A system is provided for concurrent presentation of non-programming media assets with programming media content at a client device. The client device receives a response for occurrence of an event opportunity point from the media presentation and distribution system based on a selection criteria for the event opportunity point. A display view of the client device is modified, and a non-programming media asset is presented from a second media stream for a defined duration and different version of the programming media content in first partition, concurrently with the programming media content over second partition. The different version of the programming media content corresponds to the programming media content encoded based on a region within the modified display view allocated to the first partition. The presentation is based on user preference for specific item in the programming media content and user selection of the non-programming media asset displayed in past engagement.

A method for playing out a media program including a primary programming. The method includes storing the primary programming; forming first and second sets of content for play-out during a break in the primary programming, where the second set's duration differs by less than a predetermined amount from the duration of the first set of content transmitting, by a first mechanism, a base program including the primary programming and subsequently, during the break, the first set of content, and after the break, the primary programming; and transmitting, by a second mechanism, the primary programming at a first time offset to the transmitting by the first mechanism before the break and subsequently, during the break, the second set of content and after the break, the primary programming at a second time offset to the transmitting by the first mechanism, after the break, the first and second time offsets being different.

A system and method for generating analytics for entities depicted in multimedia content, including: identifying at least one social pattern based on social linking scores of a plurality of entities indicated in a social linking graph, wherein each social pattern is identified at least by comparing one of the social linking scores to a predetermined social pattern threshold, wherein each social linking score is generated based on contexts of at least one multimedia content element (MMCE) in which at least two of the plurality of entities are depicted, wherein each context is determined based on a plurality of concepts of one of the at least one MMCE, wherein each concept matches at least one signature generated for the at least one MMCE above a predetermined threshold; and generating, based on the identified at least one social pattern, analytics for the plurality of entities depicted in the social linking graph.

A media presentation and distribution system communicatively coupled to a client device, which handles enablement of a client-side dynamic presentation of at least one non-programming media asset along with programming media content. The client device receives a first media stream of the programming media content in response to a request, associated with at least one user preference for the programming media content, to the media presentation and distribution system. The client device identifies at least one tag in the programming media content and transmits at least one event opportunity point for selection to the media presentation distribution system. Based on the selection, the client device modifies a display view of the client device for a defined duration, and presents the at least one non-programming media asset, from a second media stream for the defined duration, concurrently with the programming media content over the modified display view of the client device.

Example systems, apparatus, and methods receive audio information including a plurality of frames from a source device, wherein each frame of the plurality of frames includes one or more audio samples and a time stamp indicating when to play the one or more audio samples of the respective frame. In an example, the time stamp is updated for each of the plurality of frames using a time differential value determined between clock information received from the source device and clock information associated with the device. The updated time stamp is stored for each of the plurality of frames, and the audio information is output based on the plurality of frames and associated updated time stamps. A number of samples per frame to be output is adjusted based on a comparison between the updated time stamp for the frame and a predicted time value for play back of the frame.

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.

Example systems, apparatus, and methods receive audio information including a plurality of frames from a source device, wherein each frame of the plurality of frames includes one or more audio samples and a time stamp indicating when to play the one or more audio samples of the respective frame. In an example, the time stamp is updated for each of the plurality of frames using a time differential value determined between clock information received from the source device and clock information associated with the device. The updated time stamp is stored for each of the plurality of frames, and the audio information is output based on the plurality of frames and associated updated time stamps. A number of samples per frame to be output is adjusted based on a comparison between the updated time stamp for the frame and a predicted time value for play back of the frame.

A media presentation and distribution system communicatively coupled to a client device is provided. The client device receives a media stream from the media presentation and distribution system via a network. The media stream includes media content and one or more tags. The client device further identifies in the received media content, the one or more tags, which corresponds to the overlay-graphic items. The client device further identifies candidate time-periods in the media content based on the one or more tags in the media content. At least one presentation attribute for the overlay-graphic items is identified based on the one or more tags in the media content. The client device further presents the overlay-graphic items at the candidate time-periods on the media content based on a degree of correlation between the identified tag in the media content and a corresponding context for the media content at the candidate time-period.

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.

A system is described for maintaining synchrony of operations among a plurality of devices that have independent clocking arrangements. The system includes a task distribution device that distributes tasks to a synchrony group comprising a plurality of devices that are to perform the tasks distributed by the task distribution device in synchrony. The task distribution device distributes each task to the members of the synchrony group over a network. Each task is associated with a time stamp that indicates a time, relative to a clock maintained by the task distribution device, at which the members of the synchrony group are to execute the task. Each member of the synchrony group periodically obtains from the task distribution device an indication of the current time indicated by its clock, determines a time differential between the task distribution device's clock and its respective clock and determines therefrom a time at which, according to its respective clock, the time stamp indicates that it is to execute the task.