Hi Guys,
Let me start off by saying I love you guys. I have a Playbar, Play 5, Play 3, Connect, and am looking to complete my Playbar setup with a couple of Play 1's and a Sub soon.
I also have an Amazon Echo and it is awesome. In fact, it's a bit too awesome and I find myself asking Alexa to play music just because if I want to hear a song, all I have to do is ask; I don't have to bust out my phone. The problem is the speakers on the Echo are mediocre at best. I would much prefer the sound to come out of my Sonos system. With the "internet of things" really starting to take off - integration is going to become more and more important.
Amazon Echo has sort of a plugins-type interface called skills. https://developer.amazon.com/public/solutions/alexa/alexa-skills-kit/getting-started-guide
It would be amazing if you guys could create an skill for Sonos. Something like "Alexa, tell Sonos to play *playlist*." or music by _____ or x from pandora.
I've done some searching and this comes up on this forum a lot. I think it's time you started listening to your community. With skills you no longer need much help from Amazon so its on you to keep your customers happy. Please do not start your own voice recognition or anything silly like that. Stick to what you're great at. Just use what is already available and on the markets and integrate with them.
Thanks
-Collin
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True, but Sonos devices can be controlled by / streamed to using UPnP and it works really well
Looks to me like the Sonos CEO is saying they will do their own voice control that will go against Amazon Echo.
That kinda sucks. I already have Siri, Echo, Google and now I will have to say Sonos...
Would also be nice if the Playbar had a Line-in so I could just connect my Echo Dot :-(
http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/10/11191978/sonos-Amazon-echo-alexa
That kinda sucks. I already have Siri, Echo, Google and now I will have to say Sonos...
Would also be nice if the Playbar had a Line-in so I could just connect my Echo Dot :-(
http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/10/11191978/sonos-Amazon-echo-alexa
That kinda sucks. I already have Siri, Echo, Google and now I will have to say Sonos...
Would also be nice if the Playbar had a Line-in so I could just connect my Echo Dot :-(
http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/10/11191978/sonos-Amazon-echo-alexa
Actually, he leaves it pretty vague, and from a financial standpoint it would be insane to do it from scratch. Also, perusal of the Sonos Help Wanted listings say differently. They are seeking hardware people with microphone array experience, but no listings for software people with voice recognition skills. My speculation is Sonos will be using Echo/Alexa tech, both embedded and via the Echo devices. No insider knowledge except working in IT.
I've found at least one possible solution, but it's definitely not for the faint of heart. There's a GitHub repository that involves a NodeJS bridge:
https://github.com/rgraciano/echo-sonos
If none of what I just typed makes any sense, I wouldn't even try.
The other option is currently only available to Amazon Prime members who also happen to own a Connect or Connect:AMP, which I happen to. I can't imagine why this won't work, but I'm going to try it once I order one. Amazon makes a miniature version of the Amazon Echo called the Amazon Dot:
https://www.amazon.com/b/?node=14047587011
Basically, it's an Echo minus speakers that you can plug into any sound system you feel like. So my working thesis is that Amazon Dot -> Sonos Connect (or Connect:AMP) -> Sonos will work just fine.
As of this post, you can only buy Amazon Dots via a voice command to an Amazon Echo, and ONLY if you are an Amazon Prime member.
https://github.com/rgraciano/echo-sonos
If none of what I just typed makes any sense, I wouldn't even try.
The other option is currently only available to Amazon Prime members who also happen to own a Connect or Connect:AMP, which I happen to. I can't imagine why this won't work, but I'm going to try it once I order one. Amazon makes a miniature version of the Amazon Echo called the Amazon Dot:
https://www.amazon.com/b/?node=14047587011
Basically, it's an Echo minus speakers that you can plug into any sound system you feel like. So my working thesis is that Amazon Dot -> Sonos Connect (or Connect:AMP) -> Sonos will work just fine.
As of this post, you can only buy Amazon Dots via a voice command to an Amazon Echo, and ONLY if you are an Amazon Prime member.
