Abstract: Systems and methods for managing the distribution of on-demand media in an interactive television application are provided. An interactive television application may receive a request for on-demand media from a user. The interactive television application may provide an option to the user for the transmission of the on-demand media. Such options may include, for example, an option to request a reduced-bandwidth version of the on-demand media, an option to schedule a future time for presentation of the on-demand media, an option to download the on-demand media to a recording device, and an option to check the availability of the on-demand media. A reduced price for transmission of the on-demand media may be provided to the user.

Abstract: A media recording system may be provided. The recording system may include features for reducing recording cut-off of a particular media event due to changes in the start time and end time of what is scheduled to be recorded. The recording system may provide a user with an opportunity to select a program by for example, selecting a listing, to have that program automatically recorded at a scheduled time for presentation to viewers. Changes in the schedule of programs may be compensated manually or automatically when the recording system receives information about actual or predicted time changes. In a manual mode, a user may adjust start or end times based on time change information that is displayed. For an automatic mode, the recording system may automatically compensate for predicted or actual time changes that are known by automatically adjusting the start and end times of recording.

Abstract: Interactive media systems and methods are provided for substituting pause-time content in place of media that has been paused. The user may pause media such as real-time media, video-on-demand media, near video-on-demand, or recorded media. If the user pauses real-time media or near video-on-demand media, the interactive media application may store the media. The interactive media application may also provide the user with the ability to rewind, resume play of, and fast-forward the media. The pause-time content may be audio or video media and may be an advertisement, trivia, program summaries or any other suitable pause-time content. The interactive media application may provide customized pause-time content specific to the user or specific to the media paused by using media data associated with the media. The interactive media application may also prevent the user from accessing features (e.g., fast-forward) of the system.

Abstract: A user speech interface for interactive media guidance applications, such as television program guides, guides for audio services, guides for video-on-demand (VOD) services, guides for personal video recorders (PVRs), or other suitable guidance applications is provided. Voice commands may be received from a user and guidance activities may be performed in response to the voice commands.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing supplemental content with on-demand media in an interactive television application are described.

Abstract: A program guide system is provided in which interactive television program guide advertisement usage is monitored. Advertisement usage may be monitored by monitoring when advertisements are transmitted from a television distribution facility to user television equipment. Advertisement usage information may also be monitored by monitoring when advertisements are received by the user television equipment. Advertisement usage information may also be monitored at the time at which advertisements are displayed by a program guide. Less important data may be filtered from the collected advertisement usage data. Other activities that may be monitored include the viewing activities of the user, which program guide screens are displayed, and which non-program-guide applications are used. Real-time ratings information (e.g., real-time ratings of the popularity of certain television programs, video games, or other applications) may be provided to users in real time.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide with remote access is provided. The interactive television program guide is implemented on interactive television program guide equipment. A remote program guide access device is connected to the interactive television program guide equipment by a remote access link to provide a user with remote access to program guide functions.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide with remote access is provided. The interactive television program guide is implemented on interactive television program guide equipment. A remote program guide access device is connected to the interactive television program guide equipment by a remote access link to provide a user with remote access to program guide functions.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to select a program for recording onto the digital storage device. The program guide may then provide the user a list of programs that includes at least one listing for a recorded program. The user may select a recorded program listing and the program guide will transfer the corresponding program from the digital storage device to a secondary storage device.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to select a program for recording onto the digital storage device. The program guide may then provide the user a list of programs that includes at least one listing for a recorded program. The user may select a recorded program listing and the program guide will transfer the corresponding program from the digital storage device to a secondary storage device.

Abstract: A user speech interface for interactive media guidance applications, such as television program guides, guides for audio services, guides for video-on-demand (VOD) services, guides for personal video recorders (PVRs), or other suitable guidance applications is provided. Voice commands may be received from a user and guidance activities may be performed in response to the voice commands.

