Question

Cloud-based access to control a Sonos

  • 27 May 2016
  • 8 replies
  • 1519 views

Has there been any thought to offering a cloud-based service that would allow us to control a unit from anywhere? Having to be connected to the same subnet as the Sonos device creates problems in situations where the network being used by the Sonos device is not publicly available.

For instance, a hotel. The hotel could use a Connect device to play music in a restaurant or bar or lobby (or all of the above). You don't want guests to be able to try and connect to the Sonos and change the programming, so you put the Sonos on a private network (hard wired) that does not have a wireless connection in the public areas. In order for hotel staff to be able to change the music, playlist, etc. they would have to go to a PC that is probably not in the same area where the music is playing. This makes it very hard to hear what you are doing, how loud it is, etc. If they could use an app on their smart phone and login to a cloud account to control the device, they could make those changes where they could hear what is going on.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

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8 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +22
There are already a few threads on this.

For the example you give it is easy to ensure that the Sonos is connected to the private Wi-Fi so the staff and business can control the Sonos but the guests can only log onto the Guest wireless network.

The bottom line is that Sonos is designed as a domestic solution and whilst there have been a few people posting that they want to be able to control their Sonos equipment via VPN because they "forgot to turn it off in the morning and the neighbours complain" or " there cat gets bored and really like Death Metal at 2pm" it seems very unlikely that this is ever something that Sonos would do.

Given the amount of work required to make it happen and the vanishingly small number of people who are regularly stupid enough to leave Sonos playing in their house so loud that the neighbours complain it would be inconceivable that Sonos are "working on it".
Userlevel 2
Badge +1
One of the jobs available on the Sonos career page at the moment is seeking a "Senior Software Engineer - Player Cloud Platform". So while Sonos at the moment is not designed for such things, it does seem like that they finally have seen the light on a number of issues. So your wish might not be as unlikely as suggested above - if my interpretation of it all is anything to go by.
Is there any new update about it
Userlevel 5
Badge +11
Unlikely, as I can't see this ever being implemented. It is a very, very small niche request.

Is cloud platform for the job concerned with being able to play your music from your cloud services. With the ever falling prices for cloud storage it would make your NAS eminently portable.
I absolutely see it being implemented, just as soon as the AVS integration is complete. As anyone with an Echo knows, your phone can control your Echo from anywhere, doesn't need to be on your home WiFi.

Also true of Spotify Connect, I believe.
I can absolutly see a need for this, just for domestic setups that have a week wireless signal and range extenders are flakey so you use a wireless access point plugged into one of the sonos player which has a different SSID
Another use case is if you forgot to turn off alarms.

This can happen when you left for holidays or an out-of-town weekend or whatever. You want to change the alarming schedule while away from home in general because a change in schedule comes up and you want to do it right away while you still remember to do it.
Userlevel 5
Badge +11
As anyone with an Echo knows, your phone can control your Echo from anywhere, doesn't need to be on your home WiFi.

Hey, wait a minute, I'm anyone!

I have a couple of thoughts about this. The first is that the comparison is a little unfair. All of the 'intelligence' for the Echo devices is in the cloud. Much of what it does is intended for use outside the home, and the device is a simple gateway to the cloud. The connectivity is inherently there.

The second is that when Sonos does deliver Echo "compatibility", you would be able to use it in the way that's requested here.

Lastly, I don't think this can be delivered as easily as you expect. Sonos would need to operate an intermediate server for remote connections that would then communicate down to your devices. That's a lot of cost for a pretty limited use set (although forgetting alarms is unfortunate, you can set them to stop going off after a certain amount of time as a safeguard).