A distribution system for transmitting media content programs to premises equipment via a satellite transmission path addresses signal degradation caused by atmospheric conditions and other factors. Upon detection of a degradation of the satellite signal, the system may begin transmitting the content using an alternative signal path, such as a terrestrial IP network. The satellite transmission path is brought back on line after the satellite link is restored. Alternatively, the system may begin recording the signal in the media distribution system for transmission via the satellite link after the link is restored.

Example techniques relate to cloud queue tombstones. An example implementation may involve a computing system receiving instructions to remove a particular media item from a playback queue. Based on the instructions, the computing system removes the particular media item from the playback queue and adds, to the playback queue, a tombstone indicator indicating that the particular media item has been removed from the playback queue. The computing system receives, from the media playback system, a request for a window of one or more media items from the playback queue. Based on the request, the computing system sends, to the media playback system, data representing a particular window of media items from the playback queue, wherein the particular window includes the tombstone indicator. The computing system detects a given tombstone removal trigger from among multiple tombstone removal triggers and based on the detecting, removes the tombstone indicator from the playback queue.

In general, in an aspect, versions of representations of segments of a media item are received and temporarily stored on a media playing device. The segments have a sequence. The temporarily stored versions are used in sequence to present at least part of the media item to a user. One or more other versions of representations of segments of the media item are also received and persistently stored on the media playing device. The one or more persistently stored other versions are used to enhance the presentation of at least part of the media item to the user.

Apparatus and methods for the storage and delivery of content over a network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a managed content distribution network, and the apparatus comprises a “cloud” digital video recorder (cDVR) server which stores, processes and assembles content prior to its delivery in a way that obviates superfluous storage, and gains significant network efficiencies. This approach also facilitates various pre-streaming processing in the video recording (e.g., cDVR) system. One or more content libraries adapted to facilitate cDVR content assembly and access are also disclosed. Secondary content (e.g., promotions, advertisements, etc.) can also be selectively inserted into cDVR content. Various access, business or operational rules and methods implementing the foregoing are also described.

Systems and methods are described to address shortcomings in the conventional network storage systems via novel techniques to store offsets of a recorded program in a network digital video recorder (DVR). Storing offsets of a recorded program may be beneficial to users that would like to record media content that is broadcast either prior to a start time of a program, or media content that is broadcast after an end time of a program. This feature may be useful when start times and end times of a program are variable (e.g., in the case of sporting events, or other real-time events). This feature may also be useful for recording content of interest that is scheduled for broadcast prior to a start time of or after an end time of the program.

A system and method for frame accurate editing of high resolution live video streams is disclosed. A method includes providing a low resolution video stream displayed in a first viewing portion of an edit user interface, wherein the low resolution video stream corresponds to a high resolution video stream of the live video content, receiving, via the viewing portion of the user interface, user input identifying a first start point and a first end point within the low resolution video stream, and transmitting the first start point and the first end point to a server to obtain a respective intermediate video segment of an intermediate resolution video stream corresponding to the high resolution video stream. The method further includes presenting the respective intermediate video segment in a second viewing portion of the edit user interface, the second viewing portion comprising a frame identifying section to identify frames corresponding to the first start point and the first end point, receiving user input identifying a second start point and a second end point from within the intermediate resolution video stream, and transmitting the second start point and the second end point to the server to obtain a respective high resolution video segment from the high resolution video stream for presentation to the user.

A system and method of operating a content distribution system includes generating a first request for first content by a first user device. Based on the first request for the first content, the first content is pre-positioned by communicating the first content to a downstream storage device closer to a second user device without communicating the first content to the first user device using the downstream storage device; and storing the first content in the downstream storage device as pre-positioned content. The method further includes communicating the first content to the second user device from the downstream storage device.

A moving image distribution method and a moving image distribution apparatus for reducing an increase in server load due to a change in a user's line of sight includes storing a video stream for each viewpoint of a plurality of viewpoints defined on a sphere with a camera as a point of observation, the video stream covering the sphere, and distributing the video stream to a user terminal. The distributing including distributing the video stream for the viewpoint other than a nearest viewpoint, corresponding to a line of sight determined by the user terminal, on the sphere.

A digital content recording network controller device determines a first content of a set of content to be more likely to be requested by a user of a content access device than a second content of the set of content based on monitored behavior of the user. The device stores the first content in a first storage device of a tiered group of storage devices and stores the second content in a second storage device of the tiered group of storage devices wherein the content access device is located closer to the first storage device than the second storage device. This balances storage load with accessibility, resulting in a faster responding system that does not require as much storage.

A system is provided for publishing a plurality of disparate live media output stream manifests using live input streams and pre-encoded media assets. A first instruction, comprising input manifest locations, is allocated to a first worker based on an instruction type and a priority level. At least one of a first manifest data or a second manifest data is read by the first worker from a corresponding input manifest location. A second instruction is allocated to a second worker. A next manifest segment is inserted to a disparate live output stream manifest by the second worker based on reading an ingested manifest metadata. Accordingly, a plurality of disparate live media output stream manifests is generated for each of a plurality of channels based on the disparate live output stream manifest.