Google Assistant no longer playing the radio since S2 update

L
Userlevel 3

Hi, 

 

I have google assistant on Sonos Beam and Sonos One. It was all working fine until the S2 app launched a couple of days ago. Now, when I ask a Sonos to play a radio station (e.g. play BBC radio 2), google assistant initially replies with, ‘playing BBC radio 2 from TuneIn (as usual) but then fails and says ‘sorry, I cannot find what you’re looking for’. If I ask google assistant to play music it works fine (using Spotify). I assume this is a TuneIn issue but the status page isn’t reporting any problems.

I removed TuneIn service from the Sonos S2 app and re-added it, made no difference. I also rebooted all the speakers, also made no difference. 

 

Any ideas? Is there a problem with TuneIn? 

 

Thanks

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111 replies

Ryan S
Userlevel 7
Badge +26

Hi everyone, we are actively investigating the issue with our partners, but don't have any information to share right now. It doesn’t look like a message was added to this thread already, but the team has been on this since it was first reported. We’ll let you know when there’s some news.

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
U

Same problem here.

I started off using Alexa, but it was forever losing connection to Spotify which resulted in too many hours spent resetting all the various connections so I switched to Google Assistant. GA works far better for me, but it refuses to play radio stations lately.

In contrast my Google minis play BBC radio just fine.

 

I don't have an answer here but I have 2 S1's. The GA on them wasn't very good at picking up our voices. So, we linked a Google Mini to them and set the S1's as the default speaker through the Google Home app and then turned the mic off on the S1's. All was working fine until the Sonos app update. 

Interestingly, resetting the Google Mini and not linking it to the S1's, BBC radio works fine. I thought I'd done it but, as soon as I set the default speaker to the S1's, the issue happened again. 

Now, when you ask a Google Mini to play BBC radio 2 when not linked to Sonos, the response you get is, "OK, streaming 88 to 91 FM BBC radio 2 from the BBC". As soon as you link it to Sonos, you get "OK, streaming BBC radio 2 from Tunin".

I've tried changing the default radio station in Sonos to Sonos Radio but, whatever you ask for through the GA it defaults using Tunin.

The wife is going nuts without having BBC radio and wants me to disconnect the S1's. She actually said that she "couldn't give a stuff about superior sound quality!". Actually....she didn't say "stuff".

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

I think one way to resolve this issue is for everyone to buy a device from SONOS that has GA capability. 

connect it, try it, and then return it when it does not work. The reason for the return is ‘google Assistant does not work as described’

It is only when the CEO and senior management see that sales are up but so are returns that they may take action. Remember it is free delivery and free returns - but nothing is free so the costs SONOS to manage the returns. 

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

 while they fix it . 

Thanks

Looks to me like you are trying harder to find a solution than SONOS. 

 

J
Userlevel 1

I'm having same problem, although affects all stations I have tried (BBC, smooth, xfm etc).

Manually selecting station from Sonos app seems to work. Problem only occurs when asking Google assistant to play the station.

R
Userlevel 4
Badge +4

This update on twitter yesterday but nothing since though the status tracker doesn’t show an issue. 
 

We have confirmed there is a partial outage affecting BBC Radio on Google Voice Assistant, we are currently working to resolve this issue. You can check here for status updates: status.sonos.com .

J
Userlevel 1

Perhaps not so strange. I suspect the Google/Android link or the lack of some Android routine(s) because of the BeeB will be the problem.


Hey diggers, why do you think this is a BBC issue rather than Google, Sonos or TuneIn?

I have same problem with XFM, which has nothing to do with BBC.

S
Userlevel 1

Come on Sonos support team - there are enough people on here and probably thousands of others that are extremely peed off now - my wife is all for throwing the Sonos One in the bin. If it’s not your issue to fix, at least somebody from support put something on here that explains the issue and what (if any) actions are being taken to remedy the situation. What I don’t understand is why if I ask GA to play BBC Radio 2, it cannot play it from Sonos Radio - I have factory reset everything and am using the AWFUL S2 controller (because I now have to) Tunein is not even installed any more - the whole purpose of purchasing a Sonos One rather than a Play:1 was to use GA or Alexa to play the radio/spotify etc. But in the last week, the whole Sonos experience has been bloody awful.

