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collinmurphy
Contributor I
October 28, 2015
Question

When is Echo Support coming?

  • October 28, 2015
  • 71 replies
  • 27665 views
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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      71 replies

      Show previous replies
      sflaxman
      sflaxman
      Avid Contributor I
      August 1, 2016
      Lmower. An echo dot hooked to play5s gives you sonos and echo together now.

      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
      chicks
      chicks
      August 1, 2016
      Why Echo and Homekit? Why not Google's upcoming device, which should have far better access to general knowledge than Echo. I have Echo, Alexa's ability to answer general knowledge questions is very, very poor.

      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.
        sflaxman
        sflaxman
        Avid Contributor I
        August 1, 2016
        Why Echo and Homekit? Why not Google's upcoming device, which should have far better access to general knowledge than Echo. I have Echo, Alexa's ability to answer general knowledge questions is very, very poor.

        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.
        chicks
        chicks
        August 1, 2016
        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.
        gijoecool
        Lyricist I
        August 2, 2016
        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
        lmowers
        Lyricist II
        August 4, 2016
        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

        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...
        lmowers
        Lyricist II
        August 5, 2016
        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/
        jimp011261
        Trending Lyricist I
        August 10, 2016
        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

        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.
        hraley
        Trending Lyricist I
        August 19, 2016
        Unless you own and have used Alexa (Echo) you may not get what Collin is saying. It is so wonderful just saying "Alexa, play the Beatles" and the Beatles play. If Amazon, or anyone else, comes up with a HiFi system along the lines of Sonos that is properly integrated with Alexa, I would drop Sonos like a hot potato.

        I have been using Sonos for 7 years, and love it, but Alexa is so good that I am willing to move from Sonos to get proper integration.

        I have been a Sonos customer for 10 years. I too love it. I'm now an Alexa owner, and it rocks too. Sonos should look carefully at the history of those technologies that refused to play well with others. History has shown that failure to integrate leads to loss of market share. If I were running Sonos, my directive would be in integrate to as much as possible to gain as much market share as possible. Also through integration comes the possibility of assimilation. Just my 2 cents.
          Enhanced
          Trending Lyricist III
          August 19, 2016
          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
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