Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for defining ad space in a video. For example, a computer can receive an identification of a video and an advertisement space definition that includes a time stamp for the advertisement space in the video and an advertisement length. The computer can receive a request to view the video. The computer can determine an advertisement to play in the advertisement space such that the advertisement is not longer than the advertisement length included in the video's advertisement space definition. The computer can provide access to the video, and when the video reaches the time stamp, the advertisement is played in the advertisement space.

Systems and methods for presenting contextual clips for distributed content are disclosed. Some embodiments include receiving an input for presenting content while the content is currently being distributed at a first distribution time point within the content, transmitting a request for contextual content prior to the first distribution time point, receiving information for displaying a plurality of contextual content clips distributed prior to the first distribution time point, wherein each of the plurality of contextual content clips corresponds to an event depicted in the content, displaying the plurality of contextual content clips using the received information, and displaying the content at a second distribution time point after all of the plurality of contextual content clips have been displayed.

Improved technical functionality is provided to dynamically select and seamlessly play advertisements immediately before playing of a recorded program upon selection of the recorded program for playing, or upon other detected events and conditions associated with the set-top-box (STB) or user. In some embodiments, this is performed by using metadata which may be delivered to and stored on a digital video recorder (DVR) prior to recording the program, providing a technical solution to enable opportunities for additional advertisement impressions. Playing of the advertisement may also or instead occur upon the recorded program finishing playing. Thus, the technical solution provides the additional opportunity for the content creator and/or the satellite television or cable service provider to sell advertising spots in addition to those already sold for breaks within the recorded program.

Improved technical functionality is provided to dynamically select and seamlessly play advertisements immediately before playing of a recorded program upon selection of the recorded program for playing, or upon other detected events and conditions associated with the set-top-box (STB) or user. In some embodiments, this is performed by using metadata which may be delivered to and stored on a digital video recorder (DVR) prior to recording the program, providing a technical solution to enable opportunities for additional advertisement impressions. Playing of the advertisement may also or instead occur upon the recorded program finishing playing. Thus, the technical solution provides the additional opportunity for the content creator and/or the satellite television or cable service provider to sell advertising spots in addition to those already sold for breaks within the recorded program.

A post-processing of video content in order to provide a capability to insert ad content, having a method to produce a modified video content from an original video content. The method comprising: analyzing the original video content to detect at least one marker, said marker comprising a marker surface delimited by a marker identification; loading profile data of a target user; determining, based at least on the profile data a replacement content; adjusting the replacement content into the marker surface; and replacing into the original video content the marker surface by the adjusted replacement content to produce the modified video content.

In a system for broadcasting video programs to a user including a display, a system and method for providing program information or a copy of at least a portion of a program to the user. In one embodiment, a controller receives an input signal representing a request for summary information concerning a program, the program having a beginning and the input signal generated at a time during the broadcast. The controller provides via the display a summary of the program from the program beginning to the input signal time in response to the input signal. A controller may alternatively monitor a period of time during which the display is tuned to a broadcast of a program, the period starting during the broadcast. The controller is used to provide via the display a copy of at least a portion of the program when the period exceeds a predetermined threshold time.

The serving of advertisements with (e.g., on) video documents may be improved in a number of ways. For example, a system may (a) accept information defining at least one ad spot associated with at least one instance of an video document, (b) accept offers to have advertisements served in the ad spot(s), and (c) arbitrate among competing advertisements, using at least the offers, to determine at least one advertisement to be served in that ad spot(s). As another example, a system may (a) accept relevance information for an advertisement, (b) determine at least one video document using the accepted relevance information, (c) present information about the video document(s) to an advertiser associated with the advertisement, and (d) accept, from the advertiser, an offer to have its advertisement served with at least one of the video document(s) accepted. As yet another example, a system may (a) accept relevance information for an video document, (b) determine a plurality of advertisements relevant to the video document using the relevance information and serving constraints of the advertisements, and (c) select at least one of the determined relevant advertisements to be served with the video document. Examples of video documents include video files published on the Internet, television programs, live or recorded talk shows, video-voice mail, segments of an video conversation, etc.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying a media program and receiving a digital media stream including metadata and payload data, wherein the payload data includes program content of the identified media program. The metadata further includes program event information and program status information related to the identified media program. A recording status of the identified media program is determined, wherein an active recording status indicates the identified media program is being recorded at a media recorder. Responsive to the active recording status, an end of program is determined according to the identified media program, the program event information and the program status information. Responsive to the end of program, termination of the recording of the media program is initiated. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A system may perform operations including displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) for recording a video on a display screen of a user device, wherein the GUI comprises a plurality of features, including a prompt screen; displaying a content prompt on the prompt screen, wherein the prompt screen may be disposed on the GUI proximate to an edge of the GUI; displaying a video playback screen, which is one of the plurality of features, configured to display visual information in real time captured through a camera, wherein the prompt screen may be disposed at least partially within the video playback screen; and/or recording a video clip during the displaying the content prompt, wherein the content prompt comprises at least one of a text or an image configured to solicit at least one of a desired reaction or a desired information from a user during the recording of the video clip.

An apparatus for multi-bitrate content streaming includes a receiving module configured to capture media content, a streamlet module configured to segment the media content and generate a plurality of streamlets, and an encoding module configured to generate a set of streamlets. The system includes the apparatus, wherein the set of streamlets comprises a plurality of streamlets having identical time indices and durations, and each streamlet of the set of streamlets having a unique bitrate, and wherein the encoding module comprises a master module configured to assign an encoding job to one of a plurality of host computing modules in response to an encoding job completion bid. A method includes receiving media content, segmenting the media content and generating a plurality of streamlets, and generating a set of streamlets