Party mode

  • 12 December 2012
  • 46 replies
  • 8785 views

Userlevel 1
It would be a really neat feature to have some sort of party mode i could enable before the party, that would put MY controller as the master and all other controllers where guests. This way my guests that have connected to my sonos with their smart phone, can search for songs on my system but their only possibility is to queue the song(s) and not clear/skip the queue. Furthermore the guests shouldn't be able to stop/start/forward a song to break the rhythm and probably annoy the person that chose the current song playing. After the party is over, the master controller can just disable party mode and all controllers work evenly again.

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46 replies

I have been looking for an app or this function to be supplied for ages, as people stoping tracks or starting their tracks in the middle of a song at a party really kills a party. I would be happy with the ability to put a controller in party mode ( or the ability to put all controllers in party or jukebox mode) and all controllers then will only allow music to be queued and played. To get out of party mode the user would need to supply a password. Other functions that I feel you would need in party mode would be mute and volume functionality, all search and streaming music functionality would need to be there as well. I love the idea above if it is possible as having a singl master I control would be great but more than happy to have a single controller that I can put in party mode for the guests to choose songs. Having the ability to put a single player in party mode still allows me to controll the system on my phone while allowing guest to use the computer or my iPad to pick tracks.
I really like this idea. If possible, I would like an option where you could limit the number of songs you can add at once, since it can be fairly annoying if someone adds the complete collection of some artist. Surely the master should be able to add as many as he/she wants
I absolutely would love this feature. Sonos, please put this on the roadmap!
Add another vote for this feature. Multiple people at a party should be able to add any song they want to the queue but should not be able to "Play Next" or edit the queue or control the playback. "Add to Queue" should be only functionality except for the Master.
+1 . Larger "Search bar", simpler icons, stripped for all settings, locked playlist, larger icons for drag'n'drop - also to accomodate whoever had a beer or two. The system is good, but doesn't Work with crowds over 5 people.
This is needed - Sonos cannot be used for parties and sharing without some sort of "jukebox" locked mode. PLEASE add this ASAP. Thanks
A guest mode in the app, without password to access Wi-Fi / Sonos, just straight to the Sonos party mode. With limitation as stated above... I suggested a new Sonos Centerpiece (Jukebox) with similar idea, which would benefit from something like this...
This will be a very pleased option. When i throw a party all my friend have the login of the wifi. I would be handy to enable a party mode as subscribed above or maybe more easy just add a password so nobody can mess with my playlist.
This should disable all configuration options for the system as well. Otherwise the guests could ungroup the players.

Even better: add an option to set selected clients to guest mode permanently. This way we could restrict all guest access without restricting ourselves to one single device.
Userlevel 7
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Bumping Controller Party Mode idea for new controller.

I was thinking about how Sonos could implement.  I actually like the way I had it with my old Squeezebox (one of about maybe 2 things I liked better with squeezebox - having a party mode and also being able to sort new music by date).

Anyhow - back on subject.  For squeezebox I used a program called iPeng party which was the party version of the iPeng squeezebox controller.  It did not allow changes to the current queue just add to queue and did not allow volume changes.  Sonos looking at iPeng party as an example would be good information.

It would be nice to have a similar party app that had these type of things, including room grouping, locked out.  However, I'm not sure Sonos wants to have it as separate application.

Disadvantage of being separate app -

1. Many people already have the full app installed

2. People who have a Sonos of their own would want to use the full app and you wouldn't have a way for them to limit the full app on your system.

The other option would be to have it as a setting in settings (top level at top easy to see).  Select party mode in settings and you disable Play Next, Play Now, Grouping, Volume, Crossfade, Shuffle, and Repeat selections.

Disadvantage of setting in primary controller -

1. Confuse novices who accidentally select then can't control Sonos properly

2. You have to actively tell people who come to your house to select the party mode.  Would work where you add the controller for them.  You can add their controller and select party mode before give back to them.  However, there are also a good deal of people that will have Sonos already on their phone and know how to connect on their own.  Although those people are less likely to mess up the qeue (nevermind I just thought about my friends and they would have no issue deciding what was playing sucked and override).

3. Party mode could be disabled by user.  I think a security password would be a little too much toward people getting confused.

Overall, I think I'm leaning to focusing on the novice user who comes to my house and wants to play music.  The actual easiest thing would be a Sonos Party app I can tell them to download and they can use everytime they come to my house.  But I can live with an in app checkbox that I can dumb down their controller when I install for them.

