One or more circuits for use in a transceiver that is collocated with a satellite dish, may receive a satellite signal carrying media content, and remove content protection from the received media content. After removing the first content protection, the one or more circuits may apply second content protection to the media content. The content protection applied by the one or more circuits may adhere to a different protocol, utilize different keys, and/or otherwise be distinguishable from the content protection that was removed. After applying the content protection, the one or more circuits may transmit the media content onto one or more links between the satellite dish and one or more client devices. The removal of the content protection may comprise descrambling and/or decrypting the media content. The application of the content protection may comprise scrambling and/or encrypting the media content.

Personal content server apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber's network. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process. Various access, business or operational rules are applied depending on the content and delivery mode; e.g., to live video broadcast, video-on-demand (VOD), or archived content from the subscriber's digital video recorder (DVR) or networked PVR. In another variant, reservation information (for example program or asset ID information) is cached at a headend or hub server, thereby obviating the subscriber (or the network) having to access the subscriber's premises device. In yet another variant, a “virtual” CPE experience is provided for the remote user.

A device implementing a system for estimating device location includes at least one processor configured to receive a first estimated position of the device at a first time. The at least one processor is further configured to capture, using an image sensor of the device, images during a time period defined by the first time and a second time, and determine, based on the images, a second estimated position of the device, the second estimated position being relative to the first estimated position. The at least one processor is further configured to receive a third estimated position of the device at the second time, and estimate a location of the device based on the second estimated position and the third estimated position.

Embodiments disclose systems and methods for testing and determining outages of communication systems. A server can receive signal-reception-related information from set-top boxes (STBs) in a particular geographical region, where a STB: receives signals having a predefined pattern, generates a comparison of the predefined pattern to reference patterns stored on the STB, generates the signal-reception-related information based on the comparison, and sends the signal-reception-related information. The server can determine an outage status for the particular geographical region based on the signal-reception-related information. The server can generate an output based on the outage status. The output is configured to provide information related to the outage status of the particular geographical region and information for possible responses related to the outage status. The server can send the output.

A system and method of operating an over-the-air broadcast television system having spectrum capacity that has a first portion for linear broadcasting content in real time and a second portion corresponding to a dormant capacity. A content distribution network system receives digital content from a content storage system. A dormant capacity estimator estimates dormant capacity of the spectrum capacity. An intermediate storage device communicates a registration request signal to the content distribution network system using a reverse link. The content distribution network system communicates a registration acknowledgement signal to the intermediate storage device. The content distribution network system communicates the digital content to the intermediate storage device through the over-the-air broadcast television network system. The intermediate storage device stories the digital content therein. The content distribution network system communicates the digital content to a user device through a local link after storing the digital content.

Embodiments described herein provide various techniques for programming and authorizing television receivers and other subscriber equipment via Internet Protocol (IP) networks. In some embodiments, a television receiver device (e.g., a satellite television receiver, cable television receiver, etc.) may detect and establish a connection to an IP network. After connecting to an IP network, the receiver may transmit identification data to a backend computer server of a cable or satellite television provider. The backend server may use the receiver identification data to determine television subscription(s) associated with the receiver and/or customer, and may determine and transmit one or more authorization codes back to the television receiver over the IP network. The television receiver may use the authorization codes to program the receiver device to decode and output the television channels and programs corresponding to the subscription.

A virtual reality (VR) system including a head mounted display (HMD), a sensor or an input device, a selection module, a scoreguide module and a display module. The HMD displays a VR environment including sports content of a live game, a prerecorded game, or a sports channel. The sensor or input device is connected to the HMD and generates signals based on detection of at least one of movement of the HMD, movement of an eyeball of a user, voice communication of the user, or user contact with the input device. The selection module selects the sports content based on the signals and generates a selection signal indicating the sports content. The scoreguide module generates a scoreguide based on the signals. The display module displays the sports content in the VR environment based on the selection signal and displays the scoreguide in the VR environment based on the signals.

Embodiments described herein provide various techniques for communication, collaboration, and resource sharing between television receivers operating at separate locations. In some embodiments, a television receiver device may be configured to identify and transmit various receiver data to other associated television receivers at separate physical locations. In order to transmit data from one receiver to another, the transmitting receiver device may establish a connection to an Internet Protocol (IP) network, contact a television provider server to obtain network addresses for one or more related receiver devices, and then transmit the data over the IP network to the related receiver devices. Additional aspects relate to identifying and sharing resources between associated television receivers operating at separate locations. For example, associated television receivers operating at separate locations may use IP network communication to coordinate collaboration and sharing of tuners, storage space, and/or other hardware and software components of the receivers.

A receiving circuit module and method for operating the same includes a housing receiving a first signal, a first encoder disposed within the housing encoding the first signal to form a first encoded signal and a second encoder disposed within the housing encoding the first signal to form a second encoded signal having a different format than the first signal.

Systems and methods for managing the storage of content are described. A video stream may include a content identifier and content information relating to a boundary that may be used to facilitate recording of at least a portion of the video stream.