Podcasts not showing up on Android/Sonos controler

So I bought the pocket casts app based on Sonos' specs which state that this app will allow me to play the podcasts through the sonos app. And it is false information, it simply does not work, not in any way, shape or form, and Sonos is accountable for wasting my time and money on this so far. Please fix, and do not point me to the obvious share settings in pocket cast app, the Podcast root folder or any other such evident stuff. 

I had the same problem and was frustrated!  But I then did the following which sounds as though you have done it but worth a check:

Open Pocketcast
Select Podcasts
Select Settings (the cog wheel) - bottom right of screen
Select Storage
Select Store Podcasts on
Select Custom folder
Check file path of Custom folder location
(my files were stored at storage/emulated/0/Android/data/au.com.shiftjelly.pocketcasts/files)

Plug your phone into your computer and check the folder options on your phone via the FTP protocol
In my case I could see the folders Android and Podcasts at the top level
If you can see Podcasts at the top level  go to the next step back on the phone.  If you can’t add a folder called Podcasts 

Back on phone
Select Custom folder location in Pocketcasts
Insert filepath to Podcasts folder which in my case would be /storage/emulated/0/Podcasts

Obviously the allow Sonos etc to see Podcasts option is selected

I then cleared the queue on Sonos from my computer and closed it down.  I then rebooted the phone and opened Pocketcast and Sonos.  Bingo.  Under This device on the phone were the podcasts.

Sometimes the sync does not seem to work so I repeat the last step and Sonos picks up the Podcasts

A bit of a faff but maybe worth another go

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 see podcasts from beyondpod after rebooting the phone and re scanning from the sonos app. The reboot may be the only thing needed!

This work around also works in DoggCatcher. In PocketCast the long press did not give the external player option need for occasional Sonos playback.

Indeed, I use BeyondPod and am using /storage/emulated/0/Podcasts as my podcast folder, and rebooting phone, Sonos sees the podcasts now.

Hi,
My experience broadly similar.  I use BeyondPod and have changed the default storage point to the one recommeded to work with Sonos.  BeyondPod will automatically download new podcasts which I see as immediately available in the Beyondpod app on my phone / tablet (Nexus 4 and 7-2013, Lollipop).  Where it falls down is Sonos seeing the updated versions.  It sees what it knows was already there but not the new ones.  It seems it does not scan that location when selected in order to refresh the contents. If I reboot the phone / tablet, however, that does trigger the refresh and all is good from there.

As the file location is the one specified by Sonos to work with podcasts, it seems a no brainer to have the controller app refresh at least when that option is selected, if not on some other schedule.

Works fine to a point but having to reboot device is not ideal or a smooth user experience.

OK I have finally given up with Pocketcasts.  Sonos not consistently seeing the podcasts is a real pain.  They appear eventually but you are not sure when.  I have decided to use iTunes as the source of my podcasts and I sync them using iSyncr.

Once you have the app on your phone and the the desktop app on your pc or Mac you can sync your unplayed podcasts folder from iTunes.

If you sync using wi-fi then sync your files to the internal drive on your phone (if you sync to the SD card using wi-fi the files are stored in a default folder, and Sonos can see and play them but cannot rewind or fast forward them.  You cannot change the default folder location for some reason with wi-fi sync).

If you sync over USB you can store the files on the SD card as long as you change the default folder location in iSyncr settings to a top level one on the SD card /Anyfolderyoulike.  Sonos then works fine.

If you have less than 100 podcasts to sync then this app is free and Sonos sees the files straight away.  Less bother!!  http://www.jrtstudio.com/iSyncr-iTunes-for-AndroidI

Maybe check out Stitcher, Sonos can stream directly from stitcher, and it works with android and iphone, so wherever you play something its marked as heard for the other devices.  

Maybe check out Stitcher, Sonos can stream directly from stitcher, and it works with android and iphone, so wherever you play something its marked as heard for the other devices.  
This works.
I've been looking for a workable podcat->sonos solution for a very long time. While the Sticher solution isn't perfect, it works!
1) Set up Sticher account
2) Subscribe to podcasts via Sticher
3) Through Sonos, add Sticher as a Music Service
4) Play podcasts, through the sticher service, via sonos

The downside is you can only listen to the most recent podcast, old ones aren't available via sticher.
Dave

So I bought the pocket casts app based on Sonos' specs which state that this app will allow me to play the podcasts through the sonos app. And it is false information, it simply does not work, not in any way, shape or form, and Sonos is accountable for wasting my time and money on this so far. Please fix, and do not point me to the obvious share settings in pocket cast app, the Podcast root folder or any other such evident stuff. 

Yep - something like this worked for me. It seemed I had to play the podcast in pocket casts first, before the Sonos app could see it. 

For PocketCast fans:
https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/pocketcast-web-app-streaming-over-sonos