Abstract: There is disclosed a streaming technique in which a distributed playback, DP, master device receives a media stream from a content provider and transmits the media stream to a plurality of DP client devices. The DP master device may follow different policies. In case one DP client device has not a level of security sufficient for a particular quality, one policy provides that the stream is degraded, while another policy provides that the stream is to be transmitted by a content provider at a reduced quality.

Abstract: An apparatus for retrieving a remote media content owned by a user to a vehicle or an aircraft, includes an authorization controller for obtaining an access authorization from the user, the access authorization indicating that the authorization controller is authorized to access the remote media content; a detector for detecting whether the user is located at or in the vehicle or the aircraft and for generating a detection result; and a media content retriever for retrieving the remote media content using the access authorization when the detection result indicates that the user is located at or in the vehicle or the aircraft and for not retrieving the remote media content when the detection result indicates that the user is not located at or in the vehicle or aircraft.

Abstract: Master element for a distributed playback architecture for a media data, having: a payload data source for providing payload data packets; a beacon packet creator for creating beacon packets useable for synchronizing a playback process of the payload data packets at, at least one, slave element in the distributed playback architecture; and a network interface for transmitting an interleaved packet stream to the at least one slave element, the interleaved packet stream having the payload data packets provided by the payload data source and the beacon packets created by the beacon packet creator. A corresponding slave element, the distributed playback architecture, a method, and a computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Client device for playing media content, comprising: a connection interface for establishing a connection with a server and for receiving a media content from the server via the connection; a detector for detecting, whether the media content is to be continued beyond a termination of the connection with the server, and for providing a detection result in case it is determined that the media content is to be continued beyond a determination of the connection with the server; and a processor for taking an action to continue the media content beyond a termination of the connection with the server.

Abstract: A media playback component includes a demultiplexer for receiving a data stream and for demultiplexing media content items provided at a first demultiplexer output and at least one type of non-media content items provided at a second demultiplexer output. The media playback component includes playback queue, a queue input of which is connected to the first demultiplexer output. A bypass input of a queue bypass is connected to the second demultiplexer output. The media playback component includes a decoder including a first decoder input connected to a queue output of the playback queue and a second decoder input connected to a bypass output of the queue bypass. The decoder is configured for decoding the media content items in accordance with commands contained within the at least one type of non-media content items. Further embodiments relate to a method for (distributed) media playback, and to a server component for distributed playback architecture for media data.

Abstract: Master element for a distributed playback architecture for a media data, having: a payload data source for providing payload data packets; a beacon packet creator for creating beacon packets useable for synchronizing a playback process of the payload data packets at, at least one, slave element in the distributed playback architecture; and a network interface for transmitting an interleaved packet stream to the at least one slave element, the interleaved packet stream having the payload data packets provided by the payload data source and the beacon packets created by the beacon packet creator. A corresponding slave element, the distributed playback architecture, a method, and a computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A database manager comprises: a detector detecting a connection of an external database which comprises media files, a database file system comprising a media identifier comprising a file or directory path name and an identification on the location of the media file on the external database, and metadata for each of the media files; a database synchronizer reading and storing, as a first step, part of the database file system and, as a second step, part of the metadata when the at least a portion of the database file system is read; and a search request processor processing a search request for a media file in parallel with the second step, wherein the search request processor provides a search result based on the media identifier from the database file system, even when the metadata for the media file is not yet read and stored in the second step.

Abstract: Client device for playing media content, comprising: a connection interface for establishing a connection with a server and for receiving a media content from the server via the connection; a detector for detecting, whether the media content is to be continued beyond a termination of the connection with the server, and for providing a detection result in case it is determined that the media content is to be continued beyond a determination of the connection with the server; and a processor for taking an action to continue the media content beyond a termination of the connection with the server.

Abstract: A database manager comprises: a detector detecting a connection of an external database which comprises media files, a database file system comprising a media identifier comprising a file or directory path name and an identification on the location of the media file on the external database, and metadata for each of the media files; a database synchronizer reading and storing, as a first step, part of the database file system and, as a second step, part of the metadata when the at least a portion of the database file system is read; and a search request processor processing a search request for a media file in parallel with the second step, wherein the search request processor provides a search result based on the media identifier from the database file system, even when the metadata for the media file is not yet read and stored in the second step.

Abstract: A database manager comprises: a detector detecting a connection of an external database which comprises media files, a database file system comprising a media identifier comprising a file or directory path name and an identification on the location of the media file on the external database, and metadata for each of the media files; a database synchronizer reading and storing, as a first step, part of the database file system and, as a second step, part of the metadata when the at least a portion of the database file system is read; and a search request processor processing a search request for a media file in parallel with the second step, wherein the search request processor provides a search result based on the media identifier from the database file system, even when the metadata for the media file is not yet read and stored in the second step.

Abstract: Client device for playing media content, comprising: a connection interface for establishing a connection with a server and for receiving a media content from the server via the connection; a detector for detecting, whether the media content is to be continued beyond a termination of the connection with the server, and for providing a detection result in case it is determined that the media content is to be continued beyond a determination of the connection with the server; and a processor for taking an action to continue the media content beyond a termination of the connection with the server.

Abstract: A database manager comprises: a detector detecting a connection of an external database which comprises media files, a database file system comprising a media identifier comprising a file or directory path name and an identification on the location of the media file on the external database, and metadata for each of the media files; a database synchronizer reading and storing, as a first step, part of the database file system and, as a second step, part of the metadata when the at least a portion of the database file system is read; and a search request processor processing a search request for a media file in parallel with the second step, wherein the search request processor provides a search result based on the media identifier from the database file system, even when the metadata for the media file is not yet read and stored in the second step.