Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products provide social and interactive applications for mass media based on real time ambient-audio and/or video identification. In some implementations, a method includes: receiving descriptors identifying ambient audio associated with a media broadcast; comparing the descriptors to one or more reference descriptors; and determining a rating for the media broadcast based at least in part on the results of the comparison.

Examples relate to a network-connected audio system for adjusting speaker settings. An example network-connected audio system may comprise a hardware processor that plays audio files. The example network-connected audio system may also comprise a user detection engine that detects that a first user is connected to the audio system, as well as a settings engine that determines that a first type of audio file is to be played, and changes audio settings of the audio system to a first set of audio settings responsive to determining that the first type of audio file is to be played and responsive to determining that the first user is connected to the audio system.

This invention allows the players of multiplayer games like poker, chess, backgammon, go, board games, and video games to play the game online while commenting on the game and explaining their strategies to an online audience without sharing that information with their opponents.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improved processing audio in a video stream. A system may split audio in a frame of video content into multiple bands based on their audio levels. The system may then dynamically compress and dynamically normalize the audio level in each band. When dynamically compressing the bands, the system may determine, based on stored information, what audio level range is acceptable for an end user and may smooth and maintain the ranges of the audio to be within the acceptable range. The system may include the dynamically normalized and dynamically compressed frames as a second audio track in the video content. A computing device receiving the video content may select the second audio track during playback. If an end user selects the second audio track, the video is delivered with the modified sound of the second audio track.

Technologies are generally described for an audio playing scheme for digital billboard systems. In some examples, a method performed under control of a server may include receiving from an end device a control signal configured to indicate that the end device is located in a first predetermined area relative to a first digital billboard, identifying first video data currently displayed on the first digital billboard, determining first audio data corresponding to the first video data, and transmitting the first audio data to the end device based on the control signal.

Methods, systems, and media for identifying and presenting users with multi-lingual media content items are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: receiving a video content item; identifying a first language associated with the video content item; identifying content within the video content item; determining a likelihood that the video content item is a multi-lingual content item that is not language specific based on the identified content within the video content item; receiving a request for media content; determining a second language associated with the request for media content, wherein the second language is different from the first language; in response to determining that the second language that is different from the first language, determining whether to present the video content item based on the determined likelihood; and responsive to the request for media content, causing the video content item to be presented in response to determining that the video content item is deemed to be multi-lingual content that is not language specific.

Embodiments described herein involve an auxiliary zone contributing audio to a primary zone. In an example implementation, a network media system determines that a first zone in the network media system is playing back a first type of audio content and that a second zone in the network media system is not playing back audio content. While the first zone is playing back the first type of audio content and the second zone is not playing back audio content, the network media system forms a temporarily playback configuration. In the temporary playback configuration, the first zone plays back primary audio content including full frequency range audio content and the second playback device of the second zone plays back auxiliary audio content including low frequency range audio content.

A decoder box includes an input connected to a source producing an audio-video stream comprising an inbound video stream and an inbound audio stream comprising a main inbound audio track, and an additional inbound audio track; a video output connected to video reproduction equipment, a first audio output connected to an audio reproduction module comprising at least one speaker and one second audio output connected to earphones; a video processing chain to produce an outbound video stream and transmit it to the video reproduction equipment; a main audio processing chain to produce, from the main inbound audio track, a main outbound audio track and transmit it to the audio reproduction module; an additional audio processing chain to produce, from the additional audio track, an additional outbound audio track and transmit it to the earphones.

An image capture device may capture multiple audio content during capture of visual content. A viewing window for the visual content and rotational position of the image capture device during capture of the visual content may be used to generate modified audio content from the multiple audio content. The modified audio content may provide sound for playback of a punchout of the visual content using the viewing window.

A method of switching media output includes receiving a first variant of a media item with a player, transmitting the first variant to a secondary device, and upon determining a change in operating conditions, switching from the first variant of the media item to a second variant of the media item by estimating a time to perform the switch to the second variant, transmitting to the secondary device a notification of a time to switch from the first variant to the second variant, and transmitting the second variant to the secondary device.