I have 2 Sonos Ones (as well as a few play:5s). However, Alexa keeps forgetting how to work them. I can use Alexa for the general non-Sonos stuff, but I'll regularly say "Alexa, play" to resumse playback and I'll be told I have to enable the Sonos skill. This skill is enabled. Yesterday I had this problem and disabled the skill, re-enabled it and it worked again for a bit. But today it's lost it again.
I've had this before as well. It seems pretty unreliable. I had one Sonos One to start with and ended up just not really using the alexa skill because it seemed easier to just go into my pocket, get my phone out and play or pause it there. But now I have a 2nd one I'd quite like it to actually work as advertised. (I bought the 2nd with the understanding that this is still in its infancy so is likely to improve in time, but I also wanted to expand my Sonos a little anyway so the voice support wasn't a deal breaker.)
Is it possible to get this to work consistently?
Answered
Alexa forgets Sonos skill
Best answer by UKMedia
Hi
First off a network question. Have you reserved an IP address for your Sonos Ones? Whilst this isn't a mandatory thing, it can introduce some stability if you ever have to boot your Router. I use the address range of 192.168.0.200 and upwards for my Sonos products and these can be easily set-up within your Router settings page.
With regard to this specific problem, the steps I've listed within the Answer to this post will address the majority of Alexa related issues:
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-says-she-is-playing-on-kitchen-but-no-sound-comes-out-6800126
Let us know if you need help with reserving an IP address (We'll need your router make and model number) and if this resolves the problem.
View originalFirst off a network question. Have you reserved an IP address for your Sonos Ones? Whilst this isn't a mandatory thing, it can introduce some stability if you ever have to boot your Router. I use the address range of 192.168.0.200 and upwards for my Sonos products and these can be easily set-up within your Router settings page.
With regard to this specific problem, the steps I've listed within the Answer to this post will address the majority of Alexa related issues:
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-says-she-is-playing-on-kitchen-but-no-sound-comes-out-6800126
Let us know if you need help with reserving an IP address (We'll need your router make and model number) and if this resolves the problem.
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Hi
First off a network question. Have you reserved an IP address for your Sonos Ones? Whilst this isn't a mandatory thing, it can introduce some stability if you ever have to boot your Router. I use the address range of 192.168.0.200 and upwards for my Sonos products and these can be easily set-up within your Router settings page.
With regard to this specific problem, the steps I've listed within the Answer to this post will address the majority of Alexa related issues:
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-says-she-is-playing-on-kitchen-but-no-sound-comes-out-6800126
Let us know if you need help with reserving an IP address (We'll need your router make and model number) and if this resolves the problem.
First off a network question. Have you reserved an IP address for your Sonos Ones? Whilst this isn't a mandatory thing, it can introduce some stability if you ever have to boot your Router. I use the address range of 192.168.0.200 and upwards for my Sonos products and these can be easily set-up within your Router settings page.
With regard to this specific problem, the steps I've listed within the Answer to this post will address the majority of Alexa related issues:
https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-says-she-is-playing-on-kitchen-but-no-sound-comes-out-6800126
Let us know if you need help with reserving an IP address (We'll need your router make and model number) and if this resolves the problem.
Thanks very much for the reply! I've not allocated a static IP, but I'll give that a try when I have some time to fiddle about with the router.
Your point in the link about duplicate device names was interesting - the two sonos ones I brought in were in place of existing devices, so they took the names of the old devices (which I renamed). So they are all unique now. I've tried doing a forget all, then discover all in case that helps. If not then I'll try some of your other suggestions.
Really appreciate the help!
Your point in the link about duplicate device names was interesting - the two sonos ones I brought in were in place of existing devices, so they took the names of the old devices (which I renamed). So they are all unique now. I've tried doing a forget all, then discover all in case that helps. If not then I'll try some of your other suggestions.
Really appreciate the help!
Skill forgotten again today, although e did have to reboot the router at some point which might not have helped. Looks like I'm going to have to spend a little time with your other suggestions and see if I can get something to work.
I tried allocating fixed IPs a week or two ago, but that didn't help. I finally got round to resetting the whole thing as you suggested. I went straight for 3) if the problem persists and rebooted and cleared everything in the order you suggest. I reregistered alexa. Left it for 2 hours and came back. And Alexa has forgotten how to work with Sonos again.
It's quite frustraitng.
