Abstract: A method comprises receiving from each of a plurality of commentator applications respective distinct streams of media content comprising commentary information, combining at least portions of selected ones of the distinct streams of media content comprising commentary information in a mixer associated with a media server to generate a composite media content stream, and providing the composite media content stream generated by the mixer to one or more servers of a content delivery network for delivery to one or more viewer devices. The commentary information of a given one of the distinct streams of media content received from a corresponding one of the commentator applications illustratively comprises at least one of audio content, video content, image content, social media posting content, chat text and closed caption text. The mixer may comprise a post-mixer coupled to the media server.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving video streams from a plurality of mobile devices associated with respective distinct users of a crowd-stream video application, evaluating the received video streams relative to an event of interest, selecting particular ones of the video streams for use in generation of crowd-stream video output based at least in part on results of the evaluating, generating the crowd-stream video output utilizing at least portions of the selected video streams, and providing the crowd-stream video output to one or more servers of a content delivery network for delivery to one or more viewer devices. The video streams illustratively comprise live video streams of the event of interest captured by respective ones of the mobile devices. In some embodiments, evaluating the received video streams relative to an event of interest comprises evaluating the received video streams in terms of at least vantage point relative to the event of interest.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving from each of a plurality of commentator applications corresponding commentary information relating to video content from at least one video source, sending at least portions of the commentary information received from each of the commentator applications to one or more other ones of the commentator applications, and generating commented video content based at least in part on the commentary information received from the commentator applications. The commented video content is provided to one or more servers of a content delivery network for delivery to one or more viewer devices. The receiving and sending are illustratively implemented in a media server through interaction of the media server with web browsers of respective commentator devices that implement the commentator applications.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving video streams from a plurality of mobile devices associated with respective distinct users of a crowd-stream video application, evaluating the received video streams relative to an event of interest, selecting particular ones of the video streams for use in generation of crowd-stream video output based at least in part on results of the evaluating, generating the crowd-stream video output utilizing at least portions of the selected video streams, and providing the crowd-stream video output to one or more servers of a content delivery network for delivery to one or more viewer devices. The video streams illustratively comprise live video streams of the event of interest captured by respective ones of the mobile devices. In some embodiments, evaluating the received video streams relative to an event of interest comprises evaluating the received video streams in terms of at least vantage point relative to the event of interest.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving video content from at least one video source, timestamping frames of the video content to generate respective first timestamps, and providing the frames in association with the respective first timestamps to a commentator application. The method further includes receiving audio content from the commentator application in association with respective second timestamps, combining the frames of the video content with the received audio content based at least in part on the first timestamps and the second timestamps to generate commented video content, and providing the commented video content to one or more servers of a content delivery network for delivery to one or more viewer devices. A plurality of distinct streams of audio content may be received from respective distinct commentator applications, and the frames of the video content combined with the plurality of distinct streams of audio content to generate the commented video content.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving content from a source, and generating multiple content streams each comprising the received content. Each content stream includes segments comprising respective portions of the received content. Different segmenting is utilized in generating respective ones of the content streams such that the segments in each of the content streams are offset in time relative to corresponding segments in the other ones of the streams. For example, generating the multiple content streams may comprise segmenting n content streams such that each content stream comprises segments of length Ts with corresponding segments in adjacent ones of the content streams being offset from one another by an offset Tg. Such an arrangement ensures that latency shift upon switching between one of the content streams and another content stream in a different set of multiple content streams at a client device can be limited to a value approximated by Tg.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving content from at least one source, processing the content to identify an object in the content, assigning an identifier to the object based on the processing, permitting viewer selection of the object identifier, and providing additional information for presentation to a viewer of the content responsive to viewer selection of the object identifier. The content in some embodiments comprises live video from at least one live video source. For example, the content may comprise at least a portion of a panoramic video comprising a combination of multiple live videos from respective ones of a plurality of video sources. The panoramic video may be digitally cropped and scaled before a resulting version of the content is provided for presentation to the viewer. A plurality of different digitally cropped and scaled versions of the content from the panoramic video can be generated and made available to the viewer.

