A system and method for semi-automated configuration of a low-latency multimedia playback system, wherein a media computing device is configured to present a plurality of configuration prompts for user interaction via a wireless network, direct the configuration of the media computing device based on received user interaction via the prompts, and direct the operation of a plurality of network-connected media rendering devices.

Systems, methods and computer products are provided for retrieving play context. Media content associated with the media content is transmitted over a network. A first media playback device broadcasts an ultrasound code to one or more second media playback devices, where the ultrasound code corresponds to a play context code. The play context code is obtained from a second media playback device and in response the second media playback device receives a play context based on the play context code.

An application is provided to a portable computing device to control access to social media. A user can play back recorded content that friends have commented on previously on social media. The user accesses the social media through the application, which limits presentation of comments to those made up to the current place in the content being played back but not after. This avoids spoiling the experience by avoiding the presentation of comments pertaining to parts of the content that have not yet been played back.

Systems, devices and methods are provided for multi-device interactions. For example, a transmitting device detects a media content control command input by a user for operation of a first application client, wherein the media content control command includes media content identification; the transmitting device encodes the media content control command into an audio identifier string; and the transmitting device transmits the audio identifier string through first sound waves. A receiving device is configured to detect the first sound waves using a second application client, extract the audio identifier string from the first sound waves, decode the audio identifier string to acquire the media content control command, and operate on first media content corresponding to the media content identification included in the media content control command.

A method of reproducing a streaming video received from a source device is provided. The method including reproducing, by a sync device, a first streaming video representing an image on a screen of the source device, the first streaming video being reproduced using a full screen player, when a partial area of the image on the screen of the source device changes, receiving, from the source device, a second streaming video including change information about the partial area, determining a partial screen player to reproduce the second streaming video, and reproducing the second streaming video in an area of a screen of the sync device which corresponds to the partial area of the image on the screen of the source device, the second streaming video being reproduced using the partial screen player.

The present invention provides a method of transmitting broadcast signals. The method includes, receiving an uncompressed broadcast content from an external receiving unit, wherein an watermark is embedded in a frame of the uncompressed broadcast content; extracting the embedded watermark from the uncompressed broadcast content; parsing the extracted watermark; generating an URL by using information in the parsed watermark; and launching an application by using the generated URL, wherein the application provides the interactive services related to the uncompressed broadcast content.

A method for wirelessly connecting a first device with an external second device includes wirelessly communicating between the first device and the external second device. Based on the wireless communication, the first device causes displaying of a dynamic graphic pattern on a display of the external second device. The dynamic graphic pattern having a shape that changes over time. A camera of the first device receives the dynamic graphic pattern. The first device recognizes the dynamic graphic pattern associated with the external second device. Data is wirelessly transferred between the first device and the external second device based on the recognized dynamic graphic pattern.

In one aspect, a bonded cellular system includes a client in communication with a transmitter having a number of cellular modems and a server in communication with a receiver. A file can be transmitted from the client to the server by parsing the file into data packets and dividing transmission of the packets among the number of cellular modems. One of the cellular modems can act as an internet access point for the client, through which the client can send metadata associated with the file to the server. Based on the received metadata, the server can perform various operations on the received file. In one embodiment, the file can include media content, and, based on the metadata, a server of a media-broadcasting system can associate the media content with a particular story of a rundown for a television news broadcast.

Systems and methods are described herein for efficiently “catching-up” a user that is interested in a media asset when that user has missed a portion of the media asset while consuming the media asset together with other people. The system may detect that multiple people are consuming a media asset and may determine, based on a respective profile of each person, whether that person is interested in the media asset. When the system detects that the user is disregarding the media asset, the missed portion of the media asset is stored if the user is interested in the media asset, and is not stored if the user is not interested in the media asset.

A content moving device which enables providing content stored on a first user device, such as a DVR, in a first format and resolution to be provided to a second user device, such as a portable media player (PMP) in a second format and resolution. The content moving device identifies content on the first user device as candidate content which may be desired by the PMP and receives the candidate content from the DVR. The content moving device transcodes the candidate content at times independent of a request from the PMP for the content. The content moving device may provide a list of available transcoded content to the PMP for selection, and provide selected content to the PMP. The content moving device may also provide information relating to any protection schemes of the content provided to the PMP, such as DRM rights and decryption keys. The content moving device performs the often computationally intense and time consuming transcoding of user content to enable the user to move content between different user devices in a convenient manner.