Systems and associated methods are described for providing content recommendations. The system selects a first plurality of subsets of content categories, each subset of content categories comprising a first number of content categories. The subsets are assigned reward scores based on content popularity and duplication. The subset are then iteratively modified to increase the rewards scores. If the reward scores are still low, the process is repeated by selecting a second plurality of subsets of content categories, each subset of content categories comprising a second number of content categories, different from first number.

Techniques for efficiently detecting similarity among electronic content items are provided. A vector is generated for each of multiple content items and is used to assign its corresponding content item to a group among multiple groups. A set of content items that is assigned to a particular group of the plurality of groups is identified. For each pair of content items in the set, a similarity score is generated and used to determine whether to classify the pair as similar to each other. Similarity data is updated if to identify the pair if it is determined to classify the pair of content items as similar to each other. The similarity data associates a first content item with a second content item. The second content item is prevented from being presented to a particular user for a period of time after the first content item is presented to the particular user.

Systems and associated methods are described for providing content recommendations. The system selects a first plurality of subsets of content categories, each subset of content categories comprising a first number of content categories. The subsets are assigned reward scores based on content popularity and duplication. The subset are then iteratively modified to increase the rewards scores. If the reward scores are still low, the process is repeated by selecting a second plurality of subsets of content categories, each subset of content categories comprising a second number of content categories, different from first number.

The non-linear content scheduling and encoding (recording) system provides a highly automated file-based video-on-demand (VOD) publishing workflow. The system includes content-provider scheduling and broadcast programming for encoding, editing, and distribution of video assets (e.g., episodes). The invention effectively scales VOD production and allows broadcasters to use the same schedule and sources as their traditional playout operation to quickly and efficiently produce VOD deliverables with all the correct metadata. The systems of the invention process content at significantly faster rates than traditional, real-time VOD generation. The systems provide program management and incorporate traffic system ad components within fully integrated VOD publishing. The systems enable automatic retrieval of sources for VOD generation from generic storage, video servers, non-linear editing systems, archiving systems, content delivery systems, data or video tapes, as well as from live video sources.

A video aggregation system for providing a user personalized video content from videos available on the Internet generates a selective feed by combining a first feed and a second feed. The video aggregation system receives a search request from an Internet service and transmits a search reply containing a separately resolvable link to a video content object from the selective feed.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for automatically providing summarized views of a media asset in a multi-window user interface. For example, a media guidance application may generate a summary view of a media asset by including important content portions into the summary view based on metadata of the content portion. The media guidance application may display the summary view, and missed content in parallel at different windows of the same user equipment. The missed content and the summary view may be coordinated to be displayed in synchronization. In this way, when a user watches the summary view at a center window on the user equipment, the user may also have the option to watch the missed content displayed simultaneously on a side window to catch up on the missed content.

Methods and apparatus are described for combining fragments of media content that correspond to multiple quality levels. A particular combination of fragments may be selected for a client device based, at least in part, on feedback received from the client device. In this manner, adaptive bit rate selection can be simulated for a client device that does not support adaptive bit rate selection.

The non-linear content scheduling and encoding (recording) system provides a highly automated file-based video-on-demand (VOD) publishing workflow. The system includes content-provider scheduling and broadcast programming for encoding, editing, and distribution of video assets (e.g., episodes). The invention effectively scales VOD production and allows broadcasters to use the same schedule and sources as their traditional playout operation to quickly and efficiently produce VOD deliverables with all the correct metadata. The systems of the invention process content at significantly faster rates than traditional, real-time VOD generation. The systems provide program management and incorporate traffic system ad components within fully integrated VOD publishing. The systems enable automatic retrieval of sources for VOD generation from generic storage, video servers, non-linear editing systems, archiving systems, content delivery systems, data or video tapes, as well as from live video sources.

Techniques for efficiently detecting similarity among electronic content items are provided. A vector is generated for each of multiple content items and is used to assign its corresponding content item to a group among multiple groups. A set of content items that is assigned to a particular group of the plurality of groups is identified. For each pair of content items in the set, a similarity score is generated and used to determine whether to classify the pair as similar to each other. Similarity data is updated if to identify the pair if it is determined to classify the pair of content items as similar to each other. The similarity data associates a first content item with a second content item. The second content item is prevented from being presented to a particular user for a period of time after the first content item is presented to the particular user.

The non-linear content scheduling and encoding (recording) system provides a highly automated file-based video-on-demand (VOD) publishing workflow. The system includes content-provider scheduling and broadcast programming for encoding, editing, and distribution of video assets (e.g., episodes). The invention effectively scales VOD production and allows broadcasters to use the same schedule and sources as their traditional playout operation to quickly and efficiently produce VOD deliverables with all the correct metadata. The systems of the invention process content at significantly faster rates than traditional, real-time VOD generation. The systems provide program management and incorporate traffic system ad components within fully integrated VOD publishing. The systems enable automatic retrieval of sources for VOD generation from generic storage, video servers, non-linear editing systems, archiving systems, content delivery systems, data or video tapes, as well as from live video sources.