Abstract: Techniques are described for providing a service to user of an output or display device to control screen time, such as on behalf of advertisers. The techniques include providing a service to switch to a second input source/port during switching times, wherein the user is watching content through the display device's first input source/port at the time of switch. The system is configurable to switching rental times, specify additional conditions for a switching to take place including specifying acceptable ad tags and minimum acceptable compensation.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and related methods for switching to an alternate audio/video signal or stream during advertisement breaks in a media provider's programming signal, or other events detected by the system. The system for switching to alternate stream may include a system to detect an event and switch to an alternate signal or stream. Exemplary components may comprise a client based cue generation system, a server based cue generation system, an advertisement cue handling and stat recorder element, viewer dataminer and categorizer, an alternate signal selector, a personal data backup process and a server based controller and alternate signal storage server.