Multi-Zone Setup And Configuration Of Multi-Player Playback Devices

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a Multi-Player Playback Device to perform functions comprising:

• maintaining a configuration file that stores a plurality of settings of the Multi-Player Playback Device, wherein the configuration file is accessible by and editable via a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) implemented at the Multi-Player Playback Device, and wherein the plurality of settings comprises, for each audio output of the Multi-Player Playback Device, (i) whether the audio output is assigned to a logical player, and (ii) for each assigned audio output, (a) a logical player to which the audio output is assigned, (b) an audio channel assigned to the audio output, and (c) a playback zone to which the logical player is assigned;
• receiving a current configuration request from a computing device separate from the Multi-Player Playback Device, wherein the current configuration request includes a request for one or more of the plurality of settings of the Multi-Player Playback Device;
• after receiving the current configuration request from the computing device, (i) using a first API to access the configuration file, and (ii) transmitting current configuration information obtained from the configuration file to the computing device;
• receiving a first playback zone creation command from the computing device, wherein the first playback zone creation command comprises a playback zone identifier for a first playback zone and at least one audio output assignment;
• after receiving the first playback zone creation command from the computing device, using a second API to create a first logical player for the first playback zone, wherein the first logical player includes the at least one audio output assignment.

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first Multi-Player Playback Device to perform functions comprising:

• maintaining a configuration file that stores a plurality of settings of the first Multi-Player Playback Device, wherein the configuration file is accessible by and editable via a set of application programming interfaces (API) implemented at the first Multi-Player Playback Device, and wherein the plurality of settings comprises, for each audio output of the first Multi-Player Playback Device, (i) whether the audio output is assigned to a logical player, and (ii) for each assigned audio output, (a) a logical player to which the audio output is assigned, (b) an audio channel assigned to the audio output, and (c) a playback zone to which the logical player is assigned;
• receiving a current configuration request from a computing device separate from the first Multi-Player Playback Device, wherein the current configuration request includes a request for one or more of the plurality of settings of the first Multi-Player Playback Device;
• after receiving the current configuration request from the computing device, (i) using a first API to access the configuration file, and (ii) transmitting current configuration information obtained from the configuration file to the computing device;
• receiving a home theater playback zone creation command from the computing device, wherein the home theater playback zone creation command comprises a home theater playback zone identifier for a home theater playback zone and at least a second Multi-Player Playback Device with which to create the home theater playback zone;
• after receiving the home theater playback zone creation command from the computing device, using a second API to create a logical player with the second Multi-Player Playback Device for the home theater playback zone;
• receiving one or more audio output assignments for the home theater playback zone from the computing device;
• after receiving the one or more audio output assignments for the home theater playback zone from the computing device, using a third API to associate one or more audio outputs corresponding to the one or more audio output assignments for the home theater playback zone to the logical player for the home theater playback zone;
• and
• for each of the one or more audio outputs added to the logical playback for the home theater playback zone, receiving a home theater audio channel assignment for the audio output from the computing device, and using the third API to configure the audio output to play the home theater audio channel assigned to the audio output.