Replacement CR100?

Looking for something more integrated, I stumbled upon this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XP5H63T/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2D00J2NX01X2B&colid=1LVGRHHQL7P4H&psc=0

I'm sure this thing is real slow, but might be good enough to run the win app.

But this led me to think... why mess with Sonos then? The only advantage I saw with Sonos is that, with its closed system, you have something rock solid, which will always work the same, be elegant, well integrated etc... Now that this is gone, why not ditch Sonos entirely, and connect a small, good quality integrated USB DAC & amp? I don't have speakers, only players, so this won't make much difference, and I can play with different sw players.

Not trying to be a smart a$s, trying to figure out the pro's and con's... Any comments?

That might be a good option for me, shame the $100 voucher is only good at Sonos and it sounds like you only get one per system, not one per CR-100.

John B wrote:

Paul Gordon wrote:

chicks wrote:

Another option is a prepaid phone, $20-$40. Most can bypass the carrier setup using key combos at boot up. Then install the Sonos app, pin it, and set it in a cheap charging cradle (I’ve seen Android phone charging stands for as little as $1 at Dollar Tree, though they’re junk).

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/simple-mobile-zte-majesty-pro-4g-lte-with-8gb-memory-prepaid-cell-phone-black/5859401.p?skuId=5859401

aarrgghh... that's kinda getting to the point (or one of them at least) of why many of us want to keep what we have up & running now... - I don't know about you, or anyone else, I speak only for myself... but I like to keep a clean & tidy house that looks smart & stylish. I have over the years, gone to great trouble & expense to fit nice things, and to fit them properly. All my controllers are "properly" wall mounted with all cables flushed away inside the walls... I also happen to think that the CR100's, in their cradle, still, after all these years, look smart & stylish - other's taste may differ, that's fine, that's a subjective preference..
The LAST thing I want is to have to rip holes in my carefully decorated walls and mount some cheap plastic monstrosity, (or even some expensive plastic monstrosity for that matter), that ends up looking like it was cobbled together out of parts from Carphone Warehouse by a chap called Heath Robinson...

Well, Chicks, I hope you won't make the mistake of trying to help again.

Not intended to come over as ungrateful, - although to be fair, Chicks has trolled quite a few posts over on the other thread, so I'm inclined to be a tad less charitable to him/her in particular. I apologise right here & now if anyone thinks my response wasn't up to my usual standards. That said, the point is valid, aesthetics are important, Sonos acknowledge that in their design philosophy. So I'll go right ahead and add aesthetics to the list of important criteria I set out about a dozen posts up...

- Must look "good" (I know that's subjective, but I think most of us could agree that a turd is still a turd no matter how much you polish it). In my mind looking good means looking like a commercially manufactured solution that fits together properly, and looks like it was "designed" rather than "assembled".

Fair enough?

Hey, everyone. I would like to suggest a reasonable Qi capable androidtablet or phone with Sonos pinned can get one very close and perhaps even further than a CR100. We're rockin 2x Nexus 7 2nd gen (2013, Wifi only) in two separate stands/wall mounts but being Swedish, we're probably pick a few new options the next time we're at IKEA: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/wireless_charging/, wife is on iPhone X so she's already Qi converted :)

Or, if you have more time and curiosity than $$, this looks pretty awesome:
http://blog.stef.be/sonobuttons

chicks wrote:

Another alternative. $39 each, but need the hub. Cheaper if several needed.

http://www.casetawireless.com/Pages/sonos.aspx

This looks interesting - anyone using it and have feedback?

NirreFirre wrote:

Or, if you have more time and curiosity than $$, this looks pretty awesome:
http://blog.stef.be/sonobuttons

I like this approach.

But if the CR100 can become useless from one update to another how do I know these remote controls won't?

Also, if these remotes work. Why can't the CR100 keep on working? Perhaps with some reduced funcionality...

T-S wrote:

But if the CR100 can become useless from one update to another how do I know these remote controls won't?

Also, if these remotes work. Why can't the CR100 keep on working? Perhaps with some reduced funcionality...

You don't. In fact you should go forward assuming that any control option is subject to being discontinued at some point. That is why most replacement suggestions involve cheap "disposable" tablets that you won't mind replacing every couple of years.

