| CPC H04N 21/2387 (2013.01) [H04L 7/00 (2013.01); H04L 7/0008 (2013.01); H04L 65/61 (2022.05); H04L 65/70 (2022.05); H04L 65/764 (2022.05); H04L 65/80 (2013.01); H04N 21/242 (2013.01); H04N 21/4305 (2013.01); H04N 21/4307 (2013.01); H04N 21/43076 (2020.08)] | 9 Claims |

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1. A method for synchronizing playback of encoded media by a plurality of playback devices connected to a Local Area Network (LAN), the method comprising:
requesting time information from a network time provider;
receiving the time information from the network time provider;
determining a stream start time based on the received time information, wherein the stream start time indicates a time at which playback should commence;
generating stream initiation information for a stream of encoded media, wherein the stream initiation information includes a stream start time;
receiving requests for a stream of encoded media from at least two playback devices from a plurality of playback devices connected to the LAN;
transmitting the stream initiation information for the stream of encoded media to each of the at least two playback devices; and
transmitting the stream of encoded media to each of the at least two playback devices, wherein:
the stream of encoded media includes a plurality of encoded frames,
each encoded frame of the plurality of encoded frames is associated with a presentation time stamp,
the presentation time stamp is configured to be adjustable based on the stream initiation information, and
playback of the stream of encoded media is capable of synchronization between each of the at least two playback devices based on the stream initiation information and a playback clock of each of the at least two playback devices such that a time delay of presentation of each frame between each of the at least two playback devices is less than nineteen milliseconds.
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