An image frame loss detection method is performed by a computer device, including: acquiring first coded data respectively corresponding to a plurality of first image frames and a color signal corresponding to at least one second image frame; obtaining second coded data corresponding to at least one second image frame generated by a terminal device through image rendering of a color signal based on the coded data respectively corresponding to the plurality of first image frames; and comparing the first coded data respectively corresponding to the plurality of first image frames with the second coded data corresponding to the at least one second image frame to determine whether a frame loss occurs. The first coded data and the second coded data each include color-coded data respectively corresponding to M image blocks of a correspond image frame, and each of the M image blocks has a color in the image frame.

Systems and methods are described for synchronizing playback of media content items. A first media content item is displayed at first user equipment and second user equipment. At least one playback parameter relating to the operation of the first user equipment and/or the second user equipment is determined. A determination is made as to whether the at least one playback parameter is less than a first playback parameter threshold. In response to determining that the at least one playback parameter is less than the first playback parameter threshold, at least one playback characteristic of the first media content item at the first user equipment and/or the second user equipment is adjusted to cause the display of the first media content item at first user equipment and second user equipment to be synchronized.

A method for providing media content within a media distribution network. The method comprises transforming source media content into an interim format, thereby providing transformed content. Furthermore, the method comprises storing the transformed content on at least one core storage unit. In addition, the method comprises receiving a request for the source media content from a client. The method further comprises encoding the transformed content or intermediate coded content derived therefrom into encoded content suitable for transmission over a core network and/or an edge network, as well as sending the encoded content via the core network and/or the edge network to the client.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method of content-layer based compression of a video being broadcasted over a network. The method may include: receiving a video stream comprising a plurality of video stream frames; identifying in at least some of the plurality of video stream frames at least two content-layers of predefined content-layers to yield corresponding at least two content-layer streams, wherein each of the at least two content-layer streams is associated with one of the at least two content-layers; and compressing each of the at least two content-layer video streams according to predetermined parameters of the content-layer associated with the respective content-layer video stream and according to available resources of the network to yield corresponding at least two compressed content-layer streams.

Delivery of high quality video in an adaptive bit rate (ABR) download session is achieved using obtained using lower quality communication paths. The method involves detecting that an ABR download session of a video is in a steady-state condition. If so a further determination is made as to whether there is sufficient pre-fetch time available to download an (N+1)th video segment of the video using at alternative connection path through a virtual WAN having a lower quality than a first connection path through the virtual WAN. If sufficient pre-fetch time is available, the (N+1)th video segment is prefetched using at least the second connection path instead of the first connection path.

There is provided fiber-coaxial amplifier device (10) comprising at least one output (14) and a test point (26) associated with the at least one output (14), wherein alternative first and second electrical paths (36, 38) are connectable to the at least one output (14), the first path (36) connectable to the at least one output (14) whilst bypassing the test point, the second path (38) connectable to both the at least one output (14) and the test point (26), and a relay (30) operable to connect one of the first path or the second path to the at least one output (14). The fiber-coaxial amplifier device (10) is configured for signals complying with Extended Spectrum DOCSIS.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method, including identifying recommended video clips for a user of a communication device according to a video viewing profile for the user and video subject matter information associated with a plurality of video clips, identifying an edge cloud server for facilitating network access by the communication device at a location, determining a reduced activity period for a data path between a video content server and the edge cloud server by comparing activity information for the data path and an activity threshold, directing the video content server to store the recommended video clips at the edge cloud server during the reduced activity period, and providing a listing of the recommended video clips to an application, where the communication device receives a video clip of the recommended video clips from the edge cloud server responsive to a selection of the video clip via the application. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, from a streaming application, a listing of media content items provided by the streaming application to a first device of a first user, determining a priority set of the media content items of the listing of media content items according to relative demand profiles of a plurality of media content items, for each priority media content item of the priority set of the media content items, providing the priority media content item to an edge server of a set of edge servers accessible to the first device, updating edge server location information associated with the priority media content item, and providing the edge server location information to the streaming application. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Mechanisms for selecting formats for streaming media content items are provided. In some embodiments, methods for selecting formats for streaming media content items are provided that include: receiving, at a server from a user device, a request to begin streaming a video content item on the user device; receiving, from the user device, network information indicating a quality of a network connection of the user device to a communication network used to stream the video content item and device information related to the user device; selecting, by the server, a first format for the video content item, wherein the first format includes a first resolution of a plurality of resolutions based on the network information and the device information; transmitting, from the server, a first portion of the video content item having the first format to the user device; receiving, at the server from the user device, updated network information and updated device information; selecting, by the server, a second format for the video content item, wherein the second format includes a second resolution of the plurality of resolutions based on the updated network information and the updated device information; and transmitting, from the server, a second portion of the video content item having the second format to the user device.

The present disclosure relates to a method and device for adjusting a bit rate during live streaming. In the method for adjusting the bit rate during live streaming includes: a parameter of a network used by an anchor terminal for transmitting live streaming data is acquired, an adjustment range of the bit rate for uploading the live streaming data is determined based on the parameter of the network used by the anchor terminal for transmitting the live streaming data, and the bit rate for uploading the live streaming data by the anchor terminal is adjusted based on a determined adjustment range.