John for the pointer though.

And thanks for tracking down the non-UK streams and posting them here.

I
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I tried the Links from John B’s Post above, and realised the links were for teh UK streams, so didn’t work for me (you can see “UK” is mentioned in the url.

 

This page contains the links to the Worldwide streams (“nonuk” is in the URLs)
https://en.everybodywiki.com/List_of_BBC_radio_stream_URLs

So BBC Radio 1 is: http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/nonuk/sbr_low/ak/bbc_radio_one.m3u8
 

Rather than John’s link of http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/media/live/manifesto/audio/simulcast/hls/uk/sbr_med/ak/bbc_radio_one.m3u8

sbr_Low (96 Kbps) is the highest they go for non-uk streams

 

Thx John for the pointer though.

Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @mifrho 

That would be entirely up to the BBC. Considering the changes they’ve been making recently regarding who can access what from where, I personally think it unlikely.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
M

Hi @southern gal & @Andyneouk1 

Ah - I understand now. Apologies for any confusion. To keep the thread marginally readable, I’ve removed my earlier posts.

The ShoutCast streaming protocol that the BBC are using on TuneIn (Sonos Radio get’s it’s radio URLs from TuneIn so is also affected) and myTuner will soon be changed to the HLS protocol instead. As we already support HLS streaming, this shouldn’t be a problem, though after the change-over you may need to refresh (delete and re-create) any favourites to BBC stations you’ve made in the My Sonos section of the app. You will not need to add a new service to your Sonos system to continue listening to BBC stations, as I previously stated. Many non-BBC stations available on Sonos already utilise the HLS streaming protocol.

are there any plans to extend BBC Sounds support to non-UK Sonos customers? I can freely access BBC sounds on my android phone, and it would be nice to just switch the audio output from my BT Headphones to my Sonos when i get home.

J

I was then reminded that TuneIn doesn’t work with Sonos Voice Assistant, which I use a lot to switch stations.

 

Even if it did work, it would not work with these manually added streams.

J

So… it would still be nice to have the Sonos Radio service updated to non-obsolete BBC streams so I can have warning-message-free BBC content and voice control.

You still don’t seem to have got it.  The BBC’s Shoutcast streams contain the message.  Their HLS streams don’t.  So if the radio service sends a Shoutcast stream to Sonos, the message will play.  There is nothing Sonos can do about this.  What needs to happen is that the radio service needs to start sending an HLS stream instead. If they do that now the message will disappear.

There is nothing Sonos can do about this,  So I beg you, PLEASE stop repeating your meaningless and impossible  request for Sonos to do something.

U
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Thanks @John B that is what I was looking for.  I have been able to add BBC HLS (but not DASH) to TuneIn manually - I didn’t realise that you could do that.  I assume that this will get round the BBC messages, as I’ve understood that these only related to the Shoutcast service @Airgetlam.

My joy was shortlived however: I was then reminded that TuneIn doesn’t work with Sonos Voice Assistant, which I use a lot to switch stations.

So… it would still be nice to have the Sonos Radio service updated to non-obsolete BBC streams so I can have warning-message-free BBC content and voice control.

Airgetlam

And yes, while it would be nice to lose the BBC warning messages, that is content controlled by the BBC, so they’d need to stop including it in the stream that they provide to others. 

Bruce
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