Ok I was thinking - but maybe this would be confusing for new users.  If when you add controller and hit the button on the Sonos unit .... if when it went to add system it asked if you wanted this controller setup for Full Access or Limited Guest Access.  If limited Guest Access was selected it would go into party mode.  In settings there would be a Full or Guest toggle checkmark.  So if you had guest access and toggled for full - - it would ask you to hit the buttons on the Sonos unit again to authorize change.  Same way if you had full access and wanted to switch it to Guest it would ask you to hit sonos buttons to authorize change.  At least then it would make switching back and forth a little more secure (although not hard for someone who really wanted to actually get the full access).  The only other alternative would be have users set a pin number for full access.  Controllers would default to guest unless pin entered when added.  All of this I don't know if Sonos would think complicates the experience.  Once again that takes me back to stand alone app keeping the current experience simple but giving a means to give us better control over multiple people using.

And yes - - I want to give my wife guest access : )  ok kidding!
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Absolutely brilliant idea. Needs to be implemented asap, and I wouldn't think it would be that difficult to tweak the existing controller app to add this. I'd would buy more units just on the strength of this being added as a feature.
Just wat i'm looking for!
What about adding permissions/profiles to the app? So that children can control their own speaker but can't mess around with the speaker from their parents? And so that the parents can control anything?
For the moment everyone is able to see/control anything in the app.

This could also be used to create a guest account for party use as mentioned above.
"So that children can control their own speaker but can't mess around with the speaker from their parents" Yes indeed!!

The lack of this feature is the one thing that is stopping me from buying a play 3 for my daughter! i just know that she'll end up play girly pop in my office instead of her room, and turning it up to max because she can't hear it!!
This feature is a must, i have been to countless parties where this feature would have been perfect. There is always someone who 'accidentally' hits play now instead of add to queue.
 
I would also love to see this feature implemented. Any news if Sonos is actually looking at these and considering for implementation?
Confirmation that sonos are listening to these ideas would be nice. Another vote for a party mode from me to limit volume (for when kids get hold of the controller) and disable play now and play all from an artist on all guest controllers but full access on master controller would be a great feature. Ok we've missed it for this holiday season but what about getting it sorted for next year?? Most people that see sonos in action at our home love it. But they also see the issues when kids grab the controller and turn the volume all the way up. I've seen faces go from the "sonos is amazing expression" to "oh my how annoying" expression. Just my thoughts....
Userlevel 3
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It's worth letting you know I contacted tracktl a website/app aimed at doing this and they are working on a SONOS implementation. Might be worth letting them know you would be keen on this feature. My response received is below: Hey Ashley, Thanks for your feedback. Many users would like to have Tracktl on Sonos. We are working on it. 🙂 Cheers
It's worth letting you know I contacted tracktl a website/app aimed at doing this and they are working on a SONOS implementation. Might be worth letting them know you would be keen on this feature. My response received is below: Hey Ashley, Thanks for your feedback. Many users would like to have Tracktl on Sonos. We are working on it. 🙂 Cheers
What is Tracktl, in short? Never heard of it?
Userlevel 3
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It's worth letting you know I contacted tracktl a website/app aimed at doing this and they are working on a SONOS implementation. Might be worth letting them know you would be keen on this feature. My response received is below: Hey Ashley, Thanks for your feedback. Many users would like to have Tracktl on Sonos. We are working on it. 🙂 Cheers
It creates a party playlist that lets people vote songs up and down. Exactly what SONOS doesn't currently have. Another alternative is playmysong.
It's worth letting you know I contacted tracktl a website/app aimed at doing this and they are working on a SONOS implementation. Might be worth letting them know you would be keen on this feature. My response received is below: Hey Ashley, Thanks for your feedback. Many users would like to have Tracktl on Sonos. We are working on it. 🙂 Cheers
How to integrate play my song with Sonos?
iTunes DJ is a perfect model for this. The host maintains the library people can choose from (Although it would be great for this to be a toggle to let guests choose/not choose from their own library) and attendees can vote up songs they want to hear sooner from the hosts playlist.
Hi all and SONOS!

Any updates on this subject??
Userlevel 7
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Nope.... Haven't seen any sign of Sonos working on any type party mode or restricted access modes.
BUMP! - Come on SONOS... Give us a response at least.