Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed herein that relate to the presentation of an entertainment consumption history via a timeline. For example, one embodiment comprises receiving entertainment consumption history comprising one or more entertainment content identifiers each identifying one or more entertainment content items sent to a selected user. The entertainment consumption history also comprises, for each entertainment content identifier, information related to a time at which the one or more entertainment content items identified by the entertainment content identifier were sent to the selected user. The embodiment further comprises sending to a display device a graphical depiction of the entertainment consumption history data as a timeline with each entertainment content identifier being illustrated along a direction of a time axis at a location representative of the time at which the one or more entertainment content items represented by the entertainment content identifier were sent to the selected user.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to ancillary experience-based pairing. One embodiment provides a method comprising displaying content on a display, and displaying a tag on the display along with the content, where the tag comprises an image encoding instructions for pairing with the host computing device. The method further includes, while displaying the tag, receiving registration information from a client computing device, comparing the registration information to expected registration information, and if the registration information matches the expected registration information, then establishing a pairing between the host computing device and the client computing device. The method further includes, upon establishing the pairing, providing an ancillary user experience to the client computing device, where the ancillary user experience including content ancillary to the content.

Abstract: Embodiments related to controlling media privacy settings are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a media server system including a configured to receive media consumption data for each media content item of a plurality of media content items consumed by a user. Media consumption data for each media content item includes an item-specific privacy status and a media content item identifier. The server is also configured to receive, from one or more of another user and a media content item recommendations program, a request for access to the media consumption data for a media content item, and to provide one or more of the other user and the media content item recommendations program with access to the media consumption data based on the item-specific privacy status of the media consumption data.

Abstract: A channel updater. The channel updater maintains an accurate channel line-up by automatically testing accessible channels to determine if those channels are available for viewing. Available channels are added to the channel line-up, and unavailable channels are subtracted from the channel line-up. The updater persistently retests the channels so that changes in channel availability are reflected in the channel line-up.

Abstract: The technology is a system and method for selecting a television lineup. The available television lineups capable of being viewed on a digital device are identified. One of the tuner positions is selected and the television channel designated in each available television lineup identified. If any of the television channels identified is a likely identifiable channel and is designated by approximately half of the available television lineups, available television lineups may be deleted based on the television signal received by the selected tuner position. In on embodiment, the tuner positions are selected in numerical order. In an alternative embodiment, the tuner positions are first sorted before one is selected. It may not be possible to delete lineups based on likely identifiable channels. In this case, a viewer may be prompted to identify a channel.

Abstract: The technology is a system and method for displaying a non-grid electronic program guide. Available television channels and episodes are identified in a program guide database. The available television channels are displayed in a first window of the guide. The television series associated with the available episodes are displayed in a second window of the guide. In response to selecting one of the available television channels, the available television episodes are narrowed to the television series that air on the selected television channel. In response to the selection of one of the television series, episodes of the selected television series are displayed in a third window of the guide. Selecting an episode displays the episode information in a fourth window of the guide.

Abstract: A system and methods for configuring a television signal SourceType received by one or more tuners. Each of the tuners in the system are initially identified. The signal type is detected, and based on the signal type, a recorder thread is populated with compatible scanners. A weighted scanning order is established within each recorder thread. In one embodiment, the weighted scanning order is based in part on the region where the tuners receive a signal. Once the recorder threads are established, the tuners are scanned in parallel. Based on the scanning results, the television signal SourceType for each tuner is reported.

Abstract: A channel updater. The channel updater maintains an accurate channel line-up by automatically testing accessible channels to determine if those channels are available for viewing. Available channels are added to the channel line-up, and unavailable channels are subtracted from the channel line-up. The updater persistently retests the channels so that changes in channel availability are reflected in the channel line-up.

Abstract: A channel-selection filter. The channel-selection filter helps a user navigate to a desired channel. In particular, the channel-selection filter presents a filtered channel list to the user when the user issues one or more channel-filtering commands. The filtered channel list narrows a list of all available channels to those channels that correspond to the channel-filtering commands issued by the user. When presented with a filtered channel list, the user can select a channel from the filtered channel list. The user can also issue additional channel-filtering commands to further narrow the list of channels presented in the filtered channel list.

Abstract: The techniques and mechanisms described herein are directed to a method for dynamically creating a destination template based on content within a source document. The destination template may be published in a variety of mediums including as a body of an email message, a web site, and a print-friendly document. A portion of content objects within the source document are grouped into content objects based on a relationship between the content objects, such as a physical relationship, a functional relationship, or a combination of both. For each content block, one of several module templates is dynamically selected and arranged to create the destination template. The module templates may be stretchable and designed to render in an email client using HTML.