Playlist back up please!

  • 4 September 2016
  • 21 replies
  • 535 views

Badge +1
Resetting and losing playlists is not much fun so saving them somewhere to reimport would be a sensible addition.

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21 replies

Not resetting is another way to avoid the problem
Unless you are selling a unit or got one from another system, there is absolutely no reason to factory reset a Sonos device. Both Sonos support and longtime posters recommend against it because not only does it wipe out all settings, services, favorites, and playlists, it also wipes out important diagnostics. Bottom line: If you've been resetting your Sonos, stop doing it!
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Resetting and losing playlists is not much fun so saving them somewhere to reimport would be a sensible addition.

Not really it wouldn't

- Where would you save them? Sonos already gets a kicking because those people with more than ~63,000 tracks DEMAND to be able to index 200,000 tracks. Imagine how they would feel if they found out they could only index 40,000 tracks?

- As the other posters have suggested there are very rarely reasons to factory reset units - I recently did it to my Play 1 and Sub but I did it with my eyes wide open and having tried everything else (Also I had the rest of the system in tact)
Userlevel 7
Badge +15
Resetting and losing playlists is not much fun so saving them somewhere to reimport would be a sensible addition.

Not really it wouldn't
It never surprises me the lengths some go to to 'defend' Sonos or not really understand other users' issues. The OP has suggested that the ability to back up and restore playlists would be a SENSIBLE addition. They've not ranted or said it's absolutely essential or anything like that. Many, many other users have agreed with this over the years. Why wouldn't it be a sensible addition?
As for 'Where would you save them?', well, that could be almost anywhere EXCEPT the mentioned option of backing them up within the same eco system. I certainly wouldn't regard that as a backup. But, the cloud, Sonos servers, USB sticks, external HDD or even 'My Documents' could all be options.
As for having to reset units, yes, that's something very rarely required and should only be done after 'expert' recommendation. But, as you have found out yourself recently, sometimes it is necessary. How would you feel as an owner of a single Sonos device and having to do a reset, to lose all your playlists and settings etc.?
@sjw. Those are mostly reasonable points. But you can safely reset all but one of your units if you know what you are doing and not lose anything crucial. Even a spare Bridge can effectively be a backup. Instances of single device owners really having to reset are very very rare.
Userlevel 7
Badge +18
The OP has suggested that the ability to back up and restore playlists would be a SENSIBLE addition. They've not ranted or said it's absolutely essential or anything like that. Many, many other users have agreed with this over the years. Why wouldn't it be a sensible addition?
Yes, indeed it would be a sensible addition to an already great system. For now we can only hope Sonos will implement it in the near future.
Badge +1
Wow! I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition! Is it the SFR sofa next? (You really need to be older to appreciate the references).

Thank you sjw.

Actually, it is Sonos technical team that want me to reset all as apparently I have a "mixed" sydsyem, part Sonosnet, part home wifi (as my home office is remote from the house).

It was also them that suggested I post to get what they saw as a good addition to their software bumped up the list.

If I have offended the mass indexers, I apologise.

I cannot reset one at a time as they want the entire system reset to remove all reference to my loalnet SSID.

As it is all working fine at the mo' (the problem I originally contacted them about appears to have sorted itself out) and it isn't broke I shall not fix it. However, for those like me it remains a sensible option so would still like it implemented in case I need it when the problem returns.

Geoff
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Resetting and losing playlists is not much fun so saving them somewhere to reimport would be a sensible addition.

Not really it wouldn't
It never surprises me the lengths some go to to 'defend' Sonos or not really understand other users' issues. The OP has suggested that the ability to back up and restore playlists would be a SENSIBLE addition. They've not ranted or said it's absolutely essential or anything like that. Many, many other users have agreed with this over the years. Why wouldn't it be a sensible addition?
As for 'Where would you save them?', well, that could be almost anywhere EXCEPT the mentioned option of backing them up within the same eco system. I certainly wouldn't regard that as a backup. But, the cloud, Sonos servers, USB sticks, external HDD or even 'My Documents' could all be options.
As for having to reset units, yes, that's something very rarely required and should only be done after 'expert' recommendation. But, as you have found out yourself recently, sometimes it is necessary. How would you feel as an owner of a single Sonos device and having to do a reset, to lose all your playlists and settings etc.?


