This disclosure is directed to systems and methods for managing a group session for consuming media content across a plurality of devices. In some configurations and by non-limiting example, the group session operates to synchronize playback and control of media content at the plurality of devices. In one aspect a method of simultaneously playing media content on a plurality of media playback devices for a group session is disclosed.

A consolidated watch party system includes a sync server and a first user device communicatively coupled thereto. The sync server executes computer instructions instantiating a consolidation engine operable to assemble a watch party reel that includes a content segment and a prior reaction to the content segment and output the watch party reel to the first user device for presentation to a first user. The content segment may include a portion of a content presented during a watch party. The prior reaction may include chat data, captured during the watch party by a watch party user device, that includes a user reaction to the content. The prior reaction may include a facial response, an audible response, or other response. The consolidation engine selects the content segment, from a collection thereof, using a first tag associated therewith, generated by a source of the content segment, and/or corresponding to a criteria.

Systems and methods for creating video watch parties are shown and described. Video and audio data indicative of the content being displayed on a plurality of smart TVs is compared to stored data in a content recognition database to determine what content is being viewed by each of a plurality of viewers at a given time. Viewers watching the same content are invited to become members of a watch party, and the televisions of those who accept the invitation are operatively connected to one another in a peer-to-peer network, enabling them to view the watch party content on a watch party screen that displays the watch party content and images or graphical icon representations of each other member of the watch party who is watching the content. Watch party participants can communicate with one another on the watch party display orally, using text messages in a text message area of the display, or by projecting emojis in the content region of other participants' displays.

Systems and methods provide live broadcasts with real-time feedback from viewers using mobile computing devices. An example method includes providing a live feed broadcast from a source mobile device to a plurality of viewing devices, receiving, during the live feed broadcast, a plurality of feedback signals, each feedback signal being from at least one of the plurality of viewing devices, and associating each feedback signal with a respective time in the live feed broadcast. The method further includes providing, for each feedback signal in the plurality of feedback signals, an indication of the feedback signal to the source mobile device and to each viewing device of the plurality of viewing devices, the indication being used to display a symbol representing the feedback signal as an animation, the animation moving the symbol on a path during display and lasting for a predetermined time subsequent to the respective time.

A method of synchronizing sub-systems each including a master device and at least one slave device connected to the master device via Bluetooth for playback by the at least one slave device of audio data. The method includes collecting respective internal latency data of the sub-systems, determining, based on the internal latency data of the plurality of sub-systems, respective delays to be applied by the sub-systems between reception of the audio data and playback of the audio data by the slave devices of the sub-system, and, by each sub-system, applying the corresponding delay for playback of the audio data.

According to an embodiment, a source device for providing a screen sharing service with a sync device may include a display, a communication circuit configured to perform communication with the sync device, and a processor configured to receive a connection request for the screen sharing service from the sink device through the communication circuit, execute a home application for providing a home screen of the sink device according to the received connection request, display an execution screen of the home application on the display according to execution of the home application, and transmit image data corresponding to the displayed execution screen of the home application to the sink device through the communication circuit.

A remote voice recording is synchronized to video using a cloud-based virtual recording studio within a web browser to record and review audio while viewing the associated video playback and script. All assets are accessed through or streamed within the browser application, thereby eliminating the need for the participants to install any applications or store content locally for later transmission. Recording controls, playback/record status, and audio timeline and script edits are synchronized across participants and may be controlled for all participants remotely by a sound engineer so that each participant sees and hears the section of the program being recorded and edited at the same time. High-resolution audio files for dubbing video are created and time synchronized to the relevant video frames.

A play control method includes obtaining a playing state of at least one of a plurality of terminals playing a same video; and controlling a playing progress of at least one of the plurality of terminals when the playing state meets a preset condition. Using the disclosed play control method and apparatus for a plurality of terminals playing a same video, playing synchronization of the plurality of terminals can be maintained under a premise of ensuring that the plurality of terminals do not miss each video segment, so that no communication barrier is resulted due to asynchronous video playing during interactions between users who watch the same video, thus being able to improve user experience.

In one aspect, a playback device is provided that is configured to identify a trigger event indicating a request to associate the playback device with another playback device. Based on identifying the trigger event, the playback device is configured to create a first sound code based on a first sound specimen detected by the playback device. After identifying the trigger event, the playback device is configured to receive from the other playback device a sound object and based on receiving the sound object, identify a second sound code. The playback device is also configured to, based on the first sound code and the second sound code, determine that it and the other playback device have a spatial relationship. Based on that determination, the playback device is configured to cause it and the other playback device to be associated in accordance with the indicated request.

In some embodiments, communication and/or media user interfaces associated with a synchronized media and communication session can be displayed at one or more devices. In some embodiments, a first electronic device can join and/or add media content to a synchronized media and communication session when an associated second electronic device is part of the synchronized media and communication session.