Sonos should offer a BBC iPlayer Radio App in the controller
A lot of people have been asking for BBC iPlayer Radio. Since Sonos only appear to respond to new posts I have decided to suggest this again.
None of the responses from Sonos on this is issue so far have been satisfactory. These have included:
- Apple Licensing. This is irrelevant and probably indicates that Sonos don't actually know what iPlayer Radio is.
- Use Apple AirPlay. No. I am not going to go and spend a load more money on some other system because the one I bought off you doesn't do what it is meant to do.
- Plug a separate source into a Sonos amp or speaker. No. This is meant to be a wireless system so I am not going plug a wire into it to make it work. Further, the system is meant to work from one control panel. That's one of the features. So I don't want to have to work it through two control panels.
What people want to know is if Sonos HAVE ANY PLANS TO PROVIDE iPlayer or is it just OFF THE TABLE?
None of the responses from Sonos on this is issue so far have been satisfactory. These have included:
- Apple Licensing. This is irrelevant and probably indicates that Sonos don't actually know what iPlayer Radio is.
- Use Apple AirPlay. No. I am not going to go and spend a load more money on some other system because the one I bought off you doesn't do what it is meant to do.
- Plug a separate source into a Sonos amp or speaker. No. This is meant to be a wireless system so I am not going plug a wire into it to make it work. Further, the system is meant to work from one control panel. That's one of the features. So I don't want to have to work it through two control panels.
What people want to know is if Sonos HAVE ANY PLANS TO PROVIDE iPlayer or is it just OFF THE TABLE?
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Completely agree
Hey Graham, thanks for your reply. In the UK BBC iplayer is massively popular and a brilliant resource for great radio shows. I would say far more listeners than spotify and deezer(?!) put together. It would make good business sense for the SONOS to support the iplayer directly like Spotify. It would only bolster SONOS sales and not deplete it. I wonder wether it has something to do with copyright or some weird walled garden SONOS think they are building. I would have purchased £1500 worth of speakers now if they supported but WONT without. I can make do at work without it. JUST DO IT, Thanks Cass
Seems Sonos don't respond to their community.... agree with everything that's been said. SOnos system is so good and so easy/simple to install yet so frustrating when simple feeds such as streaming radio dont work. iplayer is the obvious choice
This situation - and the complete silence from Sonos - is very frustrating. Everyone knows the hardware is great and on the whole the software works well enough but if Sonos would provide access to the iPlayer for those who can use it (i.e. people in the UK!) and improve the Spotify interface to match the native Spotify app it would be the two largest bugbears addressed and lead to happier users rather than an increasingly grouchy body of complainers including myself.
BBC IPlayer is the service I listen to most often here in the US, so it is a huge disappointment that it is not available through Sonos. I recently wrote Sonos on this issue and received this reply yesterday (2/20/15). Based on this, it seems to me everyone who has this concern should voice it until and unless the problem is solved:
We love to hear your requests about BBC IPlayer as it helps us in providing you with the best possible experience with our products. We are always listening and updating our products with feature enhancements and releases. At the moment we do not have plans of adding BBC iPlayer to Sonos as it is also up to BBC to allow us access to there server, never the less, I have forwarded your request on to our Product Management team to ensure the people that can make the difference view your request.
Have you heard about ask.sonos.com?
It is a place where you can share ideas like this with other Sonos customers and our development teams. Other customers can follow your idea and the more people that follow it; the likelier it is that it gets implemented.
To post an idea, you simply go to https://ask.sonos.com and click the “Share an idea” button to start sharing your idea.
We love to hear your requests about BBC IPlayer as it helps us in providing you with the best possible experience with our products. We are always listening and updating our products with feature enhancements and releases. At the moment we do not have plans of adding BBC iPlayer to Sonos as it is also up to BBC to allow us access to there server, never the less, I have forwarded your request on to our Product Management team to ensure the people that can make the difference view your request.
Have you heard about ask.sonos.com?
It is a place where you can share ideas like this with other Sonos customers and our development teams. Other customers can follow your idea and the more people that follow it; the likelier it is that it gets implemented.
To post an idea, you simply go to https://ask.sonos.com and click the “Share an idea” button to start sharing your idea.
In general the Sonos team seems to be quite out of touch with its customer base and how people listen to their music. Do these people actually use the product at home?
Agree that the lack of iplayer support is very disappointing. Actually considering selling my sonos gear and finding an alternative that does offer iplayer support.
Susan, thanks for your post. which email did you write to? be good to refer them to this thread. As it doesn't appear that Sonos read there own forum as have approximately 40 existing customers on here giving them feedback and it seems like its been completely ignored. I personally would have spent another $2000 on a new system for my home to add to my work system. But obviously they have enough cash rolling and don't care. best Cass
They are currently working hard to implement HLS streaming of BBC in order to access the new BBC streams - which is the most important step in further BBC implementation. Sonos has been responding to this frequently.
Userlevel 2
Sorry if I'm being dim but please can you add links to where Sonos are "responding to this frequently" as I've seen nothing from Sonos on this at all? Many thanks.
That at least sounds positive 🙂 in fact, the most positive thing on this thread for ages!
here you go:
https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/bbc-radio-no-longer-provides-this-service-in-the-windows-media-fo...
however, "Sonos is in the early planning stages for adding support for HLS" so dont expect anything to change too soon
https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/bbc-radio-no-longer-provides-this-service-in-the-windows-media-fo...
however, "Sonos is in the early planning stages for adding support for HLS" so dont expect anything to change too soon
Userlevel 2
Thank you for that. I suggest we start posting our complaints under that thread instead since at least it does seem to be being read by someone at Sonos, though of course they have no date for sorting anything out...
for android users google play using chromecast to connect to individual sonos components. The bbc radio player supports chromecast so the functionality is very close to being in place. Is this not a viable option
As google music now connects to sonos via the chromecast icon this could be a way forward by using the bbc radio app which supports chromecast already but I expect it is all to do with licensing. I agree that tune In is useless for historical programmes.
The problems with Tune In now also seem to include rights issues with regard to sporting events... until recently I could listen to live football commentary on BBC's Radio 5 Live and instead am now treated to a looped message saying they are unable to offer the service. Really frustrating that there doesn't seem to be an alternative radio app...
Ben This has been the issue now for several months. The BBC changed over their local streams to a format using HLS that most internet radios can not play. Sonos is working on the fix and BBC has hinted they may bring back the local streams soon in a playable format. Sonos has not given timetable on the fix that will enable the HLS streams. There is a master thread in the subject that sonos has been updating as they have more news.
Sonos will act with weight of opinion behind an idea. I've been struggling to get a steady BBC radio signal and I believe an App to the BBC iPlayer in the controller would be great and solve my problems. So why not Sonos? also, why not BBC?
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