BBC Sounds now available (finally!!) on Sonos

Wow, and it looks good from my quick check.

yep that’s what we were informed a couple of days ago

Oh, so the BBC is the ones who needed to work on this?  So why did we keep getting bombarded with the suggestion that Sonos could just do it alone without the input of the BBC? 

Just installed the BBC Sounds app and what’s there seems good but I can’t find the station schedules to listen to previous broadcasts - is that feature coming later?  Will have to keep using LMS to access these prior broadcasts until support is added to the app.

Let’s be clear here.  The BBC Sounds app isn’t involved here.  What has happened is that the BBC Sounds service has been integrated into Sonos.  This will have required the BBC and Sonos to work together, using Sonos’ open API.  It won’t have been possible to incorporate every feature, and it will probably never be possible.

But what has been achieved comes as a welcome and pleasant surprise to me.  I wasn’t really expecting the BBC to devote resource to a fairly small subset of its users (i.e. Sonos owners).  I also wasn’t sure that Sonos would see the appeal in investing resource in something that can only be used by Sonos users living on a small island off the coast of Europe.  So hats off to both organisations for making this happen!

(By the way, I have already been using the actual BBC Sounds app on Sonos for some time, and there are many ways of doing so, depending on which speakers and controllers you have, such as:

Airplay

Bluetooth

Line in

App on TV

App on media streamer (e.g. NVidea Shield)

Chromecast HDMI)

BBC are very funny and weird with their licencing. All UK Sony TV’s last year went without any BBC owned streaming services all because the licencing wasn’t put in place within the specified time frame.

The BBC Sounds integration is welcome, albeit not comprehensive (and not as easy to navigate as the actual app).  

One big feature that seems to have been added and now removed: it’s now possible to add BBC Sounds stations to “My Sonos”. Any reason why that is? (I was able to add BBC 6 Music to My Sonos but, when I went back to add Radio 2 and Radio 4, the option to do so has gone.) 

The BBC could have changed it (being able to Fave an item is an attribute in the metadata) or it could be a bug in their service. You’d have to ask the BBC.

I'm absolutely thrilled with this update, I've been a long suffering tunein user who loves bbc podcasts and shows. Well done Sonos absolutely the best xmas present I've had 😎👌

Pfff ‘At the moment, BBC Sounds is available on the Sonos controller app within the UK only.’ So I can listen on my phone but not on Sonos….

That would be the BBC’s restriction.

You can Bluetooth to your Move.

Hi

I seem to be missing a trick here.

I can play BBC Sounds via the BBC Sounds app (to my Sonos system), but can’t add BBC Sounds as a service either on iOS app or PC app.

Are you based in the UK?   It’s there on the music services list still for me, although it still says Preview.

Yes, in the UK

Sorted. Checked my profile and was set us United States!

Anyone have any tips for troubleshooting the BBC Sounds being added?

Have changed my country (previously lived in Aus) and hadn’t updated it on my return. Now set to the UK but nothing available when I try and add a new music service / to find the BBC sounds app

If you are sure that your Sonos profile is now set to UK, then make sure you are logged out of your online Sonos account, power your Sonos devices off then on again, and reset the app (in App Preferences), then select to connect to existing system.

No guarantees, but it may just be that the data needs to be refreshed.

Thanks for your reply John, I was trying to avoid resetting my system with a number of other Sonos products linked… but gave up and did the hard factory reset, and it worked straight away to add the BBC Sounds App

A bit of faff, but will be great to have the app available on the Sonos network now

OK but I only suggested resetting the app, which only takes a few seconds and loses no information. I don’t believe a reset of the speakers was needed, just a reboot.

Still, at least you have resolved the problem. 

As much for anyone else reading this in future..

I’d progressively tried everything; logged out of app, reset phone/iPad, deleted and reinstalled the app, powered device off/on and it was only the hard reset that seemed to be work for whatever reason 🤷‍♂️
 

Hello,

Finally :)

I assume BBC6 Music from sounds will have an increase in stream quality over TuneIn. Perhaps now now to 320kbs AAC-LC if anybody can confirm please.

I would also look forward to be able to add a station direct to the My Sonos > Stations, but at the moment it appears in Recently Played and ‘Sounds’ shortcut on My Sonos. 

Suppose this integration finally gives the BBC the data it needs on listener demographic and habits. 

Radio 1 96 kbps

And same for Radio 3

I have had some issues with BBC radio alarm via TuneIn manual station past couple of weeks, stream just stops. After reviewing some diagnostic logs, Sonos support advised it was a TuneIn issue (they had had a few calls apparently), and they suggested I use myTuner Radio service instead.

However, just found this thread, and interested in a direct feed via BBC sounds, but its listed as Sonos Labs, and wont install unless I tick the box to share my usage information.

Is there anywhere I can found out what information is shared? Is it just the BBC Sounds usage, or all of my Sonos system usage?

Anyone used myTuner Radio for BBC radio stations and BBC Sounds on Sonos, and benefits in either?

TIA!

OK, answering one of my own questions :)

I enabled the data sharing option, installed BBC sounds service, and was then able to disable the data sharing ‘Additional Usage Data’ in settings, BBC sounds service still functioning.

Odd. I’m not in the UK, but have been playing from BBC Sounds to my various systems, including the remaining Sonos Play:1s via LMS for at least the past couple of years, without geographic restrictions.