When is Google Home support coming? Lol
Has anyone tried the Yonomi app with Alexa's Smart Home Skills? It seems like a good stop-gap until Sonos can get their act together and catch up.
I was using it but it's recently quit working intermittently. I've tried many fixes and nothing makes it work consistently anymore
I installed the Yonomi app a couple days ago. I find it to be really limited as far as what it can do with Sonos, but definitely something to look into if you have echo and sonos. It's not going to be all you want, but it's a good stop gap till something better comes along.
It's someone hard to describe how it works without getting too detailed. It will essentially setup each of your sonos units as a separate smart device that echo can see and command. You are limited to what you can do with the device though. Turn on, turn off, pause, mute, unmute, play a sound. What you cannot do (in this context anyway) is specify what song, playlist or service to play, or group rooms together. obviously, that makes it rather limited.
However, you can get around the music select limitation by setting up a routine in advance. For example, I set up a routine to specifically play my daughter's playlist on the living room sonos at a specific volume and named it "Samantha". So you can now tell echo "Alexa, turn on Samantha" and it will follow the routine.
An important factor in this is that Yonomi is not about controlling Sonos only as it can control your other smart home devices as well. So for example, I can add turning off the living room lights to the previously created "Samantha" routine. That's definitely something to consider if Sonos makes it's own skill. It's not just about voice control, but about automation as well.
One other thing worth repeating is that Yonomi ties your smart phone so it is aware of additional events. For example, Yonomi sets the GPS location of your home, so when you arrive home, it knows this based on the gps and can automatically run a routine. I have set to having the living room sonos say "welcome home", turn on the light, and play Pandora Fleetwood mac station, but only between 8 am and 8 pm. It also is supposed to be able to run a routine when I start a phone call (mute the music) or end a phone call (unmute), but I haven't gotten that to run smoothly yet.
Be aware though that if you already have a wink or some other hub on your network, and yonomi is going to cause some confusion. Alexa got confused when I asked it to turn off the kitchen light because it thought I had more then 1 of those...one kitchen light on wink, one kitchen light on yonomi. I had to rename to light on yonomi to avoid the confusion.
So yes, yonomi is definitely worth a try in my opinion, but don't expect it to be the final solution.
It's someone hard to describe how it works without getting too detailed. It will essentially setup each of your sonos units as a separate smart device that echo can see and command. You are limited to what you can do with the device though. Turn on, turn off, pause, mute, unmute, play a sound. What you cannot do (in this context anyway) is specify what song, playlist or service to play, or group rooms together. obviously, that makes it rather limited.
However, you can get around the music select limitation by setting up a routine in advance. For example, I set up a routine to specifically play my daughter's playlist on the living room sonos at a specific volume and named it "Samantha". So you can now tell echo "Alexa, turn on Samantha" and it will follow the routine.
An important factor in this is that Yonomi is not about controlling Sonos only as it can control your other smart home devices as well. So for example, I can add turning off the living room lights to the previously created "Samantha" routine. That's definitely something to consider if Sonos makes it's own skill. It's not just about voice control, but about automation as well.
One other thing worth repeating is that Yonomi ties your smart phone so it is aware of additional events. For example, Yonomi sets the GPS location of your home, so when you arrive home, it knows this based on the gps and can automatically run a routine. I have set to having the living room sonos say "welcome home", turn on the light, and play Pandora Fleetwood mac station, but only between 8 am and 8 pm. It also is supposed to be able to run a routine when I start a phone call (mute the music) or end a phone call (unmute), but I haven't gotten that to run smoothly yet.
Be aware though that if you already have a wink or some other hub on your network, and yonomi is going to cause some confusion. Alexa got confused when I asked it to turn off the kitchen light because it thought I had more then 1 of those...one kitchen light on wink, one kitchen light on yonomi. I had to rename to light on yonomi to avoid the confusion.
So yes, yonomi is definitely worth a try in my opinion, but don't expect it to be the final solution.
