Power over Ethernet (PoE) for Play devices

  • 24 October 2012
  • 11 replies
  • 9419 views

Userlevel 2
Badge +4
Hi, Although I love the fact that Play devices are wireless, the reality is that for someone like myself who wishes to mount them on a wall in various rooms, I still need to run power up to the speakers. Running power cables in the wall is even more trouble than running network cables. Worst, there is no way to do a clean job if you don't want to have ugly power outlets at the top of your walls and then you have an ugly power cable that is visible... Furthermore, if you want to avoid buying the Bridge, you need to run AT LEAST one network cable to the device anyway. Why bother having to run both power and Ethernet? So, I think my proposition is pretty simple (although it would need to happen on future versions of the hardware): Why not make the Ethernet port be PoE, which means that a PoE switch could supply power to the speaker. I do read that PoE have a maximum power of 35W (I also read 50W wat possible in a non-standard installation).. so maybe this will be an issue. But if not, it would be a great addition.

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11 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +21
Like you, I question whether the power capacity of a PoE connection would be sufficient enough for the Play devices and the Connect:Amp. But certainly devices like the Bridge and Connect - which don't have amplifiers in them - could benefit from having PoE added to them. Less wiring is always good!
Does anybody know what the status is about PoE and Sonos? In my opinion it wouldn't be such difficult to implement an PoE capable Sonos. A version with the normal plug should be orderable and a version without the normal plug should be orderable.
PoE for the amplified components wouldn't be so great. I'd really like to see a PoE Sonos:Bridge. That would solve a problem I'm encountering right now.
IEEE 802.3bt is currently a task force being worked on and the maximum power proposal is 99W
Really excited about the potential of poe sonos
Userlevel 2
Badge
I agree totally !

POE+ can provide up to 30 watts and UPOE can provide up to 60 watts. I would love to see that supported by Sonos !

I think UPOE might be possible with the Play 1.

If this is there I`m buying right away !!!

Danny
PoE for the Play1 make sense to me. I wanted to get Sonos, but don't want to have more power outlets on my walls or be limited to speaker location by power outlets.

Also, as the tech improves, you just need to switch out the switch and ... more power!
Okay. Lots of talk but has anyone tried running a Play 1 with PoE?
How would you be able to try it? It's not equipped with a POE ethernet port.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Two possibilities, use a POE powered inverter to make line voltage to supply the Sonos device which has an advantage of being non-intrusive but will waste something like 20% of your power. Second is to remove the Sonos line power supply and install one using POE as your source. A dead Sonos to risk frying and a lot of homework to build the power supply needed for this one.

Now a POE powered Bridge seems like an option that would appeal to more folks. Making a POE power supply for one, replacing the wall-wart supply, would also be a trivial exercise.
Anyone come up with a way to do this?