In a method for transmitting and reproducing acoustic information, acoustic data is provided which comprises a first data component and a second data component, wherein the first data component does not contain speech information, and the second data component contains speech information. Each piece of data is reproduced by first and second audio reproduction means (30, 40) such that all users (101, 102) can hear the acoustic signals emitted by the first audio reproduction means (30) together, and the acoustic signals emitted by the second audio reproduction means (40) can be heard substantially only by the corresponding user (101, 102).

Methods, systems, and media for providing dynamic media sessions with audio stream expansion features are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include: receiving an indication that audio content associated with a video content item is to be presented by a follower device synchronously with the audio content presented by the leader device; identifying candidate follower devices by determining whether devices connected to a local area network are capable of being designated as a follower device; causing a user interface to be presented that indicates each candidate follower device; receiving, via the user interface, a selection of one of the candidate follower devices; and transmitting, from the leader to the selected follower device, control instructions that cause the audio content associated with the video content item to be presented synchronously by the selected follower device with the video content item presented by the leader device.

Sensing interfaces associated with a home entertainment system are used to automate a system response to events which occur in a viewing area associated with the home entertainment system. Data derived from such sensing interfaces may also be used to enhance the response readiness of one or more system components. Still further, user presence data derived from such sensing interfaces may be used to capture and report user viewing habits and/or preferences.

In one example, a method for providing content-aware progress bar includes receiving a command from a user via an input device to present a visual media on a display device, retrieving a progress bar associated with the visual media, wherein the progress bar includes a plurality of sections, and where each section of the plurality of sections corresponds to one scene of a plurality of scenes of the visual media, and wherein the each section visually indicates a type of content contained in the one scene, a location of the one scene in the visual media, and a duration of the one scene, presenting the visual media on the display device, and displaying the progress bar on the display device in a manner that is time-synchronized to the visual media.

Various embodiments of apparatus, systems and/or methods are described for independently controlling an audio stream relative to a video stream in audio trick mode. In one example, an audio stream and a video stream is received, where the audio stream comprises frames that correspond to corresponding frames of the video stream. The audio and video streams are played from a first time to a second time at a first speed. An input to time shift the audio stream independent of the video stream is received, and after receiving such, the audio stream is time shifted to the first time. Then, the audio stream may be re-played from the first time to the second time at a second speed different from the first speed.

Various arrangements for performing dynamic volume control are provided. Audio characteristics of audio content being output to a user may be identified. Adjustments made to an audio volume setting by the user while the audio content is being output to the user can be monitored. A machine learning model can be trained based on the adjustments made to the audio volume setting by the user that are mapped with the audio characteristics of the audio content. After the machine learning model is trained, the audio volume setting can be adjusted based at least in part on the trained machine learning model analyzing audio content.

Embodiments included herein generally relate to measuring a latency of a playback device. For example, a method includes: determining a first latency of a playback device; determining a second latency of the playback device; comparing the second latency to the first latency to determine whether an event occurred at the playback device; and in response to detecting a latency change between the second latency and the first latency indicating the occurrence of the event, adjusting a timing of a data stream provided to the playback device based on the latency change.

A system for facilitating configuration of an audio system tests the existing audio system configuration by playing reference audio clips of various different genres of programming, the audio of which is received by a microphone of a remote control device or other handheld mobile device at various different listening points in the room. The system then compares the audio signal representing audio of the reference audio clip received at the microphone to a reference audio signal representing the reference audio clip and determines other audio characteristics. The system then determines, based on the comparison and other characteristics of the room (e.g., furniture layout, room construction materials, wall treatments and current speaker positioning) suggested changes to a configuration of the audio system to increase audio quality of the audio system for playing audio associated with the various different genres of programming.

Embodiments are provided for satellite volume control. An example method includes receiving an input at a playback device to adjust a volume for a plurality of playback devices that are grouped for synchronous playback of audio content, wherein the plurality of playback devices includes the playback device. The method also includes sending a first message over a network from the playback device to a device associated with the plurality of playback devices, the first message including information based on the input, wherein the information is used to adjust the volume of the plurality of playback devices. The method also includes receiving a second message at the playback device over the network, the second message including information for the volume of the playback device, wherein the volume is based on the adjusted volume of the plurality of playback devices.

The present document describes a method (400) for personalizing audio content. The method (400) comprises receiving (401) a manifest file (140) for the audio content. The manifest file (140) comprises at least one adaptation set (281, 282) referencing an audio bitstream (121), where the audio bitstream (121) comprises a plurality of audio objects (181), and a plurality of different preselection elements (291, 292, 293) for the adaptation set (281, 282), wherein the different preselection elements (291, 292, 293) specify different combinations of the plurality of audio objects (181). The method (400) further comprises selecting (402) a preselection element (291) from the plurality of different preselection elements (291, 292, 293), and causing (403) rendering of an audio signal which depends on the selected preselection element (291).