Abstract: Methods and systems for content output are disclosed. A user device may want to control the output of a content item using trick play features. However, the content item may not be associated with a trick play file. The user device may request, based on user-initiation of a trick play operation, at least one fragment of a content item associated with the trick play operation. After requesting the at least one fragment and based on metadata associated with the at least one fragment, the user device may determine at least one I-frame associated with the at least one fragment. Output of the at least one I-frame may be caused to perform the trick play operation without relying on a trick play file and without any advance knowledge of the locations of the key frames within the content item.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein relate to storing and replaying live streaming content. A content recording system may provide virtual manifests to a playback device. The virtual manifests may facilitate a simulation of live streaming of content at a time other than the live streaming. The virtual manifests may be modified versions of the manifests generated during the live streaming of the content. The manifest generation time and location indicators of the content segments are modified to resemble a live stream. If a playback device requests manifests for the live streaming content at a later time, the playback device can display the content at the later time as if the content is being streamed live. This may assist in quality assurance procedures for live stream content.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein relate to storing and replaying live streaming content. A content recording system may provide virtual manifests to a playback device. The virtual manifests may facilitate a simulation of live streaming of content at a time other than the live streaming. The virtual manifests may be modified versions of the manifests generated during the live streaming of the content. The manifest generation time and location indicators of the content segments are modified to resemble a live stream. If a playback device requests manifests for the live streaming content at a later time, the playback device can display the content at the later time as if the content is being streamed live. This may assist in quality assurance procedures for live stream content.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating test content are disclosed. To analyze or test output of a content item, test content that shares the same characteristics as the content item may be generated using generic (e.g., public domain) video and/or audio. Because the test content shares the same characteristics as the content item, the test content may be used to analyze or test the output of the content item. But because the test content is generated using generic video and/or audio, the test content is not subject to restrictions that limit or prevent its use in the testing environments.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein relate to storing and replaying live streaming content. A content recording system may provide virtual manifests to a playback device. The virtual manifests may facilitate a simulation of live streaming of content at a time other than the live streaming. The virtual manifests may be modified versions of the manifests generated during the live streaming of the content. The manifest generation time and location indicators of the content segments are modified to resemble a live stream. If a playback device requests manifests for the live streaming content at a later time, the playback device can display the content at the later time as if the content is being streamed live. This may assist in quality assurance procedures for live stream content.

Abstract: Delay in initial output of a requested content asset by a computing device may be reduced by sending a first portion of the content asset to the computing device, such as video player, along with a requested information file, such as a manifest file, associated with the content asset. The first portion of the content asset and the manifest file may be processed in parallel by the video player device. The video player device may request a second portion of the content asset according to the manifest file, while the video player device is continuing to process, output and present the first portion of the content asset. The size of the first portion of the content asset may be sized to provide continuous output of the first portion and subsequent portions of the content asset received.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing and distributing bundled code objects to, for example, set-top boxes serviced by a multi-service operator. The system and method creates different profiles, each including code objects, download conditions and so on. The different profiles are then combined in a code download bundle and the code download bundle is downloaded to a service center, which further distributes the bundle to a plurality of site servers which distribute the information in the bundle to the appropriate destinations, such as set-top boxes used with cable television service.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing and distributing bundled code objects to, for example, set-top boxes serviced by a multi-service operator. The system and method creates different profiles, each including code objects, download conditions and so on. The different profiles are then combined in a code download bundle and the code download bundle is downloaded to a service center, which further distributes the bundle to a plurality of site servers which distribute the information in the bundle to the appropriate destinations, such as set-top boxes used with cable television service.

Abstract: A cable television system automatically locates set-top terminals within the system with respect to the specific equipment through which the set-top terminal communicates with the system controller. This location of the terminal is used to configure the terminal to operate properly within the system and with respect to its physical location and to improve the overall operating efficiency of the system. Identifying the location of terminals can also facilitate better trouble-shooting and characterization of the cable plant by providing logical and physical network topology information. Each terminal's attributes are also registered with the system controller. The controller can also effect automatic configuration of set-top terminals purchased through a retail outlet and installed by consumers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing seamless failover to a redundant stream at an edge device is disclosed. A plurality of identical streams are received via a plurality of paths at a plurality of synchronization buffers. Each synchronization buffer receives one of the plurality of identical streams from a corresponding path of the plurality of paths. The plurality of streams are synchronized. A composite stream is generated from the plurality of identical streams according to a packet selection process.

Abstract: A system (10), method (90) and apparatus (14) are provided for provisioning a multicast stream, such as an IP multicast stream, in a network. The system includes a first tier (12), such as a national backbone, with a first Multicast Address Discovery (MCAD) directory (34), and at least one second tier having a headend, such as a regional headend (14), with a second MCAD directory (36, 38). The system (10) includes a tiered MCAD directory network that allows the assignment of multicast addresses to multicast streams received from an upper tier MCAD directory. The tiered MCAD directory structure allows for requesting and storing stream descriptors and delivering stream descriptors on-demand to MCAD-enabled devices throughout the system. The system (10) also allows for stream provisioning maintenance and validation at lower tier headends via MCAD-enabled device queries or re-queries of upper tier MCAD directories.

Abstract: A method for enabling at least one of a plurality of user devices to provide a service flow is described. In one example, a code is transmitted to a home identification device (HID) to be combined with an HID identification number. The combined response, which is comprised of the code and the HID identification number, is then transmitted from the HID and received by the user device(s). If the combined response is equivalent to at least one predetermined match key, which is stored in the user device(s), that user device(s) provides the service flow to a respective television(s).

Abstract: A method for controlling flow of a video content signal through a communications system, such as a video on-demand system creates a unique message for each individual video content signal and attaches the unique message to each individual video content signal prior to transmitting the video content signal through the communications system to a designed end user system. In one exemplary embodiment, the unique message comprises an in-band signaling message, such as a message inserted in a program map table in an MPEG packetized signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing access protection in a digital television distribution system having a master headend and at least one local headend is described. In one example, first authorization data associated with content services for distribution is defined. The content services are protected at the master headend. The first authorization data is protected at the master headend. Digital transport stream data is then generated from the protected content services and the protected authorization data for transmission to each of the local headends.

Abstract: A communications system (10) for processing video signals in a video-on-demand service employs centralized transcoding in a way that a relatively small amount of transcoding equipment (15) is required, as opposed to transcoding every transport stream. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention do not require transitions from non-transcoded sessions to transcoded sessions. According to one aspect of the present invention, bandwidth is reserved at the node groups (14a-c) for transcoded services, and transcoding is initiated before the node group (14a-c) exceeds its assigned bandwidth. This method provides the opportunity to add additional transcoded services and start decreasing bandwidth allocations to individual channels or services without interrupting existing sessions.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for reconfiguring protocol data for a multiplexed data stream which is reduced to carry fewer services for cable-side transmission in a cable television plant or the like. More particularly, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for reconfiguring protocol data for a desired combination of data streams contained within an incoming high data rate multiplexed data stream, such as a high data rate Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulated multiplexed data stream, when the incoming multiplexed data stream is reduced.