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 method to provide configuration information from a broadcast network controller (BNC) to a decoder in an HTTP live streaming (HLS) network. The method includes the steps of: (a) initiating a configuration event notification by the BNC; (b) writing the configuration information as file; (c) announcing the configuration information as a SCTE-104 request; (d) translating the SCTE-104 request into an SCTE-35 message; (e) translating the SCTE-35 message into an HLS playlist file; and (f) retrieving the HLS playlist file at the decoder.

The disclosure generally relates to a method for accessing media content, said method being used in a receiver. The method comprises a preparation phase and a use phase. The preparation phase comprises the steps of obtaining, by said receiver, a catalog of media content items, each media content item corresponding to a media content and comprising at least an item description and an item identification data and storing said catalog of media content items in a local database in a memory of the receiver. The use phase comprises the steps of accessing, by a mobile display device, said catalog of media content items through a local communication channel; displaying at least a part of the catalog of media content items on the mobile display device; selecting, by said mobile display device, at least one media content item displayed on the mobile display device; transmitting, by said mobile display device, a request to a content provider, the request comprising the item identification data corresponding to said selected media content item and additional data allowing for the receiver to be identified, said transmission using a first remote communication channel distinct from said local communication channel; and obtaining by the receiver, the media content corresponding to the media content item identified by the identification data contained in said request.

The disclosure further relates to a receiver and a mobile display device for implementing the above described method and a system comprising at least said receiver and said mobile display device.

A display device includes a display, a memory, and a processor that runs at least one application on the memory and allocates a window buffer for each of the at least one application to the memory.

Embodiments include a system, method, and a computer program product for broadcasting a universal message to a plurality subscriber devices. Embodiments include generating a universal message comprising information identifying one or more target subscriber devices from among the plurality of subscriber devices to execute an update or an event, broadcasting the universal message to each subscriber device of the plurality of subscriber devices, receiving a request, from the one or more target subscriber devices, to transmit a payload when the universal message comprises instructions to execute the update, and transmitting the payload to the one or more target subscriber devices.

Various arrangements for facilitating smart television content receivers in a local network are provided. A primary television receiver executing a first operating system can receive audio data including human voice from a voice enabled remote control. The primary television receiver can transmit the audio data to a secondary television receiver executing a second operating system and that includes a voice command component. The secondary television receiver can convert the audio data into voice command data and transmit the voice command data to the primary television receiver. The primary television receiver can transmit the voice command data to a voice processing server via the Internet and receive, in response, a command generated based on the voice command data. The primary television receiver can transmit the command to the secondary television receiver. The voice command component can then control an operation of the secondary television receiver based on the command.

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an indication that a user of the social-networking system watched at least a portion of a program, determining that the user intended to watch the program, and generating a story in response to the determination. The story is published to the social-networking system a predetermined amount of time after receiving the indication.

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.

A content distribution network includes a first server in communication with an anycast server that provides content via a unicast signal, and with a multicast server that provides the content via a multicast signal. The first server is configured to receive a list of source addresses associated with the content, and to provide a metadata file including an anycast Internet protocol address of the anycast server from the list of source addresses as an Internet protocol address of the content in response to a first request for the content. When the number of client devices requesting the content exceeds a first threshold, the first server receives an updated list of sources including a multicast Internet protocol address of a multicast server, and provides the multicast Internet protocol address of the multicast server as the Internet protocol address of the content in the metadata file.