Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems that interact with users so as to provide for social networking and/or other services. In certain exemplary embodiments, an entertainment system is configured to provide jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services that are accessible from within and from the outside of the location, coordinating social networking services among and between patrons within and outside of the location and also providing for advertisement opportunities. In certain exemplary embodiments, the entertainment system within a location may serve as and/or be connected to a jukebox. The entertainment system within the location may be connected to one or more client devices, one or more displays, one or more bar-top or hand-held gaming devices, etc., in certain exemplary embodiments. The jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services may provide mechanisms for enhancing patrons' experiences, creating a sense of ownership and/or belongingness to a connected community of entertainment system users.

In accordance with a method for presenting home screen shortcuts, a computer system is coupled to a plurality of media content providers and obtains a respective media application for each of the media content providers. Content is provided for display on the television screen from a first media content provider via a first media application. The computer system obtains a plurality of shortcuts corresponding to a home screen user interface, and the plurality of shortcuts includes one or more media shortcuts and a search shortcut. The home screen user interface is displayed concurrently with the provided content on the television screen, and the one or more media shortcuts and the search shortcut are concurrently displayed on the home screen user interface. In response to selection of the search shortcut, the computer system initiates a shortcut search for one or more additional shortcuts for display on the home screen user interface.

Methods and system for providing content are disclosed. One method can comprise receiving a request for data at a first time, wherein the data comprises a first time duration, determining a buffer size based upon the first time duration, and determining a playback window based upon the determined buffer size and the first time. The method can also comprise synchronizing presentation of content on a plurality of devices.

An apparatus for receiving a broadcast signal, includes a receiver configured to receive the broadcast signal including physical layer signaling data, signaling data, content data and service guide information, wherein the signaling data is included in a signal frame indicated by the physical layer signaling data, wherein the signaling data includes mapping information between a service and a PLP, and information supporting channel scanning and service acquisition, wherein the service guide information includes a service fragment having information about the broadcast service and a content fragment having information about content data of the broadcast service, wherein the content fragment further includes a content-level PrivateExt element having component information of the content data, wherein the component information includes information for a component in the broadcast service, and wherein the component is one of a video component, an audio component, and a closed caption component (CC).

An apparatus for receiving a broadcast signal, includes a receiver configured to receive the broadcast signal including physical layer signaling data, signaling data, content data and service guide information, wherein the signaling data is included in a signal frame indicated by the physical layer signaling data, wherein the signaling data includes mapping information between a service and a PLP, and information supporting channel scanning and service acquisition, wherein the service guide information includes a service fragment having information about the broadcast service and a content fragment having information about content data of the broadcast service, wherein the content fragment further includes a content-level PrivateExt element having component information of the content data, wherein the component information includes information for a component in the broadcast service, and wherein the component is one of a video component, an audio component, and a closed caption component (CC).

A proxy service is described for linking a device with a remote server via a mobile application. Accordingly, a portable computer such as a smart phone can execute a mobile application that creates a proxy service through which data can be wirelessly communicated from the device to the portable computer via a personal area network (PAN) and wirelessly communicated from the portable computer to the remote server via a wide area network (WAN). The remote server can also send data to the device via the proxy service in the reverse direction.

A smart mirror can show live or recorded streaming video of an instructor performing a workout in a package that is attractive and unobtrusive enough to hang in a living room. The smart mirror includes a mirror surface with a fully reflecting section and a partially reflecting section. A display behind the partially reflecting section shows the video when the smart mirror is on and is almost invisible when the smart mirror is off. The smart mirror also has a speaker, a microphone, and a camera to enable a user to view the video content and interact with the instructor. The smart mirror may connect to the user's smart phone, a peripheral device (e.g., a Bluetooth speaker) to augment user experience, a biometric sensor to provide biometric data to assess user performance, and/or a network router to connect the smart mirror to a content provider, an instructor, and/or other users.

Described embodiments provide a method and user equipment for dynamically controlling a display mode of an external device coupled to user equipment. The method may include determining whether to detect connection to an external device and upon the detection of the connection, controlling the coupled external device to display image data produced in the user equipment on a display unit of the coupled external device in a display mode different from a display mode of the user equipment.

The present disclosure describes a method for displaying supplemental content. The method includes determining environmental characteristics, e.g., wall space, empty areas, colors, etc., for a display environment, determining supplemental content based in part on a primary content displayed by a primary display, and displaying the supplemental content in the display environment.

Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest. In one basic form, the EPG display is reordered by listing more frequently visited categories or subcategories first, and other less frequently visited categories or subcategories lower on the listing or out-of-sight on another page of the display.