I'd like to use the sonos speaker to play sound from Netflix streaming movies and tv. How do I do that?

It sucks that we can't stream movies from an iPad while using the Sonos speakers for sound! Will you ever develop something so that we don't require the app to use the speakers? Or adapt bluetooth capability to the speakers?

This is crazy that you can't do this!!! It blows my mind. People don't even own TVs. They stream premium content through computers or phones and of course you want better sound! I expect all my Sonos to be able to pull in the sound from those apps, just like my little wifi speake from jambox. Come on! You guys are supposed to be premium. The FCC just opened up set top box monopoly that's been had for the past several decades. All the mobile carriers will offer streaming TV. Catch up to consumer behavior & demand!

agree with the last comment: we have 5 phones, 4 iPads, 3 laptops and my main desktop Mac - but no TV. We use Netflix all the time and would love to get the Sonos audio quality. Since the world is going this way, and its obviously possible, whats the problem?

agree with the last comment: we have 5 phones, 4 iPads, 3 laptops and my main desktop Mac - but no TV. We use Netflix all the time and would love to get the Sonos audio quality. Since the world is going this way, and its obviously possible, whats the problem?

What's the problem? The problem is YouTube controls what content gets sent where, and their Developers Terms of Service prevents Sonos from separating the video content from the audio content without the permission. It's YouTube, not Sonos preventing this. That's "the problem."

To whit, in Deveopers Policies, section I. Additional Prohibitions:

https://developers.google.com/youtube/terms/developer-policies

7. separate, isolate, or modify the audio or video components of any YouTube audiovisual content made available as part of, or in connection with, YouTube API Services. For example, you must not apply alternate audio tracks to videos;

8. promote separately the audio or video components of any YouTube audiovisual content made available as part of, or in connection with, the YouTube API Services;

9. create, include, or promote features that play content, including audio or video components, from a background player, meaning a player that is not displayed in the page, tab, or screen that the user is viewing;

Since Sonos streams directly to the speaker from the source, and the phone/tablet can be ignored (or even shut off) after starting the stream, Sonos would violate all three of these Prohibitions if they played YouTube audio.

His question I think was on Netflix.

There actually is a 3rd party app now on ios that will play YouTube video and send it to Sonos.

As far as in general - answers are correct in that Sonos is not built to normally send audio direct from the controller device. In most cases (there are some exceptions now with 3rd parties hacking and a few direct play partners) the controller never sees the audio.

It would take Netflix adding a Sonos casting ability to their native app in order for it to work. There is the ability out there but Netflix would have to implement it - so you would need to inquire with Netflix.

Sonos does not have the ability to capture the system sound (what goes to the speaker on the phone) and send it out. Actually as far as I know only airplay and Bluetooth can do that (you can't even do it with chromecast on apple).

You could get a play:5 or other sonos unit with input and add Bluetooth or Airplay to the input and then you would be able to stream to any and all Sonos units as you please.

Whoops. That's what I get for posting before my coffee. See Chris' answer.

Not like it wasn't eventually going to come up jgatie.

It seems to me that the problem is that Sonos is NOT a home wireless audio system or a computer wireless sound system, it is an "internet radio/music streaming system". I am disappointed in my new purchase because Sonos is marketed as a wireless home audio system. I want to hear my Netflix, my Headspace, my YouTube, my Podcasts, my Audible. Sure, it sounds beautiful in any room, but only for streaming music. This difference in opinion between the frustrated customers here and the defensive responses here is an example of paradigms in action. Or paradigms inaction. Whatever. I look forward to future updates to The Sonos Home Sound System which make it a home wireless digital sound system (as advertised) rather than merely and internet radio speaker.

Sorry but Sonos IS a Home wireless, via wifi, all room high quality audio system. The internet streaming came quite a bit later. The original intention was that it streams stored music, from a PC or NAS drive, without that music needing to be played on a PC. This gave anyone who had stored their collection of CDs on a hard drive the ability to play their music all over the house, with the ability to play different music in each room or the same music in sync in every room For must users this is a fantastic system. The beauty of the system is you can control that music via any controller in range and the music remains uninterrupted as controller go out of range, get turned off or run out of battery. I and may other did their research before buying our Sonos systems and for the vast majority are very happy with it.

If you want to hear Netfix etc then buy a Playbar/base, the feed can then be streamed to other Sonos speakesr. If you want to play Youtube or other music from your PC get a connect of Play 5 and set up a Line in. The options are there.

We, "defensive customers", are so because Sonos is not and never has been marketed as a PC speaker solution. And Youtube issues are our of Sonos control and governed by Google restrictions.

To describe it as 'merely an internet radio speaker' is so far off the mark I don't know where to begin. It will play music files stored on a computer, NAS or mobile device, from streaming music services (not the same as internet radio) and internet radio. It is not even 'a speaker', but a multi-room audio system.

It can play video-based audio such as YouTube if someone wants it, using devices designed for TV sound (Playbar/Playbase) or a device with a line-in. And that can be made wireless using a bluetooth receiver or Airport Express if required.

If it is being defensive to pull apart a blatently ludicrous statement like 'Sonos is merely an internet radio speaker' then yes I am defensive.