Sonos as Intercom / PA system

Developer of the app here. I've programmed it so that it will resume audio playback, as long as it's an audio track (such as a Spotify track or something from your Sonos library) and not a dynamically generated audio stream. (i.e. Pandora or SirusXM). That is due to a technical limitation imposed on me from Sonos I haven't been able to find a work around. So, as long as it's not a radio stream it should pick up playback right where you left off just fine.

I have another version coming out soon that will be a lot less stable and less crashes. There will still be a delay (Can't find away around that. Sonos seems to force a buffer of all audio streams.). The feedback echo loop you get is because of that streaming buffering delay, it can usually be fixed by lowering the volume. I'm experimenting with some echo cancellation logic but haven't been able to find anything that works as smoothly as I'd like.

You guy are always welcome to reach out to me (you can e-mail me through the "Info" button in the app) if you guys have any suggestions or questions on how I can help make the app better for you!

Best,

Drew

Developer of the app here. I've programmed it so that it will resume audio playback, as long as it's an audio track (such as a Spotify track or something from your Sonos library) and not a dynamically generated audio stream. (i.e. Pandora or SirusXM). That is due to a technical limitation imposed on me from Sonos I haven't been able to find a work around. So, as long as it's not a radio stream it should pick up playback right where you left off just fine.

I have another version coming out soon that will be a lot more stable and less crashes. There will still be a delay (Can't find away around that. Sonos seems to force a buffer of all audio streams.). The feedback echo loop you get is because of that streaming buffering delay, it can usually be fixed by lowering the volume. I'm experimenting with some echo cancellation logic but haven't been able to find anything that works as smoothly as I'd like.

You guy are always welcome to reach out to me (you can e-mail me through the "Info" button in the app) if you guys have any suggestions or questions on how I can help make the app better for you!

Best,

Drew

There is a new iphone app called sonos voice that actually does what we are asking here. It's a little buggy.
Is your app available for Android?  I am not finding it in the Play Store.

Today i asked support for a compareable question. In my case it is to simulate my door bell.
But i need an easy to use interface/api which can called from some other embedded devices (and not high level devices running android/windows etc.).
I'm prefering having a REST-API. where i can stream/send file which are played in a group or all devices. Also possible: Call an API where a file (recorded door bell) in network will be accepted. this will played and sonos returns into their prev. states,

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled Sonos to utility as the Intercom System. Can Sonos integrate or create new app so we can use your system as the Intercom system? This is going to attract more customer? I can development this app if Sonos agree on the contract?

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled Speaker functions. Is there a sonos app that allows you to talk through the speakers? I currently have 2 sonos speakers in my gym for music and it works wonderfully. I was wondering if I could hook up a wireless mic to be able to speak through the speakers?

Drew, i bought your app.  I have to say I like it.  Ditto on the android version.  Any thoughts on developing something for that platform?

Also, I tried connecting through a VPN, and while I see the Sonos players using the app, I can't actually connect to it.  I realize this is a limitation of Sonos and multicasting through a VPN (I spent hours trying figure out how to make it work).  I was hoping to use the app to talk to would be burglars in case of a break in, but I guess no dice. You might want to put a VPN disclaimer for people like me don't complain 😉

would this help, maybe this community can tweak further more to this cause. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORjYg03GCNQ

I totally agree and am glad there are others requesting this feature. We just finished custom installing 7 zones of Sonos equipment in a large home when the client asked if it was possible to use the Sonos to call the kids down for dinner. We thought it was a great idea and realized it could be a feature implemented in all of our large installations. This would tap into a whole other market that we currently have to use a separate system for.

That being said, it has to be made simple. The feature would need to be accessed from directly in the Sonos app and within just a few clicks. For example Click on Sonos > Intercom > Pick the rooms > Talk into the phone.

Coming from a custom AV integration company, this would be a great selling feature for some of our large venue clients.

I totally agree and am glad there are others requesting this feature. We just finished custom installing 7 zones of Sonos equipment in a large home when the client asked if it was possible to use the Sonos to call the kids down for dinner. We thought it was a great idea and realized it could be a feature implemented in all of our large installations. This would tap into a whole other market that we currently have to use a separate system for.

That being said, it has to be made simple. The feature would need to be accessed from directly in the Sonos app and within just a few clicks. For example Click on Sonos > Intercom > Pick the rooms > Talk into the phone.

Coming from a custom AV integration company, this would be a great selling feature for some of our large venue clients.

This is the down side to sonos being a proprietary closed system. Sonos please seriously consider opening up some api's for develops to write apps too. This is a use case specifically tailored to the customer who buys your equipment. I have been a sonos customer for three or four years. Love it. I moved and have been renovating a home. I nearly bought your sound bar and amp but others are catching up dennon as an example and others.

I bought a traditional surround system and Repurposed a sonos connect instead. Why? Flexibility. Sonos would have got the sale of you had open Eco system of others writing to your PLATFORM. My opinion and I am only the consumer with connects, amp, play 1s 3s and 5s, is that I would invest (that's what consumers of your product do) more in sonos if you even pretended a little bit more that you wanted to leverage an apple and android Eco system of apps.

If you had say a voxer app or similar that enabled intercom and other things like integrating nest devices into your single management Gui.

Sonos you guys are awesome but the same thing that got you into our homes can be your undoing by an upstart who embraces open api's and views their devices as a platform to be leveraged by an Eco system including us the users to utilize in ways that make life easier and better and. Leverages our investments. Sonos isn't cheap. If you want to command a premium you should begin to look at being able to do it long term. Open your systems to innovation. Don't be the Microsoft or Cisco of sound. Be the apple or Arista networks of sound.