A linux controller is needed.


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A linux controller for the Sonos system is really needed. A basic controller shouldn't be that hard to create, so even if the userbase is smaller then for Windows there shouldn't be a cost-reason to not do this. The strength of Sonos is ease-of use, and a user that -for instance- prefers Ubuntu will be left to use his/her phone.

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258 replies

Userlevel 1
This would be great! With a linux controller every single computer in our home will be able to control the Sonos. Please build one!
A native Linux Sonos Controller would be excellent.
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Wine is no more able to manage the last version of the "Sonos Controller for PC". So having a official Sonos Controller for Ubuntu/Linux become mandatory. If the control run by using a web browser, and a server on a Sonos Zone Player or Sonos Zone Bridge, it will be acceptable (of course) and flexible for other kind of devices.
After 2 years of begging still no controller for Linux. Very disappointing! I almost regret my purchase of Sonos (Playbar + Play5 + Play3 + 2x Play1 + Bridge) A lot of money, but very poor support!
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However, since Linux is not widely used in most homes it simply doesn’t make sense for us to develop and maintain a native application right now.  
Since Sonos doesn't see the sense in providing an application for Linux right now, I don't see a point in selling Sonos speakers at work anymore. Time to look to something that acts as a UPnP or DLNA receiver.
There is a working controller, it doesn't come from Sonos (shame on you!), though. If you install the Kodi media server (most Linux distros have pre-packaged binaries available in their software shops/repos), it comes with a sonos add-on. All you need is to activate the add-on, configure it in a couple of very simple steps and then lean back and enjoy. The add-on does not fully replace the sonos-controller, but most basic functions are covered. A few nice extras include the download and display of artist biographies and  slideshows.  If you decide to use it and find it does the job well, spread the word.

I have been running XBMC for a long time on my Ubuntu based media system - When I got my sonos speakers and installed the Kodi plugin for Sonos, I was not aware that controlling Sonos from a linux system was an issue - seems to work really well 🙂
I was considering a Sonos system, but it's not a real option without Linux support.

One thing Linux people don't like is overcomplicated, bulky software with too many features. I'd say you should develop and maintain a basic core driver/controller that handles the functionality of managing players, sending audio, etc.

In other words, it doesn't need to manage your audio and integrate with iTunes. I don't even want it to do those things  - that's bulky, and buggy. Just let it look like any other audio output option, plus having a simple utility to manage the physical devices, and that's enough.

But without any commitment to Linux, Sonos has no place in my home.
Spotify has a native linux client. That convinced me to pay for the premium service.
"Linux is not commonly used in household environments"
Sure, not yet - but with Steam OS and Canonical / Ubuntu driving the development of solid graphics drivers and better home entertainment UI's, we are only a year or two away from seeing Steam Boxes and Ubuntu-based media PC's replacing DVD players and digital / cable boxes. Don't look at the market NOW, look where the market it GOING TO BE. Don't get left behind - you've got the best networked hifi system in the world in your hands, and you're going to struggle to get a UI for linux that matches your standards if you don't start a basic development of it now. Pick a team of your top 3 linux geek devs and let them tinker away for a couple of years, and when the market is ready you can put the polish on their interface and release it.

I'm not even convinced of the truth that it's not commonly used in household environments. I just think the majority of users are pragmatic and have other devices around that they use in stead. It's certainly true for a dozen (approx.) households I know.

I'm just deeply offended by the Sonos parasitic nature of being willing to use it as the basis of making their money but not give back to the (by linux desktop counter project numbers) about fifty million users around the world.

As someone who writes cross platform tools professionally it is also a pathetic cop out on Sonos's part in that using cross platform tools such as Qt and writing standards compliant C++ you can support multiple platforms with one code base.
Hello,

I wrote a tutorial on how to install the Sonos controller and access the musical library under a linux OS (the tutorial is for Ubuntu but works for any distro I saw so far)

Here is the link: http://askubuntu.com/questions/757969/how-can-i-install-sonos-on-ubuntu/757970#757970

I hope it helped.
Sonos Controller works in wine again. I installed version 6.2.2 in the latest Crossover Linux (15.1.0) on Fedora 22 and it works great. Installed into a Windows XP bottle along with Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 and Microsoft Core Fonts.
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Sonos Controller 3.6.1 was the last version that runs under wine. Since upgrade to 3.7, then 3.8, now 3.8.3, I can no longer control our Sonos system from any of our computers. We bought 4 Play:5 units, so have spent $2,000 on a system that is now trouble to operate.

This international company can't assign one engineer to debug Sonos under wine and get it working again? This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled Need working Linux controller.
+1 to a native client
It is disappointing that SONOS hasn't ported their controller to Linux. Of everything I do on my desktop, there are only to pieces of legacy software that I have to return to Windows to run. Netflix and SONOS. I've gotten around the Netflix with Google TV, but SONOS I can only access with my Android phone. I'm sure this results in my using it far less than I would otherwise. Hope they are making some profits that I can invest in this valuable capability.
Ubuntu Linux is a relavent OS that should be supported by Sonos.
Has someone ever tried to run the Android Sonos App (either phone or tablet) in the framework of the Android SDK for Linux? I have no experience with this, but maybe it is worth a try.
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I'd like to see a reply from someone at Sonos what the status on this is? Is there even serious discussion to start some sort of project? What are the reasons for (currently) not doing this / not communicating anything, etc. Is there anyone even monitoring this thread?
I would also like to suggest Sonos consider adding a native Linux or web based controller. After recently migrating from the defunct Squeezebox Line, I am bummed there is no Sonos control for Linux. My old Squeezebox setup had a great linux server with a wonderful web based interface. I now have 1x cr100, 1x zp120, 2x s5, 4x s3 sonos products, and I am looking forward to buying more to fill the reset of the house. However, we only use Linux on our computers. While I have various Android tablets / phones around the house, I spend a great deal of time in front of my Linux Thinkpad and would really love a more convient solution for the times when a phone or tablet is out of reach. Please consider this request.
PLEASE get us a .deb/.rpm or at the very least an API specification. I do everything from watching Series to browsing the Internet on my Ubuntu Tablet but without major hacking I can't even turn on the music in my house? That's really sad.
+1 to a native client
+1 to a native linux client
native client or web interface, please
I was considering buy one of these but no way if there isn't a controller that works on linux.
No official reply after a year ? 😕
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Maybe we should start using social media to get them to move!