Hi Guys,
Let me start off by saying I love you guys. I have a Playbar, Play 5, Play 3, Connect, and am looking to complete my Playbar setup with a couple of Play 1's and a Sub soon.
I also have an Amazon Echo and it is awesome. In fact, it's a bit too awesome and I find myself asking Alexa to play music just because if I want to hear a song, all I have to do is ask; I don't have to bust out my phone. The problem is the speakers on the Echo are mediocre at best. I would much prefer the sound to come out of my Sonos system. With the "internet of things" really starting to take off - integration is going to become more and more important.
Amazon Echo has sort of a plugins-type interface called skills. https://developer.amazon.com/public/solutions/alexa/alexa-skills-kit/getting-started-guide
It would be amazing if you guys could create an skill for Sonos. Something like "Alexa, tell Sonos to play *playlist*." or music by _____ or x from pandora.
I've done some searching and this comes up on this forum a lot. I think it's time you started listening to your community. With skills you no longer need much help from Amazon so its on you to keep your customers happy. Please do not start your own voice recognition or anything silly like that. Stick to what you're great at. Just use what is already available and on the markets and integrate with them.
Thanks
-Collin
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Unless you own and have used Alexa (Echo) you may not get what Collin is saying. It is so wonderful just saying "Alexa, play the Beatles" and the Beatles play. If Amazon, or anyone else, comes up with a HiFi system along the lines of Sonos that is properly integrated with Alexa, I would drop Sonos like a hot potato.
I have been using Sonos for 7 years, and love it, but Alexa is so good that I am willing to move from Sonos to get proper integration.
I have been using Sonos for 7 years, and love it, but Alexa is so good that I am willing to move from Sonos to get proper integration.
Before posting I had searched the forums and seen this thread. I know the integration is currently possibly (even if a bit jerry-rigged). What I'm asking for is for Sonos to actually get onboard and create an Alexa Skill for their customers. It's pretty clear people want it.
Userlevel 2
I want to control Sonos with Echo too!
It would just be another controller... no different than supporting iOS or Android third party devices as controllers. The market is limited but growing and the "buzz factor" for having voice control capability with minimum development (compared to a totally homegrown solution) could be quite attractive to marketing.
Userlevel 2
me: "Alexa, Play Born to Run by Springsteen on Sonos in the Kitchen"
Alexa: the Kitchen is in a group containing Living Room and Office. Shall I UNGROUP or Play in that group?"
me: ungroup
Alexa plays Bruce in the Kitchen and all is well!
@sonos
Just get on with it a write that simple skill before I do it myself.
https://github.com/rgraciano/echo-sonos
The extent to which people will go to hack the setup to get something acceptable doesn't stop there... check out what this Dutch techie did
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ5h1jPsqjI
Now, @sonos... if you're even listening. I created a skill within 2 hours (first time) that allows Amazon Echo to play audio via my Sonos system. I'm a bit more technical than the average bear and the instructions are all in the GITHUB so, all I ask is that you take action and satisfy this growing community before they abandon you for greener pastures. just sayin'
Userlevel 1
I created an account simply to upvote and comment here: this is a huge miss on Sonos' part that a full year after Echo is GA and has dozens of other partnerships that Sonos remains out of the ecosystem. It's great someone has done some creative hackery on github to link the two, but this needs to be officially supported by Sonos.
I own an Echo. I don't own Sonos today, but I'd very much like to own Sonos. It looks like a great system and leaps and bounds ahead of your competition in this space (for now). However, a Sonos that doesn't communicate with my Echo is useless to me. Smartphone apps are nice and all - but I just TALK to my Echo and it plays music I like. Investing in a pricey Sonos system that can't tie into this feature is a step backwards.
Short story: Integrate with Echo, earn an eager customer. Don't integrate with Echo, or come out instead with some standalone lock-in Sonos-only Echo competitor, and my money will go to your first competitor that offers Echo integration.
I own an Echo. I don't own Sonos today, but I'd very much like to own Sonos. It looks like a great system and leaps and bounds ahead of your competition in this space (for now). However, a Sonos that doesn't communicate with my Echo is useless to me. Smartphone apps are nice and all - but I just TALK to my Echo and it plays music I like. Investing in a pricey Sonos system that can't tie into this feature is a step backwards.
