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Sonos/Spotify with Samsung Family Hub (refrigerator)

  • 23 January 2023
  • 16 replies
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Can somebody please advise on whether I can get Sonos/Spotify playing nicely with the Samsung Family Hub (runs on Samsung’s Tizen O/S I believe)?

 

The Spotify App runs on Tizen on the fridge. It can see Amazon firesticks and Amazon speaker devices as things that it can play to (apart from being able to play on the fridge speaker itself).

 

Whether I run the Google or Alexa voice assistants on the Sonos speakers I have, I cannot get it to see the Sonos speakers though. I have a Move and a One.

 

From some desktop research, it looks like Samsung may only support the Sonos speakers through a Hub/Bridge, which is not possible to use as I’m on S2.

 

Is there any way round this? My desired outcome is to be able to change the Spotify music on the fridge, outputting the music to the Sonos speakers (as a group - the two speakers are at different ends of a long room).

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Best answer by Corry P 25 January 2023, 12:08

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Hi @BazSkywalker 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

Thank you - it’s not often I hear something completely new!

I presume you are putting your Sonos speakers in an Alexa/Google group? I’m not convinced this will work. But, other than by using Spotify Connect (selecting the Sonos speakers as output devices in Spotify - a feature that may not be available on your fridge), I don’t see how else you could do it.

From some desktop research, it looks like Samsung may only support the Sonos speakers through a Hub/Bridge, which is not possible to use as I’m on S2.

A Sonos Hub/Bridge? This would be a Bridge or Boost, the latter of which is S2 compatible, but if this is true all you need to do is connect one speaker to the network with an ethernet cable, permanently. If the location isn’t ideal, a Boost could be added, but I’d test with a wired speaker first - there shouldn’t be a difference in function.

Is there any way round this? My desired outcome is to be able to change the Spotify music on the fridge, outputting the music to the Sonos speakers (as a group - the two speakers are at different ends of a long room).

I don’t know, to be honest. It all depends on third-party software. If it is possible, my bet would be on using Spotify Connect, but as I mentioned, the feature may not be available on the fridge’s version of the Spotify app.

I hope this helps.

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I had one of those fridges, and a similar desire. As an app writer it seemed there was an obvious fix, to write a Sonos app for Tizen.

Total fail: Samsung don’t let just anyone write code for the fridge, and guys in basements like me are not allowed.

It does have a (lame) web browser though, so could you maybe try one of the web-based third party controllers on it. Good luck.

I have moved since and am back to a fridge without a gigantic tablet on the front of it, unfortunately.

Hi @Corry P - thanks for the reply and feedback.

I have just had a quick try with an Ethernet cable (I use Powerline adapters so just plugged one in nearby - previously it was wireless), and it didn’t work, but I’ll go back and make sure everything is connected and it’s all working OK. Thinking out loud, I probably need to play around, and try and connect it in Samsung SmartThings. I’ll go back and do that when I have a spare hour to do some proper testing.

@controlav - thank you too for the reply. Are you referring to a web-based third party Sonos controller, or a Spotify player of some sort? Sorry, could you just expand on that a bit more?

It’s a great device to have in the kitchen and we get good use out of it, it’s just a shame they can’t just put native (even if it has Samsung OneUI overlayed) Android on it, which would make this a lot easier!

My only other workaround which I have tried is this which I have connected to the fridge and then plugged into a Port. The Port is hidden in a cupboard in the kitchen, connected to my B&O BeoSound 9000. The problem is, the Port only has one place I can plug each of these devices in, so I tried a splitter, but the sound quality was poor out of the CD player AND the fridge, so I abandoned that. It seems fine without the splitter though. So I suppose my only other solution is to buy another Port which seems a bit extreme? I’d also then have to keep going on the Sonos App and selecting the different outputs when I want to use the CD player or the fridge. Any other thoughts on that also appreciated!

I will report back. Thanks again for your help.

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Hi @BazSkywalker 

PowerLine is not supported by Sonos - sometimes it will work, but it’s not guaranteed, so I wouldn’t count it’s use as a valid test. It sounds like @controlav’s experience suggests that it’s irrelevant anyway. I don’t think SmartThings will help.

My only other workaround which I have tried is this which I have connected to the fridge and then plugged into a Port. The Port is hidden in a cupboard in the kitchen, connected to my B&O BeoSound 9000. The problem is, the Port only has one place I can plug each of these devices in, so I tried a splitter, but the sound quality was poor out of the CD player AND the fridge, so I abandoned that. It seems fine without the splitter though. So I suppose my only other solution is to buy another Port which seems a bit extreme? I’d also then have to keep going on the Sonos App and selecting the different outputs when I want to use the CD player or the fridge. Any other thoughts on that also appreciated!

Hold up - the refrigerator has Bluetooth media output?! Okay, sure.

