Group Coordinator Selection

A playback device comprising:

• at least one network interface;
• at least one processor;
• at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium;
• and
• program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:
• while connected to a local data network via the at least one network interface, receive a command to join a network device in a group of playback devices that are configured for synchronous playback of media content from a media source;
• based on the received command, join the network device in the group of playback devices that are configured for synchronous playback of the media content from the media source;
• determine that the playback device should not operate as a group coordinator of the group of playback devices, wherein the group coordinator (a) receives the media content from the media source, and (b) forwards at least a portion of the received media content to at least one member of the group of playback devices during rendering of the media content by the group of playback devices;
• and
• after determining that the playback device should not operate as the group coordinator and while rendering the media content, receive at least the portion of the media content from the network device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a network device to:

• while connected to a local data network via at least one network interface, receive a command to join a playback device in a group of playback devices that are configured for synchronous playback of media content;
• based on the received command, join the playback device in the group of playback devices that are configured for synchronous playback of the media content;
• determine that the network device is in communication with a media source via the at least one network interface;
• based on determining that the network device is in communication with the media source via the at least one network interface, configure the network device as a group coordinator of the group of playback devices, wherein the group coordinator (a) receives the media content from the media source, and (b) forwards at least a portion of the received media content to the playback device during rendering of the media content by the group of playback devices;
• and
• while outputting the media content, (i) receive the media content from the media source and (ii) forward at least the portion of the received media content to the playback device.