A system for presenting content, the system comprising a media receiving device and a computing device, the media receiving device comprising: an input/output connector in the form of a High-Definition Multimedia Interface port configured to connect the media receiving device to a media playback device using a High-Definition Multimedia Interface cable; and a hardware processor that is programmed to: establish a connection with the media playback device through the High-Definition Multimedia Interface cable; respond to a discovery request from the computing device presenting a media content item; establish a communications link with the computing device over a network in response to a request from the computing device to establish the communications link; and cause the media content item to be presented using the media playback device; the computing device comprising: a content presentation application configured to present the media content application; and a sender application configured to: determine whether a source of the media content item is local in that it is on computing device, or if it is remote; if the sender application determines that the source of the media content item is remote, then cause the media receiving device to request the media content item from the remote source using any suitable communication protocols; if the sender application determines that the source of the media content item is local, then cause the computing device to transmit the content to the media receiving device using the communication link over the network without the media content item being transmitted through a content delivery server. an input/output connector in the form of a High-Definition Multimedia Interface port configured to connect the media receiving device to a media playback device using a High-Definition Multimedia Interface cable; and a hardware processor that is programmed to: establish a connection with the media playback device through the High-Definition Multimedia Interface cable; respond to a discovery request from the computing device presenting a media content item; establish a communications link with the computing device over a network in response to a request from the computing device to establish the communications link; and cause the media content item to be presented using the media playback device; establish a connection with the media playback device through the High-Definition Multimedia Interface cable; respond to a discovery request from the computing device presenting a media content item; establish a communications link with the computing device over a network in response to a request from the computing device to establish the communications link; and cause the media content item to be presented using the media playback device; a content presentation application configured to present the media content application; and a sender application configured to: determine whether a source of the media content item is local in that it is on computing device, or if it is remote; if the sender application determines that the source of the media content item is remote, then cause the media receiving device to request the media content item from the remote source using any suitable communication protocols; if the sender application determines that the source of the media content item is local, then cause the computing device to transmit the content to the media receiving device using the communication link over the network without the media content item being transmitted through a content delivery server. determine whether a source of the media content item is local in that it is on computing device, or if it is remote; if the sender application determines that the source of the media content item is remote, then cause the media receiving device to request the media content item from the remote source using any suitable communication protocols; if the sender application determines that the source of the media content item is local, then cause the computing device to transmit the content to the media receiving device using the communication link over the network without the media content item being transmitted through a content delivery server.