Short story: Integrate with Echo, earn an eager customer. Don't integrate with Echo, or come out instead with some standalone lock-in Sonos-only Echo competitor, and my money will go to your first competitor that offers Echo integration.
Userlevel 2
Another Sonos customer here that would love to be able to use an Amazon Echo to control my home music system. Please!!!
Wanted to add my support for Echo integration. An isolated, strictly proprietary solution will only let you go so far in the market. I own several Sonos products and love them. I'm sure Echo support could not replicate the Sonos app experience or full functionality, but basic functionality would be welcome and may even open Sonos to new customers.
I completely agree! integration with Amazon Echo is critical. I also agree with the user above who said they would drop Sonos like a hot potato if someone else figures this out and Sonos doesn't. I'm a fairly new customer to Sonos but have had an amazon echo for about a year - I'm very disappointed that Sonos isn't listening to their community on this need.
I know SONOS doesn't really care about just one customer, but Amazon has just changed my mind with the release of the Amazon Dot. I was going to purchase a Play 1 for my office, but now I can just use the dot to voice control a nice speaker I already had. I was really hoping for some kind of echo integration by now, but its clear that SONOS doesn't really care that much. I love the ability to just tell Alexa what I want to listen to and it just plays. It works very well in the kitchen, and I'm finding myself using my voice rather than searching for my phone and sonos app. I hope for future integration, because I would love to use my SONOS play 5 with my voice "play Adele in the living room". However, if they remain silent with no plans to add in integration, I'll take my money and invest into nice speakers that I can use with the Amazon Dot.
I love SONOS, but they had better hop on the echo train. They will be in serious trouble as soon as Echos have the ability to communicate with each other. The ability to voice activate my music from any room, while using any high quality speaker of my choice AND for less money $$$. Oh boy.
Please integrate.
I love SONOS, but they had better hop on the echo train. They will be in serious trouble as soon as Echos have the ability to communicate with each other. The ability to voice activate my music from any room, while using any high quality speaker of my choice AND for less money $$$. Oh boy.
Please integrate.
Just as a clarification to anyone reading this thread, Sonos has never said "Echo support is coming.", so asking "when" it is coming is a little premature. The title is a little like standing at a street corner asking "When is the bus coming?' in a town that has no mass transit system.
I agree. I've only had it a few days, and I always prefer to ask Alexa to turn my lights on and off ( via WeMo switches ) than to find my phone, open the WeMo app, and then toggle the desired lights on or off. Grouping adds additional convenience since I great multiple switch groups that match my use case. For example, in the morning I turn all lights on, so I have an 'all lights' group. when I study, I might just have office light on and the other off, so I have a "study" light group. Etc.
Where Sonos is concerned, I use my iPhone to send to an Airport Express that is plugged into a Play 5 for "whole house" audio. If Amazon Echo could be the go between for either iTunes library to Airport express, or directly to the Sono speakers, I would be happy!
Same here an Echo support would be great, just started using echo and sometime find listening to music so much easier on it, if support for echo is provided would be using my sonos system more frequently.
As a compromise you might consider getting an Echo Dot and connecting it to the line-in of your Sonos player in the room or rooms you most often listen to music in. This would give you both the convenience of Echo plus the sound quality of Sonos. You could also share the Echo Dot sound with other rooms via Sonos and still use Sonos in the traditional old fashioned app control way if you wanted to listen to your local music library.
Userlevel 2
Amazon Echo's do not (yet) synchronize between multiple devices on the same network. Once this happens, Sonos is in trouble. In anticipation of future developments, we have in-ceiling speakers installed on our outside deck, in the garage, in the kitchen, and in the master bathroom (I enjoy music while in the shower) - all driven by four (4) Sonos Amps. I like Sonos, but the convenience of saying something like "Alexa, play my jazz playlist in the kitchen" is irresistible - all without having to find my phone or iPad, clean my hands, etc. I've thought about it, and will put in whichever networked devices that make accessing content easier.
