Abstract: A content streaming system and methodology for facilitating the management of content streaming. A video packaging and origination service receives streaming content that is organized according to content segments. Individual content segments will be encoded according to a plurality of encoding bitrates including a reference bitrate and one or more additional renditions. The one or more additional renditions include pointers to the baseline rendition.

Abstract: Techniques for managing encoder configuration based on content delivery network performance are described. A computer-implemented method may include obtaining availability metrics from one or more content delivery networks (CDNs), the availability metrics associated with one or more content streams provided by the one or more CDNs, determining at least one CDN has less than a threshold capacity based at least on the availability metrics, and sending a request to one or more encoders associated with the one or more content streams to reduce a quality of at least one of the one or more content streams based at least on the availability metrics.

Abstract: Quality parameters, such as encoding bitrate, can be determined for the providing of media content based at least in part upon aggregate consumption data. An unknown number of media players can obtain content at a bitrate that depends upon network conditions, and encoders can use variable bitrate encoding, such that egress bandwidth usage can vary widely over time. Aggregate consumption data can be obtained for the various client devices to project the egress costs for a particular period. If the projected resources deviate unacceptably from the target for the period, new quality setting values can be determined, such as new maximum, minimum, target bitrate, or target quality values for the various quality levels. These settings can be automatically applied or suggested to customers, who can then accept any or all of the suggestions, or choose to adjust at least some of the settings based on the suggestions or cost projections.

Abstract: Quality parameters, such as encoding bitrate, can be determined for the providing of media content based at least in part upon aggregate consumption data. An unknown number of media players can obtain content at a bitrate that depends upon network conditions, and encoders can use variable bitrate encoding, such that egress bandwidth usage can vary widely over time. Aggregate consumption data can be obtained for the various client devices to project the egress costs for a particular period. If the projected resources deviate unacceptably from the target for the period, new quality setting values can be determined, such as new maximum, minimum, target bitrate, or target quality values for the various quality levels. These settings can be automatically applied or suggested to customers, who can then accept any or all of the suggestions, or choose to adjust at least some of the settings based on the suggestions or cost projections.

Abstract: In one method embodiments, providing a transport stream to a client device, the transport stream comprising a head stream and a tail stream, the head stream and the tail stream each comprising a compressed video sequence; providing information in a transport stream packet associated with the head stream, the information configured to cause the client device to selectively control an output of at least one of a plurality of pictures of the head stream yet to be output from a decoded picture buffer (DPB) at an out-point from the head stream to the trail stream.

Abstract: In one method embodiments, providing a transport stream to a client device, the transport stream comprising a head stream and a tail stream, the head stream and the tail stream each comprising a compressed video sequence; providing information in a transport stream packet associated with the head stream, the information configured to cause the client device to selectively control an output of at least one of a plurality of pictures of the head stream yet to be output from a decoded picture buffer (DPB) at an out-point from the head stream to the trail stream.

Abstract: In one method embodiments, providing a transport stream to a client device, the transport stream comprising a head stream and a tail stream, the head stream and the tail stream each comprising a compressed video sequence; providing information in a transport stream packet associated with the head stream, the information configured to cause the client device to selectively control an output of at least one of a plurality of pictures of the head stream yet to be output from a decoded picture buffer (DPB) at an out-point from the head stream to the trail stream.

Abstract: System and method for performing a splice operation on an encrypted or unencrypted MPEG-2 transport stream. A splice trigger is received at a pre-conditioning encoder. In response, the encoder generates, e.g., an SCTE-35 cue message that is intended to be received by a splicer. Also in response to the splice trigger, the encoder encodes/conditions a network feed such that a decoder buffer delay reaches a predefined value at a video frame of the network feed that corresponds to a splice point indicated by the SCTE-35 cue message. The network feed may then be encrypted in a known fashion. At the splicer, another feed is switched into the stream at the splice point, wherein the another feed is encoded such that a decoder buffer delay at a video frame of the another feed corresponding to the splice point is the same as the predefined value. The predefined value is defined as DTS-STC, where DTS is a Decoding Time Stamp and STC is a System Time Clock.

Abstract: In one method embodiments, providing a transport stream to a client device, the transport stream comprising a head stream and a tail stream, the head stream and the tail stream each comprising a compressed video sequence; providing information in a transport stream packet associated with the head stream, the information configured to cause the client device to selectively control an output of at least one of a plurality of pictures of the head stream yet to be output from a decoded picture buffer (DPB) at an out-point from the head stream to the trail stream.

Abstract: System and method for performing a splice operation on an encrypted or unencrypted MPEG-2 transport stream. A splice trigger is received at a pre-conditioning encoder. In response, the encoder generates, e.g., an SCTE-35 cue message that is intended to be received by a splicer. Also in response to the splice trigger, the encoder encodes/conditions a network feed such that a decoder buffer delay reaches a predefined value at a video frame of the network feed that corresponds to a splice point indicated by the SCTE-35 cue message. The network feed may then be encrypted in a known fashion. At the splicer, another feed is switched into the stream at the splice point, wherein the another feed is encoded such that a decoder buffer delay at a video frame of the another feed corresponding to the splice point is the same as the predefined value. The predefined value is defined as DTS?STC, where DTS is a Decoding Time Stamp and STC is a System Time Clock.