Systems and methods are operable to notify a user of content availability. An exemplary embodiment receives a content availability notification request that specifies at least one content of interest, searches current electronic program guide (EPG) information to identify the content of interest, determines that the information identifying the specified content of interest is unavailable based upon the search of the current EPG information, generates a content availability reminder that is associated with the specified content of interest, monitors a content database to determine an availability of the specified content of interest identified in the content availability reminder, determines that the specified content of interest is available when the monitored content database indicates availability of the specified content of interest, and generates a content availability reminder notification that indicates at least a title of the specified content of interest.

Provided are a target character video clip playing method, system and apparatus, and a storage medium. The method comprises: using image recognition technology to perform target character recognition on an entire video, positioning a plurality of video clips containing target characters, and obtaining a first playing time period set corresponding to the video clips; according to audio clips corresponding to each character marked within the entire video, obtaining a second playing time period set corresponding to the audio clips of the various characters; merging the time periods included in the playing time period sets, and obtaining a sum playing time period set of the target characters; according to a sorting of various playing timelines within the sum playing time period set, performing video playing of the target characters.

Methods and systems are proposed herein to address the inefficiencies in the recommendation schemes available. More specifically, the embodiments disclosed herein provide a new recommendation scheme, whereby a user enters various criteria for what he/she would like to be recommended. For example, the system may receive a user preference for content recommendations from a user. The system may retrieve a user profile for the user. The system may compare the user preference to the user profile to determine a criterion for content recommendations for the user. The system may receive a content attribute for content provided by a content provider. The system may match the criterion to the content attribute. The system may, in response to matching the criterion to the content attribute, generate for display a recommendation to the user for the content.

A method for providing a personalized media stream includes receiving a signal from a user to launch a personalized media stream, determining a current time, identifying a first time slot of a schedule into which the current time falls, identifying a first channel that is associated with the first time slot, wherein viewing history for the user indicates that the user has viewed the first channel during the first time slot in the past, automatically tuning the display device to the first channel in response to the signal, receiving, subsequent to the automatically tuning, a command from the user to pause a program playing on the first channel, identifying a second channel associated with a second time slot, wherein the second time slot occurs later in time that the first time slot, and buffering a portion of a program being shown on the second channel during the second time slot.

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for generating videos with characters indicating regions of images are provided. For example, an image containing a first region may be received. At least one characteristic of a character may be obtained. A script containing a first segment of the script may be received. The first segment of the script may be related to the first region of the image. The at least one characteristic of a character and the script may be used to generate a video of the character presenting the script and at least part of the image, where the character visually indicates the first region of the image while presenting the first segment of the script.

In one embodiment, a method of generating an electronic program guide for a user of an entertainment system is disclosed. The method includes retrieving, by a user computer in communication with the entertainment system, preference criteria corresponding to one or more user preferences describing payment requirements. The user computer receives a plurality of content listings, each content listing comprising a content title, an indication of a content source, and a payment requirement, and a search query including a content title. The user computer also identifies a subset of the plurality of content listings based on content title and the search query, and ranks each content listing in the subset based on a comparison of the preference criteria and the payment requirement of each content listing in the subset. A content entry in the electronic program guide is created comprising each content listing in the subset in ranked order.

A method for providing a personalized media stream includes receiving a signal from a user to launch a personalized media stream, determining a current time, identifying a first time slot of a schedule into which the current time falls, identifying a first channel that is associated with the first time slot, wherein viewing history for the user indicates that the user has viewed the first channel during the first time slot in the past, automatically tuning the display device to the first channel in response to the signal, receiving, subsequent to the automatically tuning, a command from the user to pause a program playing on the first channel, identifying a second channel associated with a second time slot, wherein the second time slot occurs later in time that the first time slot, and buffering a portion of a program being shown on the second channel during the second time slot.

The embodiments of the disclosure provide an audio playback method, a computer-readable storage medium and a terminal device. The method includes: in response to an instruction of acquiring a recommended audio, acquiring the recommended audio; in response to an instruction of playing the recommended audio, saving playback information of a currently playing target audio, and playing the recommended audio; and in response to an instruction of ceasing to play the recommended audio, ceasing playing the recommended audio and playing the target on an audio playback interface according to the playback information. The audio playback method provided by the embodiments of the disclosure can effectively avoid interruptions in audio playing caused by the insertion of the recommended audio or other audio.

A method and system for controlling viewing of multimedia content includes collecting viewing control profiles and associated viewing control passwords via an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, and a mobile portal. The viewing control profile may be usable to restrict access to certain multimedia programs. The viewing control may be applied using a unified storefront application, providing access to multimedia content via the Internet-protocol television portal, the web portal, and the mobile portal, to offer and provide controlled access to the multimedia assets.

Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems that interact with users so as to provide for social networking and/or other services. In certain exemplary embodiments, an entertainment system is configured to provide jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services that are accessible from within and from the outside of the location, coordinating social networking services among and between patrons within and outside of the location and also providing for advertisement opportunities. In certain exemplary embodiments, the entertainment system within a location may serve as and/or be connected to a jukebox. The entertainment system within the location may be connected to one or more client devices, one or more displays, one or more bar-top or hand-held gaming devices, etc., in certain exemplary embodiments. The jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services may provide mechanisms for enhancing patrons' experiences, creating a sense of ownership and/or belongingness to a connected community of entertainment system users.