It's quite frustraitng.
mrgrieves wrote:
I tried allocating fixed IPs a week or two ago, but that didn't help. I finally got round to resetting the whole thing as you suggested. I went straight for 3) if the problem persists and rebooted and cleared everything in the order you suggest. I reregistered alexa. Left it for 2 hours and came back. And Alexa has forgotten how to work with Sonos again.
It's quite frustraitng.
It's quite frustraitng.
When you say 'And Alexa has forgotten how to work with Sonos again.' can you confirm the command that you are using and also check the Alexa App>Settings>History and confirm that Alexa heard you correctly?
Sorry I completely missed this reply. You are onto something as I found out something interesting.
I tent to have a long-running playlist which I switch on when I'm in from work and off again an hour or two later. So I'd get into the house and say "Alexa, play" to start up again. And she says that I need to enable the Sonos skill. I then go to the Sonos app and play it manually. I was then going in forgetting all devices, discovering all devices and then a little later I would say "Alexa, pause" and it would work. So I thought the forget/discover thing was working.
But actually it wasn't. It seems that "Alexa, play" doesn't work and just gave me such a confusing error that I presumed the whole thing wasn't working.
So I can have a conversation like this:
"Alexa, play"
>> Alexa replies that the Sonos skill needs to be anabled.
"Alexa, play music by the Fall"
>> Alexa plays music by the Fall from Spotify. (Well I tried this a couple of times - the first time it worked exactly right, the second time she said she was playing it but didn't.)
"Alexa, pause"
>> Music stops
So I think it's literally a bug with "Alexa, play" , I raised a Sonos support ticket but they sent me on a wild goose chase with network settings and the like until I discovered this. Now I have to call them, but I usually resist that kind of thing because it involves hours on the phone. Apparently "Alexa, play" works for them, and it definitely worked for me in the past.
I tent to have a long-running playlist which I switch on when I'm in from work and off again an hour or two later. So I'd get into the house and say "Alexa, play" to start up again. And she says that I need to enable the Sonos skill. I then go to the Sonos app and play it manually. I was then going in forgetting all devices, discovering all devices and then a little later I would say "Alexa, pause" and it would work. So I thought the forget/discover thing was working.
But actually it wasn't. It seems that "Alexa, play" doesn't work and just gave me such a confusing error that I presumed the whole thing wasn't working.
So I can have a conversation like this:
"Alexa, play"
>> Alexa replies that the Sonos skill needs to be anabled.
"Alexa, play music by the Fall"
>> Alexa plays music by the Fall from Spotify. (Well I tried this a couple of times - the first time it worked exactly right, the second time she said she was playing it but didn't.)
"Alexa, pause"
>> Music stops
So I think it's literally a bug with "Alexa, play" , I raised a Sonos support ticket but they sent me on a wild goose chase with network settings and the like until I discovered this. Now I have to call them, but I usually resist that kind of thing because it involves hours on the phone. Apparently "Alexa, play" works for them, and it definitely worked for me in the past.
'Alexa, Resume' has a time limit of about 30 mins before Alexa loses the context with the Sonos system. In this scenario, you would need to start the Playlist from the start via voice control or use the app to continue from where you left off.
I tend to use "Alexa, Play" not Resume and I don't think that one ever works. Maybe it's because I'm not starting the music by telling Alexa what to do - I line the playlist up on the app.
But the annoying thing is it did work in the past.
I'm getting the impression that Alexa support is nowhere near prime time. I'm not sure if it's still classed as a beta or not.
But the annoying thing is it did work in the past.
I'm getting the impression that Alexa support is nowhere near prime time. I'm not sure if it's still classed as a beta or not.
Hi
Please see this article for the list of supported commands:
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3514?language=en_US
If you start the playlist on the App, please try including the room name in the command if voice control fails.
The Sonos Alexa skill is still in Beta but the stability is good enough for a full release now, although some people get confused between the functionality difference between an Alexa device and an Alexa Enabled device - The Sonos One is an Alexa Enabled device.
Please see this article for the list of supported commands:
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3514?language=en_US
If you start the playlist on the App, please try including the room name in the command if voice control fails.
The Sonos Alexa skill is still in Beta but the stability is good enough for a full release now, although some people get confused between the functionality difference between an Alexa device and an Alexa Enabled device - The Sonos One is an Alexa Enabled device.
I tend to have music grouped so I don't want to play it in a single room.