Please Sonos - integrate your excellent products with this future technology.
Please Sonos - integrate your excellent products with this future technology.
I have been using Sonos for 7 years, and love it, but Alexa is so good that I am willing to move from Sonos to get proper integration.
I don't know if Sonos will ever support control from an Echo but Amazon is rapidly expanding their partner base with great success. I just recently added the ability to control my lighting via Echo using a fully supported solution... no hacks, and it works amazingly well. I can see Echo becoming the primary user interface in our household for all whole-house technologies (lights, heat, reminders, music, etc.) If Sonos doesn't want to play in that integrated whole-house space then I'm sure Amazon will find other partners who do or they may even develop whole-house music abilities into future "Alexa Enabled" products of their own.
Userlevel 2
Actually, they have a complete portal https://developer.amazon.com/appsandservices/solutions/devices/echo along with fully documented API's and code examples for developers to integrate with anything you could want.
Actually, they have a complete portal https://developer.amazon.com/appsandservices/solutions/devices/echo along with fully documented API's and code examples for developers to integrate with anything you could want.
Yeah I already covered this above 😉
Userlevel 7
+22
I would think they would go about the direction of adding Sonos skills to the existing echo.
Users would buy the inexpensive Echo Dot and use it for voice control of Sonos units.
It wouldn't take a lot to provide that integration fairly rapidly utilizing the support for 3rd party development that Amazon has in place.
I wouldn't think a Sonos unit with Echo hardware/software integrated would be the answer - but Echo ability to control Sonos. Especially now that Echo can be purchased in speakerless form.
For me right now adding the Echo Dot I have to hardwire the Dot to my Play:5 and utilize Echo to play music when doing by voice. Echo is limited in only being able to pull music for a couple different services. Really just Amazon Prime Music and a few free internet radio type services like Pandora. So my voice control of music playing will be limited to those few services with the Dot connected to Play:5.
However, by adding Sonos skills to Echo you should be able to tap into all the Sonos resources. Such as Skill " Alexa play Sonos artist *, song *"
Using Smartthings I can currently ask Echo to turn on/turn off Sonos or create some playlists in Smartthings that I can then trigger from Echo. Fairly basic stuff already can do....but imagine if Sonos developed its own Echo skill.
Users would buy the inexpensive Echo Dot and use it for voice control of Sonos units.
It wouldn't take a lot to provide that integration fairly rapidly utilizing the support for 3rd party development that Amazon has in place.
I wouldn't think a Sonos unit with Echo hardware/software integrated would be the answer - but Echo ability to control Sonos. Especially now that Echo can be purchased in speakerless form.
For me right now adding the Echo Dot I have to hardwire the Dot to my Play:5 and utilize Echo to play music when doing by voice. Echo is limited in only being able to pull music for a couple different services. Really just Amazon Prime Music and a few free internet radio type services like Pandora. So my voice control of music playing will be limited to those few services with the Dot connected to Play:5.
However, by adding Sonos skills to Echo you should be able to tap into all the Sonos resources. Such as Skill " Alexa play Sonos artist *, song *"
Using Smartthings I can currently ask Echo to turn on/turn off Sonos or create some playlists in Smartthings that I can then trigger from Echo. Fairly basic stuff already can do....but imagine if Sonos developed its own Echo skill.
Userlevel 7
+22
We'll I do still stand on the side of it not really being essential to the experience vs. more of a convienience. However, I will admit being rather short sighted at the potential of Echo. I wasn't aware until I got mine how they had embraced third party development of skills vs. the likes of Siri where it is such a closed environment I would hate for anyone to devote resources to.
However - - while it is nice that it appears to be coming and high on their list of the direction Sonos wants to go. I would actually still say it would not be near the top of my list of things I would like to see implemented on Sonos.
I would still rather see Sonos devote energy to things such as party mode, surround sound improved capability and improvements, additional search options etc. vs. voice control. But I'm certainly not upset that they are implementing voice control. I don't see the CEO putting out an announcement that they think Party Mode options in their controller is the direction forward for the company.
