Methods and apparatus for delivering content to a user so as to optimize and enhance the “experience” of the content. In one embodiment, an optimization and monitoring entity (OME) is used which determines, evaluates, and provides notification and/or recommendation of alternative content delivery platforms which are available to a user. The OME receives requests for content forwarded from a content server containing information identifying requesting devices and/or subscriber accounts. The OME examines the capabilities of the registered devices, and identifies/recommends alternative devices based on e.g., video/audio quality, picture size, bandwidth availability, and/or any other additional capabilities of the client devices. A notification is then sent to the client devices indicating which of the user's devices may receive the content alternatively, or in addition to, the requesting device. The notifications may be interactive, allowing the user to select one or more of the devices for delivery.

Methods and apparatus for delivering content to a user so as to optimize and enhance the “experience” of the content. In one embodiment, an optimization and monitoring entity (OME) is used which determines, evaluates, and provides notification and/or recommendation of alternative content delivery platforms which are available to a user. The OME receives requests for content forwarded from a content server containing information identifying requesting devices and/or subscriber accounts. The OME examines the capabilities of the registered devices, and identifies/recommends alternative devices based on e.g., video/audio quality, picture size, bandwidth availability, and/or any other additional capabilities of the client devices. A notification is then sent to the client devices indicating which of the user's devices may receive the content alternatively, or in addition to, the requesting device. The notifications may be interactive, allowing the user to select one or more of the devices for delivery.

Systems and methods are described herein for a media guidance application that can cause a specific portion of a media asset to be stored based on a user command. For example, if the user requests the closing scene from a given movie, the media guidance application may detect the command, determine that it comprises an instruction to store a portion of a media asset, identify a source of the portion of the media asset, and cause the portion of the media asset to be stored. The media guidance application may also cause the entirety of the media asset to be stored and initiate playback at the start of the requested portion. This may allow users to store and watch portions of particular interest without requiring that the users seek through the entire media asset on their own.

A method includes: running the target application, and caching data of the target application based on a first cache policy, where the first cache policy may include downloading the data of the target application at a first download rate. The target application receives first indication information sent by the control component, where the first indication information is used to indicate that an abnormal area exists in a forward direction of the electronic device. After receiving the first indication information, the target application caches data of the target application based on a second cache policy, where the second cache policy may include downloading the data of the target application at a second download rate, where the second download rate is greater than the first download rate.

Systems and methods for previewing newly captured image content and reviewing previously stored image content using an electronic device are provided. The previously stored image content may include an individual distinct image or at least two consecutive video frame images.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for users to cause replacement of one or more advertisements or other content items. Based on a request to replace a content item, output of the content item may be interrupted. An alternate content item may be output during a time period when a portion of the interrupted content item was scheduled to be output.

An embodiment for recording a channel that is communicating a program of interest identifies a selected program for recording as a program of interest based upon a characteristic of the selected program, the characteristic of the selected program corresponding to at least one characteristic associated with the program of interest; records an advance period corresponding to a period before a beginning of the program of interest, and records a following period corresponding to a period after a conclusion of the program of interest.

A mobile device responds in real time to media content presented on a media device, such as a television. The mobile device captures temporal fragments of audio-video content on its microphone, camera, or both and generates corresponding audio-video query fingerprints. The query fingerprints are transmitted to a search server located remotely or used with a search function on the mobile device for content search and identification. Audio features are extracted and audio signal global onset detection is used for input audio frame alignment. Additional audio feature signatures are generated from local audio frame onsets, audio frame frequency domain entropy, and maximum change in the spectral coefficients. Video frames are analyzed to find a television screen in the frames, and a detected active television quadrilateral is used to generate video fingerprints to be combined with audio fingerprints for more reliable content identification.

Methods and systems are described for storing content. The content may be divided into user-specific portions and common portions. One or more selection rules may be used to divide the content into the user-specific portion and the common portions. The one or more selection rules may be selected such that the common portion is not decodable without the user-specific portions. The user-specific portions or data indicating a location of the user-specific portion may be stored in user-specific storage. The user-specific storage may be used to determine content for playback to a user.

The present application discloses techniques for playback of live broadcast content. The techniques comprise receiving a request of playing live broadcast content from a client computing device, wherein the request comprises information indicating a first address associated with the live broadcast content, and the request further comprises a playback time parameter indicating a playback time length; generating a second address based on a current system time parameter, the first address, and the playback time parameter; obtaining live broadcast content based on the second address and transmitting the live broadcast content to the client computing device.