Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating search queries in response to obtaining audio samples on a client device. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of i) receiving audio data from a client device, ii) identifying specific content from captured media based on the received audio data, wherein the identified specific content is associated with the received audio data and the captured media includes at least one of audio media or audio-video media, iii) obtaining additional metadata associated with the identified content, iv) generating a search query based at least in part on the obtained additional metadata, and v) returning one or more search results to the client device, the one or more search results responsive to the search query and associated with the received audio data.

In one aspect, a method for managing streaming of video content to a client device includes providing the video content to a content distribution network for storage in a plurality of geographically separated resources of the content distribution network and receiving, from the client device via a packet-based telecommunication network, signaling to have the stored video content streamed to the client device. In response to the received signaling, one or more files are transmitted to the client device via the packet-based telecommunication network, each of the one or more files being in a format compatible with a media player on the client device, the one or more files comprising (i) an identification of one or more of the resources of the content distribution network available to facilitate streaming of one or more segments of the stored video content to the client device, the identification being dependent at least in part on a relationship between a geographic location of the client device and geographic locations of the resources of the content distribution network, and (ii) an identification of an advertising server, the identification of the advertising server being dependent at least in part on a relationship between the geographic location of the client device and a geographic location of the advertising server, wherein the one or more files, when processed by the client device, cause the client device to communicate with the identified one or more resources of the content distribution network and the advertising server to cause the one or more segments of the stored video to be streamed to the client device by the identified one or more resources of the content distribution network and cause one or more advertisements to be streamed from the advertising server to the client device.

Systems and methods of adaptive streaming are discussed. Transcoded copies of a source stream may be aligned with one another such that the independently specified portions of each transcoded stream occur at the same locations within the content. These transcoded copies may be produced by one or more transcoders, whose outputs are synchronized by a delay adjuster. A fragmenter may use the synchronized and aligned streams to efficiently produce fragments suitable for use in adaptive streaming.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, facilitating access to a synopsis of a missed portion of a media program, identifying subject matter in a segment of content in the media program that has not been presented, determining a particular time for presenting the summary according to the subject matter in the segment of content, and initiating a presentation of the summary at the particular time. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Methods, systems, and media for generating an advertisement from a video stream are provided. In accordance with some embodiments, the method comprises: receiving, from a first user device, advertisement parameters associated with an advertisement campaign for placing an advertisement based on the advertisement parameters, wherein the advertisement parameters include one or more keywords; associating the advertisement parameters with an identifier of the first user device; receiving, from the first user device, a live video stream; receiving, from a second user device, a request to present an advertisement; identifying the live video stream based at least in part on the one or more keywords; generating the advertisement using the live video stream and the advertisement parameters; and causing the advertisement to be presented on the second user device as the advertisement.

Techniques and systems are provided for identifying a video segment displayed on a screen of a remote television system, and providing an option to switch to an alternative or related version of the video program that includes the video segment. For example, video segments displayed on a screen of a television system can be identified, and contextually-targeted content or contextually-related alternative content can be provided to a television system based on the identification of a video segment. The alternative or related version of the video program can include the currently displayed program in an on-demand format that can be viewed off-line and can be started over from a beginning portion of the program.

A method of content replacement with onscreen displays. The method can further include sending an overlay request to provide overlay content and an overlay format. The method can include receiving the overlay content and the overlay format selected in view of overlay parameters. The method can include superimposing the overlay content over the media content using the overlay format. The method can include detecting a presence of an onscreen display. The method can include determining a location of a portion of the onscreen display that extends underneath the overlay content. The method can include defining a window in the overlay content that corresponds to at least the location of the portion of the onscreen display. The method can include setting a transparency level of the overlay content in the window to permit the portion of the onscreen display to be at least partially visible through the overlay content.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a native resolution analyzer generates a log-magnitude spectrum that elucidates sampling operations that have been performed on a scene. In operation, the native resolution analyzer performs a transform operation of a color component associated with a frame included in the scene to generate a frame spectrum. The native resolution analyzer then normalizes the magnitudes associated with the frame spectrum and logarithmically scales the normalized magnitudes to create a log-magnitude frame spectrum. This two dimensional log-magnitude frame spectrum serves as a frequency signature for the frame. More specifically, patterns in the log-magnitude spectrum reflect re-sampling operations, such as a down-sampling and subsequent up-sampling, that may have been performed on the frame. By analyzing the log-magnitude spectrum, discrepancies between the display resolution of the scene and the lowest resolution with which the scene has been processed may be detected in an automated fashion.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for avoiding playback of an advertisement by selectively switching between media streams. To this end, a media guidance application receives a plurality of media streams from different sources, switches to a first media stream and plays back a first media asset of the first media stream, and determines that an end to playback of the first media asset is imminent. The media guidance application then determines whether a second media stream of the plurality of media streams is within a threshold amount of time of playing back a beginning of a second media asset, and if the second media stream is within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset, the media guidance application switches from the first media stream to the second media stream and plays back the second media asset.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for avoiding playback of an advertisement by selectively switching between media streams. To this end, a media guidance application receives a plurality of media streams from different sources, switches to a first media stream and plays back a first media asset of the first media stream, and determines that an end to playback of the first media asset is imminent. The media guidance application then determines whether a second media stream of the plurality of media streams is within a threshold amount of time of playing back a beginning of a second media asset, and if the second media stream is within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset, the media guidance application switches from the first media stream to the second media stream and plays back the second media asset.