Voice Intercom for Sonos devices

Hi @CalEndar 

Thanks for your post!

Just to expand on the answer provided by @106rallye, you could also do the same with Alexa - but, again, you’d need another device with a microphone (though a phone with the Alexa app installed will suffice - I just tested it). You will also need the Sonos Skill for Alexa installed.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for everyone's feedback,

For both of the above options (used with Google Assistant or Alexa), to use the app to communicate, do I need to buy a corresponding device from each brand?

My usage needs are simply to broadcast through the app on my phone or PC. It would be better if I could use the app without having to buy another device, but if necessary I'm still ready for that.

Hi @CalEndar 

No - not for Alexa, at least. You could have an announcement made on a Sonos speaker even if that speaker is the only speaker - from any brands - that you have, as long as you have the Alexa app installed on your phone/tablet.

With Google, I’m not sure that it’s an option without a Google device.

I hope this helps.

Hi @Corry P ,
I'm glad to see that the Alexa app's Announcement feature fits my needs very well and doesn't require me to buy an additional device.
Since I'm new to Sonos, I'm a bit confused that the Sonos Amp is not a type of Speaker.
So can Alexa broadcast my words to Sonos Amp? Or do I need to configure something else?

Hi @CalEndar 

Alexa announcements only work on devices that are actually capable of running the Alexa service, and have it installed - as a result, Amp (among others) will not take part in announcements as there’s no way for Alexa to play it’s own output (though it can of course instruct Amp to play a particular music track via URL) through the device.

I hope this helps - apologies that I did not report this restriction earlier, but I was not aware.

So does that mean I don't have any ability to broadcast to the Sonos Amp? Even adding other devices to support it? 

Hi @CalEndar 

Correct - when you ask Alexa to announce, she takes a recording of what you say after the word “announce” and uploads it to the Amazon Alexa cloud servers, then it pushes that recording to Alexa-enabled devices. They have no way of pushing that recording to a device that is not “personally” running the Alexa service, however.

You may find that IFTTT will help you achieve what you’re trying to do, but I am afraid I cannot assist you with it in any way.

I hope this helps.