"Alexa, play" should definitely work as a command in my opinion because since the days of tape decks the control buttons have always been Play and Pause. And not only that, but it definitely did work in the past. Similarlty going into Spotify and mousing over the button it says "Play". (The Sonos app doesn't give me a tooltip at all when I try, but I'm pretty sure it's not a 'resume' button). Also, Sonos support tell me that "Alexa, play" should work.
But regardless of whether it's play or resume, in no other environment does resuming playback ever have a time limit on it. That's nonsense. Being able to stop and start the music properly is surely the most basic command it should know before anything more complicated. I don't think you can say that something has full voice control if it doesn't support stopping and starting the music properly.
But regardless of that, it absolutely should not tell me "the Sonos skill is not enabled" because it is, and that's clearly, blatently, not correct and totally misleading.
I can't see how this behaviour could ever be described as a feature instead of a bug.
I'm also not convinced that Sonos support entirely know what to do with the Alexa skill as they didn't seem able to help me over email, and as I said before sent me on a complete wild goose chase.
Apologies for going a bit into rant mode. I love my Sonos system, but the voice control really doesn't do it for me right now. It's not the reason I bought into it, so it's not a disaster, but it would be nice if it did work.
"Alexa, play" should definitely work as a command in my opinion because since the days of tape decks the control buttons have always been Play and Pause. And not only that, but it definitely did work in the past. Similarlty going into Spotify and mousing over the button it says "Play". (The Sonos app doesn't give me a tooltip at all when I try, but I'm pretty sure it's not a 'resume' button). Also, Sonos support tell me that "Alexa, play" should work.
But regardless of whether it's play or resume, in no other environment does resuming playback ever have a time limit on it. That's nonsense. Being able to stop and start the music properly is surely the most basic command it should know before anything more complicated. I don't think you can say that something has full voice control if it doesn't support stopping and starting the music properly.
But regardless of that, it absolutely should not tell me "the Sonos skill is not enabled" because it is, and that's clearly, blatently, not correct and totally misleading.
I can't see how this behaviour could ever be described as a feature instead of a bug.
I'm also not convinced that Sonos support entirely know what to do with the Alexa skill as they didn't seem able to help me over email, and as I said before sent me on a complete wild goose chase.
Apologies for going a bit into rant mode. I love my Sonos system, but the voice control really doesn't do it for me right now. It's not the reason I bought into it, so it's not a disaster, but it would be nice if it did work.
Hi
No problem at all, we all feel a bit emotional to something we value, especially when it doesn't quite work as expected. With regard to the discussion RE: Play vs Resume, not all commands for voice control relate to the names of buttons on the app. The link I included in my previous post, contains the supported voice commands, both general and source specific. I think the error message that you are getting is the catch all statement when the Alexa-Sonos integration gets confused. Not ideal I know.
The reason for the time limit is that the Amazon servers need to be aware of your playlist and I suspect that they only keep that context for a finite amount of time. The other thing to remember is that voice control via the Sonos One utilises logic from both Amazon and Sonos, with Amazon having their own design and development standards that Sonos will have to adhere to.
I would advise sticking with voice control a bit longer, as I use it for most things now and really miss it when it's not available. 😃
No problem at all, we all feel a bit emotional to something we value, especially when it doesn't quite work as expected. With regard to the discussion RE: Play vs Resume, not all commands for voice control relate to the names of buttons on the app. The link I included in my previous post, contains the supported voice commands, both general and source specific. I think the error message that you are getting is the catch all statement when the Alexa-Sonos integration gets confused. Not ideal I know.
The reason for the time limit is that the Amazon servers need to be aware of your playlist and I suspect that they only keep that context for a finite amount of time. The other thing to remember is that voice control via the Sonos One utilises logic from both Amazon and Sonos, with Amazon having their own design and development standards that Sonos will have to adhere to.
I would advise sticking with voice control a bit longer, as I use it for most things now and really miss it when it's not available. 😃
I could cope with using Resume instead of Play, counter-intuitive though it is. But if Resume works for a time limit then it's useless to me. I think when things need to be explained technically in order to justify a decision, then it indicates that something is wrong. I'm personally interested in how some of this works, but as an end-user I shouldn't need to know nor care. It should just work and be intuitive.
I would also hazard a guess that Resume maybe won't work when I am setting up my playlist with the Sonos app rather than telling Alexa what to play.
