Contributor I

Sonos Voice Control and NAS Server?

39 replies
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I’m excited to try the new Sonos Voice Control, but only if it allows me to choose music from the NAS server on my local network. I have not seen this functionality mentioned in information from Sonos, so does this mean music on my NAS won’t be supported?

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K

Kumar

Features were not its problem, but scalability and the cost of running it were. It was also dependent on push notifications, which was its major downfall.

Interesting; did it need any of the units involved to be connected to the net for the solution to work?

It was an Alexa service, so of course.

For such a service, NAS users wanting voice controlled music play can still get it on Echo devices wired to line in jacks of Sonos kit via the My Media for Alexa service. The only hitch is that Sonos kit with line in jacks is needed for this to work. But for those that have such Sonos kit, that is a way to avoid the need to wait for an undefined period for Sonos to offer this via SVC. At the Echo end the cheapest Dot is all that is needed.

I

ianm

Avid Contributor I

My now-retired Alexa service for Sonos did support NAS content, as well as many music services. Sonos will likely expand their coverage over time, though as we all know the NAS user base is an ever-decreasing priority for them due to usage.

I don’t really understand why they don’t support Spotify right now, that was one of the easier ones for me to code up.

I was a user and still do occasionally use this and it was easily the best third party addition to voice control. A real shame Sonos did not integrate it as it was flawless, worked with local libraries and napster. I honestly wish it was still available and updated to utilise sonos voice.

D

Doug Ames

Headliner I

I agree with the original post of the thread - for myself I don’t see any use for SVC without the ability to play specific songs from my music library. Alexa and Google Assistant can already play specific songs and genres from the paid music subscription services. I don’t presume to judge what uses other people may find for SVC, just speaking for myself.

The best way I have found to select specific songs by voice on my Sonos speakers is using Plex (Alexa + Plex skill). This requires my music library to be accessible by an always-on Plex server. I can do that most easily on a Linux platform - but unfortunately Plex on Linux has a bug that crashes the server system after a few days due to an ever-growing list of open connections.

Aside from that, I just do the same as other have mentioned - created a few playlists that I can select by voice using Alexa or Google Assistant and choose to random shuffle.

K

Kumar

created a few playlists that I can select by voice using Alexa or Google Assistant and choose to random shuffle.

How can you do that selection if the playlist is from tracks on the NAS? The only way to do this - other than via Plex like services - is via the Sonos app.

Ken_Griffiths

created a few playlists that I can select by voice using Alexa or Google Assistant and choose to random shuffle.

How can you do that selection if the playlist is from tracks on the NAS? The only way to do this - other than via Plex like services - is via the Sonos app.

@Doug Ames is using the ‘Plex Skill’ linked to the Alexa App in this instance to achieve this.

Alexa will play the local music library tracks to Sonos speakers.

"Alexa, ask Plex to play the album ‘Trick of the tail”… just as an example.

Plex will get that album from the local Plex Server, usually a local NAS, PC or Nvidia Shield TV Pro in most cases.

K

Kumar

If you see, I had referred to the Plex solution in my post already! I know this solution since I use the my Media for Alexa one that is similar.

I asked the question of Doug for his last paragraph, because it started with - aside from that…

Trivial question probably.

D

Doug Ames

Headliner I

created a few playlists that I can select by voice using Alexa or Google Assistant and choose to random shuffle.

How can you do that selection if the playlist is from tracks on the NAS? The only way to do this - other than via Plex like services - is via the Sonos app.

I use Olisto, which combines the ability to play specific Sonos playlists with the ability to be triggered by Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.

controlav

Lead Maestro

Technically the work to do this is simple, but I assume it is a lower priority than the other services to support (and clearly lower than Spotify, though that could be a legal issue as well perhaps).

Author of the leading independent Sonos apps for Android, MacOS, iOS, Windows and Xbox.

K

Kumar

I use Olisto, which combines the ability to play specific Sonos playlists with the ability to be triggered by Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.

I assume this requires the skill to be there on Amazon, which it is not on Amazon India. In any case, I don't see how this would give me anything more than what I get from the My media for Alexa solution. There is just the one time effort there to make playlists on that interface, which I did when I started using it.

The one advantage of SVC if it did local NAS play would be the local loop, eliminating the need for internet presence, and also offer lower latency and higher reliability, being local.

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