OK, contingency time for me and in no way diminishing the poor decision from Sonos which I find unacceptable, so "without prejudice":

The Samsung Galaxy Xcover 3 (SM-G388F) and Xcover 4 (SM-G390F) are both mildly ruggedised Android handsets that have "hard" buttons for Home, Back and Apps (or whatever its called) navigation. They also have a user definable ""Xcover" button which can be programmed to start an app e.g. Sonos app. Of course this could also be achieved with NFC tags situated in convenient locations.

Would it be possible to write an app that overrides the hard navigation buttons and uses them for Play/Pause, Back and Next Track? This would approximate to the CR100s best features - simplicity, water resistance and robustness.

The handsets themselves are relatively inexpensive altough still £150 - £200, but have easily replaceable batteries (a concern for Sonos). There's no dock that I know of, but that's an easy plastics moulding job and I imagine Sonos could negotiate a dedicated "White" version with Samsung, including a dock for very little since the only change would be colour and software (so little development cost). Given that there would be no requirement even for the mobile element (3G, 4G etc), it could be further reduced in cost. This has happened with tablets as my trust Sony Xperia Tablet 3 Compact was available also in a cheaper non-cellular version with Wi-Fi only.

Just quick and dirty thoughts since I've been more focused on the other CR100 thread.

Oh, and last time I looked, original replacement batteries with built-in NFC loop were available for the Xcover 3 for £10 - £13 and can be replaced by someone ham fisted in about 10 seconds.

Another one to consider is the Vizio XR6M10 Smartcast Tablet Remote, you can pick them up on eBay fairly cheap

https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/recommend-a-cr200-replacement-please-44291/index2.html#post16169161

https://www.vizio.com/en-ca/smartcast-tablet-remote

upstatemike wrote:

T-S wrote:

But if the CR100 can become useless from one update to another how do I know these remote controls won't?

Also, if these remotes work. Why can't the CR100 keep on working? Perhaps with some reduced funcionality...

You don't. In fact you should go forward assuming that any control option is subject to being discontinued at some point. That is why most replacement suggestions involve cheap "disposable" tablets that you won't mind replacing every couple of years.

That's too bad. If Sonos and others making similar proucts could come up with a proper protocol for remotes and their "normal" remote actions they would open up for a market of better designed remotes. Has there been such an initiative? Never heard of it.

It's probably not that hard. If you look at the musical instrument industry the vendors use a couple of protocols they have agreed upon and there is an immense amount of highly advanced hardware controls available nowdays. And most of them are not proprietary, instead they are open to control a lot of various softwares and hardwares. And the capabilites of these controllers are way more advanced than what's needed for stuff like Sonos.

Here's a small fraction of hardware controllers for musical equipment:
https://www.thomann.de/gb/daw_controllers.html

They all make money. Everyone is happy. All that's needed is a well designed protocol that everyone can use. It's not rocket science.

I have an old Surface RT set to instant-on, instant-app. Starts up faster than my CR100s. Video on how to set this up: https://www.facebook.com/Phonos.application/videos/1658688324141871/

One thing I really miss on the iOS Controller is that not even in "kiosk mode" (guidede access) I can make it wake up at pick up like the CR100 and CR200 can do. Of course it's not the end of the world but it's ano of those little details that I believe contribute to the love of the dedicated Sonos controllers.

Is wake up on pick up available in any way on Android Tablets?
I don't believe I can do the trick in any way with iOS at least.

controlav wrote:

I have an old Surface RT set to instant-on, instant-app. Starts up faster than my CR100s. Video on how to set this up: https://www.facebook.com/Phonos.application/videos/1658688324141871/

Thanks for this, My old surface 2 is now sitting in the spot downstairs where my CR100 used to be. Only real difference is magnetic power rather than lifting out of the cradle. I still need a solution for upstairs, which I think is a case of finding a cheap android tablet that can pin the app.

Chris wrote:

But aren’t they going to give you $100 for each of them - net free?

No - definitely not, it's one voucher only for £100 towards another product ... that you hope won't be bricked at some time in the future on a whim by Sonos.
There's no way I'm buying anything else from this disreputable company, I'm already getting stick from the wife for the thousands I've already spent over the years on their gear, only to find around a grand of that is due to go down the toilet next month!

alandaw7 wrote:

Chris wrote:

But aren’t they going to give you $100 for each of them - net free?