I've been using a pair of Play:1s for the last year, and have been seriously thinking about upgrading to a pair of Play:5s to get a richer sound quality. But I got an Echo this week and — already — I can't "go back" to dealing with the mediocre—at best—user interface of the Sonos app to access my music.
Alexa connects to all the music services I need (i.e., Spotify & Pandora, and you can now upload your own music to the Amazon Prime Music service). Who really needs the bajillion niche services Sonos offers? True, the sound quality of the Echo is even flatter than the Play:1s, but it's so convenient to use that I haven't used my Sonos system since Alexa showed up.
Net net, it's only a matter of time before Amazon releases a high quality speaker that's Echo-compatible. So, it looks like a race to me. I've got a grand earmarked for a speaker upgrade, and will happily give it to Sonos for a pair of Play:5s if I can control them through Alexa. And I'll just as happily give it to Amazon if they bring a high quality Echo-compatible speaker to market before Sonos gets to that integration.
They just sent out an email about this today. I glanced at it but haven't had time to implement the fix they are documenting.
Chris, Thanks. I didn't realize the Play5s have line in. I have an Echo Dot, but hooked it to a Bose since none of the other Sonos components I have (playbar, sub, Play1s) have line ins.
Once connected to the Play5, can the Play5 act as a source so you play that audio in other rooms as well?
Also, I assume the same can be done with the Connect - true? I've been hesitant to pay $350 just to connect Echo Dot to Sonos.
Once connected to the Play5, can the Play5 act as a source so you play that audio in other rooms as well?
Also, I assume the same can be done with the Connect - true? I've been hesitant to pay $350 just to connect Echo Dot to Sonos.
No need to wait any longer, just get into the Josh.ai beta. Sonos support is Standard.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497539,00.asp
Oh, you will need at least $10 grand, lol.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497539,00.asp
Oh, you will need at least $10 grand, lol.
Userlevel 1
+4
DOTS are no longer available for sale. They were a limited run and are sold out.
The priority should be having Sonos work with the Echo and Homekit
Userlevel 1
+4
This space is just getting started. Apple will try to lock you into add-ons that cost more, and generate more revenue for Apple, so Homekit is a non starter for me. Sonos has always been an equal access platform. I sure hope they don't lock into a single platform, which then gets superceded by another, game changing newer one.
I'm open but Google is not here yet. For me, I already have an Echo like many others do and Homekit does not require me buying another device since I already have an iPhone and iPad.
Unfortunately, Homekit would leave out well over half the Sonos userbase, since it's Apple, who are very closed and proprietary with everything they do. Google has a much better history of open APIs, and allowing their products like Chromecast, to run on as many devices ad possible, including Apple's closed devices. Far, far better that Sonos would wait for Google's implementation, or another open project.
Sorry if this is a repost, but there is a solution out there for those willing to put some effort in...
https://github.com/jplourde5/echo-sonos
https://github.com/jplourde5/echo-sonos
https://github.com/jplourde5/echo-sonos
Looks like a fork of the repo posted on the first page of this thread: https://github.com/rgraciano/echo-sonos. One issue another user responded with is the security of this approach...
Not available yet in the U.S., but the answer may be to drop Sonos and grab the new Musaic Wi-Fi sound system (IFTTT enabled, so you can program it to work other smart home devices). http://www.musaic.com/en-wo/
+1
https://github.com/jplourde5/echo-sonos
Looks like a fork of the repo posted on the first page of this thread: https://github.com/rgraciano/echo-sonos. One issue another user responded with is the security of this approach...
Correct, they are forks for testing that will hopefully be merged with the main branches. I just added capability that will allow the solutions to work without having to make any adjustments to your firewall or having to expose your server in any way. It should now be totally secure.
Ultimately, my hope and suspicion is that Sonos will be adding support for Echo, Siri, and other voice control devices, just like they do today with handheld support for IOS and Android. It is also possible that they may add their own voice control device to the mix, like they have with their own handheld controller. I would not be surprised to see some of this before the end of the year. Fingers crossed.
In the mean time, if you are up for a technical challenge and can follow instructions closely, the solutions mentioned here will do the trick.
