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Sonos Troubleshooting: Optimizing Performance Post-App Update (May 2024 and beyond)

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Since the May 2024 update of the Sonos app, many users have experienced problematic operations. If you have a Sonos system, we’ve been keeping up with Sonos’s backline updates and testing real-world app experiences from a consumer’s perspective. Based on Evolved Home’s hands-on experience, we’ve found that Sonos systems can work relatively reliably if used with patience. Below is a quick guide based on our testing to help make things run more smoothly, as Sonos continues working to improve the app experience over time.

System Not Showing on WiFi?

If your Sonos system isn’t showing at all, or zones/rooms are missing when connected to your local WiFi network, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Sonos app.
  2. Select the account icon in the upper right (the person icon with a circle around it).
  3. Scroll down and select ‘App Preferences’.
  4. Scroll down again, and select ‘Reset App’.  Then select ‘Reset’ when prompted.  This will clear the App’s cached memory.
  5. You may need to log back in when complete, and them proceed as normal.

If you can see your system, you can skip directly to the steps below.

Steps for a More Reliable Sonos Operation:

Before Turning On a Room:

  • Open the Sonos app and uncheck all zones to clear any active outputs.

When Turning On a Room:

  • Select the one room you want to activate.
  • Add additional zones by checking their boxes and hitting Apply.

Before Turning Off Rooms:

  • Uncheck all zones except one.
  • Hit Apply, then pause the source that was playing.
  • Finally, uncheck the last room and hit Apply. You should see “No Output Selected.”

Patience is Key:

  • Allow 20-30 seconds for commands to execute, especially when managing multiple zones or overriding active TV/music setups.

Observations by Evolved Home:

  • The issues stem primarily from the Sonos app, not the hardware itself.
  • The app may crash during extensive use, so staying organized within the app can significantly reduce frustration.

By following these steps, Evolved Home has observed that you can maintain better control over your Sonos system without major hiccups.

Apple TV Voice (Siri) integration and control issues

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Upon the introduction of tvOS 18 to Apple TV units in late 2024 by Apple, some users have noticed issues with control and voice (Siri) integration from Control4 (and other control systems).  Rebooting of the Apple TV units in these systems can restore control for an undetermined amount of time, until if fails again.

Upon cooperative investigation between Control4 and Apple, the cause of the issue has been identified.  Apple will be releasing an update to tvOS in the next major update release to alleviate the issue.  At this time, rebooting the Apple TV unit is the only short-term resolution if your system has HomeKit or voice (Siri) integration.  The next release date has not yet been shared by Apple.

You can follow the progress HERE on Control4’s status page.

Roku 14.1 Update and loss of device control

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ANNOUNCEMENT: IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR ROKU USERS WITH THEIR 14.1 UPDATE

 

Please be advised that when upgrading to OS 14.1 on Roku, the Control4 driver will stop functioning. To allow external commands, the ECP must be manually authorized in Roku.

 

Users should follow these steps:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Select System
  3. Navigate to Advanced System Settings
  4. Choose Control by Mobile Apps
  5. Click on Network Access

• Current Status: The setting is enabled.
• After the Update: The setting will be set to Limited by default.
• Action Required: Users will need to change the setting back to Enabled and accept a security warning.

 

FROM ROKU: This is by design from 14.1, so ECP commands are restricted based on the user’s preferences. The setting can be found under: Settings –> System –> Advanced System Setting –> Control by mobile apps –> Network access. We currently do not have a release date. However, beta users have observed during the Roku updates that there are no plans to change this default setting due to security requirements and acceptance.

 

Please note, this update will impact all control systems, not just Control4.

Evolved Home and Control4 X4

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THE NEXT BIG THING IS COMING TO CONTROL4 AUTOMATION SYSTEMS!

Launching early 2025

Announcing Control4 X4 – the next generation of Control4 OS. As homeowners demand more from their connected systems, you need an interface that can keep up. Control4 X4 fundamentally transforms the way you interact with Control4.

X4 is an evolution — from an operating system to a smart living experience. The redesigned interface features a powerful home screen, curated routines, and seamless Apple HomeKit Integration, among other breakthrough updates.

With Control4 X4, you become empowered with a system that adapts to your needs and delivers convenience and personalization. Give yourself a smart space that truly complements your preferences and lifestyle.

Say Hello To Home Screen

Introducing Home Screen: the new hub for a seamlessly connected living experience. Users can control and monitor favorite devices in the project from a single, intuitive screen.

Enhanced Personalization

Widgets

Customizable widgets allow users to personalize their home screen however they like and get quick access to frequently used functions such as cameras and device status.
With the ability to swap out, resize, and rearrange, widgets optimize your home screen and room view layout.

Routines

With X4’s new Routines feature, users can create automated actions tailored to their lifestyle. Routines are created scenes with schedules but even more flexible and interactive.
That means your customers can make the basic changes they want, when they want, letting you spend your time on what matters most.

