Control all grouped Sonos using TV remote control (via Playbar)


Userlevel 2
I already own a Playbar and recently purchased a Play 1. One thing I find invaluable is being able to control the Playbar using the TV remote, even if playing music. It is very intuitive and easy to use. 

What I've noticed however is that now when grouped with the play 1 the TV remote volume control only manages the Playbar vs. the whole group volume. 

Is there a way to add an option to have the TV remote control either only the Playbar or the whole group volume once grouped? 

Would help to extend the handy and intuitive control the bring the volume up and down across the rooms. 

137 replies

Userlevel 2
I've just noticed this is a similar request to https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/playbar-group-all-controlled-with-tv-remote
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yes!

the TV remote control NEEDS TO control the whole group volume once grouped!

been a year since this thread 😠 😠
Userlevel 2
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please help?
Userlevel 7
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There's nothing to help with... Sonos feature requests can take months, sometimes even years, before they might be considered, and that's for popular requests. Clearly this isn't a feature many are looking for.

I know that I can say for certain that I wouldn't want someone sitting in front of the TV with a remote to control the volume of a speaker in an upstairs bedroom that is grouped.
Userlevel 7
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I agree Mike

Very peculiar idea to have the TV remote control the volume of a speaker not in the TV room when the TV is off. It's not even as if the remote can select music, group rooms etc so you HAVE to have another controller available anyway
Userlevel 7
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As MikeV says, feature requests are not always implemented. From Sonos having received these, they undergo consideration based on many, many factors. The primary concern is how useful they may be to our entire customer base, not a select few. What you consider an essential feature may be a massive flaw to someone else and vice-versa. Personally, I wouldn't want other users in my house to have the ability to turn my music up and down whilst I'm listening to music in the study, though I'm sure others would disagree with me. I am not offering Sonos' insight as to the validity of your feedback or idea; we consider all feedback to be crucial. I am trying to illustrate the fact that usefulness is subjective. One thing I wish to make clear is that it is not as cut-and-dry as stating your case and then waiting for a feature to be introduced.
Userlevel 2
i'm watching tv...

playbar is grouped with my 3 play 1's...

the phone rings and i answer it (i need to mute my tv to take the call)...

i reach for the remote to mute the tv, which the playbar volume does go to ZERO...

BUT my 3 play 1's which are supporting speakers for my TV is STILL PLAYING THE SOUND FROM THE TV.

what is the point of the TV remote if it only mutes the playbar?

if the speakers are GROUPED with the playbar, it means those speakers are playing the sound from the TV.

If i want the TV sound to be muted...

NATURALLY, the rest of the speakers that are playing the sound of the TV SHOULD BE MUTED TOO.

Is that not logical?
Userlevel 7
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That in itself is logical, yes, I can see where you are coming from. Your need for this functionality is dictated by the way in which you use the system, which is fair enough. However, while using additional "Rooms" as "Supporting Speakers" for your television is a great idea, at this time, it is the exception and not the rule. I do think there is some validity to what you are saying which is why it will be forwarded to the necessary parties.
This was the very first question I had when I plugged in everything for the first time this weekend. I thought I was doing something wrong.
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Edward R... status?
Userlevel 7
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Edward R... status?

Ok. Edward R was far too polite and you clearly didn't take on board what he was saying.
Basically he was saying so few want to,use the system like you, it's a silly idea, but don't contact us we'll contact you.
Userlevel 1
Allot of replies here assume this isn't a feature worth Sonos implementing. It is a feature that I would like and it sounds like enough people agree it would be useful. It can be made an option to choose for those who want it and deselected for those who don't.
jbradbrown,

I think that all suggestions are worth looking in to for implementation. My only concern in general is at some point with making everything an option is you end up with an interface that is too confusing. If they implement even half of the suggestions here, there would be 20 pages of optional settings (OK, perhaps I'm exaggerating for effect), which would confuse the majority of their users, and make life complex for those who actually "get" the process. Without passing judgement on this specific request, I know that I've worked with many UI designers who have told me "no, that's too many options for any one person to process", and limited the amount of things I've been allowed to have in a game settings UI. It's just a fact of psychology that we as humans can only deal with a certain amount of complexity before losing the ability to understand all that is in front of us.

Sorry for pontificating.
Userlevel 1
Airgetlam,

I completely respect that. I'll modify my request a bit by adding that this would be a feature that keeps my wife happy. When she picks up the remote and lowers the volume, having the playbar volume lowered but not the other grouped speakers is frustrating. When you drop cash on a playbar, sub, and two play 5's only for the grouped speakers not to work with the volume remote, its not fun to explain to someone who knows how much money was spent but can't understand why the function isn't available. Seems to be a rather basic function for the cost versus another add-on feature that confuses users with more options.
No argument here 🙂
I agree with many comments that you should be able to control volume of all speakers grouped to main soundbar room. I set up 2 Play ones as rear speakers for system (not surrounds ). So when I listen to TV they provide some rear sound but if I mute soundbar form remote it does not mute or change volume of other room Play ones even though they are "grouped" to main room?
My wife find this very frustrating also! I notice that no one has replied in the last 5 months. Has Sonos worked on correcting this problem?
Same request. I have PLAYbase, two play 5 and Apple TV. Play 5 are next to tv (I don’t have another place to put it) if PLAYbase have them as surround, it sounds not so perfect as I would set it as a group. Then I have a problem to control sound volume from my remote. Would be great to have a volume group lock in app. That would be very useful!
Userlevel 7
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I would find this feature very useful as well (remote to set Group volume when Playbar is in use).
This would be very useful. Have 2 Play 5s grouped with my playbar in the main room and my wife loses her mind that she can only turn the playbar down. I then have to constantly group and ungroup between the stereo paired play 5s and the playbar when I want to listen to music vs. watch tv and it is very annoying.
I have the same issue and this is very frustrating! If speakers are grouped they should all adjust volume using the TV remote. Please provide a solution!!
If I may, I'd like to add an opposing view. I do not want my system to reduce the volume on grouped rooms. That would drive me crazy!
Just tried looking for the same capability. Sad that it's not possible yet.
Airgetlam,

I’m with you on this matter... if you group two sets of speakers, such as the 'dining room' and 'hallway' and press the hardware volume controls on the actual speakers, they have only ever adjusted the volume for the one chosen room only... it has always been that way. It therefore should work the same for the TV remote operating on the Sonos PlayBar and PlayBase. It would be odd to make an exception for those particular products.

The group volume control is available in the Sonos App and that’s really where it needs to stay.

I should add that even the voice integration with Alexa, only controls the volume in a single Sonos room too even when that room is grouped with others.

There would probably have to be an extraordinary public demand to now get Sonos to change things over to always operate volume controls on an entire group ... then I’m sure there would then be a backlash from those who prefer to control each individual room in a group.

Leave things exactly as they are, would be my preference.
Appreciate that the feature set needs to be limited for ease of use and to reflect those that are most popular with the Sonos userbase, but... It’s completely misleading to sell a system that claims to be 5:1 surround sound when the TV volume control only works on three of the five speakers. A simple on-off toggle for a ‘control group volume’ option would keep all happy, would not confuse even low-tech users and would make Sonos a viable 5:1 system. Poor form from a company that otherwise seems to be focused on delivering great products.

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