This application provides a device recommendation method and an electronic device, and relates to the terminal field. The method includes: receiving, by a first device, a first operation of enabling a first service by a user; in response to the first operation, separately obtaining, by the first device from N electronic devices, device parameters associated with the first service, where the N electronic devices and the first device are located in a same communication network; predicting, by the first device according to the device parameters, quality of service of executing the first service by each electronic device of the N electronic devices; and displaying, by the first device, a device list according to the quality of service of executing the first service by each electronic device in the N electronic devices, where the device list includes a device identifier of at least one electronic device in the N electronic devices.

Embodiments described herein may involve queue versioning. An example implementation may involve a playback device initiating playback of a queue including one or more first audio streams. A queue identification token stored in data storage represents a current version of the queue. The playback device receives, from a computing system, data representing instructions to add one or more second audio streams to the queue, the instructions including an indication of the one or more second audio streams and a first token representing an expected queue version. The playback device determines whether the expected queue version represented by the first token matches the current version of the queue represented by the queue identification token. If not, the playback device foregoes adding the one or more second audio streams to the queue.

A server version of an interactive application executed by a processing device of a first mobile device communicatively connected to a main video rendering device collects first data generated by a first client version of the interactive application executed by the processing device. The server version of the interactive application generates first displayable content relating to the first client version of the interactive application based on the first data, wherein the first displayable content is rendered on a display of the first mobile device. The server version of the interactive application generates second displayable content based in part on the first data and additional data relating to the server version of the interactive application, wherein the first displayable content is different from the second displayable content. The server version of the interactive application, transmits the second displayable content to the main video rendering device to be rendered on a main video display.

A media system includes a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to a coax network and a controller. The controller displays a first passkey to a user in response to receiving a request from the user to activate playback of a media content on a particular set-top box. The set-top box receives the first passkey from the user and determines whether the user is authorized to activate playback of the media content by comparing the first passkey received from the user with a second passkey obtained from a passkey module on the set-top box. When the user is determined by the set-top box to be authorized to activate playback of the media content, the set-top box determines a radio frequency channel of the coax network according to the first passkey received from the user and begins playback of the media content received on the radio frequency channel on a display device.

A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media.

A system for distributing media includes a wide area network (WAN), a media player coupled to the WAN at a first home, and a media server coupled to the WAN at a second home for providing media. A service is coupled to the WAN for receiving a request for media from the media player and for establishing a connection between the first and second homes over the WAN. Media is streamed across the WAN from the second home to the first home. The system may include a storage device coupled to the media player where media is transferred across the WAN for storage at the storage device. A media device may be coupled to the media player for playing the streamed/transferred media where the media player and the media device may comprise a television, stereo, or computer and the media item may comprise video, photographs, or audio.

Systems and methods for enhancing user experience in accessing media of a certain content type by outputting the media on a nearby device that is better suited for access. For example, a media guidance application may determine that a user is accessing, on his/her smartphone, a digital page (e.g., a website, a newsfeed, etc.) that features embedded content (e.g., photos, movies, music, etc.). In response to determining that the user has navigated to an embedded content, such as a video clip, the media guidance application may determine a device in the vicinity of the user that is better suited than the user's smartphone for playback of the video clip. For example, a nearby smart television may have a larger screen, better sound output, and a better display resolution than the smartphone. As a result, the media guidance application may cause the smart television to output the video clip.

A set-top box with enhanced functionality and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box system, first and second set-top boxes each include a housing securing a television input, a television output, a processor, a wireless transceiver, memory, and storage communicatively interconnected by a busing architecture. Each of the set-top boxes is connected to a display, such as a television. A syndication profile associated with the set-top boxes enables a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device to control both displays via each of the set-top boxes.

A method and apparatus for secure transfer and playback of multimedia content enables the secure transfer of multimedia content from a digital video recorder (DVR) to a personal computer (PC) and further to a handheld device. A DVR determines which devices on a Local Area Network (LAN) are authorized to share and/or retrieve content from the DVR. The DVR receives a connection request from a PC on the LAN, authorizes the connection request and establishes a secure connection between the DVR and the PC. Once the secure connection is established, the DVR receives a request for multimedia content from the PC, prepares the multimedia content for transfer and transfers the multimedia content to the PC.

An image display device includes a tuner configured to receive a RF broadcast signal; a display; a first input configured to receive a first image signal input from a first external device connected to the image display device; a second input configured to receive a second image signal input from a second external device connected to the image display device; and a controller coupled with the display, the first input and the second input. Further, the controller is configured to display, on the display, a plurality of icons including a first icon and a second icon. In addition, the first icon includes a first default image identifying the first input and the second icon includes a second default image identifying the second input, change the first default image to a first video image currently being played on the first external device and corresponding to the first image signal received from the first external device in response to the first icon being selected if the first external device is connected to the image display device, and change the first video image back to the first default image in response to the second icon being selected.