Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing a media item that includes multiple media item segments that are to be played back in a specific manner. The method may also include generating playgraphs for the media item, where the playgraphs define different playback paths between media item segments. The method may next include selecting a specific playgraph from the generated playgraphs, and then providing the selected playgraph to a playback device. Playback of the media item according to the selected playgraph may thereby provide a customized presentation of the media item. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present application set forth a computer-implemented method comprising receiving, at an endpoint device, a user input associated with a first remote application running on a workstation instance associated with the user, determining, based on a context associated with the user input, a first asset associated with the user input, and causing the workstation instance to modify an asset file in a local file system of the workstation instance, wherein the asset file corresponds to at least a portion of the first asset.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for selecting a frame of video content that is representative of a media title. The technique includes applying an embedding model to a plurality of faces included in a set of frames of the video content to generate a plurality of face embeddings. The technique also includes aggregating the plurality of face embeddings into a plurality of clusters representing a plurality of characters included in the media title. The technique further includes computing a plurality of prominence scores for the plurality of characters based on one or more attributes of the plurality of clusters, and selecting, from the set of frames, a frame of video content as representative of the media title based on one or more prominence scores for one or more characters included in the frame.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a training application trains a convolutional neural network to downsample images in a video encoding pipeline. The convolution neural network includes at least two residual blocks and is associated with a downsampling factor. The training application executes the convolutional neural network on a source image to generate a downsampled image. The training application then executes an upsampling algorithm on the downsampled image to generate a reconstructed image having the same resolution as the source image. The training application computes a reconstruction error based on the reconstructed image and the source image. The training application updates at least one parameter of the convolutional neural network based on the reconstruction error to generate a trained convolutional neural network.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a tunable VMAF application reduces an amount of influence that image enhancement operations have on perceptual video quality estimates. In operation, the tunable VMAF application computes a first value for a first visual quality metric based on reconstructed video content and a first enhancement gain limit. The tunable VMAF application computes a second value for a second visual quality metric based on the reconstructed video content and a second enhancement gain limit. Subsequently, the tunable VMAF application generates a feature value vector based on the first value for the first visual quality metric and the second value for the second visual quality metric. The tunable VMAF application executes a VMAF model based on the feature value vector to generate a tuned VMAF score that accounts, at least in part, for at least one image enhancement operation used to generate the reconstructed video content.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present application set forth a computer-implemented method comprising determining a set of digital assets to transfer to a destination device, generating, from the set of digital assets, a corresponding set of chunks, where each chunk is a pre-defined size, for each chunk in the set of chunks, transmitting the chunk to a service node included in a set of service nodes, and verifying that the service node received the chunk, where the set of service nodes receives at least two chunks of the set of chunks in parallel, and after the set of service nodes send the at least two chunks in parallel to the destination device, verifying that the destination device received the set of chunks.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a match cutting application automatically generates candidate match cuts. In some embodiments, the match cutting application detects shot sequences within one or more video sequences, deduplicates the shot sequences, computes an encoding of each shot sequence after the deduplication, and compares the encodings associated with pairs of shot sequences using a distance metric to identify pairs of shot sequences that can be cut together to generate candidate match cuts. In addition, the match cutting application can apply an approximation technique, such as an approximate nearest neighbor search technique, to identify intermediate pairs of shot sequences prior to comparing encodings associated with the intermediate pairs of shot sequences.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein provide techniques for detecting anomalies across one or more components within a distributed computing system, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. An anomaly detection system retrieves event data associated with a real-time stream of events generated by one or more components within a distributed computing system. The anomaly detection system computes a failure metric based on the event data. The anomaly detection system determines that the failure metric exceeds a dynamically adjustable trigger condition. The anomaly detection system generates an alert associated with the failure metric.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (1) accessing a first media data object and a different, second media data object that, when played back, each render temporally sequenced content, (2) comparing first temporally sequenced content represented by the first media data object with second temporally sequenced content represented by the second media data object to identify a set of common temporal subsequences between the first media data object and the second media data object, (3) identifying a set of edits relative to the set of common temporal subsequences that describe a difference between the temporally sequenced content of the first media data object and the temporally sequenced content of the second media data object, and (4) executing a workflow relating to the first media data object and/or the second media data object based on the set of edits. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A playback application seamlessly advances playback of and interactive media title in response to user selections in a manner that minimizes latency and preserves user immersion in a narrative. The playback application buffers an interstitial segment included in the interactive media title and feeds portions of the interstitial segment to a media player only when those portions are needed for display. When the user selects an option displayed during the interstitial segment, the playback application begins buffering a subsequent media segment and stops feeding portions of the interstitial segment to the media player. The playback application starts feeding blocks of the subsequent media segment to the media player and then seamlessly advances playback to the subsequent media segment.

