A media system includes a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to a coax network and a controller. The controller displays a first passkey to a user in response to receiving a request from the user to activate playback of a media content on a particular set-top box. The set-top box receives the first passkey from the user and determines whether the user is authorized to activate playback of the media content by comparing the first passkey received from the user with a second passkey obtained from a passkey module on the set-top box. When the user is determined by the set-top box to be authorized to activate playback of the media content, the set-top box determines a radio frequency channel of the coax network according to the first passkey received from the user and begins playback of the media content received on the radio frequency channel on a display device.

A media system includes a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to a coax network and a controller. The controller displays a first passkey to a user in response to receiving a request from the user to activate playback of a media content on a particular set-top box. The set-top box receives the first passkey from the user and determines whether the user is authorized to activate playback of the media content by comparing the first passkey received from the user with a second passkey obtained from a passkey module on the set-top box. When the user is determined by the set-top box to be authorized to activate playback of the media content, the set-top box determines a radio frequency channel of the coax network according to the first passkey received from the user and begins playback of the media content received on the radio frequency channel on a display device.

A satellite reception assembly may include a housing configured to support receipt and handling of a plurality of satellite signals. The housing may include circuitry incorporating integrated stacking architecture for supporting and/or providing channel and/or band stacking whereby particular channels or bands, from multiple satellite signals that are received via the satellite reception assembly, may be combined onto a single output signal that may be communicated from the satellite reception assembly to a gateway device for concurrent distribution thereby to a plurality of client devices serviced by the gateway device.

A satellite reception assembly may include a housing configured to support receipt and handling of a plurality of satellite signals. The housing may include circuitry incorporating integrated stacking architecture for supporting and/or providing channel and/or band stacking whereby particular channels or bands, from multiple satellite signals that are received via the satellite reception assembly, may be combined onto a single output signal that may be communicated from the satellite reception assembly to a gateway device for concurrent distribution thereby to a plurality of client devices serviced by the gateway device.

Embodiments are provided for syncing multiple electronic devices for collective audio playback. According to certain aspects, a master device connects (218) to a slave device via a wireless connection. The master device calculates (224) a network latency via a series of network latency pings with the slave device and sends (225) the network latency to the slave device. Further, the master devices sends (232) a portion of an audio file as well as a timing instruction including a system time to the slave device. The master device initiates (234) playback of the portion of the audio file and the slave devices initiates (236) playback of the portion of the audio file according to the timing instruction and a calculated system clock offset value.

Devices, systems and methods are provided for delivering media content from different types of content sources to different destination devices across an outdoor/indoor interface using an outdoor hub device. An exemplary hub device includes a first input interface to receive a broadcast signal, a second input interface to receive a telecommunications signal from a telecommunications network, and an output interface. The device further includes a content stream management module coupled to the first input interface and the second input interface to multiplex broadcast and telecommunications content into a multiplexed content stream, an encapsulation module coupled to the content stream management module to encapsulate the multiplexed content stream into a packetized multiplexed content stream, and a communications interface coupled to the encapsulation module and the output interface to transmit the packetized multiplexed content stream to an indoor gateway device via the output interface.

Devices, systems and methods are provided for delivering media content from different types of content sources to different destination devices across an outdoor/indoor interface using an outdoor hub device. An exemplary hub device includes a first input interface to receive a broadcast signal, a second input interface to receive a telecommunications signal from a telecommunications network, and an output interface. The device further includes a content stream management module coupled to the first input interface and the second input interface to multiplex broadcast and telecommunications content into a multiplexed content stream, an encapsulation module coupled to the content stream management module to encapsulate the multiplexed content stream into a packetized multiplexed content stream, and a communications interface coupled to the encapsulation module and the output interface to transmit the packetized multiplexed content stream to an indoor gateway device via the output interface.

In some embodiments, a first receiver in a plurality of receivers receives a signal via a unicable line from a satellite transmission. The unicable line connects the plurality of receivers to an interface that receives multiple inputs from a satellite reflector dish. The first receiver generates a first unicable message for delivery on the unicable line and detects a characteristic on the unicable line to determine whether a second unicable message from a second receiver in the plurality of receivers is being sent on the unicable line. When the second unicable message is detected, the first receiver delays transmission of the first unicable message by a time period. When the second unicable message is not detected, the first receiver transmits the first unicable message on the unicable line.

In some embodiments, a first receiver in a plurality of receivers receives a signal via a unicable line from a satellite transmission. The unicable line connects the plurality of receivers to an interface that receives multiple inputs from a satellite reflector dish. The first receiver generates a first unicable message for delivery on the unicable line and detects a characteristic on the unicable line to determine whether a second unicable message from a second receiver in the plurality of receivers is being sent on the unicable line. When the second unicable message is detected, the first receiver delays transmission of the first unicable message by a time period. When the second unicable message is not detected, the first receiver transmits the first unicable message on the unicable line.

A system includes a host device to provide a content signal, an end device to receive the content signal, and a branch of amplifiers connected between the host device and the end device to carry the content signal from the host device to the end device. The host device may receive a first signal from the branch of amplifiers connected to the end device, and extract, from the first signal, first characteristics of the content signal measured at one or more points in the branch of amplifiers. The host device may compare the first characteristics of the content signal to second characteristics. The host device may determine, based on the comparison, adjustments for one or more settings of a first amplifier of the amplifiers, and send a second signal to the branch of amplifiers to communicate the adjustments for the one or more settings to the first amplifier.