I just tried contacting Sonos via a Live chat, and was met with a great deal of confusion!

Conflicting information was provided suggesting that the old TuneIN feature could continue to be used, but also that the custom URL streaming feature would be ‘Transitioned to Sonos’ - but with very little information on what this actually means!

I was advised that my inquiry would be escaled for further explanation of the ‘plan’ - but I don’t know when I might receive this.

It really feels like Sonos could have avoided the confusion and concern created here by simply acknowledging that this feature would be impacted, and announcing what would be happening with it.

Sonos own support articles still list the established mechanism for adding custom streams!

Thank you for posting! I guess the question might be “How many people are direct url-streaming?” It’s easy for those that don’t use it to write it off. But for those that use it, it’s very important. Furthermore, phrases such as “you can still use the old unsupported] way” are not comforting to a customer weighing all upgrade options.

Indeed! I’ve also sent an email to Sonos - so, we’ll see what reply is given here.

Sonos seem to have left a ‘confusion gap’ wide open on this one. This is a feature that is not only supported on Sonos, but fully documented on their own support articles.  They could have very easily simply advised people on what the plan is here.

I am, of course, hoping that the functionality simply gets moved to a different part of the app interface, either to the new TuneIN, the Sonos Radio service UX, or just … somewhere else.  I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

In the meantime, the feature does still work, so …. *fingers crossed*

I’ve had a very positive sounding reply from Sonos! It looks like custom URL streams will continue to be supported, but it’s just that the functionality hasn’t yet been implemented! The process will be a slightly more ‘circuitous’ route than we have right now (add the streams in the native TuneIN app for them to then show up in the TuneIN service inside of the Sonos app) - but at least they’re not retiring this functionality altogether!

Thank you for reaching out to Sonos support. 

�...]I am a supervisor here at Sonos and I will be handling your escalated case. Our CEO Patrick Spence, has asked me to reach out to you.

Thank you for expressing your concern about the missing feature in the new TuneIn integration within the Sonos S2 app. We understand that it's disappointing to learn that adding custom URLs will no longer be possible directly through the S2 app. However, there is an alternative solution.

Sonos has collaborated closely with TuneIn to ensure that custom URLs can still be added through the TuneIn app. To make use of this functionality, you need to log in to your TuneIn account with the same user ID on both the TuneIn app and the TuneIn service within the Sonos S2 app. By doing so, the custom URLs you add through the TuneIn app will be available within TuneIn on the S2 app.

Furthermore, if you already have custom URLs set up, they will be migrated and accessible in the "My Sonos" section after the migration process.

Please note that these changes are not currently implemented, but Sonos is actively working with TuneIn to make them available in the near future.

We hope this clarifies the situation. For the most up-to-date information and any further assistance, we recommend checking official Sonos and TuneIn announcements or reaching out to their customer support directly.

This certainly makes me feel a lot more comforted that the feature will continue to be supported, even though the UI for doing so may change. Hopefully, others will take some comfort from this too - figured it would be good to share :)

Thanks for updating us on this, @Rallicat .

Seems odd that an important function to many is at the mercy of TuneIn.

Particularly as the current implementation has absolutely nothing to do with them, its just that Sonos chose to stick the UX under that part of the music tree.

@Rallicat This is hopeful, but I’m still hesitant. Nonetheless, that is quite a bit of info you have shared. You time is much appreciated- thank you for posting!

I’ve taken a look in the TuneIn app, and indeed the ‘Custom URL’ streaming functionality feels incomplete. Adding a new feed only lets you enter the URL, not a name for the stream. If you ‘save’ a feed to your favourites you do then get the option to enter a name for the stream, but it doesn’t seem to correctly save this information.

When hopping over to the Sonos app and looking into the new TuneIN service, favourites are displayed, but not any custom streams I’ve added.

My personal concern now is whether or not this will be used as a vehicle to drive TuneIN premium subscriptions - I very much hope TuneIN don’t start trying to inject their own adverts into custom streams we add!

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens!

Didn't realise your App worked on Windows, does it support S1 Systems or have you gone S2 only?.

Shame you can't branch out into Android at some point.

@John B 
Thank you for your contribution which is kind of on the verge of contempt.

Sure enough Sonos has good sound quality and this was the good surprise when I bought my system. Alas, as with all connected products, the manufacturer has way too much control on the user experience and can at its own will modify or suppress any service it might consider not good enough for its customer base (translate which makes not money enough for the company).

I can understand that, for reasons of simplification, personal radios have been handled by a trick with the Tunein application. However, simply deleting the 'own radio stations' function and hiding behind the fact that it's Tunein's responsibility is far too easy.
In law, this is called a unilateral modification of contract, and even if the general terms and conditions mention it, it's still a huge disappointment for me.

@PhilippeM .  If there is any contempt it is solely for the empty threat to move to a competitor.  This is contradictory anyway - if you chose Sonos because of this feature, presumably the competition didn’t have it.

I am not sure who is blaming TuneIn for this, but it certainly isn’t me - I think this is entirely a Sonos issue.

If you do struggle to maintain access to the service you wish to use, I have an imperfect workaround to suggest to you.  I note from your profile that you use rockradio.com and that you have a Playbar.  You could potentially use your TV’s browser to access the website and play though your Playbar (and by grouping to the rest of your system, if required.  I have also, just as an experiment, played from the Rockradio mobile phone app to my TV (and hence Playbar) using screen mirroring to my Amazon Fire TV.

I did say it was imperfect, but it is an attempt to help.

I remain slightly puzzled as to why I can still add URLs as I have always done.

