Techniques are provided herein for modifying content playback between user devices (e.g., moving the content playback from one device to another). State information may be obtained by a content management engine, the state information describing aspects of historical content streaming corresponding to a plurality of user devices associated with a user profile. A streaming request can be received from a user device. The content to be streamed can be selected by the content management engine based at least in part on the state information. In some embodiments, the playback device is also selected based on the state information. A streaming request is transmitted from the content management engine to a service provider to effectuate the content being streamed to the selected playback device. These techniques enable a user to push or pull content to or from one device to another.

Disclosed are methods for supplementing the processing capabilities of multimedia devices in a networked environment. A method can include providing a processing offloader module to physically connect to a first multimedia device in the networked environment. The offloader can be internal and/or external to the device. The method can include identifying the offloader, identifying a second multimedia device, and determining that a bandwidth of the second device falls below a threshold bandwidth. Instructions can be forwarded from the second device to the offloader when the bandwidth of the second device exceeds the threshold bandwidth. The offloader is configured to process the instructions and render multimedia information based on the instructions. A first communication can be transmitted to the second multimedia device indicating a request to enable a proxy configured to output received rendered multimedia information and the rendered multimedia information can be forwarded from the offloader to the second device.

Introduced here are systems to manage and discover a processing offloader. A first multimedia device may identify a processing offloader in a networked environment. A first multimedia device may determine that a bandwidth of a second multimedia device in the networked environment falls below a threshold bandwidth, indicating that the second multimedia device may process instructions and render multimedia information with increased latency or delay. Based on this determination, the first multimedia device may forward instructions from the second multimedia device to the processing offloader for the processing offloader to process and render multimedia information on behalf of the second multimedia device based on the received instructions. The first multimedia device may forward rendered multimedia information from the processing offloader to the second multimedia device, and the second multimedia device may output the rendered multimedia information to an output device.

Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for transferring streaming media playback between streaming media devices. In an example embodiment, a user may be streaming content using a first media device. The user may then send a command to the first media device to transfer the streaming content to a second media device. The first media device may identify the second media device as being on a common network and transmit a wake command to the second media device as well as media playback state information indicating a playback position to resume playback. In some embodiments, the first media device may download the media playback state information onto a mobile device. The mobile device may then provide the media playback state information to the second media device to resume playback at the first media device's playback position.

A system and method for controlling the display of video content upon one or more displays as a function of user identity as determined by facial recognition. The system and method provide for the video content to be transferred between multiple screens so as to provide a user with a substantially continuous video experience as the user travels between screen locations. User images captured by both video and still image cameras can be utilized for purposes of user recognition. One or more media hubs may be utilized in performing and supporting the disclosed technology.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a novel approach for content protection. Specifically, various embodiments employ data feeds to continuously or periodically inform placeshifting devices of protected content. The placeshifting devices then filter or otherwise block the protected content from being re-transmitted over a network based on this information. In some embodiments, the data feeds take the form of Really Simple Syndicating (RSS) or Atom feeds. These data feeds may carry information about the protected content, such as the time, the title, and the channel of specific audio/video protected content. Based on this information, the placeshifting device can determine which content is protected and not eligible for re-transmission.

Introduced here are systems to manage and discover a processing offloader. A first multimedia device may identify a processing offloader in a networked environment. A first multimedia device may determine that a bandwidth of a second multimedia device in the networked environment falls below a threshold bandwidth, indicating that the second multimedia device may process instructions and render multimedia information with increased latency or delay. Based on this determination, the first multimedia device may forward instructions from the second multimedia device to the processing offloader for the processing offloader to process and render multimedia information on behalf of the second multimedia device based on the received instructions. The first multimedia device may forward rendered multimedia information from the processing offloader to the second multimedia device, and the second multimedia device may output the rendered multimedia information to an output device.

Introduced here are systems to manage and discover a processing offloader. A first multimedia device may identify a processing offloader in a networked environment. A first multimedia device may determine that a bandwidth of a second multimedia device in the networked environment falls below a threshold bandwidth, indicating that the second multimedia device may process instructions and render multimedia information with increased latency or delay. Based on this determination, the first multimedia device may forward instructions from the second multimedia device to the processing offloader for the processing offloader to process and render multimedia information on behalf of the second multimedia device based on the received instructions. The first multimedia device may forward rendered multimedia information from the processing offloader to the second multimedia device, and the second multimedia device may output the rendered multimedia information to an output device.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for managing and synchronizing viewing progress of a content item by multiple users. In one implementation, a user returning to a joint viewing session may be presented with options for catching up to other users in the joint viewing session, or otherwise see what the returning user previously missed.

A method implemented by a first terminal device, wherein the method comprises presenting a play interface for a video, obtaining an instruction instructing to stop playing the video in the play interface and to send the information to a second terminal device, wherein the information enables the second terminal device to play a first audio data, wherein the information comprises the first audio data or video information of the video and play progress of the video, wherein the first audio data is an audio data of the video after a first play moment, and wherein the first play moment is when the first terminal device stops playing the video, and responding to the instruction by stopping playing the video in the play interface and sending the information to the second terminal device.