A method, apparatus, and system of pause and replay of media content through bookmarks on a server device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a server device includes authenticating a user of a client device, communicating a media content to the client device through a network, processing a pause request of the client device to pause the media content, storing a bookmark location indicating a current playback location of the media content in the client device on the server device, processing a play request of the user to play the media content from the bookmark location (e.g., the play request may be received from a different client device of the user), and communicating the media content from the bookmark location to the user.

A method and apparatus for secure transfer and playback of multimedia content enables the secure transfer of multimedia content from a digital video recorder (DVR) to a personal computer (PC) and further to a handheld device. A DVR determines which devices on a Local Area Network (LAN) are authorized to share and/or retrieve content from the DVR. The DVR receives a connection request from a PC on the LAN, authorizes the connection request and establishes a secure connection between the DVR and the PC. Once the secure connection is established, the DVR receives a request for multimedia content from the PC, prepares the multimedia content for transfer and transfers the multimedia content to the PC.

Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for identifying a geographical location of an issue in a broadcasting network. An embodiment operates by a server or a headend sending a diagnostic test to a set-top box capable of processing a channel. The diagnostic test informs the first set-top box to have an idle tuner tune to the channel and to determine a performance characteristic of the first set-top box in processing the first channel. After receipt of the performance characteristic, the server or headend performs an analysis of the first characteristic and determines whether there is an issue in the broadcasting network. If there is an issue, the server or headend identifies a geographical location of the issue in the broadcasting network and sends the geographical location to a user for resolution of the issue.

Systems and methods to support switching of virtual cores.

A method and apparatus for secure transfer and playback of multimedia content enables the secure transfer of multimedia content from a digital video recorder (DVR) to a personal computer (PC) and further to a handheld device. A DVR determines which devices on a Local Area Network (LAN) are authorized to share and/or retrieve content from the DVR. The DVR receives a connection request from a PC on the LAN, authorizes the connection request and establishes a secure connection between the DVR and the PC. Once the secure connection is established, the DVR receives a request for multimedia content from the PC, prepares the multimedia content for transfer and transfers the multimedia content to the PC.

A method and apparatus for displaying branded video tags. An advertiser provides additional content associated with broadcast advertising content to a service provider that downloads the additional content to a digital video recorder (DVR). The service provider inserts command tags into the content that are intercepted by the DVR and interpreted as commands that instruct the DVR to perform specific actions when the DVR receives the stream from a broadcaster. The DVR intercepts and translates any tags inserted into the content stream while the DVR is playing the content stream. Tags can cause the DVR to display a branded video tag to the user which is a displayed icon that requests an interaction by the user and has an advertiser’s logo(s) displayed in its vicinity.

Methods and systems for an intelligent tap with dynamically configurable amplifier gain. The intelligent tap includes a filter configured to process a signal received from a service provider system via a hybrid fiber-coaxial network, an amplifier connected to the filter, the amplifier configured to apply a feedback controlled gain value to the signal to generate an output signal, where the feedback controlled gain value is based on a comparison of a target signal strength to a sampled output signal strength, and a signal strength measuring component connected to the amplifier in a feedback loop, the signal strength measuring component configured to sample the output signal, and compare a signal strength of a sampled output signal to the target signal strength to generate the feedback controlled gain value, where application of the feedback controlled gain value maintains the output signal at a constant amplitude pursuant to the target signal strength.

A method and apparatus for displaying branded video tags. An advertiser provides additional content associated with broadcast advertising content to a service provider that downloads the additional content to a digital video recorder (DVR). The service provider inserts command tags into the content that are intercepted by the DVR and interpreted as commands that instruct the DVR to perform specific actions when the DVR receives the stream from a broadcaster. The DVR intercepts and translates any tags inserted into the content stream while the DVR is playing the content stream. Tags can cause the DVR to display a branded video tag to the user which is a displayed icon that requests an interaction by the user and has an advertiser's logo(s) displayed in its vicinity.

A local communication network (LCN) is contemplated. The LCN may be established within an existing network by leveraging network capabilities in order to facilitate local communications of the type whereby point-to-point (P-to-P) or other types of messaging and/or signaling may be communicated directly between devices without having to be relayed through a headend, a termination system or other processing entity.

A cable modem transceiver includes a processor configured to derive an instant of time for an upstream calibration signal on basis of upstream scheduling information. Further, the cable modem transceiver includes a transmitter configured to generate the upstream calibration signal at the derived instant of time. The cable modem transceiver additionally includes a detector configured to determine a property of the generated upstream calibration signal. The processor is further configured to derive at least one calibration parameter for the transmitter on basis of the detected property.