Systems and methods for a media content user interface. A media content provider includes storage for storing and serving video content to subscribers. The media content provider records and or otherwise stores video content from around the world. Subscribers are provided a user interface to the system that includes a channel bar. The channel bar is dynamically scoped responsive to interactions of a viewer with the system. Selectable elements within the channel bar provide direct access to related content regarding video content, such as television series information and cast information. In addition, the channel bar is operable in multiple modes. An EPG mode displays live video for multiple channels simultaneously. Themed modes permit channel bars that display content according to various themes which may be defined by a viewer, the provider, or both.

A multi-window user interface (UI) is presented in various configurations and operational uses to leverage the relatively large display canvas afforded by large screen display devices such as 4K or 8K displays. Along with the various “Multiview” aspects, content delivery techniques, content selection techniques, and level of service techniques also are presented.

A method and an apparatus for providing a channel service are disclosed. The method may generate a channel list including a channel number inputted by a user and a main viewing channel list and display together the channel list and the main viewing channel list. Here, the channel list includes at least one channel of which number starts from the inputted channel number, and the main viewing channel list includes one or more channels viewed mainly by the user with the received channel number.

Video content is uploaded via the Internet to a video-on-demand (VOD) server identified by a title and a hierarchical address of categories and subcategories for categorizing the title. The VOD server converts and stores the video content at a storage address in a video content database linked to the title. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as in its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. This can enable many new blogging or podcasting-like programs by popular “Hosts” to be self-published on the Internet and readily navigated for display on TV. The EPG can also store TV program addresses as bookmarks and allow them to be shared with other subscribers or with friends and contacts online by sending to their email addresses.

An architecture to assemble and manage usage information and populate one or more panels in an intelligent TV. The architecture includes a usage statistics provider module adapted to assemble one or more of usage information and installation information and query the one or more of usage information and installation information to populate one or more of icons and information in a view or panel on the intelligent TV. The architecture further includes a panel manager adapted to assemble the one or more of icons and information into a requested view. A display controller displays the view on a display of the intelligent TV. A silo manager sorts information in at least one panel subcategory based at least on the one or more of usage information and installation information, where the at least one subpanel panel includes a plurality of icons each representing an app or content.

Video content is uploaded via the Internet to a video-on-demand (VOD) server identified by a title and a hierarchical address of categories and subcategories for categorizing the title. The VOD server converts and stores the video content at a storage address in a video content database linked to the title. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as in its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. This can enable many new blogging or podcasting-like programs by popular “Hosts” to be self-published on the Internet and readily navigated for display on TV. The EPG can also store TV program addresses as bookmarks and allow them to be shared with other subscribers or with friends and contacts online by sending to their email addresses.

The present disclosure is directed to voice control of a video playback system. In an aspect, a device, such as an audio device (e.g., a soundbar) includes one or more speakers, one or more microphones, and one or more processors. The device also includes a connection to a display device (e.g., a television), where the speakers are configured to output audio related to video content displayed by the display device (such as playing audio for the video of a connected television). The device also includes one or more processors configured to, in response to the one or more microphones receiving a voice command, perform an action to cause a change in the video content displayed by the display device.

A method for scanning television channels and a television system are provided. The television system includes a circuit system, a storage unit, and a control circuit. The circuit system is used to receive and demodulate television streaming data, separate information in the television streaming data, and decompress and convert the television streaming data into video and audio. The method is performed in the control circuit. In the method, a channel-selection transceiver circuit receives a channel-selection signal. After channel data stored in the storage unit is analyzed, it is determined whether the channel-selection signal corresponds to any television channel in the channel data. If the channel data does not include the television channel corresponding to the channel-selection signal, a scanning routine is performed in a background for scanning the television channels. A scanning result is then generated and used to update the channel data in the storage unit.

An electronic device and method are provided for display of a programming guide for content associated with broadcaster and VOD applications. The electronic device receives a DTV signal that include programming content items associated with broadcaster applications on the electronic device and extracts a set of in-band metadata associated with programming content items. The electronic device selects a set of VOD assets offered by at least one VOD application on the electronic device and extracts a set of out-of-band metadata associated with the programming content items and the selected set of VOD assets from at least one metadata source. The electronic device parses the set of in-band metadata and the set of out-of-band metadata and combines such parsed sets of metadata into a unified metadata file based on a master template. Based on the unified metadata file, the electronic device controls a display device to render a programming guide.

A display apparatus and a method of operating the same are provided. The display apparatus includes a display; a memory configured to store at least one instruction; and a processor configured to execute the at least one instruction to: generate an integrated channel list, which includes first channel information that corresponds to an external image providing apparatus connected to the display apparatus and second channel information that corresponds to an application installed in the display apparatus. The first channel information includes information about channels provided by an external image providing apparatus and the second channel information includes information about channels which are provided by an application. In response to an input of selecting one channel from the integrated channel list, the display apparatus controls a source corresponding to the selected channel to provide content obtained from the controlled source.