I will say Echo is still rather limited in what it can do vs. the likes of Siri but the third party ability of Echo is what sets it apart and I was wrong in not realizing the effort Amazon has gone to in promoting an Echo Ecosystem. Amazon needs Echo to increase rapidly in its abilities. I have to say when I got mine a few weeks ago I wasn't all that impressed with its abilities out of the box. It wasn't until I added Smartthings and Logitech Harmony integration to it that it became less a gimmick device and more of a useful appliance.
And while I was take it or leave it on my Echo. The Dot to me opens up a good deal more things with the lower price (more affordable for multiple units) and the audio output (integrate to my play:5 already in kitchen).
So my original full Echo - to the bedroom. Dot to remain in kitchen most likely. Although I could put dot in my bedroom and hook to the connect input I have in there.
However - - while it is nice that it appears to be coming and high on their list of the direction Sonos wants to go. I would actually still say it would not be near the top of my list of things I would like to see implemented on Sonos.
I would still rather see Sonos devote energy to things such as party mode, surround sound improved capability and improvements, additional search options etc. vs. voice control. But I'm certainly not upset that they are implementing voice control. I don't see the CEO putting out an announcement that they think Party Mode options in their controller is the direction forward for the company.
I will say Echo is still rather limited in what it can do vs. the likes of Siri but the third party ability of Echo is what sets it apart and I was wrong in not realizing the effort Amazon has gone to in promoting an Echo Ecosystem. Amazon needs Echo to increase rapidly in its abilities. I have to say when I got mine a few weeks ago I wasn't all that impressed with its abilities out of the box. It wasn't until I added Smartthings and Logitech Harmony integration to it that it became less a gimmick device and more of a useful appliance.
And while I was take it or leave it on my Echo. The Dot to me opens up a good deal more things with the lower price (more affordable for multiple units) and the audio output (integrate to my play:5 already in kitchen).
So my original full Echo - to the bedroom. Dot to remain in kitchen most likely. Although I could put dot in my bedroom and hook to the connect input I have in there.
Userlevel 7
+22
What I really need is a dot now in both locations.
Biggest wish now is that one echo could control another.
Biggest wish now is that one echo could control another.
Userlevel 7
+22
My most used Sonos units are my master bath, kitchen, and bar. The bar would be good to have echo because I currently have a Smartthings routine that turns on all bar lights and the arcade machine. I have an Echo command "turn on bar" or "turn off bar" that currently works but my Echo is a few rooms away so I have to walk in there to issue the command. So I may need to get a dot for that room as well (and hook to the connect:amp in the bar).
Really the current Echo is the odd man out. I really need a bunch of dots for each Sonos unit and not the current Echo I have. Of course - a Sonos skill would mean don't need to hook the dots to a Sonos unit and can be much more flexible with playing to different rooms from a single echo. And I really don't like playing music via Alexa as very limited in what you can do and it goes over home wifi. So yes your desire for native skill to play Sonos (and thus all Sonos services) is the way to go.
Really the current Echo is the odd man out. I really need a bunch of dots for each Sonos unit and not the current Echo I have. Of course - a Sonos skill would mean don't need to hook the dots to a Sonos unit and can be much more flexible with playing to different rooms from a single echo. And I really don't like playing music via Alexa as very limited in what you can do and it goes over home wifi. So yes your desire for native skill to play Sonos (and thus all Sonos services) is the way to go.
Userlevel 1
Echo Dot connected to Sonos 'Connect' and we're good right? this guy did it...seems like a no brainer? Now we just wait for Amazon to allow multiple Alexa's to connect as well (i.e. Tell my Alexa in the living room to 'play Beck' but then I can go into the kitchen and use that Alexa to control as well)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icpFh5FCREU&nohtml5=False
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icpFh5FCREU&nohtml5=False
This is such an awesome idea. Instead of Sonos trying to invent and implement their own voice control, just integrate with Echo. I don't have one right now, but if I could control my sonos system with an Echo / Alexa, I'd buy one right now. That would be so badass.
SONOS...LET'S DO THIS!
SONOS...LET'S DO THIS!
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