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Question: Do mandatory updates interrupt line-in playback?

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Playback suddenly stopped today while I was watching exciting live sport.

I use Play5 pair via line in only, I no longer use Sonos app or playback over wifi. But today, suddenly playback stopped. Dead. No issues with my network or sound source. So I power cycle Play 5’s. No re-connection. Open app (that I haven’t used in weeks), it says nope, you need new app. App is basically bricked until I go to app store, update app. Since when did apps completely stop working as a way to force an update?

Updated app, still nope. Now need new speaker software. Loading…waiting… loading, finally done.

Bad UX. What if I was in the middle of something important when you shut down the speakers you detect as not updated? Live streaming a funeral or something?

I don’t even use the app, so are the Play5’s constantly calling home and telling you my speaker’s logs? “ALERT! ALERT! Play5’s found at this lat/long under this name and ID, OUT OF DATE! SHUT IT DOWN! SHUT IT DOWN NOW!!!!!”

Are you really enforcing updates even if it means brute force disabling the Play 5’s remotely, while they’re in use? And when audio is from line in, not via app? I dunno, might be last straw for me if this question gets confirmed.

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AirgetlamAnswer

I’ve never seen a mandatory update from Sonos. It’s always either been an automated thing, which is scheduled at specific times in the controller by the user, or a completely manual clicking of a button in the controller.

Bruce

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Bumper

Thoughts and prayers to @jayHi in this difficult time. Lol

jgatie

23,428 replies? Good grief indeed. You’re a professional Sonos commenter?

Not that I like giving advice to veterans, but I’d suggest contributing more than the equivalent of a sneeze.

For example, thoughts on the requirement to log in to Sonos just to adjust volume limiter or see recently played items and other settings? Don’t care? Just accept whatever is dished out? Every decision you make filtered and validated via a remote service… not because it’s technically required, but because removing independent control from your hands is in the manufacturer’s interest. Okay, well some of us are pushing back against this progressive erosion of local control, and substitution with mandated internet account tracking compliance.

One thing I like about Sonos speakers is I can actually trigger them via other systems such as home automation, sensors etc for security purposes and so on, but honestly I’m half expecting that to be closed off at some point because it’s not tied to the preferred eco-system.

Nope. “Good grief” is more than sufficient for your level of drama.

jgatie

Though I will address one thing:

For example, thoughts on the requirement to log in to Sonos just to adjust volume limiter . . .

Can you explain to me what good a volume limit would be if it wasn’t password protected? One would assume a volume limit is set to prevent people from blasting the music at high levels. So what good would that limit be if anybody could go into settings and defeat the limit?

Pretty simple concept if one is not blinded by their own melodrama. Also, one only has to log in once to the app, and unless the app is reset, you then have access to all settings.

J

jayHiAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

So no security updates for you then?

You make it sound like the only thing between you and the darkness of breached security badlands, is an audio speaker without the latest “security update”, lol. There’s a reason why we never hear of security incidents arising from “someone not updating their speaker”. It’s because actual security incidents almost always occur as a result of human error. Nothing to do with app updates. Eg, poor passwords, or developers exposing backend databases where all your Sonos personal data lives including exact geo coordinates, etc.

J

jayHiAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

...there are no mandatory updates on Sonos.

As mentioned in my first post, that’s not my experience. I don’t leave any auto-updates on for anything. Music stopped suddenly. My phone with the Sonos app was off, so the app was not running at all in background or anything… had been off for at least 2 weeks. I power cycled speakers but it failed to resolve. Turned on phone, attempted to open app, it failed to open properly… grey flashing bars. So I manually updated app, it then forced a system update, then music started playing again. So any conclusion other than a mandated update, is on thin ice.

My thoughts on the requirement to sign in to make changes to settings? It’s a good and sensible idea

Wow and LOL. I suppose you also think the decision to bury access to EQ in the settings screen requiring multiple steps to get there, was also a good idea. I recall raising the issue on this forum years ago, to be met by similar blind loyalty to poor UX. Yet, Sonos finally decided to put a shortcut button to EQ on the play screen, relatively recently to my absolute shock. Only took 10 years. Although I do notice in some circumstances it won’t appear.

I am sure you have read Sonos’ information security policy

People want actual privacy, not privacy policies. Apple, to my surprise have stepped up in recent times to introduce genuine privacy measures and features rather than just the usual gloating about privacy policy documents. Still a way to go, but at least they actually did introduce a few privacy-related features with a bit of bite rather than the usual empty gesturing.

J

jayHiAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

Can you explain to me what good a volume limit would be if it wasn’t password protected?

Volume has nothing to do with security. It’s just volume. And in the rare case someone does actually want to password protect basic settings including EQ, then simply allow the option to do that. Allow a master password and user roles or similar. Do the job to facilitate sensible, user friendly UX rather than mandating everything under the sun to “keep us safe from ourselves”.

The role of a speaker manufacturer is not to lock away basic settings behind online registration. Just like the role of a bluetooth coffee mug maker, is not to require online rego for checking the temperature of the liquid inside. User choice = good UX.

Anyway… that concludes my thread. Speaking of which, the choice to mark it “answered” was taken away from me, and given to others. In true Sonos form!

jgatie

Can you explain to me what good a volume limit would be if it wasn’t password protected?

Volume has nothing to do with security. It’s just volume. And in the rare case someone does actually want to password protect basic settings including EQ, then simply allow the option to do that. Allow a master password and user roles or similar. Do the job to facilitate sensible, user friendly UX rather than mandating everything under the sun to “keep us safe from ourselves”.

The role of a speaker manufacturer is not to lock away basic settings behind online registration. Just like the role of a bluetooth coffee mug maker, is not to require online rego for checking the temperature of the liquid inside. User choice = good UX.

Anyway… that concludes my thread. Speaking of which, the choice to mark it “answered” was taken away from me, and given to others. In true Sonos form!

To the people who were clamoring for volume limits because their kids were blasting music at 2 AM, volume limits have everything to do with security, and putting the limit behind a password is exactly the solution for those seeking to limit how loud a system can be played.

As to making it optional, just how complicated do you wish the app to be? Assigning individual permissions to any and every settings menu and/or item would require a complete rewriting of the app, and maintenance would be a nightmare. Just to ease the complaints of a few privacy obsessed users? Not going to happen.

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