An Android tablet (it doesn’t need to be taped to the fridge, but I can’t help thinking of it) or a Sonos Roam (for voice control or Bluetooth Line-In) near the fridge would be cheaper than a new Port, so I guess it’s a question of just how much you want the fridge, specifically, to control your Sonos system. An Echo Dot would be even cheaper. So would a RCA switch (rather than a splitter) for your existing Port.

I hope this helps.

Hi again @Corry P, thanks again.

It sounds as though Bluetooth is going to be the way to go to me.

I am happy controlling the Sonos system from my phone, but I do want to be able to output to my two Sonos speakers in the kitchen from Spotify on the fridge. Right now, the only way I can do that is via the Logitech Bluetooth adapter wired into the Port, which has the limitations as I’ve set out. I don’t really want to have a splitter with a switch although I accept that’s also a potentially good, cost effective solution and I suspect I could find somewhere to hide it. I assume you mean something like this.

So, you’re saying I could buy a Roam, which looks like a much more reasonable cost than a Port given the Heath Robinson nature of what I’m trying to do. Then would I Bluetooth direct to the Roam, and have the ability to have other speakers in that group via the Sonos App? Or would I use my Bluetooth adapter to plug-in to the Roam? It looks like I’d go Bluetooth direct from the fridge to the Roam, judging by the specification of the Roam. How would that then mean I could listen to all of my speakers at once which is my goal?

Thinking about it, could I not even Bluetooth from the Fridge to my One or Move? I don’t think One supports Bluetooth, but it looks like the Move does? The Move is sat in the kitchen (it’s a long room as it runs into a larger orangery which then leads outside (and that’s when I occasionally pick-up the Move and take it with me)).

Let me know your thoughts and again, thank you.

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Hi @BazSkywalker 

Yes - you could Bluetooth your fridge and a Roam together, then group-in other Sonos units to play too. No adaptor needed. The Move you already have can play Bluetooth directly, but it cannot share the feed with other speakers (it disconnects from WiFi when connected to Bluetooth). The Sonos One has no Bluetooth capability, but just like all other Sonos products, it can be grouped in.

Note that unlike Line-In for your Port, Roam must itself be playing Bluetooth for other rooms to play that source too.

For grouping, an easy alternative to using the app is to just hold the Play button for about a second (you’ll hear a soft tone) on a speaker you want included in whatever is currently playing elsewhere. If more than one source is playing, repeating the step will cycle through the active sources. Hold again to ungroup the speaker.

To play to all rooms in one step you can use the app, but the easiest way is to use Sonos Voice Control. You could install it on the Roam, for example, and when Bluetooth playback starts, simply say “Hey Sonos, play this everywhere”.

I hope this helps, and you are most welcome!

Thanks @Corry P - I will consider whether to get the Roam then or try the switch. Once again, I appreciate your prompt help and wide-ranging knowledge!

Hi there, I consider buying this fridge exactly for this purpose (and also to have fresh food 😀).  I’ve two play 3 and I want stream music to them throught spotify with the fridge, does the problem is solved yet or it’s still not solved? 

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What problem?

What problem?

Hi 106rallye!

 

The fact that we can’t stream music to sonos with spotify connect on the fridge.From what i’ve seen, the fridge is only seeing Bluetooth device to stream on, but Sonos are mainly wifi device.

 

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Since you are posting here, do you think this a problem for Sonos to solve? Your fridge won’t do Spotify Connect and the Sonos WiFi speakers won’t do Bluetooth. Would this not be something for Samsung to solve?

Hi there, I consider buying this fridge exactly for this purpose (and also to have fresh food 😀).  I’ve two play 3 and I want stream music to them throught spotify with the fridge, does the problem is solved yet or it’s still not solved? 

I bought fridge for same reason. Thought it would be a good option for my two kids to choose what they are listening to.

Thought there had to be a way to do it. From reading this chat maybe there are but its far from straight forward and I'm defeated. And wouldn't have bothered with the fridge tbh. And perhaps wouldn't have bothered with the Sonos set up either. Frustrating to say the least.

I'm looking for the same solution. Sonos claims Spotify has Sonos Direct Control capability. But apparently not when using the Spotify app on the fridge. Of course, why would it be so convenient? Maybe Tidal will do it? It also has Direct Control capability. 

It depends on the streaming company ( Spotify or Tidal) including the Sonos API in their refrigerator app, if that is even possible. Sonos hasn’t written their own refrigerator app, nor would I expect them to. And Sonos doesn’t have access to the code for these streaming companies, all they do is supply an API for anyone to incorporate in their own codebase. 

Yeah and as far as I can tell tidal doesn't have an app for Samsung Fridges. Not a lot of demand to invest in coding for such a niche market. 

I too am wanting to do this, is there no way you can link an Alexa speaker (group) to the sonos system in the Alexa app so when u select that Alexa speaker on the Fridge Spotify app it auto plays via Sonos too? 

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