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Airgetlam
AirgetlamAnswer
January 24, 2020

Who’s going to “brick” your PLAY:5? 

If you trade it in for the 30% discount on a new device, then no, it won’t work as a “dumb” speaker.

If you’re referring to the “legacy” change coming in the May time frame, it will continue to work exactly as it has been, there will just be fewer updates to it. But it won’t be “bricked”. 

Bruce

44 replies

Airgetlam
AirgetlamAnswer
January 24, 2020

Who’s going to “brick” your PLAY:5? 

If you trade it in for the 30% discount on a new device, then no, it won’t work as a “dumb” speaker.

If you’re referring to the “legacy” change coming in the May time frame, it will continue to work exactly as it has been, there will just be fewer updates to it. But it won’t be “bricked”. 

Bruce
Lyricist III
January 24, 2020

What do you mean by "dumb speaker"? Are you saying that if I recycle the Play 5, it won't even work with line-in? What about if I perform a factory reset during the 21 day count-down and never reconnect it to my network, will it really stop functioning for line-in? 

Airgetlam
January 25, 2020

Correct, I do mean that, at least to the best of my knowledge, once you’ve started the trade up process, after the 21 day sequence, the speaker will not work with the line in. 

Again, to my knowledge, even a factory reset won’t stop that process. I assume that Sonos means when you “trade up”, you’re no longer supposed to have use of the speaker, otherwise it’s not a trade, it’s just up you still using the speaker for your own purposes, and still getting the 30% discount. But that’s my opinion, and I don’t speak or work for Sonos.

What I mean by a “dumb” speaker is the opposite of a “smart” speaker, i.e. one that is controlled by a computer built in to the speaker, like the Sonos is. Amazon and Google speakers are slightly less “smart” because the majority of what they do in terms of processing is mostly in the cloud. The Sonos, on the other hand, came out substantially earlier, and has a Linux computer built in, along with the necessary CPU and memory necessary for the speaker to do all of the work. Which is why the controller app is only a remote control, talking to the system actually running on the speaker.

If you want to continue to use the speaker, don’t trade it in. The line in will continue to work. If you trade it in, it won’t, but you’ll get the 30% discount. 

Bruce
Lyricist III
January 25, 2020

Thank you. I am recycling my Play 5 and the 21 day clock has started for me. As part of this process, I reasonably that it would be deactivated from my network, but given that the line-in is a hard-wire connector, I assumed it would continue to work, especially in light of Mr. Spence’s blog clarification that stated “...when we end new software updates for our legacy products, they will continue to work as they do today. We are not bricking them...”

Airgetlam
January 25, 2020

That would be for a product on the legacy software, not a device you have traded in. Please reread the terms and conditions you agreed to, plus the warnings that you clicked through when submitting your device for the trade in credit. 

Bruce
WkelkelAuthor
Enthusiast II
January 25, 2020

The whole thing is a farce!

I took the 30 percent and went for a new play 5. Its marginally better imho. I've dumped a perfectly fine Gen 1 Play 5 and given Sonos my money, based on the fact that i was told my full system wouldn't receive updates if i keep a legacy unit.

Just to add that there’s now backtracking talk and statements from sonos talking about keeping legacy units separate from modern units so updates keep going.

I want my brick schedule revoked so that I can keep my old Play 5. 

Gesture of goodwill from sonos

WkelkelAuthor
Enthusiast II
January 25, 2020

What do you mean by "dumb speaker"? Are you saying that if I recycle the Play 5, it won't even work with line-in? What about if I perform a factory reset during the 21 day count-down and never reconnect it to my network, will it really stop functioning for line-in? 

Yes I know that.

I took the 30 percent upgrade offer

Lyricist III
January 25, 2020

When I traded-in (recycled) my Play 5, I fully understood that it would be deactivated and would not be able to join my Sonos network given that it’s legacy technology, with Sonos providing justification as to why it cannot mix with the modern units. However, it was never made clear that the physical line-in connector would be disabled as well. It’s a hard-wire connector and it’s remarkable that Sonos has truly bricked the device because disabling the line-in connector was wholly unnecessary.

This just confirms that 5 years ago, I did not buy a Play 5 - it turns-out that I was just renting it.

 

 

WkelkelAuthor
Enthusiast II
January 25, 2020

Yes agree with all your points.

I'll also add that like myself many would have took the trade up option because it was made clear that mixing legacy with modern units meant no updates.

If it transpires that Sonos now change this stance (good move) and allow modern units to continue being updated with legacy units still in use, then we've been truly mislead!

We've spent hundreds of pounds to rent a play 5 for 3 years in my instance and then had to dish out another 349 for their latest and greatest based on false misleading and disorganised policy.

It stinks!

 

 

jgatie
January 25, 2020

When I traded-in (recycled) my Play 5, I fully understood that it would be deactivated and would not be able to join my Sonos network given that it’s legacy technology, with Sonos providing justification as to why it cannot mix with the modern units. However, it was never made clear that the physical line-in connector would be disabled as well. It’s a hard-wire connector and it’s remarkable that Sonos has truly bricked the device because disabling the line-in connector was wholly unnecessary.

This just confirms that 3 years ago, I did not buy a Play 5 - it turns-out that I was just renting it.

 

 

If you bought it 3 years ago, you bought it used.  Play:5 Gen 1 hasn't been sold since 2015.