A video packet stream is transmitted from a transmitting device to a receiving device over a network, by transmitting an audio packet stream to the receiving device, determining a measure of network bandwidth in dependence on one or more metrics associated with receiving the audio packet stream at the receiving device, and enabling a video packet stream in dependence on the determined measure.

A method includes accessing, at a media content provider system, a media stream corresponding to a first media content item. The method further includes generating a media content file based on the media stream and a second media content item that is different than the first media content item. A first portion of the media content file may include media data of the media stream, and a second portion of the media content file may include header data and an indicator of a location of the second media content item.

A method of processing of a sequence of video frames from a camera capturing a writing surface for subsequent transmission to at least one of a remote videoconferencing client and a remote videoconferencing server. The method comprises receiving the sequence of video frames from the camera; and selecting an image area of interest in the video frames, comprising selecting one of a sub-area of the video frames and an entire area of the video frames. The method also comprises, for each current video frame of the sequence of video frames, generating a pen stroke mask by applying adaptive thresholding to the image area of interest. The method also comprises generating an output video frame using the pen stroke mask. Corresponding systems and computer readable media are disclosed.

Methods and systems provide for video appearance adjustments within a video communication session. First, the system receives video content. The system then receives an appearance adjustment request comprising an adjustment depth, and detects imagery of a user within the video content. The system then detects a face region within the video content. The system segments the face region into a number of skin areas. For each of the plurality of skin areas, the system classifies the skin area as a smooth texture region or rough texture region. If the skin area is classified as a smooth texture region, the system modifies the imagery of the user in real time or substantially real time by applying a smoothing process to the skin area, where the amount of smoothing applied corresponds to the adjustment depth.

Various concepts for media content streaming are described. Some allow for streaming spatial scene content in a spatially unequal manner so that the visible quality for the user is increased, or the processing complexity or used bandwidth at the streaming retrieval site is decreased. Others allow for streaming spatial scene content in a manner enlarging the applicability to further application scenarios.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, setting a streaming rate cap for a client device; obtaining a bitrate ladder associated with the client device, wherein the bitrate ladder comprises a listing of a plurality of bitrates that the client device can request in connection with receiving streaming data; determining a boost rate for the client device, wherein the boost rate is greater than the streaming rate cap such that the boost rate enables the client device to receive the streaming data faster than the client device would otherwise receive the streaming data under the streaming rate cap, and wherein the boost rate is based upon the bitrate ladder; and enabling delivery to the client device of the streaming data up to the boost rate; wherein a network device is part of a network through which the streaming data is delivered to the client device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A television and system and method for providing a remote control device are disclosed. In one embodiment of the television, the television includes a processor, a memory, a tuner, a panel, and an audio driver therein in an interconnected architecture. The television may establish a pairing with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device, such as a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device having a touch screen display, whereby formatted parallel audiovisual experience instructions, including virtual buttons, may be transmitted to the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device for display on the touch screen display to create an experience parallel to the experience on the television. The television receives and processes virtual remote control functionality input instructions from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device to control amenities associated with the television.

A method and apparatus include including, in a moving pictures experts group (MPEG) dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol (DASH) media presentation description (MPD) file, an initialization presentation element that identifies an initialization presentation and one or more initialization groups included in the initialization presentation. An initialization group element that identifies an initialization group and one or more initialization sets included in the initialization group is included in the MPD file. An initialization set element that identifies an initialization set is included in the MPD file. The MPD file is transmitted to a client device.

Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for adapting content items to device operations of an endpoint media device are disclosed. A first content composite may be created by one or more processing devices for delivery in a packet stream from a content provider system via one or more networks, where the first content composite may include an adaptable content item corresponding to a set of one or more audio and/or video packets corresponding to audio and/or video content. The first content composite may be transmitted, where, consequent to delivery of the first content composite to a first endpoint media device or a second endpoint media device, the first endpoint media device or the second endpoint media device may perform one operation relating to a second content item of the first content composite, where the adaptable content item may be modified based on the second content item.

Described is a method of managing a network for delivering content in a hybrid unicast/multicast network, where content is requested by clients over unicast, but all or some of the content is delivered in part over multicast. Typically, a client requests content (in the form of segments) via a first proxy. The segments are delivered to the first proxy over multicast from a second proxy, before onward transmission to the requesting client over unicast. The segments are also cached at the first proxy, and can be transmitted over unicast to other clients requesting those segments. However, problems can arise if cached segments are transmitted to clients too quickly. In one solution, the first proxy measures the multicast rate of delivery of segments from the second proxy over multicast, and limits the transmission rate of those segments over unicast to requesting clients to no greater than the measured multicast delivery rate.