A media guidance application is provided by which users can define rules for assigning user equipment devices as destinations for media content. For example, a user may define a rule by which selected media content having attributes that satisfy a user-defined condition are downloaded, recorded, or streamed to a particular, user-specified user equipment device. The user may define and manage rules using media guidance menus, and may restrict other users from accessing the rules (e.g., parents restricting children).

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor having a controller to present a graphic user interface (GUI) for customizing an electronic programming guide (EPG), the GUI including a plurality of scrollable media channels, each media channel accompanied by an image, a description of the media channel, an option to select the media channel for inclusion in the EPG, a first button to customize the EPG according to one or more media channels selected, and a second button to request additional information about a media channel highlighted in the GUI. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Various embodiments are directed to one or more transcoder devices in communication with an input device such as a remote control device and multiple destination devices in which the transcoder device(s) facilitate communication between the remote control and the various destination devices in the vicinity. The transcoder device(s) can also provide the user with an environmental awareness of conditions and events surrounding the user. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Systems and methods are provided for applying adaptive play settings to a media asset. One example method includes identifying a media asset selected for playback and retrieving a plurality of user preferences. The user preferences correlate a play function to a type of a segment of a media asset. A plurality of segments in the media asset selected for playback are identified and each of the plurality of segments has a respective type. In response to identifying a plurality of segments in the media asset selected for playback, a respective play function is assigned to each of the respective plurality of segments based on the respective type of each of the plurality of segments.

Systems and methods are disclosed for activating a personalized user profile on a device based on the detection of an outlying user input. A media guidance application detects a user input that is inconsistent with an active user profile. In response, the media guidance application identifies a candidate user that both shares a location with the device and has a user profile consistent with the user input. The media guidance application activates the user profile of the candidate user as a temporary active user profile on the device.

Disclosed are some implementations of systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for customizing and dynamically generating overlay graphical user interfaces (GUIs) within the context of a video streaming environment.

A method includes, at a media bridge configured to distribute a plurality of media streams among a plurality of client devices connected to the media bridge over a network during a real-time communication (RTC) instance, receiving a plurality of quality of experience (QoE) preferences from the plurality of client devices via the media bridge, the plurality of QoE preferences being transmitted as a real-time transport protocol (RTP) control protocol (RTCP) extension header of a transmitted data packet. The method also includes receiving a plurality of QoE metrics at the media bridge, and in response to a determination that a degradation in network conditions of the network has occurred, downgrading at least one of the plurality of media streams based on the plurality of QoE preferences.

Systems and methods for efficiently loading interactive media guide data based on user history are provided. A plurality of asset descriptions associated with a first media asset is received. A second media asset related to the first media asset is identified. An asset description is selected form the plurality of asset descriptions based on user history of accessing the second media asset. Data for the first media asset is loaded. Data for the first media asset comprises the selected asset description.

Methods and apparatus to create a panel of media device users are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an interface to receive a unique identifier and an application identifier from a media device executing an instrumented application. A panel creator is to create a master frame corresponding to media devices that have executed the instrumented application. A registration data controller is to: (i) determine a skip rate, (ii) assign the media device from the master frame into a first test cell based on a random value and the skip rate, (iii) select a first recruitment interface associated with the first test cell, and (iv) instruct the instrumented application to, in response to the instrumented application being executed for a first time after a threshold period of time since an initial execution of the instrumented application has elapsed, display the first recruitment interface.

Methods and systems are described herein for a media guidance application that allows users to associate input schemes with physical objects in an augmented reality environment. Specifically, the media guidance application may recognize physical objects in an augmented reality environment and allow users to identify input schemes to associate with the physical objects, wherein the input schemes are ways in which users may control presentation of media content by interacting with the physical objects.