Contributor II

[Feature Request] USB audio support - Era Speakers

28 replies
732 views

Hi,

Feature Request:

Will it be possible to connect the new Era Speakers to Android, Windows etc. using USB audio instead of Line-In via adapter?

This could result in better audio quality as well as less latency :)

Regards

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jgatie

I'm not really sure why everyone is jumping in to debate whether or not this is worth it on Sonos’ behalf. I am a user that would like to see this feature, I think it would be great if others that would like to see this feature as well would add their vote here. If you aren't interested in this feature and aren't a Sonos employee then this thread is not for you.

People aren't discussing the worth, they are discussing if it is even possible. Regardless, you aren't the forum ombudsman, people can post what they want within the TOS rules. Stop trying to censor folks.

C

conor8

Trending Lyricist I

Very sorry for “censoring” you on the *Sonos company forums*

buzz

Grand Maestro

“Must have feature” for one person might be a “must not have feature” for another. I think we need both viewpoints the discussion. I’m not lobbying for this feature. If it is included there should be as a ‘direct’ connect option that blocks the speaker from access by other SONOS speakers on the network, thereby converting the speaker to a traditional computer speaker. Operationally, I think that this would insert clumsy options into the user interface that would result in more support requests. I don’t think that SONOS would go for this.

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

Maybe something like a selection that allows the speaker to operate as a normal Sonos speaker on the network or removes it from the network and enables the direct no-delay input?

The App could then show it as “Unavailable - Direct mode in use” in the Group screens.

That might be a nice option for the Play 5 and Five too giving folks a no-delay input there and making them usable as DJ speakers as well.

C

conor8

Trending Lyricist I

“Must have feature” for one person might be a “must not have feature” for another. I think we need both viewpoints the discussion. I’m not lobbying for this feature. If it is included there should be as a ‘direct’ connect option that blocks the speaker from access by other SONOS speakers on the network, thereby converting the speaker to a traditional computer speaker. Operationally, I think that this would insert clumsy options into the user interface that would result in more support requests. I don’t think that SONOS would go for this.

Why would this be a “must not have feature” for anyone? If you aren’t interested in this then just.. don’t use it? Don’t plug anything into your USB-C port? I’m not asking for anything revolutionarily new here, I’m asking for the existing functionality of USB-C line in but without needing the 3.5mm adapter. This has literally all been coded and handled already. However they’re handling it now is probably fine.

ratty

I’m not asking for anything revolutionarily new here, I’m asking for the existing functionality of USB-C line in but without needing the 3.5mm adapter. This has literally all been coded and handled already.

Actually no. What’s been implemented is a USB master, with the adapter as a slave. Sonos would have to develop a driver for a USB slave to take a feed from, say, a computer.

ratty

If they allow a shorter delayed input (USB C), then there would be hell to pay in support for people who use those speakers, and then want to group them with other Sonos speakers….like the current issue that we talk about with home theater ’rooms’ and other Sonos ‘rooms’. I think direct input speakers for computers/DJs just aren’t in Sonos’ plans.

Yes, good point, a user would have to ‘group’ rooms, I guess, over the faster 5Ghz connection similar to what we see now with ‘bonded’ HT surrounds, but WiFi mesh systems are certainly improving these things all the time, giving rise to such possibilities.

Speed is not the issue. Uncongested packet transit times are sub-millisecond either way, 2.4GHz or 5GHz. It’s the jitter -- due to packet queueing/congestion/interference/etc -- which mandates a playout buffer. Shared networks are inherently more susceptible to packet jitter than the dedicated connections used for HT satellites.

Ken_Griffiths

Speed is not the issue. Uncongested packet transit times are sub-millisecond either way, 2.4GHz or 5GHz. It’s the jitter -- due to packet queueing/congestion/interference/etc -- which mandates a playout buffer. Shared networks are inherently more susceptible to packet jitter than the dedicated connections used for HT satellites.

Thanks @ratty, makes sense, I was hoping (wrongly) that a 5Ghz link between the grouped players might mean a much smaller audio buffer and solve lip-sync issues with TV audio & grouped rooms.

Similar thoughts to what @buzz mentions … the USB-C port digital line-in perhaps could be made to work similar to a TV input into Sonos and cater for single/bonded speaker(s) use with a computer, mixing desk, karaoke or PA system, but that speaker ‘cluster’ would I guess be limited in size, but still a useful thing to have from a Sonos sales point of view.

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