Media Playback System with Virtual Line-In

A method to be performed by a system comprising a first VLI device configured as a native domain group coordinator of a native domain synchrony group and a first native playback device configured as a native domain group member, the method comprising:

• the first VLI device receiving, via an 802.11-compatible network interface of the first VLI device, a VLI domain audio stream representing audio content;
• the first VLI device converting, via one or more processors, the VLI domain audio stream to a native domain audio stream;
• the first VLI device receiving, from a VLI domain timing server, a VLI domain clock signal;
• the first VLI device generating a native domain clock signal synchronized to the VLI domain clock signal;
• the first VLI device sending, via an 802.15-compatible network interface of the first VLI device to one or more native domain group members of the native domain synchrony group, (i) a native domain audio stream representing the streamed audio content and (ii) the native domain clock signal,
• the first native playback device receiving, via an 802.15-compatible network interface of the first native playback device, (i) the native domain audio stream representing the streamed audio content and (ii) the VLI domain clock signal;
• the first native playback device decoding, via one or more processors, the native domain audio stream at a rate set by the native domain clock signal;
• and
• the first native playback device playing back the decoded native domain audio stream via an audio stage of the first native playback device, the audio stage of the first native playback device comprising one or more amplifiers that drive one or more speakers.