Podcasts not showing up on Android/Sonos controler
How can I play podcasts from an android phone. I have installed the apps that are supposed to work with Sonos (Pocket Casts and BeyondPod), but I can't get either to work. The Sonos instructions say that the podcasts have to be in the Podcast folder in the root directory. Is that the \storage\sdcard0\Podcasts directory? BeyondPod only lets you choose whether to save the podcasts on the internal or external cards. It does not let you select the directory. Pocket Casts lets you select the directory, but then it puts the podcasts files in a subdirectory of the one chosen. Trying both of these apps and multiple configurations, I still can't get the podcast to show up when I look on "this device".
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+3Hello Darin,
Do you store your podcasts on the device directly or on an SD card that is located in the device?
If you use an SD card, as a quick troubleshoot, please shut down the phone, remove the card, and then open the Sonos application. Does the Sonos application see any of the Podcasts?
If you go into advanced settings in BeyondPod, you can change the default folder application- this will auto-generate its directory so when you look at a file manager you will have \Podcasts\BeyondPod\Podcasts\(actual podcasts). Please verify through a file manager application that your podcasts are truly resting in this folder. Then I want you to close all running applications, force quit Sonos and power cycle your Android device.
After the device reboots, please check the Sonos controller and see if your podcasts have come through.
Do you store your podcasts on the device directly or on an SD card that is located in the device?
If you use an SD card, as a quick troubleshoot, please shut down the phone, remove the card, and then open the Sonos application. Does the Sonos application see any of the Podcasts?
If you go into advanced settings in BeyondPod, you can change the default folder application- this will auto-generate its directory so when you look at a file manager you will have \Podcasts\BeyondPod\Podcasts\(actual podcasts). Please verify through a file manager application that your podcasts are truly resting in this folder. Then I want you to close all running applications, force quit Sonos and power cycle your Android device.
After the device reboots, please check the Sonos controller and see if your podcasts have come through.
Dominique Z wrote:
Hello Darin,
Do you store your podcasts on the device directly or on an SD card that is located in the device?
If you use an SD card, as a quick troubleshoot, please shut down the phone, remove the card, and then open the Sonos application. Does the Sonos application see any of the Podcasts?
If you go into advanced settings in BeyondPod, you can change the default folder application- this will auto-generate its directory so when you look at a file manager you will have \Podcasts\BeyondPod\Podcasts\(actual podcasts). Please verify through a file manager application that your podcasts are truly resting in this folder. Then I want you to close all running applications, force quit Sonos and power cycle your Android device.
After the device reboots, please check the Sonos controller and see if your podcasts have come through.
Do you store your podcasts on the device directly or on an SD card that is located in the device?
If you use an SD card, as a quick troubleshoot, please shut down the phone, remove the card, and then open the Sonos application. Does the Sonos application see any of the Podcasts?
If you go into advanced settings in BeyondPod, you can change the default folder application- this will auto-generate its directory so when you look at a file manager you will have \Podcasts\BeyondPod\Podcasts\(actual podcasts). Please verify through a file manager application that your podcasts are truly resting in this folder. Then I want you to close all running applications, force quit Sonos and power cycle your Android device.
After the device reboots, please check the Sonos controller and see if your podcasts have come through.
On the paid version of BeyondPod that I have (3.3.68), I have two options for the podcast download folder, (/storage/emulate/0/BeyondPod/Podcasts) or (/mnt/extSdCard). I do not see that I can select the /Podcasts folder on my internal card.
I can select that folder in Pocket Casts, and it does create the subfolder in the /Podcasts folder. I have selected this and followed the procedure outlined above (closing Sono, powercycling, etc. ), but Sonos still does not see the podcast files. If I manually move the files from the pocketcasts subfolder of the /Podcasts folder to the /Podcasts folder then Sonos can see them when I use the My Device option. But I do not want to have to manually move the files.
I have the same issue - Moto RAZR Maxx with latest OS and BeyondPod. The storage folder is unselectable in my settings and is listed as "/storage/emulated/0/BeyondPod/Podcasts". I am confused because I've seen parts of the list (I currently can see about 12 podcasts under "This Device") but it's only a partial list.
