In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in describes methods, systems, and other mechanisms for previewing a video in response to computing device interaction. The method includes presenting, on a display of a computing device, a graphical indication of a video; identifying, by the computing device, that first user input interacted with the computing device; presenting, by the computing device, an animation of a preview of the video in response to the computing device having identified that the first user input interacted with the computing device; identifying, by the computing device, that the first user input stopped interacting with the computing device; stopping, by the computing device, the animation of the preview of the video in response to the computing device having identified that the first user input stopped interacting with the computing device.

In one aspect, an example method includes (i) identifying, by a playback device, a media device based on a control message received from the media device by way of an audio and/or video interface, where the media device provides media content to the playback device; (ii) providing, by the playback device, replacement media content for display; (iii) determining, by the playback device, that while the playback device is displaying the replacement media content a remote control transmitted an instruction to the identified media device; (iv) determining, by the playback device, a playback-modification action corresponding to the instruction and the identified media device; and (v) modifying, by the playback device, playback of the replacement media content in accordance with the playback-modification action.

Systems and methods are described for providing interactive content contextually related to an occurrence. An illustrative method generates for display, at a media consumption device, a display of the live event, wherein the display of the live event comprises the occurrence, determines a beginning of the occurrence in the display of the live event, in response to determining the beginning of the occurrence in the display of the live event, generates for simultaneous display, with the display of the live event, interactive content related to the occurrence, determines whether the occurrence in the live event has ended in real time, and in response to determining that the occurrence in the live event has ended in real time, ceases the generating for display of the interactive content related to the occurrence.

Improved technical functionality is provided to dynamically select and seamlessly play advertisements immediately before playing of a recorded program upon selection of the recorded program for playing, or upon other detected events and conditions associated with the set-top-box (STB) or user. In some embodiments, this is performed by using metadata which may be delivered to and stored on a digital video recorder (DVR) prior to recording the program, providing a technical solution to enable opportunities for additional advertisement impressions. Playing of the advertisement may also or instead occur upon the recorded program finishing playing. Thus, the technical solution provides the additional opportunity for the content creator and/or the satellite television or cable service provider to sell advertising spots in addition to those already sold for breaks within the recorded program.

Systems and methods are provided for selecting one or more network-connected devices to provide device functions required by an event. A media guidance application may detect an event in which a user is currently engaged. The media guidance application may identify a set of device capabilities associated with the event. The media guidance application may search, within a plurality of network-connected devices of the user, to identify one or more devices that enable functions corresponding to the set of device capabilities to be perceptible to the user, and the media guidance application may instruct the identified one or more devices to provide the functions corresponding to the set of device capabilities associated with the event.

A transmission device used on a receiver side in a communication system for communication between a talker and a receiver includes a processing unit that processes voice data obtained from speech of the talker to generate information data corresponding to the voice data, a pseudo video generation unit that generates pseudo video data having a playback time length corresponding to a length of a delay time caused by the processing unit, and a transmission unit that transmits the pseudo video data to the receiver side and then transmits video data during the speech of the talker and the information data to the receiver side.

Features of various implementations are used to control operation of a second electronic device from a first electronic device using indirect control methods and optical character recognition. In some implementations, communication between a primary set-top box and a supplemental set-top box is configured in order to avoid the need for one or more provider-specific APIs. For example, one aspect of the disclosure is a method of identifying commands that can be used to control one or more features of a primary set-top box (e.g., DVR or VOD features) by a supplemental set-top box issuing commands to the primary set-top box via a wireless (e.g., IR) transmitter, and then using optical character recognition to identify the outcomes of those commands as displayed on a primary TV display or secondary display.

In a system configured to enable mutual communications between a contents server and a video display device, the contents server is configured to accumulate a plurality of video contents, receive operator analysis information transmitted from the video display device, select at least one video content from the plurality of accumulated video contents based on the operator analysis information received by an operator information receiving unit, and transmit the selected content to the video display device. The video display device is configured to receive a digital broadcast wave, select a digital broadcast program, acquire the operator analysis information of the video display device, transmit the acquired operator analysis information to the contents server, receive the video content transmitted from the contents server, and select and display one of the digital broadcast program selected by a digital broadcast program selector and the video content received by a video contents receiving unit.

A method, computer system, and a computer program product for playing a video recording that includes captions, wherein each caption includes a textual transcription of an audio portion of the video, a description of non-speech elements of the video, or both, is provided. The present invention may include rendering a video, identifying a first portion of the video that includes a first caption, and, in response to identifying the first portion of the video, estimating a second time period for a particular user to read and understand text in the first caption. The present invention may further include determining whether the second time period for the particular user to read and understand text in the first caption is greater than the first time period for rendering the first portion of the video. The present invention may lastly include pausing the video for a third time period.

Systems and methods for addressing a corrupted segment in a media asset. The media guidance application determines that a segment of a media asset is corrupted. The media guidance application determines whether a retrieval period to retrieve an uncorrupted copy of the segment exceeds a threshold period. If the retrieval period does not exceed the threshold period, the media guidance application retrieves and generates for display the uncorrupted copy of the segment. If the retrieval period exceeds the threshold period, the media guidance application determines whether an importance level of the corrupted segment exceeds a threshold level. If the importance level exceeds the threshold level, the media guidance application generates for display a summary for the corrupted segment. If the importance level does not exceed the threshold level, the media guidance application generates for display the subsequent segment and the summary for the corrupted segment in an overlay.