For an app there’s almost no difference between S1 and S2 so it supports both (the differences are in the players for the most part).

Progress!

Adding custom URL streams in the TuneIN app now does result in those streams appearing under your favourites in the TuneIN (New) service in the Sonos app, and the streams do play! (At least, they’re working for me).

So far though, no progress on actually setting a ‘name’ for each stream - so, you just see the URL listed. I’ve tried setting a name in the TuneIN app (you do this by hitting the ‘heart’ icon), but it doesn’t seem to save it. Not sure if this bug is with the TuneIN service, or the app.

Also, I’ve only been able to add streams through the App on my phone (android) - can’t see a way to do it on the TuneIN web site, or the Windows TuneIN desktop app.

It’s now November 2023 and I do not see any progress. I have tried several different methods today to add one or more custom url stations...and nothing shows up anywhere. Also, TuneIn(new) still does not have a “My Radio Stations” section. Does anyone REALLY know what’s going on with this? 

I was able to add custom URL streams via the TuneIn app on my phone (Android) under favorites - these then appear under the favorites section of the TuneIn(new) service within Sonos, and do seem to play.

However, it’s not as elegant as the old solution. For example it doesn’t support a custom name for the streams you add - so in Sonos you just get shown the URL. Plus, if the station is streaming discreet tracks, the names of those tracks don’t show up either (they do under the old method).

So, I’d say that they’ve replaced an elegant, full-featured solution, with one that’s crude and lacking feature-parity.

It may still develop - and I certainly hope that it does but, at the moment this feels more like an early beta than a proper solution.

I can report it is not an elegant solution, but it does work and you can name the station. 
 

Step 1:  

Open TuneIn Radio app.

Login

Choose library.  

Then Custom URL.

Enter URL and select it from list. (Must include full url)

TuneIn will open the station.

Press the heart button. 

Save as favorite using any name you choose. (You don’t need to name it the custom URL Address. 
 

Step 2:

Open Sonos app.

Go to Browse

Select TuneIn (New)

Must be connected to same account linked to TuneIn app  

Scroll to Favorites

Find your custom named station.

Long press on station  

Add to my Sonos  

May I ask what platform you’re on, accessing the TuneIN app? For me, when I press the ‘Heart’ icon to name my favourites, it just doesn’t seem to save the name.

I’m wondering if the app is working differently on other platforms like iOS (I’m on Android).

Many thanks

@Jwillro This approach is not working for me with CUSTOM URL’s.

Try it yourself. Here a random custom URL. I hope you prove me wrong.

http://zengarden.radio.mynoise.net
 

It seems as if TuneIn treats those stations based on custom URL’s different than the other from their catalog. In the TuneIn App on iOS the those Favorites are very buggy (do not consistently show up after closing the app; are not count in the total of a list; ...).

I was having problems with this too but figured out what I was doing wrong.  I had added the TuneIn service to Sonos before setting up a TuneIn account with the same email as my Sonos account. I think I had quickly just logged into the TuneIn (new) app using the option to log in with Apple, which apparently prevents the app from fully linking with the Sonos app even though they’re both on the same phone (stupid).  The saved streaming URLs were not showing up in my Sonos app under TuneIn (new) favorites.

The fix was:

1. Create a TuneIn (new) account with the same email as my Sonos account (which I had already done) and make sure the TuneIn (new) app is logged in with that account.
2. Remove the TuneIn (new) service from Sonos under Settings → Services & Voice.
3. Add the TuneIn (new) service back into Sonos. 

After doing this, my Favorites streaming URLs in the TuneIn (new) app started showing up in Sonos.

I am using the TuneIn android app and while I can add custom URLs, when I favorite them and specify a name the name doesn’t stick and the favorite is just the URL.  Is anyone else experiencing this?

Hang on to your hats everyone, I suspect the ‘big moment’ is about to arrive: https://www.thurrott.com/music-videos/sonos/301272/new-sonos-app-is-coming-may-7

According to this article, Sonos are on the cusp of launching a new app, and retiring the old Windows and Mac apps in favour of a new web app.

This of course may very well be the moment the old TuneIn integration is retired, in favour of only allowing the new one.

We probably won’t have to wait too much longer to find out if Sonos have nailed custom streaming in the new app… or flunked out on this one.

It’s also possible atomic bombs will go off, and the associated EMP will fry nearby electronics. Or Sonos themselves, or TuneIn, or any particular station will stop working. Or, the sun will expand to envelop the earth, for some as yet not understood reason. 
 

Let’s not cry wolf. Until such a wolf is seen.

I was not intending to cry wolf - merely point out what was -and I think I was being extremely realistic- a very likely outcome.

That outcome has now indeed come to pass, as Sonos have now launched the new app, and the old TuneIn service has indeed been removed.

And the new one isn’t working (at least, not yet)

So yeah, I guess TuneIN did get emp fried!

So the new Sonos app has now launched and the old TuneIn service has indeed been left behind.

In fact the new service is currently -at the time of writing- broken! However, according to the Sonos status page, they’re working on it - so, hopefully will be fixed soon.

I’m expecting that the ‘process’ will indeed be what we’ve already determined:

1. Head to the TuneIn app - add your stream there, be sure to add it to your favourites
2. Access TuneIn from inside the Sonos App
3. Find your favourites, and you can play your station from there.
4. For easier identification, add the stream to your Sonos favourites, and you’ll then be able to set a friendly-name.

So, custom streaming is still a thing, albeit personally, I think they’ve made the process less elegant, and less discoverable. That is of course, my opinion.