Aspects of present disclosure include devices within a transmission path of streamed content forwarding received data packets of the stream to the next device or “hop” in the path prior to buffering the data packet at the device. In this method, typical buffering of the data stream may therefore occur at the destination device for presentation at a consuming device, while the devices along the transmission path may transmit a received packet before buffering. Further, devices along the path may also buffer the content stream after forwarding to fill subsequent requests for dropped data packets of the content stream. Also, in response to receiving the request for the content stream, a device may first transmit a portion of the contents of the gateway buffer to the requesting device to fill a respective buffer at the receiving device.

A content management system to optimize delivery of multimedia content to user devices in a subscriber network is provided. The system generates a set of telemetry data by monitoring selections of multimedia content instances by subscribers of a subscriber network at a set of edge servers of the subscriber network. The system generates a data consumption model based on the set of telemetry data. The system anticipates a set of multimedia content instances for a current time interval by using the generated data consumption model to identify the anticipated set of media content instances for the current time interval. The system caches the anticipated set of multimedia content instances from one or more network sources. The system provides the cached content instances to one or more subscribers in response to multimedia content selections from the subscribers for the current time interval.

A media server is hosted in a service provider's network so that media content can be stored from or rendered to a private network such as a Digital Living Network Alliance network. Media content may be stored by accessing the media server or by downloading the media content to the media server. Support of set top boxes interacting with voice-on-demand (VOD) controllers and computers interacting with IP-based video content servers are integrated through the media server. Consequently, VOD assets can be played on IP-based devices and IP-based content can be played on set top boxes. A gateway function converts IP-based content to a VOD asset, and renders the VOD asset to a set top box while mapping digital rights management information for the VOD asset. Conversely, the gateway function may convert a VOD asset to IP-based content that can be played on an IP-based device.

A media server is hosted in a service provider's network so that media content can be stored from or rendered to a private network such as a Digital Living Network Alliance network. Media content may be stored by accessing the media server or by downloading the media content to the media server. Support of set top boxes interacting with voice-on-demand (VOD) controllers and computers interacting with IP-based video content servers are integrated through the media server. Consequently, VOD assets can be played on IP-based devices and IP-based content can be played on set top boxes. A gateway function converts IP-based content to a VOD asset, and renders the VOD asset to a set top box while mapping digital rights management information for the VOD asset. Conversely, the gateway function may convert a VOD asset to IP-based content that can be played on an IP-based device.

A system includes a hybrid mobile network/television antenna and a routing device connected to the antenna. The hybrid mobile network/television antenna receives content via a broadcast television network and receives content via a mobile network. The routing device includes a first communication interface that connects to the hybrid mobile network/television antenna, and a second communication interface that connects to a user device and receives a request for content from the user device. The routing device selects a network from the broadcast television network or the mobile network. The first communication interface receives the requested content via the selected network, and the routing device forwards the requested content to the user device via the second communication interface.

A system includes a hybrid mobile network/television antenna and a routing device connected to the antenna. The hybrid mobile network/television antenna receives content via a broadcast television network and receives content via a mobile network. The routing device includes a first communication interface that connects to the hybrid mobile network/television antenna, and a second communication interface that connects to a user device and receives a request for content from the user device. The routing device selects a network from the broadcast television network or the mobile network. The first communication interface receives the requested content via the selected network, and the routing device forwards the requested content to the user device via the second communication interface.

A method of playing video is provided. The method includes: obtaining a video loading instruction and sending a loading request to a cache server, wherein the loading request is configured to request loading data, and the loading data includes at least one segment of the video corresponding to the video loading instruction; receiving the loading data from the cache server; and playing the at least one segment according to the loading data.

An authentication method, a content delivery network CDN, and a content server are provided. The method includes: receiving, by a CDN, a content access request that is sent by a client and that carries a first authentication credential and a second authentication credential, where the first authentication credential is generated by a content server based on a first key allocated by the CDN, and the second authentication credential is generated by the content server based on a second key allocated by a cloud server; performing, by the CDN, authentication on the first authentication credential by using the first key; and performing, by the cloud server, authentication on the second authentication credential by using the second key. In this manner, the CDN and the cloud storage server separately allocate different keys to the content server.

A method of determining video resolution is provided. The method of determining video resolution includes: determining a CDN corresponding to a video to be played in response to a video loading signal; acquiring a history network speed corresponding to the CDN; and determining an initial resolution of the video to be played according to the history network speed corresponding to the CDN. A computing device, and a non-transitory computer-program product are also provided.

The present disclosure describes a monitoring device for determining one or more characteristics of one or more scheduled programs within one or more packetized elementary streams of one or more transport streams. The monitoring device receives the one or more transport streams from a service provider system and de-encapsulates the one or more packetized elementary streams from the one or more transport streams. The monitoring device determines the one or more characteristics of the one or more scheduled programs from the one or more packetized elementary streams. The one or more characteristics can be used by the monitoring device to adapt on a dynamic, real-time, or near real-time, basis to changes to the one or more transport streams.