There's no way I'm buying anything else from this disreputable company, I'm already getting stick from the wife for the thousands I've already spent over the years on their gear, only to find around a grand of that is due to go down the toilet next month!

You and me both, only as my wife has reminded me, with 7 CR100s and 7 Cradles, we will be down about £2,500 as soon as the next OS update installs on our system. Of course we will hold off as long as we can but who knows how long we will be able to sustain this approach.

While extremely disappointed with the move by Sonos to render my 5 CR100s useless (and possibly do the same thing to the 5 CR200s we have), I was reading the threads for good alternatives. One person suggested that getting an amazon fire tablet 7" which you could buy for $49 and using it as a dedicated controller would be a good thing to do as an option. A conversation with a Sonos representative confirmed that would be a good option but he mentioned that while Amazon using the android platform they make the system an amazon system (I may not be using the correct technical term) so that it probably will become obsolete sooner than if we purchased a not so new android cell phone (above a certain version) and that would continue to update for a while and that way the android cell phone could be used as a dedicated sonos controller. In addition, he mentioned that every time you turn on the amazon fire tablet that there will be an amazon advertisement. If anyone out there confirms all this to be true, any recommendations on some inexpensive android phones (brand, model or version) that could be purchased to use as dedicated sonos controllers that would have some extended life and use without breaking the bank. Thanks much.

You can turn off the advertising by paying extra (I think it is $15) and some even report a little nagging to Amazon support gets it turned off for free. As for the Amazon version being more prone to being made obsolete, I've not experienced it. Unlike iOS, Android based systems have a much longer life and are not forced into obsolescence. Looking at the release notes, only the first and second generation Fire tablets from 2011 and 2012 are not compatible with the Sonos app. That's 6 years, a lifetime in the age of forced obsolescence, and fully in line with obsolescence of the standard Android 4.2, also released in 2012.

Just confirming, you can have the advertising turned off. My wife uses Kindle Fires in her classroom, and has had the advertising removed. Another benefit, for those interested, is that a Fire is also an additional Alexa device that provides voice control. I know that some have no desire for voice control, but it is offered if wanted.

Thank you for your input. So, the fact that Amazon modifies the android operating system to its own version/adaptation is not a problem for utilization of the device as a dedicated standalone sonos controller?

I looked at dealing with Amazon and instead picked up a Galaxy Tab at Costco cheap. I'd rather have simple and working than cheap.

Another good option is asking around, there are a lot of usable tablets stuck in junk drawers and your friends/family may be happy giving you one.

Have a look at the Vizio XR6M10 on ebay, makes a great Android Sonos controller and cheap

There seem to be 2 threads going that are about replacement options post the CR100 bricking.

I have posted on the other one but in case people arent following it I'm re posting here.

Basically, I have bought 3 Kindle Fires a few weeks ago and more recently a Lenovo Tab 7 Essesntial.

Just to clear up a detail from earlier in this thread, it is NOT possible to "pin" and app on the Kindle Fire. That facility is not in the skin that Amazon has put on the Fire.

On the Lenovo, latest thought are here:

First impressions are that "pinning" the app is pretty useless because it tells you on the screen how to turn it off. My attempts at making it require a password / PIN code if you DO turn it off have resulted in it asking for the PIN code every time you wake it up. What I'm trying to do is have it so no unlock code is required to use the tablet, but that it is "locked" to the Sonos app - with a code being required only if you want to exit that app.

The reason is that I want to leave this lying around and don't want the kids using it for anything other than Sonos. Maybe if I set up a user profile that only contains the Sonos app? Anyone know if that would work - I mean can you delete everything else?

Anyone who can suggest a solution?

In the meantime, off to look into a case for the back of it, so that I can hide a wireless charging receiver between it and the device. My plan is to get round the docking station issue by using a Qi charging receiver that plugs into the mini usb and is hidden by the case, so I can just leave it sitting on the charging pad. Anyone with experience of this?

Thanks

There is a child profile to limit what they can do

https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/amazon-fire-child-profile