Playback device using standby mode in a media playback system

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for execution by one or more processors, the set of instructions, when executed, cause a first playback device to:

• receive, while an audio processing component of the first playback device is in a standby mode, a first packet over a network, wherein the audio processing component consumes less power in standby mode than the audio processing component consumes in an active mode;
• in response to receiving the first packet, (i) exit the standby mode, and enter the active mode, wherein entering the active mode comprises enabling the audio processing component of the first playback device and (ii) broadcast a second packet over the network, wherein the second packet comprises a payload that is associated with a destination address;
• and
• after receiving the first packet, (i) forward packets over the network to a second playback device, (ii) after forwarding the packets, determine that the first playback device is no longer forwarding the packets, and (iii) in response to the determination, exit the active mode and enter the standby mode, wherein exiting the active mode and entering the standby mode comprises causing, to enter a low-power mode, at least one of (a) a digital signal processor, (b) a digital-to-analog converter, (c) an audio preprocessing component, or (d) an audio enhancement component.

A method comprising:

• receiving, while an audio processing component of a first playback device is in a standby mode, a first packet over a network, wherein the audio processing component consumes less power in standby mode than the audio processing component consumes in an active mode;
• in response to receiving the first packet, (i) exiting the standby mode, and entering the active mode, wherein entering the active mode comprises enabling the audio processing component of the first playback device and (ii) broadcasting a second packet over the network, wherein the second packet comprises a payload that is associated with a destination address;
• and
• after receiving the first packet, (i) forwarding packets over the network to a second playback device, (ii) after forwarding the packets, determining that the first playback device is no longer forwarding the packets, and (iii) in response to the determination, exiting the active mode and entering the standby mode, wherein exiting the active mode and entering the standby mode comprises causing, to enter a low-power mode, at least one of (a) a digital signal processor, (b) a digital-to-analog converter, (c) an audio preprocessing component, or (d) an audio enhancement component.