Mike C wrote:
I have the same issue - Moto RAZR Maxx with latest OS and BeyondPod. The storage folder is unselectable in my settings and is listed as "/storage/emulated/0/BeyondPod/Podcasts". I am confused because I've seen parts of the list (I currently can see about 12 podcasts under "This Device") but it's only a partial list.
This is exactly my problem with PocketCasts on a Samsung Galaxy S3 . I have the impression that the behavior started when my device was updated to Android 4.2.2
+308/09/2014 02:31 PM wrote:
Hello Francesco,
A quick setting to check would be ensure that Pocketcast allows third party applications to see the content.
To check this, go to: Podcast > Settings/Storage > Check "Allow apps to see episodes". Then close out of the Sonos application completely, re-open the application and test again.
Let us know if you still see missing content.
+3Mikkel wrote:
I have the same problem with BeyondPod on my HTC One X+. Any help, Sonos-guys?
Hello Mikkel,
I'd recommend we take a quick look at the BeyondPod settings. Let's ensure that a particular setting is enabled- it is a setting that tells BeyondPod to broadcast the podcast so that the media scanner can find them (this setting is normally used when you want podcasts to appear in your music player).
To do so, go to: Menu > More > Settings > Menu > Advanced Settings > Settings > check "Share Podcasts"
Please let us know if you are still missing content and we'll be happy to take another look.
08/09/2014 02:31 PM wrote:
I tried this, and it does not work. I have a 2014 moto x (ergo no separate sd card storage)and the pocket casts app. For the love of god can someone give me a simple step by step guide as to how to get my podcasts to play through the sonos app. This is incredibly frustrating. It really should not be this difficult to use a piece of equipment that is as expensive as the sonos system is.
08/09/2014 02:31 PM wrote:
This clearly does not work. I have checked the storage setting as directed. I have ensured my podcasts are stored in the root Podcasts directory of my device. I have completely shut down my Sonos bridge, speaker, and phone...bringing them up one by one. Podcasts still do not show up in the Sonos controller under This Mobile Device > Podcasts.
Mikkel wrote:
I have the same problem with BeyondPod on my HTC One X+. Any help, Sonos-guys?
According to your own website, updated in October, BeyondPod is listed under "Podcasts Apps that Don't Work."
https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2198/~/playing-podcasts-wirelessly-from-your-andr...
08/09/2014 02:31 PM wrote:
I did this a couple of times, and it finally worked. After checking the setting referenced above, and also changing the Pocket Casts storage to the root Podcasts folder of my device, I shut down all my equipment, including my phone. I brought the bridge up, then the speaker, then my phone. I can now see podcasts under This Device, and they play through Sonos. The naming, artist info, etc of many of these podcasts is not correct/present...but I am not sure where that issue exists...and I mostly just care to hear them and then delete.
08/09/2014 02:31 PM wrote:
Matthew, I have a dumb question for you since I'm brand new to Android. How do I figure out what the filepath is for the root Podcast directory? I ask because when you change the "Store podcasts on" setting in the Pocket Casts app from "Phone" to "Custom Folder..." and you then designate the custom folder, you have to type the filepath in full rather than being able to browse and select from a directory. If it makes a difference to your answer, I have a 2014 Moto X (i.e., internal storage only, no SD card slot).
+3Mikkel wrote:
I have the same problem with BeyondPod on my HTC One X+. Any help, Sonos-guys?
Hello Matthew,
You are correct. BeyondPod is technically a service on that is deemed "Podcasts that Don't Work"; however, other clients have found work arounds for this particular service such as the one listed above.
Although these may have worked for some, we can not guarantee that they will work for all and thus deem it "unsupported".
08/09/2014 02:31 PM wrote:
You're welcome. I downloaded some more podcasts from Pocket Casts today. The new stuff didn't show up. I shut down my phone and turned it back on. The podcasts were then available. However, most of them don't have descriptions or they are not correct. They do play. This is a pretty clunky implementation in my experience so far. Don't expect an elegant podcast manager...but...they can play through Sonos.
08/09/2014 02:31 PM wrote:
That's frustrating, but I'll take what I can get for the time being (as kludgy as that may be).
08/09/2014 02:31 PM wrote:
Sonos needs to remove Pocketcasts from their list of applications that work with Sonos. There are zero Android podcast apps that Sonos supports. Their saying otherwise is dishonest.