Abstract: An encoding engine encodes a video sequence to provide optimal quality for a given bitrate. The encoding engine cuts the video sequence into a collection of shot sequences. Each shot sequence includes video frames captured from a particular capture point. The encoding engine resamples each shot sequence across a range of different resolutions, encodes each resampled sequence with a range of quality parameters, and then upsamples each encoded sequence to the original resolution of the video sequence. For each upsampled sequence, the encoding engine computes a quality metric and generates a data point that includes the quality metric and the resample resolution. The encoding engine collects all such data points and then computes the convex hull of the resultant data set. Based on all convex hulls across all shot sequences, the encoding engine determines an optimal collection of shot sequences for a range of bitrates.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method includes accessing cluster hardware information that identifies at least two different types of storage media within a cluster and provides an indication of a respective amount of data throughput for each identified type of storage media. The method next includes accessing popularity information for digital content that is to be stored in the cluster. The popularity information indicates how often the digital content is predicted to be accessed over a specified future period of time. The method also includes allocating the digital content on the different types of storage media within the cluster according to the popularity information. Accordingly, digital content predicted to have higher popularity is placed on storage media types with higher throughput amounts, and digital content predicted to have lower popularity is placed on storage media types with lower throughput amounts. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method includes accessing a hard drive to measure operational characteristics of the hard drive. The method next includes deriving hard drive health factors used to control the hard drive that are based on the measured operational characteristics. The derived hard drive health factors include an average per-seek time indicating an average amount of time the hard drive spends seeking specified data that is to be read and an average read speed indicating an average amount of time the hard drive spends reading the specified data. The method next includes determining, based on the hard drive health factors and the operational characteristics, an amount of load servicing capacity currently available at the hard drive, and then includes regulating the amount of load servicing performed by the hard drive according to the determined amount of available load servicing capacity. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing a media item that includes multiple media item segments that are to be played back in a specific manner. The method may also include generating playgraphs for the media item, where the playgraphs define different playback paths between media item segments. The method may next include selecting a specific playgraph from the generated playgraphs, and then providing the selected playgraph to a playback device. Playback of the media item according to the selected playgraph may thereby provide a customized presentation of the media item. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an encoder comparison application compares the performance of different configured encoders. In operation, the encoder comparison application generates a first global convex hull of video encode points based on a first configured encoder and a set of subsequences included in a source video sequence. Each video encode point is associated with a different encoded version of the source video sequence. The encoder comparison application also generates a second global convex hull of video encode points based on a second configured encoder and the subsequences. Subsequently, the encoder configuration application computes a performance value for an encoding comparison metric based on the first global convex hull and the second global convex hull. Notably, the first performance value estimates a difference in performance between the first configured encoder and the second configured encoder.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an iterative encoding application encodes a source video sequence. The encoding optimization application generates a set of shot encode points based on a set of encoding points and a first shot sequence included in the source video sequence. Each shot encode point is associated with a different encoded shot sequence. The encoding optimization application performs convex hull operation(s) across the set of shot encode points to generate a first convex hull associated with the first shot sequence. Subsequently, the encoding optimization application generates encoded video sequences based on the first convex hull and a second convex hull associated with a second shot sequence included in the source video sequence. The encoding optimization application computes a new encoding point based on the encoded video sequences and a target value for a first video metric and then generates an optimized encoded video sequence based on the new encoding point.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, with a computing system, data representing a video item into a buffer. The method further includes outputting the video item from the buffer to a display system. The method further includes determining that utilization of the buffer falls below a predetermined threshold. The method further includes, in response to determining that the utilization of the buffer falls below the predetermined threshold, determining that there is a specified rebuffering point within a predetermined time frame. The method further includes pausing with the computing system, the video item at the specified rebuffering point in response to determining that there is the specified rebuffering point within the predetermined time frame.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a media delivery application transmits encoded chunks of a media title to a playback application. In operation, the media delivery application receives, via a media channel, an encoded chunk request that has been transmitted over a TCP connection. The media delivery application also receives, via a side channel, a pacing specification that is associated with the encoded chunk request and has been transmitted over the TCP connection. As per the encoded chunk request, the media delivery application retrieves encoded chunk content. The media delivery application sets a parameter associated with the TCP connection equal to a parameter value based on the pacing specification. Subsequently, the media delivery application causes TCP segments corresponding to the encoded chunk content to be transmitted, via the media channel, over the TCP connection in accordance with the first parameter value.

Abstract: Various embodiments set forth systems and techniques for concurrent log and dump processing. The techniques include selecting, from a datastore, a chunk comprising one or more rows of data; comparing the one or more rows of data in the chunk with a first set of log events in a change log associated with the datastore, wherein each log event included in the first set of log events occurs after a first log event in the change log and prior to a second log event in the change log; selecting, based on the comparison, one or more non-conflicting rows in the chunk; and transmitting, to an output, one or more log events associated with the one or more non-conflicting rows in the chunk prior to processing a second set of log events in the change log, wherein the second set of log events occur after the second log event.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing a pre-rendered multimedia item. The pre-rendered multimedia item may have branching logic associated with it, where the branching logic includes branching points that direct non-sequential playback of the pre-rendered multimedia item. The method may also include initializing playback of the pre-rendered multimedia item and accessing, at the branching points, various trigger conditions that direct playback order of different segments of the pre-rendered multimedia item. The method may then include updating, based on the trigger conditions, at least some portion of custom state data. The method may further include playing back the segments of the pre-rendered multimedia item according to the updated state data. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.