Abstract: A user speech interface for interactive media guidance applications, such as television program guides, guides for audio services, guides for video-on-demand (VOD) services, guides for personal video recorders (PVRs), or other suitable guidance applications is provided. Voice commands may be received from a user and guidance activities may be performed in response to the voice commands.

Abstract: A hybrid passive-interactive program guide is generated by combining the features of an interactive program guide with the passive video portion of a passive program guide. The interactive guide may replace passive listings with interactive listings, replace passive features with interactive features, provide supplemental advertisements, or replace passive tagging information with interactive tagging information. Users may be provided with an opportunity to purchase a program or product being advertised, to view listings for segments aired in the video portion of the passive guide, to schedule reminders for listings or video segments that are displayed by the passive guide, or to schedule video segments and related information for recording.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to store information associated with recorded programs in a directory in the digital storage device thereby providing easy access to program information. The program guide may also provide a global media library for indicating the programs stored on removable storage media used with the program guide. The guide may also allow the user to manage and maintain a user media library to do the same. Non-time-sensitive data associated with recorded programs may be stored in a way that allows the user to interact with the data on playback as if the program were being originally aired. The program guide also allows the user to define “super-programs” for playback of a sequence of stored programs or program segments.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to store information associated with recorded programs in a directory in the digital storage device thereby providing easy access to program information. The program guide may also provide a global media library for indicating the programs stored on removable storage media used with the program guide. The guide may also allow the user to manage and maintain a user media library to do the same. Non-time-sensitive data associated with recorded programs may be stored in a way that allows the user to interact with the data on playback as if the program were being originally aired. The program guide also allows the user to define “super-programs” for playback of a sequence of stored programs or program segments.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to store information associated with recorded programs in a directory in the digital storage device thereby providing easy access to program information. The program guide may also provide a global media library for indicating the programs stored on removable storage media used with the program guide. The guide may also allow the user to manage and maintain a user media library to do the same. Non-time-sensitive data associated with recorded programs may be stored in a way that allows the user to interact with the data on playback as if the program were being originally aired. The program guide also allows the user to define “super-programs” for playback of a sequence of stored programs or program segments.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to store information associated with recorded programs in a directory in the digital storage device thereby providing easy access to program information. The program guide may also provide a global media library for indicating the programs stored on removable storage media used with the program guide. The guide may also allow the user to manage and maintain a user media library to do the same. Non-time-sensitive data associated with recorded programs may be stored in a way that allows the user to interact with the data on playback as if the program were being originally aired. The program guide also allows the user to define “super-programs” for playback of a sequence of stored programs or program segments.

Abstract: Multimedia distribution and broadcast systems and related processes are provided for transmitting multimedia contents and control information from a central uplink facility to a remote downlink via a satellite. The system is preferably implemented in order to generate sequences of multimedia that are broadcast from the remote downlink facility to viewers. The display arrangements of the multimedia sequences are varied and customized by each downlink facility using the control information in order to better inform and entertain viewers.

Abstract: Multimedia distribution and broadcast systems and related processes are provided for transmitting multimedia contents and control information from a central uplink facility to a remote downlink via a satellite. The system is preferably implemented in order to generate sequences of multimedia that are broadcast from the remote downlink facility to viewers. The display arrangements of the multimedia sequences are varied and customized by each downlink facility using the control information in order to better inform and entertain viewers.

Abstract: Interactive media systems and methods are provided for substituting pause-time content in place of media that has been paused. The user may pause media such as real-time media, video-on-demand media, near video-on-demand, or recorded media. If the user pauses real-time media or near video-on-demand media, the interactive media application may store the media. The interactive media application may also provide the user with the ability to rewind, resume play of, and fast-forward the media. The pause-time content may be audio or video media and may be an advertisement, trivia, program summaries or any other suitable pause-time content. The interactive media application may provide customized pause-time content specific to the user or specific to the media paused by using media data associated with the media. The interactive media application may also prevent the user from accessing features (e.g., fast-forward) of the system.