In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system involves: a computing device receiving a first audio-stream that represents first audio-content; the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content; the computing device receiving a second audio-stream that represents second audio-content; the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content; the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.

In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system involves: a computing device receiving a first audio-stream that represents first audio-content; the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content; the computing device receiving a second audio-stream that represents second audio-content; the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content; the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.

An apparatus and method are provided. A first buffer is configured to store a first packet stream, the first buffer comprising a first read pointer pointing to a first position in the first packet stream. A second buffer is configured to store a second packet stream. The second packet stream corresponds to the first packet stream and the second buffer comprises a second read pointer. A controller is configured to determine a second position in the second packet stream that corresponds to the first position in the first packet stream and adjust the second read pointer to point to the second position.

In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system involves: a computing device receiving a first audio-stream that represents first audio-content; the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of single-channel/multi-channel transitions included within the first audio-content; the computing device receiving a second audio-stream that represents second audio-content; the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of single-channel/multi-channel transitions included within the second audio-content; the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.

In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system involves: a computing device receiving a first audio-stream that represents first audio-content; the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content; the computing device receiving a second audio-stream that represents second audio-content; the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content; the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.

A transmitting apparatus is provided. The transmitting apparatus includes: a frame generator configured to generate a frame including a plurality of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols; and a guard interval (GI) inserter configured to insert GIs into the generated frame, wherein the plurality of OFDM symbols are divided into a bootstrap, a preamble, and a payload, and the GI inserter inserts first GIs having a size corresponding to a fast Fourier transform (FFT) size of each of OFDM symbols configuring the payload into front ends of each of the OFDM symbols, inserts second GIs having a size corresponding to a quotient obtained by dividing an extra region of the payload calculated based on the FFT size of the OFDM symbols configuring the payload, the number of OFDM symbols, and the size of the first GIs by the number of OFDM symbols into front ends of each of the first GIs, and inserts a cyclic postfix (CP) having a size corresponding to the remainder remaining after dividing the extra region of the payload by the number of OFDM symbols into a rear end of a final OFDM symbol configuring the payload.

A transmitting apparatus is provided. The transmitting apparatus includes: a frame generator configured to generate a frame including a plurality of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols; and a guard interval (GI) inserter configured to insert GIs into the generated frame, wherein the plurality of OFDM symbols are divided into a bootstrap, a preamble, and a payload, and the GI inserter inserts first GIs having a size corresponding to a fast Fourier transform (FFT) size of each of OFDM symbols configuring the payload into front ends of each of the OFDM symbols, inserts second GIs having a size corresponding to a quotient obtained by dividing an extra region of the payload calculated based on the FFT size of the OFDM symbols configuring the payload, the number of OFDM symbols, and the size of the first GIs by the number of OFDM symbols into front ends of each of the first GIs, and inserts a cyclic postfix (CP) having a size corresponding to the remainder remaining after dividing the extra region of the payload by the number of OFDM symbols into a rear end of a final OFDM symbol configuring the payload.

A method and a user node for enabling reception of a TV service. The user node operates in a first reception mode of receiving the TV service as signals broadcasted over the air and in a second reception mode of receiving the TV service as a media stream over an Internet Protocol Television, IPTV, link The user node monitors quality of the broadcasted signals when receiving the TV service in the first reception mode. The user node switches operation from the first reception mode to the second reception mode responsive to the monitored quality of the broadcasted signals being below a first threshold. Thereafter, the user node receives the TV service over the IPTV link in the second reception mode. The TV service can be properly received and played out with satisfying user experience irrespective of the broadcasted signals over the air not reaching the user node with sufficient quality.

A method and a user node for enabling reception of a TV service. The user node operates in a first reception mode of receiving the TV service as signals broadcasted over the air and in a second reception mode of receiving the TV service as a media stream over an Internet Protocol Television, IPTV, link The user node monitors quality of the broadcasted signals when receiving the TV service in the first reception mode. The user node switches operation from the first reception mode to the second reception mode responsive to the monitored quality of the broadcasted signals being below a first threshold. Thereafter, the user node receives the TV service over the IPTV link in the second reception mode. The TV service can be properly received and played out with satisfying user experience irrespective of the broadcasted signals over the air not reaching the user node with sufficient quality.

An audio playback method and device are provided. The audio playback method includes a broadcast device. The broadcast device obtains the audio-to-be-played from a source device via a unicast link. When indicated by the source device to apply a party mode to play the audio-to-be-played, the broadcast device serves as a broadcast media sender and broadcasts the audio-to-be-played to at least one playback device, so as to play the audio-to-be-played through the at least one playback device. This makes a device that only supports traditional unicast functions can also apply the party mode to play the audio-to-be-played.