I think the problem is that the technology isn't really as great as it initially appears to be. There are 2 ecosystems trying to coexist and it only sort-of works. You can see it with Spotify Connect too (regardless of voice). If I use the Spotify app, then it works but then things go a little strange. For example, I seem to remember things like Repeat not being available in the Sonos app if I'm playing with something started in the Spotify app. Again, it's counter-intuitive because it shouldn't matter to me how music is started - it's the same music from the same place. It confuses the hell out of me because I find those buttons hard to find anyway, so I have a good look for it, get frustrated then remember where I started playing from. (Or now I just don't bother with Spotify Connect at all)
Similarly with the voice, the fact that it has to go over the internet to figure out what you said means that it's never going to be as responsive nor as reliable as a button on an app. It should be an extension of touch-control not a parallel universe with its own set of rules.
As someone wanting to listen to music I don't want to know that Alexa is maintaining a playlist in addition to Sonos. I don't care about that. I'm not asking Amazon to play, I'm asking Sonos to play. Again that's why I don't think it's ready for prime time - it's fine as a novelty and it has some value, but as something that can replace the existing controls it falls short because there are too many technical compromises involved which means I always end up having to use the app instead.
Can you imagine in the 1980s buying a tape deck with a play button that only worked under a very limited set of circumstances? I don't think we'd put up with it 40 years ago.
For Alexa and Sonos to be useful to me, I only need play, pause, volume up and volume down. That's 4 commands. It can usually manage 3 of them, and actually changing volume is a lot easier with the app anyway. So there's not much to persevere with!
I actually think voice control is very interesting and will only improve over time. But now I feel like I'm suffering from early adopter syndrome. And given the fact the privacy and security questions I'd have over it, I'd really want it to be a bit experience to justify it. If it wasn't for my nerdy curiosity I'd probalby turn it off.
Again excuse the "first world problems" tone of my email - I'm not angrily bashing out these posts so I hope it doesn't come across like that. I realise I'm just complaining about a single function, but it does feel like such a basic one.
Thanks for the link with the command in it too. I genuinely do appreciate your help and you taking time to reply.
I would also hazard a guess that Resume maybe won't work when I am setting up my playlist with the Sonos app rather than telling Alexa what to play.
I think the problem is that the technology isn't really as great as it initially appears to be. There are 2 ecosystems trying to coexist and it only sort-of works. You can see it with Spotify Connect too (regardless of voice). If I use the Spotify app, then it works but then things go a little strange. For example, I seem to remember things like Repeat not being available in the Sonos app if I'm playing with something started in the Spotify app. Again, it's counter-intuitive because it shouldn't matter to me how music is started - it's the same music from the same place. It confuses the hell out of me because I find those buttons hard to find anyway, so I have a good look for it, get frustrated then remember where I started playing from. (Or now I just don't bother with Spotify Connect at all)
Similarly with the voice, the fact that it has to go over the internet to figure out what you said means that it's never going to be as responsive nor as reliable as a button on an app. It should be an extension of touch-control not a parallel universe with its own set of rules.
As someone wanting to listen to music I don't want to know that Alexa is maintaining a playlist in addition to Sonos. I don't care about that. I'm not asking Amazon to play, I'm asking Sonos to play. Again that's why I don't think it's ready for prime time - it's fine as a novelty and it has some value, but as something that can replace the existing controls it falls short because there are too many technical compromises involved which means I always end up having to use the app instead.
Can you imagine in the 1980s buying a tape deck with a play button that only worked under a very limited set of circumstances? I don't think we'd put up with it 40 years ago.
For Alexa and Sonos to be useful to me, I only need play, pause, volume up and volume down. That's 4 commands. It can usually manage 3 of them, and actually changing volume is a lot easier with the app anyway. So there's not much to persevere with!
I actually think voice control is very interesting and will only improve over time. But now I feel like I'm suffering from early adopter syndrome. And given the fact the privacy and security questions I'd have over it, I'd really want it to be a bit experience to justify it. If it wasn't for my nerdy curiosity I'd probalby turn it off.
Again excuse the "first world problems" tone of my email - I'm not angrily bashing out these posts so I hope it doesn't come across like that. I realise I'm just complaining about a single function, but it does feel like such a basic one.
Thanks for the link with the command in it too. I genuinely do appreciate your help and you taking time to reply.
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