Expanded Apple HomeKit Integration

Customers can now independently manage devices, access scenes, and convert all devices in the Apple ecosystem into customizable interfaces without needing an integrator in X4. Everything from Car Play, Apple widgets, and of course, Siri.*

Important Things To Know

 

  • The Control4 X4 public release is launching early 2025. More details to come on release date.
  • Customers must have an active Control4 Connect subscription to update to X4.** Legacy 4Sight systems will need to be upgraded to take advantage of X4.  Evolved Home can convert (and upgrade, if necessary) your existing system to be ready.
  • HomeKit integration requires Control4 CORE controllers.  EA series controllers support migration to X4.
  • With the introduction of Control4 X4, sunsetting cloud services for OS 2 systems will happen in 2026.  Evolved Home can help you plan for the changes..
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*HomeKit (hardware and software technology, trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions). CarPlay (software feature) and Siri (voice recognition software) are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions.
**Control4 Connect is currently only available in the U.S.

Control4 Connect Subscription Plan

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Control4 Connect makes it possible to enjoy a truly personalized smart living experience with convenient system access, usage insights, and must-have features. It allows access to the latest security updates, software improvement, and integrations – so the system installed today can improve as technology, and preferences, evolve.

GET THE MOST FROM YOUR CONTROL4 EXPERIENCE

WHAT TO EXPECT

As of April 23, 2024, all new systems installed in the United States are eligible for Control4 Connect. All previously installed systems are also eligible for Control4 Connect, and Evolved Home can help you get your system converted!*

Connect is a service that is be paid annually through the Control4 app. Your Control4 Connect service makes the following features and functions possible.

  • Access to Software Updates
  • System Control & Functionality
  • Remote System Access
  • Mobile Notifications
  • Voice Control
  • iOS/Android Control4 App Integration
  • Intercom Anywhere
  • When>>Then Scene Personalization
  • System Backup
  • System Insights
  • System Education
  • Customer ability to add new devices to your system
Control4 Connect subscription pricing varies depending on system deployment, from $0-249/yr.
*Control4 System must be on or upgraded to OS 3.2.2 or greater, and be CA/EA/CORE series controller/s to benefit from Control4 Connect.
Control 4 Connect FAQ

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Audio/Video System

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Perhaps you’ve recently upgraded to a new Ultra HD-capable television or immersive surround audio system, or are thinking about doing so in the near future. The best gear in the world is always going to be limited by the quality of the media sources that you play through it. In this short article, we hope to provide you with the tools to help get the most out of your investment in high-performance audio and video equipment.


Streaming Services
With streaming music and video services being the preferred method of content acquisition for the vast majority of our clients, we thought it important to detail an issue that most people don’t seem to be aware of, but is critical to getting the best experience out of your private cinema, media room, or music systems. Most people are now subscribers to at least a few different media streaming platforms. Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and Apple TV (the channel, not the device) are the major players in video. Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora are the most common music platforms we see people using. What many people don’t understand is that almost all of these services offer multiple tiers, some free and most paid- for their services which offer not only omission of advertisements or additional features, but in many cases can have dramatic impacts on the picture and sound quality they provide.
For example, as of this writing, Netflix offers four different plan options:


For the purposes of this blog, we’re only concerned with the audio/video differences between the different plans, which are pretty dramatic. The “Basic” plans only support 720p resolution video, which falls somewhere between DVD and Blu-Ray quality for picture; the “Standard” tier bumps up to 1080p video, which is close to the quality of a Blu-ray Disc picture; only once you get to the “Premium” tier do you actually get full “4K” video quality with HDR color on certain content.
Most all current model TV’s beyond the most basic models support 4K and HDR color, and it makes a dramatic improvement in picture quality compared to the lower resolution options. However, if you’re not paying for those higher-level tiers with the video services you subscribe to, you’re not going to get any better picture than what you could have gotten from a system 10 years ago.
If we look at the music-focused services: Apple Music currently has 4 different plans, Spotify has 2 plans, and Amazon Music has 3. In all cases, you need to subscribe to the upper-tier plans to be able to play your music in sound quality that even matches what we were used to with CD’s. Most services now offer an HD-audio tier that provides a sound quality that is higher than what was offered via CD…if you’re listening through the earbuds that came with your phone or a portable bluetooth speaker it probably won’t benefit you at all. But if you’ve invested in some better quality audio gear at home, or higher-end headphones, the benefit is worth the extra couple bucks.


Cable and Satellite Service
Most of our clients still utilize cable or satellite TV service in some degree. Both of those delivery methods are having some growing pains with delivering content in full UltraHD quality, and for most people it is worth checking to verify that your cable or satellite receivers can support the better quality signals. Odds are good that if you haven’t changed out the cable or satellite boxes in the last 4 years, you probably don’t have a box that supports the best quality possible.


The best movie experience: Kaleidescape
If you truly love movies, nothing beats Kaleidescape for quality. Kaleidescape is the only download-based product that provides true reference-quality picture and lossless audio. The audio and video have bitrates that are 10x higher than most streaming services, providing truly identical quality to the studio masters of the movies. Kaleidescape actually downloads the entire movie to it’s own storage before starting playback, so there is never any chance of “buffering” or downgraded quality due to internet speed fluctuations.


Physical Media
Discs still provide a great experience, and they also still work if your internet service is out. UltraHD Blu-Ray provides the finest quality picture and sound available (equal to Kaleidescape and better than any streaming service). For many people, the ritual and warmth of vinyl is a great way to enjoy music, and modern turntables have never been easier to get a great experience out of.