Why is my post a defence of Sonos?. Why is the OP allowed to post a suggestion and I'm not allowed to post an opposing view. And why do I have to be accused of being an apologist for Sonos for doing so? Do you want a forum where every thread is full of sycophantic head bobbers? "Why yes, great idea, would be really good if that had glitter on as well". "Oooh you're right, I think we should also have a portable one with a battery that doesn't need charging".

The OP suggestion is feasible, I just happen to think it isn't sensible. The Playlists can't disappear by themselves - The majority of times that users factory reset their system it isn't required and they find out the hard way that their settings are lost - If you give those people a nappy to prevent accidents what makes you think they'll wear them?
Badge +1
Oops for SFR read soft
Hi

No not a factory reset, all you need is to reset the wireless credentials!!!
Go into your app Settings and then wireless setup and just reset those
Oops for SFR read soft

The phrase you were actually looking for was "the comfy chair"...
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Wow! I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition! Is it the SFR sofa next? (You really need to be older to appreciate the references).

If I have offended the mass indexers, I apologise.

Geoff


Look, Just because I post a contrary view doesn't mean I'm offended. This is a public forum and we are all entitled to our view, even me and even when I'm wrong (which is often!). But neither should you get offended if others, naturally, have a different view.
Hey everyone let's lighten up, me included. Geoff's post was ironic and friendly (I think!)
The key thing here is there seems to have been some massive confusion over what is needed to sort out mixed mode, which doesn't require a factory reset. No playlists need be harmed in the process!!
Userlevel 7
Badge +18
The key thing is that Sonos doesn't provide a backup facility for it's playlists. That was the question from the OP.
The key thing I would like to get across to the OP at the moment is that he thinks he would have to factory reset to cure his mixed mode setup, but he doesn't. Which is consistent with the "factory resets are hardly ever necessary".message. I know that playlist backup was the OP's original request, but we have since discovered that he has either been badly misinformed or has got the wrong end of the stick. That is the immediate problem to which there is an immediate solution.
This thread is hysterical. It's like someone asking for big cushions on the front of trains because every time he walks on the train tracks he gets run over, and the people who tell him to stop walking on the tracks are wrong? All we need now are a couple people saying Squeezebox has playlist backup and a certain curmudgeon insisting Sonos and only Sonos can answer questions everybody already knows the answer to and well have this forum in one silly, sad nutshell. Way to go, guys and gals. :rolleyes
Userlevel 3
Strange thread.

If any user of any computer program puts a significant amount of effort into creating something (entering data of any kind, a document, a drawing, a picture, a playlist), there should be a way to save it and load it back in the computer program. That's a main value proposition of computers, and one that's been accepted since DOS. It saves humans from rework and drudgery. To not have that feature in any computer program or system is a major flaw, in my opinion. (Arguing that a system should never have to be reset---well, see Apollo 13.)
Userlevel 5
Badge +10
Strange thread.

If any user of any computer program puts a significant amount of effort into creating something (entering data of any kind, a document, a drawing, a picture, a playlist), there should be a way to save it and load it back in the computer program. That's a main value proposition of computers, and one that's been accepted since DOS. It saves humans from rework and drudgery. To not have that feature in any computer program or system is a major flaw, in my opinion. (Arguing that a system should never have to be reset---well, see Apollo 13.)


Yes. And no.

Yes, being able to save your data so you can escape the "walled garden" of Sonos (or just backup your stuff) would be awesome. But that requires Sonos to divert time and money to implementing a "save data" feature, either as cloud backup (with free storage and privacy considerations for every user) or saving to a variety of PC / NAS disk options. Sonos's focus right now is not on the core product experience for local library listeners.

Maybe it's time for some perspective here. Think about all the other data you created and can't easily backup / restore to disk. Losing your save games because your console crashed / disappeared is a pain. Losing device-specific playlists that you could re-create in an hour (depends on how many you created) from a workaround screen capture might not be a big deal for many users.
Sonos updates have caused more trouble for me in the past 12 months than at anytime in the past three years. Unfortunately, in an attempt to reset the network in order to recover drop outs of my CONNECT (main source), I have lost all my presets and playlists. Three years worth. I have been very frustrated with Sonos as of late and am considering selling all the products for another system (not Alexa, Google). To simply add a device, I must now login to an account that doesn't even back up my basic settings and playlists. in 2018 - this is unacceptable.
0 Stars - DO NOT RECOMMEND SONOS