Abstract: A client device implements a streaming client and a proxy server. The proxy server intercepts one or more playlist requests from the streaming client directed to one or more network servers external to the client device. Responsive to interception of a sliding-window playlist request of a particular type, the proxy server generates a corresponding on-demand playlist request. The intercepted sliding-window playlist request and the corresponding on-demand playlist request are sent from the proxy server to the one or more network servers. The proxy server receives an on-demand playlist from the one or more network servers responsive to the on-demand playlist request, and generates a local copy of the on-demand playlist. A current version of the local copy of the on-demand playlist is subsequently provided by the proxy server to the streaming client responsive to interception in the proxy server of a request from the streaming client for the on-demand playlist.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving content from a source, and generating multiple content streams each comprising the received content. Each content stream includes segments comprising respective portions of the received content. Different segmenting is utilized in generating respective ones of the content streams such that the segments in each of the content streams are offset in time relative to corresponding segments in the other ones of the streams. For example, generating the multiple content streams may comprise segmenting n content streams such that each content stream comprises segments of length Ts with corresponding segments in adjacent ones of the content streams being offset from one another by an offset Tg. Such an arrangement ensures that latency shift upon switching between one of the content streams and another content stream in a different set of multiple content streams at a client device can be limited to a value approximated by Tg.

Abstract: A method comprises obtaining information characterizing multiple content streams comprising respective portions of content received from respective ones of a plurality of sources, obtaining positional information for the sources wherein the positional information indicates for each of the sources its current position in a set of possible positions relative to other ones of the sources, generating an additional content stream comprising selected portions of particular ones of the multiple content streams based at least in part on the positional information and a mapping between the content streams and the sources, and presenting the additional content stream to a user. The additional content stream may be generated so as to provide the user with a dynamic vantage point within a live event by switching between the selected portions of the particular ones of the multiple content streams, possibly as a function of input received from user equipment operated by the user.

Abstract: A method comprises obtaining information characterizing multiple content streams comprising respective portions of content received from respective ones of a plurality of sources, obtaining positional information for the sources wherein the positional information indicates for each of the sources its current position in a set of possible positions relative to other ones of the sources, generating an additional content stream comprising selected portions of particular ones of the multiple content streams based at least in part on the positional information and a mapping between the content streams and the sources, and presenting the additional content stream to a user. The additional content stream may be generated so as to provide the user with a dynamic vantage point within a live event by switching between the selected portions of the particular ones of the multiple content streams, possibly as a function of input received from user equipment operated by the user.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving content from at least one source, processing the content to identify an object in the content, assigning an identifier to the object based on the processing, permitting viewer selection of the object identifier, and providing additional information for presentation to a viewer of the content responsive to viewer selection of the object identifier. The content in some embodiments comprises live video from at least one live video source. For example, the content may comprise at least a portion of a panoramic video comprising a combination of multiple live videos from respective ones of a plurality of video sources. The panoramic video may be digitally cropped and scaled before a resulting version of the content is provided for presentation to the viewer. A plurality of different digitally cropped and scaled versions of the content from the panoramic video can be generated and made available to the viewer.

Abstract: A media player or other type of client device is configured to obtain a plurality of playlists for a given item of media content from one or more servers over a network. The playlists comprise at least a sliding-window playlist and an on-demand playlist for the given item of media content with each such playlist identifying a plurality of media segments of the given item of media content. The client device comprises a playback module configured to play back portions of the given item of media content utilizing respective ones of the sliding-window and on-demand playlists. A navigation state machine controls switching of the playback module between playback of media segments from the sliding-window playlist and playback of media segments from the on-demand playlist responsive to user navigation within a timeline of the given item of media content using one or more navigational controls.