As has been mentioned in other threads, Sonos will announce it's "vision" for the future on the 30th of August, and one of the rumors is that they will announce something with regards to voice control. So let's hear what they have to say there first, before making any judgements. :)
http://www.whathifi.com/news/sonos-set-to-announce-big-changes-30th-august
http://www.whathifi.com/news/sonos-set-to-announce-big-changes-30th-august
Userlevel 4
+13
It's someone hard to describe how it works without getting too detailed. It will essentially setup each of your sonos units as a separate smart device that echo can see and command. You are limited to what you can do with the device though. Turn on, turn off, pause, mute, unmute, play a sound. What you cannot do (in this context anyway) is specify what song, playlist or service to play, or group rooms together. obviously, that makes it rather limited.
However, you can get around the music select limitation by setting up a routine in advance. For example, I set up a routine to specifically play my daughter's playlist on the living room sonos at a specific volume and named it "Samantha". So you can now tell echo "Alexa, turn on Samantha" and it will follow the routine.
An important factor in this is that Yonomi is not about controlling Sonos only as it can control your other smart home devices as well. So for example, I can add turning off the living room lights to the previously created "Samantha" routine. That's definitely something to consider if Sonos makes it's own skill. It's not just about voice control, but about automation as well.
One other thing worth repeating is that Yonomi ties your smart phone so it is aware of additional events. For example, Yonomi sets the GPS location of your home, so when you arrive home, it knows this based on the gps and can automatically run a routine. I have set to having the living room sonos say "welcome home", turn on the light, and play Pandora Fleetwood mac station, but only between 8 am and 8 pm. It also is supposed to be able to run a routine when I start a phone call (mute the music) or end a phone call (unmute), but I haven't gotten that to run smoothly yet.
Be aware though that if you already have a wink or some other hub on your network, and yonomi is going to cause some confusion. Alexa got confused when I asked it to turn off the kitchen light because it thought I had more then 1 of those...one kitchen light on wink, one kitchen light on yonomi. I had to rename to light on yonomi to avoid the confusion.
So yes, yonomi is definitely worth a try in my opinion, but don't expect it to be the final solution.
It's someone hard to describe how it works without getting too detailed. It will essentially setup each of your sonos units as a separate smart device that echo can see and command. You are limited to what you can do with the device though. Turn on, turn off, pause, mute, unmute, play a sound. What you cannot do (in this context anyway) is specify what song, playlist or service to play, or group rooms together. obviously, that makes it rather limited.
However, you can get around the music select limitation by setting up a routine in advance. For example, I set up a routine to specifically play my daughter's playlist on the living room sonos at a specific volume and named it "Samantha". So you can now tell echo "Alexa, turn on Samantha" and it will follow the routine.
An important factor in this is that Yonomi is not about controlling Sonos only as it can control your other smart home devices as well. So for example, I can add turning off the living room lights to the previously created "Samantha" routine. That's definitely something to consider if Sonos makes it's own skill. It's not just about voice control, but about automation as well.
One other thing worth repeating is that Yonomi ties your smart phone so it is aware of additional events. For example, Yonomi sets the GPS location of your home, so when you arrive home, it knows this based on the gps and can automatically run a routine. I have set to having the living room sonos say "welcome home", turn on the light, and play Pandora Fleetwood mac station, but only between 8 am and 8 pm. It also is supposed to be able to run a routine when I start a phone call (mute the music) or end a phone call (unmute), but I haven't gotten that to run smoothly yet.
Be aware though that if you already have a wink or some other hub on your network, and yonomi is going to cause some confusion. Alexa got confused when I asked it to turn off the kitchen light because it thought I had more then 1 of those...one kitchen light on wink, one kitchen light on yonomi. I had to rename to light on yonomi to avoid the confusion.
So yes, yonomi is definitely worth a try in my opinion, but don't expect it to be the final solution.
Hi there, thanks for the information. Tell me please how did you set up a routine to include a chosen playlist? In "Routines" I only see my saved Sonos favorites.
Thanks.
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