I have been going back and forth with their technical support and have received contradictory advice over the course of the same thread: store your podcasts in the root podcast directory, store them in the music directory on the phone, look for them in the music directory on the Sonos app, look for them in the podcast directory on the app, etc.
Clearly the app is not supported. I'm frustrated that Sonos advertised support for Android's Pocketcast. Also, if Sonos tech support doesn't know the solution, they should just admit it and stop wasting our time with guesses. Perhaps they should buy an Android phone and attempt their purported solutions before asking us to.
I've given up on Sonos for podcast support. I've had success playing podcasts from BeyondPod to Sonos using BubbleUPnP. I have paid versions of both, but I think free versions will do the job. First setup Sonos as a local renderer in BubbleUPnP. Then from BeyondPod, long-press an episode and Play in External Player. The episode should be added to the BubbleUPnP queue and, depending on your settings, start playing.
It's not a seamless experience, but it works.
It's not a seamless experience, but it works.
Mikkel wrote:
I have the same problem with BeyondPod on my HTC One X+. Any help, Sonos-guys?
Dominique -
This whole topic is very frustrating and needs to be solved by Sonos! This just doesn't seem that hard but it's clear that it doesn't work and all this rebooting/copying file stuff is no good. If I were giving requirements to Sonos, I'd say there are a few: start by allowing us to tell Sonos what our podcast player is. Then look to the default location where that service stores it's Podcasts (I believe they're all published). Then every time the UI comes up on the device, it needs to check the current Podcast repository on the phone.
I realize that this is tricky because all the services are stored/accessed/run from the Sonos player and not the device but it shouldn't be too hard to do.
We look forward to hearing back from Sonos on this soon!
Hello. I bought the pocketcasts app yesterday (loving podkicker and had to abondon it) just so i could get it to work. now I find out I have to reboot my phone every time I download a podcast episode? thats not "working with sonos" it is works a bit with sonos. I am dissapointed"
Mikkel wrote:
I have the same problem with BeyondPod on my HTC One X+. Any help, Sonos-guys?
There is only one problem that support constantly avoids mentioning: Sonos Android CANNOT find files in sub folders . Easy enough bug to locate & fix instead of all this wasteful back & forth with unhappy customers.
I've used BeyondPod for over a year, and started back when it used to be 'supported' on Sonos. Apparently, now it isn't (which isn't surprising, since it never really worked well on Sonos). I'm considering switching to PocketCasts, but it sounds like that won't work much better.
I can get the Sonos controller to 'see' my podcasts downloaded by BeyondPod (by switching the download directory and enabling playing in 3P apps - no problems with sub-directories or anything). But the Sonos controller is only able to see file names, many of which are gibberish. So it's impossible to tell which episode I'm trying to play. And there's no good way to access playlists or any of the useful features that BeyondPod offers like SmartPlay.
My ideal scenario would be for a podcasting app to 'cast' the audio stream to Sonos speakers, just like you can cast to your TV with Chromecast. (I actually can cast from BeyondPod to my TV and then play the audio through Sonos with the PlayBar, but it is a pain to have to turn on the TV to make this all work.)
Google Music can 'cast' directly to Sonos speakers and lets me manage Sonos audio through their app - this is a great implementation. Can we get the same from a podcast app? This seems like it would be better for Sonos too, as you wouldn't have to deal with supporting all of these podcast management features like correctly reading metadata. Just let us use an app that already manages podcasts well, and stay out of the way.
I can get the Sonos controller to 'see' my podcasts downloaded by BeyondPod (by switching the download directory and enabling playing in 3P apps - no problems with sub-directories or anything). But the Sonos controller is only able to see file names, many of which are gibberish. So it's impossible to tell which episode I'm trying to play. And there's no good way to access playlists or any of the useful features that BeyondPod offers like SmartPlay.
My ideal scenario would be for a podcasting app to 'cast' the audio stream to Sonos speakers, just like you can cast to your TV with Chromecast. (I actually can cast from BeyondPod to my TV and then play the audio through Sonos with the PlayBar, but it is a pain to have to turn on the TV to make this all work.)
Google Music can 'cast' directly to Sonos speakers and lets me manage Sonos audio through their app - this is a great implementation. Can we get the same from a podcast app? This seems like it would be better for Sonos too, as you wouldn't have to deal with supporting all of these podcast management features like correctly reading metadata. Just let us use an app that already manages podcasts well, and stay out of the way.
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