Embodiments provide for methods, computer program products, and systems to improve media playback comprising receiving a variant stream, identifying respective maximum segment durations for a plurality of different types of client devices that will play media content contained in the variant stream, generating, using the variant stream, a respective playlist for each of the plurality of different types of client devices, wherein the respective playlists each contain different maximum segment durations, and delivering the respective playlists to at least one of the plurality of different types of client devices via a distribution network.

A live video distribution method includes transmitting a live video signal of a shooting target simultaneously from a video distribution device to a user device used by each of a plurality of users, and displaying the video of the live video signal on a display in the user device. The live video signal is generated based on the result of shooting the shooting target by an image capturing device provided by an unmanned moving device that moves in the space near the shooting target. The unmanned moving device moves based on a movement control signal generated based on the result of an operator other than the plurality of users operating the operator device.

Video content is uploaded via the Internet to a video-on-demand (VOD) server identified by a title and a hierarchical address of categories and subcategories for categorizing the title. The VOD server converts and stores the video content at a storage address in a video content database linked to the title. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as in its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. This can enable many new blogging or podcasting-like programs by popular “Hosts” to be self-published on the Internet and readily navigated for display on TV. The EPG can also store TV program addresses as bookmarks and allow them to be shared with other subscribers or with friends and contacts online by sending to their email addresses.

Systems and methods for updating advertisements embedded in a media asset scheduled for download at a future time. The media guidance application may receive a request from a user to download a media asset at a future time, where the media asset includes a plurality of embedded advertisements. The media guidance application may determine whether to update an embedded advertisement in the plurality of embedded advertisements. After determining to update the embedded advertisement, the media guidance application may replace the embedded advertisement with an updated advertisement in the media asset.

A system including a third-party server and a live-view server is disclosed. The live-view server receives, from the third-party server, a request for a live view of each location, structure, or point of interest; identifies at least one vehicle positioned at each location, structure, or point of interest; obtains each requested live view from a live-view camera of the at least one identified vehicle; and transmits, to the third-party server, a dynamic hyperlink associated with each requested live view. The third-party server receives, from a request device, a request for a live view of a specific location, structure, or point of interest; identifies at least one live view, from a live-view database, associated with the specific location, structure, or point of interest; and serves to the request device, via the dynamic hyperlink, the at least one live view.

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.

Techniques for providing perceptually motivated video pre-filtering are described. According to some embodiments, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a request at a content delivery service to encode a video, performing a discrete cosine transform (DCT) on a first pixel block of a frame of the video to generate a first DCT block, and on a second spatial pixel block of the frame, spatially offset from and overlapping with the first pixel block, to generate a second DCT block, performing a wavelet transform on the first DCT block and on the second DCT block to generate wavelet coefficients, performing a filtering on the wavelet coefficients to generate filtered wavelet coefficients, performing an inverse wavelet transform on the filtered wavelet coefficients to generate a filtered DCT block, performing an inverse discrete cosine transform on the filtered DCT block to generate a filtered pixel block, encoding the filtered pixel block to generate an encoded video, and transmitting the encoded video to a viewer device or to a storage location.

A content delivery server is configured to: receive a request for a chunk of a segment of a video stream, the segment of the video stream including a series of chunks, each of the chunks including a set of video frames, a first of the chunks being aligned with a first Instantaneous Decoder Refresh frame in the video stream, and a second of the chunks being aligned with a second subsequent Instantaneous Decoder Refresh frame in the video stream; determine whether the request was received during a first interval or a second subsequent interval of an intra period between the first of the chunks and the second of the chunks; output the first of the chunks or the second of the chunks for transmission based on the determination of whether the request was received during the first interval or the second interval.

The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control method, system, device, and medium of a unified playback control system. The control method of the unified playback control system includes: receiving a template request sent by a device, then, after receiving the template request, returning a preset template to the requesting device, and managing and controlling playback of the device by means of the template. In some implementations, the device obtains a unified template of the unified playback control system, and management and control is performed by means of the preset template so as to enable a licensee EPG platform on the device to present a consistent interface style and unified management and control process.

A live streaming method includes that a live streaming platform plays a live video generated by a first cloud phone under control of a first client, where the first cloud phone and the first client are located in a first region. The live streaming platform switches control permission for the first cloud phone from the first client to a second client. The live streaming platform migrates a running environment of the first cloud phone to a second cloud phone online, where the second cloud phone and the second client are located in a second region. The live streaming platform plays a live video generated by the second cloud phone under control of the second client.