Switching between a directly connected and a networked audio source

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by an audio information source interface of a first playback device, a first analog signal comprising first audio information from a first audio information source physically connected to the first playback device;

playing back the first analog signal in response to receiving first control information via a network interface;

receiving, via the network interface of the first playback device, second audio information from a second audio information source; and

in response to receiving second control information via the network interface, playing back the second audio information in synchrony with a second playback device, wherein playing back the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device comprises: (i) generating, by the first playback device, playback timing information for the second audio information, (ii) dividing the second audio information into a series of frames comprising the second audio information and the playback timing information for the second audio information, (iii) transmitting, via the network interface of the first playback device, first playback device clock time information and the series of frames comprising the second audio information and the playback timing information for the second audio information to the second playback device over a network, wherein the network is one of a LAN or WAN, and (iv) playing back a second analog signal comprising the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device in accordance with the playback timing information for the second audio information, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device remain independently clocked while the first playback device plays back the second analog signal in synchrony with the second playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to receiving the first control information via the network interface, additionally transmitting, by the first playback device, the first audio information to the second playback device over the network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

before transmitting the first playback device clock time information and the series of frames comprising the second audio information and the playback timing information for the second audio information to the second playback device via the network, receiving, by the first playback device from a controller device over the LAN, an instruction to form a synchrony group with at least the second playback device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the first playback device from a controller device via the LAN, an instruction to switch from playing back the second analog signal to playing back the first analog signal; and

in response to the instruction, switching from playing back the second analog signal to playing back the first analog signal.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the first playback device from a controller device via the LAN, an instruction to switch from playing back the first analog signal to playing back the second analog signal; and

in response to the instruction, switching from playing back the first analog signal to playing back the second analog signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first playback device and the second playback device remaining independently clocked while the first playback device plays back the second analog signal in synchrony with the second playback device comprises a clock of the first playback device operating at a different clock rate than a clock of the second playback device during synchronous playback.

7. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by an audio information source interface of a first playback device, a first analog signal comprising first audio information from a first audio information source physically connected to the first playback device;

playing back the first analog signal in response to receiving first control information via a network interface;

receiving, via the network interface of the first playback device, second audio information from a second audio information source; and

in response to receiving second control information via the network interface, playing back the second audio information in synchrony with a second playback device, wherein playing back the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device comprises: (i) generating playback timing information for the second audio information, (ii) dividing the second audio information into a series of frames comprising the second audio information and the playback timing information for the second audio information, (iii) transmitting, via the network interface of the first playback device, first playback device clock time information and the series of frames comprising the second audio information and playback timing information for the second audio information to the second playback device over a network, wherein the network is one of a LAN or WAN, and (iv) playing back a second analog signal comprising the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device in accordance with the playback timing information for the second audio information, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device remain independently clocked while the first playback device plays back the second analog signal in synchrony with the second playback device.

8. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

in response to receiving the first control information via the network interface, additionally transmitting the first audio information to the second playback device over the network.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

before transmitting the first playback device clock time information and the series of frames comprising the second audio information and the playback timing information for the second audio information to the second playback device via the network, receiving, from a controller device over the LAN, an instruction to form a synchrony group with at least the second playback device.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from a controller device via the LAN, an instruction to switch from playing back the second analog signal to playing back the first analog signal; and

in response to the instruction, switching from playing back the second analog signal to playing back the first analog signal.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the first playback device and the second playback device remaining independently clocked while the first playback device plays back the second analog signal in synchrony with the second playback device comprises a clock of the first playback device operating at a different clock rate than a clock of the second playback device during synchronous playback.

12. A first playback device comprising:

an audio information source interface;

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

tangible, non-transitory computer memory comprising program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the first playback device to:

receive, via the audio information source interface, a first analog signal comprising first audio information from a first audio information source physically connected to the first playback device;

play back the first analog signal in response to receiving first control information via the network interface;

receive, via the network interface, second audio information from a second audio information source; and

in response to receiving second control information via the network interface, play back the second audio information in synchrony with a second playback device, wherein playing back the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device comprises: (i) generating playback timing information for the second audio information, (ii) dividing the second audio information into a series of frames comprising the second audio information and the playback timing information for the second audio information, (iii) transmitting, via the network interface, first playback device clock time information and the series of frames comprising the second audio information and the playback timing information for the second audio information to the second playback device over a network, wherein the network is one of a LAN or WAN, and (iv) playing back a second analog signal comprising the second audio information in synchrony with the second playback device in accordance with the playback timing information for the second audio information, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device remain independently clocked while the first playback device plays back the second analog signal in synchrony with the second playback device.

13. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the second audio information comprises one of audio files or packetized streaming audio information.

14. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the first playback device to:

in response to receiving the first control information via the network interface, play back the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device, wherein playing back the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device comprises transmitting the first audio information to the second playback device over the network.

15. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the first playback device to:

after receiving the first control information via the network interface, play back the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device, wherein playing back the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device comprises (i) generating a digital signal comprising the first audio information, (ii) generating playback timing information for the first audio information, (iii) dividing the digital signal into a series of frames comprising the first audio information and the playback timing information for the first audio information, (iv) transmitting, via the network interface, the first playback device clock time information and the series of frames comprising the playback timing information for the first audio information to the second playback device over the network, and (v) playing back the first audio information in synchrony with the second playback device.

16. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the first playback device to:

before transmitting the first playback device clock time information and the series of frames comprising the second audio information and the playback timing information for the second audio information to the second playback device via the network, receive, from a controller device over the LAN, an instruction to form a synchrony group with at least the second playback device.

17. The first playback device of claim 16 , wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the first playback device to:

transmit, to the controller device via the network, status information that comprises a status of the synchrony group.

18. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the second audio information source is outside of the LAN.

19. The first playback device of claim 18 , wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the first playback device to:

receive, from a controller device via the LAN, an address identifying a network location of the second audio information source, wherein the second audio information source is outside of the LAN; and

in response to receiving the address, obtain the second audio information from the second audio information source at the received address.

20. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the first playback device to:

after receiving the second control information via the network interface, additionally (i) determine whether the first playback device is currently playing back the first analog signal, and (ii) in response to determining that the first playback device is currently playing back the first analog signal, terminate play back of the first analog signal.

21. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the first playback device to:

receive, from a controller device via the LAN, an instruction to switch from playing back the second analog signal to playing back the first analog signal; and

in response to the instruction, switch from playing back the second analog signal to playing back the first analog signal.

22. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the first playback device to:

receive, from a controller device via the LAN, an instruction to switch from playing back the first analog signal to playing back the second analog signal; and

in response to the instruction, switch from playing back the first analog signal to playing back the second analog signal.

23. The first playback device of claim 12 , wherein the first playback device and the second playback device remaining independently clocked while the first playback device plays back the second analog signal in synchrony with the second playback device comprises a clock of the first playback device operating at a different clock rate than a clock of the second playback device during synchronous playback.