Systems and methods for optimizing a content change process are provided. In example embodiments, a digital receiver causes playback of a first piece of content. The digital receiver receives a selection of a new piece of content for playback during the playback of the first piece of content. In response to the receiving of the selection, the digital receiver maintains a bitrate used for playback of the first piece of content to initiate playback of the new piece of content.

Techniques for using statmuxes are described. In some examples, each statmux is to perform activities such as receiving complexity and quality data per frame per encoder of each channel of a first zone of a provider network, wherein a first channel of the first zone is associated with a first source and a second channel of the first zone is associated with a second source; receiving complexity and quality data per frame per encoder of each channel of a second zone of the provider network, wherein a first channel of the second zone is associated with the first source and a second channel of the second zone is associated with the second source; determining, based on the received complexity data and quality data, which channels are to be active, wherein an active channel's content data is to be included in the multi program transport stream output; providing an indication to the channels of which channels have been determined to be active based upon the encoder determination; receiving content data from the encoders of the active channels; and generating a multi program transport stream output from the received content data.

A method for monitoring video streams is proposed, which comprises: generating, by one or more source encoders, encoded multimedia content signals based on the encoding of monitored video streams respectively corresponding to one or more monitoring points along a workflow chain of a video broadcasting headend configured for one or more video channels broadcasted by the headend, and transmitting the encoded multimedia content signals to a remote monitoring device through a content distribution network.

A statistical multiplexer is provided with a series of encoders that encode media streams at different bitrates to reduce jitter. The encoded media streams are transmitted to a multiplexer over a network and experience jitter that is reduced by a de-jitter arrangement. The multiplexer rearranges a transmit time of select packets in select ones of the media streams received over the network when a total group bandwidth available on the transmission channel over which the multiplexed media stream is to be transmitted is less than a sum of the bandwidths of the media streams because of the jitter and de-jitter process experienced by the media streams. The rearranging causes the bandwidth of the multiplexed media stream to be no greater than the total group bandwidth of the transmission channel without exceeding a maximum bit rate at which each individual encoded media stream is configured.

Techniques for allocating bandwidth for low latency content and buffered content are described. In accordance with various embodiments, a bandwidth allocation method is performed at a device (e.g., a server) with one or more processors and a non-transitory memory. The server determines available bandwidth for delivering content to a client device in a stream, where the stream includes low latency content and buffered content. The server further identifies characteristics of the low latency content. The server then allocates a first portion of the available bandwidth to the low latency content and a second portion of the available bandwidth to the buffered content based on the characteristics of the low latency content.

Methods and systems for providing content are disclosed. An example method can comprise receiving an encoding parameter associated with a first content transmission. The encoding parameter can indicate a level of complexity to encode the first content transmission. The method can comprise selecting, based on the encoding parameter, a second content transmission. The second content transmission can be encoded at a second bit rate that is different than a first bit rate of the first content transmission. The method can also comprise generating a third content transmission. The third content transmission can comprise the second content transmission.

Disclosed herein are systems, devices, and methods for encoding a plurality of video channels in a shared resource environment. For a plurality of frames in the video channels, complexity metrics are computed, each estimating content complexity of a corresponding frame; and encoding budget metrics are computed, each defining an allocation of bits for encoding the corresponding frame. The encoding budget metrics of a particular video channel are computed to reduce anticipated encoding distortion in the particular video channel. A resource allocation is determined that allocates a portion of total resources of the shared resource environment for encoding each of the video channels. The resource allocation is determined to reduce anticipated encoding distortion across the video channels based on the encoding budgets and the complexity metrics. Encoding configurations are selected based on the resource allocation, each for encoding a corresponding video channel.

Methods and systems for providing content are described for receiving an encoding parameter associated with a first content transmission. The encoding parameter can indicate a level of complexity to encode the first content transmission. The method can comprise selecting, based on the encoding parameter, a second content transmission. The second content transmission can be encoded at a second bit rate that is different than a first bit rate of the first content transmission. The method can also comprise generating a third content transmission. The third content transmission can comprise the second content transmission.

Systems and methods for optimizing a content change process arm provided. In example embodiments, a digital receiver causes playback of a first piece of content. The digital receiver receives a selection of a new piece of content for playback during the playback of the first piece of content. In response to the receiving of the selection, the digital receiver maintains a bitrate used for playback of the first piece of content to initiate playback of the new piece of content.

Systems and methods for real-time transmission of data streams are disclosed. A controller receives data representing selected stream parameters from a browser residing on a computing device. The controller transmits the received data to a video transmitting device. A transcoder receives a first data stream generated according to the selected stream parameters from the video transmitting device. The transcoder generates a second data stream from the first data stream, the second data stream formatted for browser display; and then transmits the second data stream to the browser. A user may remotely control the video transmitting device using the browser. A user may view data streams from multiple video transmitting devices using the browser.