Multi-zone stereo

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Jaredh
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Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:58 pm

Multi-zone stereo

Post by Jaredh »

Hi folks -

Streaming DLNA/UPnP question here:

* I have two Sonos speakers (DLNA/UpnP) that i (otherwise) use as a stereo pair.
* When I use multi-zone to stream to them from MM5, they are both treated as independent mono devices.

Is there any way to stream from MM so that they behave as a stereo pair ?

Thank you!
Peke
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Re: Multi-zone stereo

Post by Peke »

HI,
No unfortunately, it is feature only available to Sonos App.

We are looking into way to expand streaming, but no estimate time when sonos will be on schedule, especially as most likely we will need to buy two devices for testing.
Best regards,
Peke
MediaMonkey Team lead QA/Tech Support guru
Admin of Free MediaMonkey addon Site HappyMonkeying
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Barry4679
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Re: Multi-zone stereo

Post by Barry4679 »

Jaredh wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 4:45 pm * I have two Sonos speakers (DLNA/UpnP) that i (otherwise) use as a stereo pair.
* When I use multi-zone to stream to them from MM5, they are both treated as independent mono devices.
Hi Jaredh,
so you can you pair these devices in the Sonos Controller? ... ie. are the equivalent devices from a Sonos POV?

I have a two Sonos Play:1 units paired as Left|Right, and have a Sonos sub attached.
Media Monkey plays to this group as expected.

I think that the thing you have to aware of is that Sonos regards one of the paired units as the Coordinator, and the other is an Associated slave. You used to be able to see which was which on the Sonos controller, but this indication has vanished.

You don't use MM Multi-zone capability. You just need to share to whichever zone is the Coordinator. This is an assumption of mine, because it all works when I use MM to play to one Play:1, but it doesn't work with the other. ... My alternate guess would be that one of the paired units is Ethernet wired, and the other is wireless. ... If choose the incorrect Play:1 unit, I can only hear the Sub ... AND I have to reboot the group before they work together again properly.

So a bit of fiddling about, but once you have it figured it out is works well, and sounds great :)

Am running Sonos S1, and MM 2508
Want a dark skin for MM5? This is the one that works best for me .. elegant, compact & clear.
Barry4679
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Re: Multi-zone stereo

Post by Barry4679 »

Peke wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 6:41 pm most likely we will need to buy two devices for testing.
and it will be $$ well spent, but take care. I started with two Sonos units, and I now have 11. A common experience I think.
Want a dark skin for MM5? This is the one that works best for me .. elegant, compact & clear.
Jaredh
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:58 pm

Re: Multi-zone stereo

Post by Jaredh »

Barry4679 wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 9:10 pm
You don't use MM Multi-zone capability. You just need to share to whichever zone is the Coordinator. This is an assumption of mine, because it all works when I use MM to play to one Play:1, but it doesn't work with the other. ... My alternate guess would be that one of the paired units is Ethernet wired, and the other is wireless. ... If choose the incorrect Play:1 unit, I can only hear the Sub ... AND I have to reboot the group before they work together again properly.

So a bit of fiddling about, but once you have it figured it out is works well, and sounds great :)

Am running Sonos S1, and MM 2508
Brilliant! Thank you, Barry. Great info
Peke
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Re: Multi-zone stereo

Post by Peke »

Barry4679 wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 9:14 pm and it will be $$ well spent, but take care. I started with two Sonos units, and I now have 11. A common experience I think.
I think I'll pass that for me, I do not like any device that I can't customize (at least last 30 years).

My professional opinion is that manufacturers use easy way to create proprietary solution instead of using standardized one. Reason for that is more likely money, as create custom solution taht works on your devices only is cheaper than actually obtain certification for common/standardized protocols and solutions.

I can validate that approach if solution do not exists, but in case of controlling and accessing devices cheap 10USD devices have WiFi remote control/monitoring.
Best regards,
Peke
MediaMonkey Team lead QA/Tech Support guru
Admin of Free MediaMonkey addon Site HappyMonkeying
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Barry4679
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Re: Multi-zone stereo

Post by Barry4679 »

Peke, this off topic, but you couldn't be more wrong.
Peke wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 5:56 am I think I'll pass that for me, I do not like any device that I can't customize (at least last 30 years).
Every Sonos unit is independent, and is run my its own built-in Linux computer. It is true that almost all Sonos users just plug them in and use them without almost zero install and training and configuration required.

But a person interested in hacking can can access their Sonos units via the LAN to control or configure them. They can also subscribe to internal Sonos events to monitor what is happening, detect what is being played, or trigger their own events etc.

Many people, myself included, are active here.
Peke wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 5:56 am I can validate that approach if solution do not exists, but in case of controlling and accessing devices cheap 10USD devices have WiFi remote control/monitoring.
But that is the easy part.

Keeping the music flawlessly chugging within a messy WIFI environment like a household, with people walking around blocking signals, and devices being turned off and on, is complex. Requires automated self healing redundancy. Music is not like the transfer of a document or web page ... you can't just stutter or pause the music until the path is clear.

And independent devices need to be kept in sync with each other to within something like a 10 millisecond tolerance, otherwise the music sounds horrible when they are playing together. So there is clock drift issues, re-routing issues, and reestablishment when units get turned off and on.

And then any issues have to be self diagnosed by the units themselves. or diagnosed and fixed over the Internet. All upgrades need to accomplished in households in a hands off manner with no tech staff.

And the units have to speak every imaginable language and protocol so they can deal with every bodies choice of TV, and with Siri and Alexia, and catalogues at Spotify and YouTube and Amazon Music and Deezer and BandCamp, and Tunein and PocketCasts and Audible , and probably over a 1,000 other places and things.

And it is scalable. Up to 32 units in a house. As I said I have 11 all working happily together here, and with no-one on my case all the time because the music has gone wrong.

And they don't sound like $10 solutions either.
Want a dark skin for MM5? This is the one that works best for me .. elegant, compact & clear.
Peke
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Re: Multi-zone stereo

Post by Peke »

Hi,
i would only say that it looks I like to do things hard way. With 20+ Years in Broadcasting I find myself easier to make things myself than buy Plug and Play ones.

It is all possible to sync them no matter of price, it all depends if your time is worth more than money you invest in ready things. Also after 10+ times you build same setup it takes much less time to make it work and you can ask more money for it.

Also there is satisfaction that you can do same in many cases better than $1500 setup for about $200 and keep $800 for yourself. Especially if you know that next time it will cost you <$100 and you will get >$900 for same thing.

An example when I started to consult on small office network infrastructure it took me 3-7 days to setup and to investigate. Now after 10 years it takes me less than a day to do same thing as I have prepared solution for a client.
Best regards,
Peke
MediaMonkey Team lead QA/Tech Support guru
Admin of Free MediaMonkey addon Site HappyMonkeying
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