Systems and methods are presented for reducing network traffic when retrieving media guidance data. For example, a media guidance application receives a first user selection to display a group of media asset identifiers (e.g., video-on-demand listings) and retrieves detailed information from a remote server relating to the media asset identifiers to display to a user. The media guidance application then may receive a user selection to display a second group of media asset identifiers (e.g., purchased media assets). If any of the media asset identifiers are common to both groups, then the media guidance application already obtained the detailed information and the detailed information does not need to be retransmitted in order to be displayed. Thus, the media guidance application only retrieves detailed information for media asset identifiers unique to the second group of media asset identifiers (e.g., they are only on the purchased media asset list).

Provided is an operating method of a TV for allocating a dynamic channel for content transmitted from an outside. The method includes: receiving a first content from the outside; generating a dynamic channel for the first content; displaying a channel change guide according to the first content reception; entering the dynamic channel according to a first channel change input; displaying a playback screen of the first content according to the dynamic channel entry; and exiting from the dynamic channel according to a second channel change input, wherein the dynamic channel is formed of a channel that is the closest to a recent broadcast channel.

A system and method for automatically analyzing and managing a media hub software update. The system and method each utilize available media hub system and diagnostic information to aid in the analysis and installation of a software update. If the installation of the update is determined to require memory capacity in excess of what is currently available within the media hub, an archive and off-loading process is automatically initiated to free the required memory space during the installation process. Any off-loaded information and/or applications are then restored after the installation is complete.

Aspects of the present disclose involve a method, a device, and a system comprising a processor and a machine-readable storage medium storing at a set of instructions for identification and authentication of user profiles associated with a digital television system and displaying information related thereto. In example embodiments, the method includes identifying a user profile registered with a content presentation device based on received identification data that includes biometric data. The method further includes receiving, from a server, identifiers of a set of recently watched channels associated with the user profile and causing presentation of a recent channels interface that includes selectable elements corresponding to the set of recently watched channels.

A computer-implemented method for controlling content distribution includes forwarding information associated with a user to a device operated by the user, the information being configured for use in selecting content from any of multiple content providers for a content distribution to the user. The method includes receiving, in response to the information, an edit of the information forwarded from the device. The edit identifies a first content provider and including a first modification of the content distribution regarding the first content provider. The method includes storing the edit in association with the information such that the first modification is taken into account in the content distribution. The method can be implemented using a computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium.

Techniques are described for handling stale variant cases that arise in adaptive streaming of content by media players. For example, embodiments include a delegate subsystem integrated with a media player client. The delegate subsystem can act as a proxy for requesting variant manifest update requests on behalf of the media player client and for receiving corresponding responses. The delegate subsystem can track the received update responses to determine whether the responses indicate a stale variant condition. If so, the delegate subsystem can issue a failover trigger to the media player client, such as by returning an error code, a variant gap tag, or the like. The failover trigger can cause the media player client 110 automatically to respond by executing a failover routine.

A device, system and method for real-time personalization of streaming video is provided. The device has access to a memory storing: nonpersonalized video segments; and data for rendering personalized video segments, the nonpersonalized video segments and the personalized video segments associated with a given order. When a request for a personalized video is received, the device causes rendering of at least a subset of the personalized video segments to be rendered using the data, incorporating personal data associated with the request into the personalized video segments. As the personalized video segments are rendered, the device updates and transmits a manifest, to the communication device, identifying available video segments according to the given order. The video segments identified in the manifest are provided to the communication device in response to receiving requests for the video segments.

Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for a computing device upgrading system over a wireless network. An embodiment operates by determining that a computing device is connected to an upgrader device over a wireless network connection. It is determined that an upgrader mode of the computing device is activated based on the determination that the wireless network connection to the upgrader device is active. A command at is received at the computing device. It is determined that a speed of the wireless network connection exceeds a threshold. The command is transmitted to the upgrader device based on both the determination that the upgrader mode of the computing device is active and the determination that the speed of the wireless network connection exceeds the threshold. At the computing device, a response from the upgrader device executing the command is received, and content is output.

Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for a network-based media device upgrading system. An embodiment operates by receiving a fetch command from a first instance of an application executing locally on a host device. The fetch command is provided to a media device executing a second instance of the application. At the host device, metadata corresponding to the file that was retrieved by the media device is received. A rendering command is determined from the first instance of the application corresponding to displaying the interface including the fetched file as indicated by the metadata. The rendering command is provided to the media device that is configured to display the interface of the application responsive to executing the rendering command.

Systems and methods for dynamically and automatically generating digital watermarks are provided. Watermark payloads utilized in generating the digital watermarks are altered based upon changing conditions, such as environmental characteristics associated with playback or distribution of media content. Changing conditions may also encompass a change in the distribution/presentation chain of devices associated with the playback or distribution of the media content.