Abstract: A musician discovery system is provided. The musician discovery system includes a first interface for displaying a plurality of musicians organized according to a musical characteristic. The system includes a second interface for presenting multimedia information about a first musician from the plurality of musicians displayed on the first interface. The system includes means for comparing a second plurality of musicians with the first musician using the multimedia information presented on the second interface about the first musician. Furthermore, the system includes a third interface for recommending a second musician from the second plurality of musicians based on the comparing means.

Abstract: A computerized method is for controlling a virtual environment of a user and includes providing, over a communications network, a plurality of virtual environments in which a user is able to interact with other users using electronic messaging. The computerized method also includes transmitting, from an authentication server, information about the plurality of virtual environments to a first computing device associated with an agent in response to user request for access to a restricted electronic messaging format associated with one of the virtual worlds. The computerized method further includes receiving, at the authentication server, an indication of authorization from the first computing device, wherein the indication of authorization includes a separate indication of authorization associated with each of the plurality of virtual environments.

Abstract: Described are methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for dynamic integration and linear presentation of advertising content and media content. The method includes receiving a request for media content; combining the requested media content and advertising content to provide an interactive advertising unit; and transmitting the interactive advertising unit for presentation on the remote computing device, wherein the advertising content is presented before the requested media content. The interactive advertising unit includes a first content layer including the requested media content and a media player, a second content layer including the advertising content, and an integration module for coordinating interaction between the layers.

Abstract: Described are methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for dynamic integration and non-linear presentation of advertising content and media content. The method includes receiving a request for media content; combining the requested media content and advertising content to provide an interactive advertising unit; and transmitting the interactive advertising unit for presentation on the remote computing device, wherein the advertising content and media content are presented concurrently. The interactive advertising unit includes a first content layer including the requested media content and a media player, a second content layer including the advertising content, and an integration module for coordinating interaction between the layers.

Abstract: An system and method for interactively choosing a selection from a database, including a media database containing movies, videos and graphical offerings, is disclosed. The invention uses a physical metaphor to represent the database and icons to represent selections. A preferred embodiment for a video-on-demand environment uses a globe or torus to represent a video database, which is displayed on a user's television at the user's location. Superimposed on the globe is a grid of pictorial icons representing the video selections stored in the video database. The video selections are arranged by category and alphabetically on the globe. The user may employ a remote control to issue search commands.

Abstract: An apparatus and method using the forward error correction setting to enable simultaneous use of multiple modulation systems on terrestrial distribution networks including cable television systems is described. The system includes a transcoder having a demultiplexer for demultiplexing a forward-error-correction decoded signal into a main data stream with a bit rate suitable for 64-QAM cable transmission and an auxiliary data stream with a bit rate approximately half that of the main data stream. Two of such auxiliary data streams can be combined to generate an output data stream with a bit rate suitable for 64-QAM cable transmission. The system also includes a satellite transmitter which can adjust its convolution coding rate to either 1/2 or 3/4 for 64-QAM and 256-QAM cable channels respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus and method using the forward error correction setting to enable simultaneous use of multiple modulation systems on terrestrial distribution networks including cable television systems is described. The system includes a transcoder having a demultiplexer for demultiplexing a forward-error-correction decoded signal into a main data stream with a bit rate suitable for 64-QAM cable transmission and an auxiliary data stream with a bit rate approximately half that of the main data stream. Two of such auxiliary data streams can be combined to generate an output data stream with a bit rate suitable for 64-QAM cable transmission. The system also includes a satellite transmitter which can adjust its convolution coding rate to either 1/2 or 3/4 for 64-QAM and 256-QAM cable channels respectively.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating realistic window borders of windows of a range of sizes for display on a display screen in a windowing environment. Realistic window borders with simulated 3-D characteristics and the appearance of real structures and materials such as wood, stone, etc., are provided within a windowing display environment by first generating and inputting realistic pictorial frame elements, sizing the realistic frame elements in accordance with the desired size of the window and generating location information for each element based upon the desired size of the window. The sized frame elements are then assembled using the location information and displayed on the screen of the system display device.

Abstract: A coaxial cable connector using the interference fit of a metallic sleeve forced into an open end of an annular space of a metallic coaxial cable connector end piece to provide the holding force required to maintain a tight mechanical connection between the coaxial cable and the coaxial cable connector thereby providing a good electrical contact between the coaxial cable shielding conductor and the coaxial cable connector, to provide good electromagnetic shielding performance for a central conductor from outside interference.