W
Userlevel 1

Hello All,

I too went to Alexa, but I was having some Spotify issues using.  So I had a think about it and decided to go back to GA, which I am much happier with anyway.  But what I did was this:

  • Set up the Radio stations I want to use as Favourites in the Sonos App using Sonos Radio
  • Use IFTTT to create an Applet that is triggered by the command such as “put favourite 6 on” or “put 6 on”
  • This applet then calls the relevant favourite from Sonos
  • So when I now say “OK Google put favourite 6 on” or “OK Google put 6 on” it plays BBC Radio 6 Music

You just have to be careful with the wording because if you use Radio or 6 Music (for example) Sonos defaults to try using TuneIn radio.  This is the bit that is broken.  Alexa has a Skill that uses BBC sounds (created by the BBC themselves) and a Native GA speaker uses a direct connection to the BBC.  It is Sonos that defaults to the TuneIn service that is the bit that is broken.  I’m not sure why it doesn’t use Sonos Radio?

I am now back and working and have my BBC radio Stations available via my Sonos Beam.:grinning:

J

This is taking a very long time to fix…...

L

I have same issue, GA accepts command but then  says it can’t be found. Was hoping Recent update would improve GA functionality. Seems not! Love my Sonos one, remain frustrated at poor GA integration, needs improving Sonos

L
Userlevel 3

Hi All,

 

I also submitted this request direct to Sonos support at the same time but nothing back yet. Also flagged with BBC but nothing yet. I have tried each day but the issue is consistent. It seems strange that you can play BBC stations via the Sonos app but just not invoke it via voice. Must be a bug somewhere in the logic. 

 

I will update if I hear anything official. Meanwhile the rubbish user experience continues!

 

D
Userlevel 1
Badge

Embarrassment, I have no idea what XFM is… Okay, I’ve looked it up, so I’ve not checked every angle/station, but have now tried it… I’m WRONG (another embarrassment) as it also does not work, same problem… So back to plan “B”, Sonos problem/issue whereby they have stuffed things yet again…

L

There’s a different work around using an IFTTT Sonos applet- Volume then play. Fires Up 6 music with personalised voice command and GA response. 

L
Userlevel 3

Hi All,

 

Interim update. I’ve done nothing to my setup but when I now ask google assistant to play bbc radio 2 she thinks she is playing it and in the Sonos app there is a retro looking BBC radio 2 icon that looks like we’ve gone back in time! It doesn’t work but feels like progress...I think. 

 

 

C

Same problem here. Surely they will sort this out as a PRIORITY

S
Userlevel 1

Thanks, at least we know you're looking at it, that's reassuring.

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Add me to the list also

My wife has now taken a radio out of storage. The chances of me persuading her to upgrade the beam to arc is fading with this problem.

R

Same issue here – very frustrating. I used to listen to BBC Radio all the time, so two weeks without it has felt like a very long time. Hope there will be a fix soon.

G

This from @SonosSupport: “We are still investigating this issue and do not have a time frame for a solution at this time.”

I can confirm that this IFTTT workaround works with a Nest Mini, but you need to set up each radio station and device combination separately.

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/step-by-step-guide-to-play-bbc-radio-station-via-voice-control-6834993

jTemplar
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

Hi All,

 

Interim update. I’ve done nothing to my setup but when I now ask google assistant to play bbc radio 2 she thinks she is playing it and in the Sonos app there is a retro looking BBC radio 2 icon that looks like we’ve gone back in time! It doesn’t work but feels like progress...I think. 

 

 

I take your retro looking BBC radio 2 icon and raise it with my retro looking BBC Radio 4 icon:

 

… and it still didn't play Radio 4 :grinning:

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

 

Same problem here.

I started off using Alexa, but it was forever losing connection to Spotify which resulted in too many hours spent resetting all the various connections so I switched to Google Assistant. GA works far better for me, but it refuses to play radio stations lately.

In contrast my Google minis play BBC radio just fine.

 

 

The wife is going nuts without having BBC radio and wants me to disconnect the S1's. She actually said that she "couldn't give a stuff about superior sound quality!". Actually....she didn't say "stuff".

I agree. My wife has now produced an old radio to use instead of SONOS. 

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

Clearly little interest in SONOS giving an update on this issue let alone fixing it

M
Userlevel 4
Badge +3

I have no idea how SONOS can say they have GA integration 

I agree 0/10

J
Userlevel 1
Badge

Mine worked this morning (Thursday 6th August).  BBC Radio 4 started by Google Assistant. 

Finally.

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